Urban Planning in Hong KongCarmen Leekmlee787@yahoo.com.hk

Design is a Policy

When I was in school, the teacher told me in the first lesson. The notion of design is innovation, problem solving as well as serving your client. That is no doubt.

The discussion of the sustainable urban planning and constructing a better living environment has been raising by the government and general public for few years. The professions in different sectors are contributing their knowledge to response the issue. In this article, by unfolding some event to illustrate the term of design is not just about the innovation, aesthetic form or professional disciplines. It is also can understand as making a corresponding actions deliberately to specific event.

The Hong Kong Infrastructure and Planning Experiences is a temporary exhibition, which showcase the government policy on the future development of Hong Kong urban planning. It launched in 2009, it consist of six sections – Imprint, Hong Kong 2030, New Kai Tak, Transport and Logistics, Sustainable Development and Living Environment. In the exhibition, the designer (HK Architectural Services Department) employ different interactivity to stimulate the interest of the audiences.

Design as Strategy and Education

The original Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery was located at the ground floor of the City Hall Annex, due to the renovation and expansions works of the building, the department relocated the entire gallery to Murray Road temporarily with a new exhibition design. The exhibition is a success, it draws lots of media and public attention due to the awarded exhibition design.

Having the gallery to introduce the department history and their profession is common (for example: Narcotics Division, Security Bureau, ICAC), but having an exhibition to promote the future policy is rare (for example: WKD). It is a new communication channel to the public and it becomes a crucial public relationship policy. Using images, video and interactivities to visualize the policy can arouse the public interest as well as get their recognition more easily.

Design optimize the entire future planning, however, the exhibition displays the vision of single department only. A well-development of urban planning requires cooperation from different departments. The execution is a doubt, it also goes without saying the other issues of Hong Kong.

MY CAR is collaborative project, which is designed and developed by Hong Kong Polytechnic University and EuAuto Technology Limited. The design concept unveiled in 2003 and sales launched in 2009

Photo Sources: http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HK_Campus_Open_Day_PolyU_MyCar_display_exhibit_X038_02.JPG

Photo source: http://www.car1.hk/news/090429_mycar/

Design as Promotion

MyCar is the first home-grown electric vehicle in Hong Kong. From the R&D, manufacturing, sales and disturbing to global market, these are all single-handedly operated by local company, except the body design. Its body was designed by renowned Italian car designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. The launch of MyCar also cohere with the Budget Proposal 2009. With the increasing concern of environmental issue, the budget promoting “Green Economy”, which illustrate that the government should encourage people and enterprises to invest or invent green business. Putting the economy to a more sustainable path is emphasized.Talking back the Land Usage Distribution, 40 sq km of the land is distributed for the road and most of them are located right next to the residential area. The promotion of electrical vehicle can bring us to better living environment by reducing the carbon emission.

Till end of last year, there are 220 electrical vehicles in HK. Meanwhile, the policy is set but the execution is difficult. On one hand, the original urban/road planning in Hong Kong is not aim at adapting the electrical vehicle. Although some of the public and private building have been renovated to facilitated the electrical vehicle, none of them are installed on the street. If the electrical vehicle is our future of transportation policy, it would be a big question on urban/road re-planning. Second is the economical issue, how can government get a balance between two beneficial sector - petrol companies and power supplies companies? It is the real obstacle toward the development of electric vehicle.

The R&D of MyCar started in 2003, “Green Economy” or electrical vehicle are unusual topic for Hong Kong. The government did not officially subsidize the project. In addition, The Automotive Parts and Accessory system R&D center was established 3 years before the launch. The first model of MyCar was launched in Europe market two years before the launch in HK market. It seems that the government involvement on the project is absent. In terms of timing, the great celebration of MyCar, which going in line with the “Green Economy” policy has a political reason behind. After the success of MyCar, the Innovation and Technology Commission granted 2 million fund to PolyU for further development.

The Budget 209-2010. HKSAR. http://www.budget.gov.hk/2009/eng/speech.html

Managed by Leisure and Cultural Services DepartmentPurchased or Designed by Architectural Service DepartmentPublic Furniture on the street and park

Design as regulation

Seat is a basic public facility in the city. It located at the public space , like park and street. In term of the design, it is not difficult to find that those furniture is not comfortable to stay with. They leave the appropriateness of material and the concern of ergonomic out of design consideration. Ironically, they are made with purpose. In Hong Kong, all kinds of public activities in the park are regulated by the Pleasure Ground Regulation. In Cap 132BC s23, term (d) lie upon any seat or lie down in any building therein are prohibited. Obviously, those public furniture design is the response of the regulation. It also aim to avoid the outlier sleeping on the chair. Public/open space is not that “public/open”, it position should be neutral and inclusive of all unconditionally.

The design intention is to govern and restrict the public behaviors and activities deliberately. Last year, the Home Affairs Bureau launched a project,, they invite the local designers to design the public furniture for the park. It aims to embellish the park environment and encourage the public to enjoy the park. The fundamental purpose of the park is to allow people to rest and relax, however, it is hard to imagine anyone can stay on the furniture over an hour. In term of their speech and action, it is a paradox.

The government focus their design consideration on the minority and ignore the need of general public. They design to regulate. The notion of design become a policy for eliminating their eyesore of the city.

Photo Sources: HKSAR. Home Affairs Bureau. 2011. http://www.hab.gov.hk/tc/about_us/from_the_desk_of_secretary_for_home_affairs/shaArticles132.htm Hong Kong Legal Information Institute .  Hong Kong Regulations. CAP 132BC PLEASURE GROUNDS REGULATION 2011. http://www.hklii.hk/eng/hk/legis/reg/132BC/

IGrave is designed by Cuatro Company Limited & Mr. Newbie Idea and Technology Services in 2011. The product consist of two parts, one is the iPhone dock (battery charger) and the iPhone app. With the development of online memorial services, this project brings the traditional ceremony to another level.

Cuatro Company Limited & Mr. Newbie Idea and Technology Services. Project iGrave. 2011. iGrave.net

Design as resistance

The ceremony of respecting the ancestors and worshiping the gods are part of our culture. Some of the family even hold the ceremony everyday by praying and putting joss stick in front of the gods/ancestors. These product and app are reflecting the local daily culture and national spirit.

Regarding the land usage distribution, Hong Kong is not just dealing with the housing issue, we are also facing an iss

ue regarding the lack of land for cemetery. Only 8 sq km is distributed for the cemeteries out of 1108 sq km. However, the proportion for this distribution will not have much variation. The public has been raising strong debate for that issue for several years, since the public is extremely sensitive about the location of the cemetery. In this circumstances, people start to choose other methods to handle the remains, some choose a sea burial, some choose cremation and settle the cremains at the illegal cemetery or even at home.

On the other hand, there is still a lot of religious people in the community, they worship their ancestor everyday and at specific day like Ching Ming Festival. By then, they need an object to symbolize their ancestors- gravestone, grave panel. In tradition, there is furniture which designed specifically for the ceremony. iGrave is exactly the simplified version of those furniture and grave panel. The slogan of iGrave is “Not just for fun, respect the ancestors”, this product imply iPhone can fulfill the tradition needs or spirit. Simply reduced the tradition spirit to visual. The notion for fun and worship collide, it creates an irreconcilable conflict between technology and tradition. I interpret that as a fun and ironic resistance.

Planning Department HKSAR. Broad Land Usage Distribution. 2011. http://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/info_serv/statistic/landu.html