OBSERVATION: The Hong Kong MTR and other public facilities have deafening prerecorded audio messages urging passengers to hold the handrail as they ride — which typically fall on deaf ears in one of the world’s noisiest cities.
SOLUTION: Provide new brightly-colored yellow rubber handrails with hand pictograms to provide subliminal visual cues for passengers to hold on — young children are very likely to place their own hand directly upon the image of the hand, and might help train them to hold on as they ride.
Why not do a trial run of pictogram escalator hand rails and determine if these in fact result in an increase of the number of passengers who grip the handrails as they ride? It’s worth a try!
Could new escalator handrails be provided which improve passenger safety? Could these same handrails be of a new high-tech material that is not only anti-microbial, but might even actively cleanse one’s hands and fingertips as they grip, improving hygiene levels across the city?
OBSERVATION: As Hong Kong moves ever closer to becoming a cashless society, is there truly a need for the Hong Kong Monetary Authority to keep producing the smallest denomination 10, 20, and 50 cent coins relative to the cost and environmental impact of actually minting new coins?
SOLUTION: Provide coin conversion machines at MTR stations that collect and recycle coins, provide instant credit on Octopus cards or digital payment platforms, and minimize new coin production.
Are these low value coins even worth the cost of manufacturing them?
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has operated two rarely-seen roving coin collection vehicles since 2014 that converts unused coins into cash or stored value card credits to reduce the demand for minting new coins. However, how many busy Hong Kong residents have actually ever seen these vehicles or availed themselves of their services?
The HKMA’s roving “coinmobile” — a very quick and efficient operation to cash in buckets of old coins — but only when you can find one.
When these “coinmobiles” do appear in one’s neighborhood, the process is relatively quick and efficient. There is a maximum weight of coins that can be cashed in during a visit, which need to be free of foreign matter. After transferring your haul into a plastic tray, one then steps up into the vehicle where an attendant dumps the coins into a spinning rotary sorter — any stray Macau Patacas are spit out in the rejection slot, and a voucher is printed out which can be redeemed at a small cubicle in the rear of the vehicle. Sadly, these vehicles are not wheelchair accessible.
As an alternative to the elusive HKMA coin collection vehicles, banks present another option for cashing in coins. However, some greedy banks often charge a bogus “handling fee” for cashing large amounts of coins into banknotes.
Could the coin recycling process be dramatically accelerated, and become more convenient and accessible for Hong Kong’s busy populace by installing automatic coin recycling machines at all MTR stations which could automatically credit one’s Octopus card immediately after collection? And could this include an option to automatically top-up an individual’s digital payment account, like AliPay and others from such MTR-based kiosks?
If provided, the HKMA’s recycling targets might be met in a fraction of the time, the environmental impacts of minting new coins minimized, and space-starved residents could rid their junk drawers of nonsensical coins on a daily basis as they commute to work on one of the most well-used public transport systems in the city.
OBSERVATION: Like many cities throughout the world, much of the urban architectural grafitti in Hong Kong is relegated to dark alleys and other areas out of public sight. Older buildings in certain districts, including Soho in the Mid-Levels and Wong Chuk Hang, have selectively embraced tasteful architectural grafitti with mixed success.
SOLUTION: Could building owners in select districts undergoing gentrification be incentivized to allow architectural graffiti as a part of a focused scheme to establish new creative and artistic hubs throughout the city, and drive tourism into those areas?
Global cities including New York City (USA), Bruges (Belgium), Valparaiso (Chile), and many others have provided much-needed architectural canvases for established and aspiring graffiti and mural artists. In many instances, these stunning works of public art have completely transformed dilapidated neighborhoods into new vibrant communities and reflected their unique history.
Hong Kong has isolated pockets of interesting architectural graffiti, but could these pockets be expanded within these same districts, or proposed in other ailing districts in a rejuvenation program to increase tourism and to promote Hong Kong’s creative and artistic scene? Could the local district councils spearhead efforts in their own neighborhoods? Could a neighborhood’s unique history be expressed in this form of public art before it is lost in the mists of time?
A breath of fresh air on the corner of Hong Kong’s Soho neighborhood.One of the city’s most popular Instagram sites, just off of Hollywood Road, which has increased tourist foot traffic into this area.An eye-catching surprise around every corner!Hong Kong’s nondescript George’s Lane becomes a place to linger and explore.An otherwise dark narrow alley off of Hollywood Road illuminated with a splash of urban life!What’s real, and what’s not?Clever advertising adding character to a Soho street.An artist at work … could Hong Kong’s disenchanted youth be provided with opportunities to show off their natural talents and cultivate careers in art? Who needs representation in an art gallery when one can provide a street address to show off their work?
OBSERVATION: Hong Kong’s MTR is one of the highest-rated public transportation systems in the world; however, at least 75% of the system’s stations lack public toilets which are an expected feature in international transit systems.
SOLUTION: While newer MTR stations have been thoughtfully designed to include public toilets, older stations need to be retrofitted with some form of public toilet solution in order to provide consistency throughout the entire network. When you gotta go, you gotta go!
Public toilets for commuters at Sheung Wan MTR Station — a much appreciated amenity for passengers, which is a rarity throughout the network.
The Hong Kong MTR system currently has 91 stations and 68 Light Rail stops across ten main commuter lines throughout Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories. While most were constructed in the 1970s and 1980s, today just over 20 stations (primarily interchange stations) have been retrofitted with public toilets — a scant 25% of total MTR stations.
The MTR has cited various technical challenges associated with retrofitting existing stations with new toilets, which include limitations in existing sewerage capacities, the risks of overlapping plumbing with high voltage electrical systems, challenges in providing sufficient ventilation, among other factors. However, many of these obstacles are based on installing a traditional toilet system … maybe it’s time to think outside of the box?
IDEA: Could there be a system of unisex odorless waterless composting toilets that could be easily installed in each station? Could these be housed within vandal-resistant permanent enclosures that would have minimal impact on the station’s infrastructure?
Could a paid competition attract Hong Kong’s universities and product designers to invent a high-capacity composting toilet system that would cater to the masses, minimize water use, use composting materials derived from daily grounds keeping activities (which would otherwise wind up in a landfill) in order to provide a sanitary solution for a dense urban environment like Hong Kong?
OBSERVATION: Hong Kong has one of the most spectacular harbourfronts in the world … yet, many areas are largely inaccessible by pedestrians due to poor urban planning. The waterfront promenades that do exist are fragmented and isolated.
SOLUTION: Provide a continuous 25-km waterfront pedestrian and bicycle path network along the northern edge of Hong Kong Island stretching from Aberdeen to Chai Wan.
Pedestrianized harbourfront areas along the north coast of Hong Kong Island are fragmented and few in number …
Could an ambitious new waterfront promenade be created? Benefits of a continuous waterfront promenade for Hong Kong residents would include:
Increased well-being through a connection with water
Improved air quality for pedestrians at waterfront areas
A vehicle-free pedestrianized area that allows residents the option to safely commute between home and work by riding a bicycle or walking
Increased levels of fitness and healthy lifestyle choices
Intermittent pedestrian links to existing inland tram and MTR stops that already mirror the existing coastline
Existing waterfront promenades could be leveraged and provided with linkages at each end to form a continuous network
Opportunities for a new waterfront taxi network — not unlike Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River — for short hops between waterfront stops
Creation of intermodal transportation hubs linking ferries, water taxis, roadways, bicycle / walking paths, MTR and trams
An early 2006 concept submitted to the HKSAR Government for redeveloping the Central Waterfront into a pedestrianized zone prior to the Tamar Government Headquarters, some of which has partially been implemented years later. Illustration (c) 2006 Thomas Schmidt – All rights reserved
Hong Kong based architect Thomas Schmidt asks: WHAT IF one could walk or bike unfettered along a 25-km stretch of the northern coastline of Hong Kong Island? WHAT IF you could safely ride a bicycle — free from traffic — along dedicated bike lanes from Aberdeen to Chai Wan in just over an hour?
How would all of our lives change for the better?
Could there be pedestrian-friendly access from the nearby Wong Chuk Hang MTR station to the starting point of a new 25-km continuous waterfront promenade? Could the fishing and boating industry co-exist with new public access to the waterfront in this area? What if Waterfall Park enjoyed more public accessibility? Would the residents of Bel-Air like an option to walk or bike to work in Central or beyond, instead of being forced to rely upon motorized transport? Imagine a Cyberport that is actually accessible as it was originally intended years ago … Could there even be a new ferry terminal that puts the “port” back into Cyberport? Would HKU students enjoy a healthy option of being able walk or bike to sports practice? What if Pokfulam was much more accessible during heavy traffic through a new pedestrian and bicycle path along the scenic coastline, provided it was executed in a sensitive manner? Could this dead end of Kennedy Town be re-activated, and “temporary” recreation areas become permanent? Could new water taxis serve this evolving area? Could Belcher Bay Park could be extended all the way to the water’s edge to provide a gathering area for residents of Kennedy Town and Shek Tong Tsui? Could the terminus of the historic Hong Kong Tram at Whitty Street be linked to a new promenade connecting different districts? Could a resident ride a bicycle from Wanchai and then catch a bus to Kowloon through the Western Harbour Tunnel? What if there were a waterfront link between the popular Macau Ferry Terminal and the existing promenade along the Central Ferry Piers? Could the existing Central / Tamar Park waterfront be a critical link in a long chain of “people places” along the northern coast of Hong Kong Island … instead of an isolated promenade?What if Golden Bauhinia Square was actually accessible by pedestrians? What if Hong Kong Convention Center delegates could walk or bike to nearby hotels along one of the world’s best waterfronts? Could the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club become more accessible and help this area thrive as a true water sports center? Could the redevelopment of the former Excelsior Hotel provide new pedestrian links from the Causeway Bay MTR station to the venerable Noonday Gun and a new waterfront promenade? Could the upcoming redevelopment of the Oil Street site include a green lung for choking Fortress Hill and provide a link to a new waterfront park? Could the existing ferry terminals and bus stations be redeveloped into a multi-modal travel hub that ties into a pedestrian and biking promenade beneath the Island Eastern Corridor? Why allocate parking along prime waterfront areas when these areas could be developed into parks for the people? Imagine if the various fragments of successful existing waterfront promenades could be integrated into a continuous network along the entire coastline.Could the existing Sai Wan Ho Harbour Front Park fronting Soho East be joined to the existing Aldrich Bay promenade? What if the little-visited Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence had convenient pedestrian / bicycle access from the rest of the island? What if Heng Fa Chuen residents could bicycle to work in Central in just half an hour? Chai Wan’s aging industrial area is ripe for redevelopment and adaptive reuse — could this unique cargo basin area become a vibrant waterfront area like Nyhavn in Copenhagen, Denmark someday? What if Siu Sai Wan and the relatively remote Island Resort were better connected with the rest of Hong Kong?
Besides the many logistics, feasibility studies, and government approvals required for such an integrated network, why can’t Hong Kong begin to implement an ambitious plan to celebrate one of the most famous waterfronts in the world?
OBSERVATION: Hong Kong’s MTR route planning is often a carefully guarded secret — presumably to dissuade land speculation — but there are areas which might provide logical extensions over the long term.
SOLUTION: Provide an extension of the MTR’s Island Line past Kennedy Town, connecting with Cyberport, and linking with South Horizons on the South Island Line. This could help revitalize the isolated and struggling Cyberport development, provide better access to residents on the western side of Hong Kong island, and provide a loop that allows commuters greater flexibility in travel both ways.
Wouldn’t it just make sense to connect the two existing dead-ends and form a loop to breathe new life into a flailing Cyberport? Or perhaps this was always the MTR’s ultimate plan?
Could the Island and Island South MTR lines be extended past Kennedy Town and South Horizons, and joined to provide 3-4 new MTR stations serving the northwest portion of Hong Kong Island? What if new MTR stations could be provided at Sandy Bay, Cyberport and Waterfall Bay? Imagine the dramatic impact this would have on the currently-struggling Cyberport development, and convenience for residents living in this area. This would naturally increase ridership levels along the current “dead ends” of these two lines which should be of interest to the MTR Corporation.
OBSERVATION: Most airlines pack most passengers into tiny seats within the rear 2/3 of the aircraft for a miserable flight experience, while exorbitantly priced unbooked seats in the front 1/3 of the aircraft often sit completely empty.
SOLUTION: Introduce further competition into the aviation industry by providing a new airline concept featuring uniform comfortable seating types throughout its fleet that are assigned based on passenger preferences at the time of boarding.
Could Hong Kong shake up the global aviation industry with a new concept in commercial air travel? Imagine sitting next to like-minded passengers for the first time in your life!
HONG KONG’S AIRLINES: Could Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific adopt such an innovative strategy? Or will a creative upstart airline offer an alternative refreshing twist on air travel?
Spending 10-14 hours on a long haul flight can feel like an eternity. Imagine creating clusters of like-minded passengers on medium to long haul flights based upon their moods just prior to boarding. More tranquil women-only sanctuary, wellness, and work/sleep zones could be clustered together at the front of the aircraft to provide harried travelers with a more calm stress-free introverted travel experience.
Passengers who feel the need to gab and socialize can be clustered at the rear of the aircraft, with enhanced beverage services as a social lubricant. The more private rear of the aircraft could provide busy professionals looking for companionship with opportunities for speed dating, socializing while in transit — and even an opportunity to join the Mile High Club in style!
OBSERVATION: Hong Kong’s roofs are vastly underutilized and contribute the city’s “heat island effect.”
SOLUTION: Provide green roofs on Hong Kong’s flat rooftops that are allow for small-scale food production.
What if only a fraction of the thousands of Hong Kong’s underutilized rooftops were to be retrofitted with green roofs? New buildings could have permanent installations, while older buildings with structural limitations could be retrofitted with lighter weight modular units.
BENEFITS:
Teaches our children where food comes from and how it’s grown
Reduces thermal gain to floors below
Assists in stormwater management
Becomes a community gathering area, especially for the elderly
Strengthens neighborhood building
Facilitates corporate CSR objectives
Decreases reliance on imported food
An experimental roof farm atop Causeway Bay’s Hysan Place at which volunteers come and go and cultivate their own veggies.
Taking things one step further; if Hong Kong’s rooftops could be come urban farms; could these areas also become more vertical in nature and have multiple stacked layers?
OBSERVATION: Island East on Hong Kong Island has some outstanding pedestrianized zones, yet they are fragmented and disconnected — and most are devoid of al fresco dining due to much-criticized government regulations.
SOLUTION: Provide a continuous park-like pedestrianized zone linking the Quarry Bay and Tai Koo MTR Stations, emphasizing al fresco dining and food culture.
What if the excellent pedestrianized areas of Taikoo Shing and neighboring Island East were interconnected? What if a food-based pedestrian experience could be created stretching between the Quarry Bay and Taikoo MTR stations?
July 2019 proposal submitted to Swire Development to improve the pedestrian experience in the One Island East area. The proposal has yet to be acknowledged.
OBSERVATION: Hong Kong suffers from a lack of land that can be readily developed for urgent housing needs — which many blame as a major factor behind the city’s social ills.
SOLUTION: Send the Mouse Packing, and Let’s Get Cracking … Redevelop the loss-making Disneyland into new housing in a prime area that is already provided with sufficient infrastructure and transport links.
Hong Kong Disneyland is surrounded by extensive tracts of flat land that are sitting idle and are conveniently accessible by pedestrian walkways, MTR, roadways, and ferry.
A beautifully-landscaped pedestrian promenade linking Disneyland MTR station and an unused ferry terminal. Where are all the people?Hosting only one ferry per day, could the largely unused Disney ferry terminal be transformed from a white elephant into a productive transportation hub that benefits the residents of Hong Kong?
HOUSING AT DISNEY? What if the vacant land surrounding the existing Hong Kong Disneyland were to be developed into housing? Is the idea really so outlandish? 26,000 low-rise residential flats could be developed for 75,000 residents in a very short period of time, while allowing the theme park to remain in operation and preserve its sight lines from within the Park. This prime urban area is served by MTR, highway, and is blessed with an unused ferry terminal hungry for passengers.
An idea generated in June 2018. (c) 2018 Thomas Schmidt All Rights Reserved
WHAT IF DISNEY DISAPPEARED? As a more radical alternative, what if the existing Hong Kong Disneyland were to be completely dismantled in favor of a new and improved cross-border Mega-Disney Theme Park, and the entire site were to be redeveloped for housing? This could yield at least 120,000 residential flats in a community for 350,000 residents with MTR, ferry and road access.
An idea generated in June 2018. (c) 2018 Thomas Schmidt All Rights Reserved
If a wholesale redevelopment of this area also included ADDITIONAL LAND RECLAMATION, a 150 m wide strip of reclaimed land along the majority of the existing waterfront could produce another 50 HA of buildable land for housing and water recreation areas. This could yield another 26,500 flats at the proposed density. A selective reclamation of foreshore areas would arguably have a lower environmental impact than the creation of new off-shore artificial islands as some have proposed in recent years, and take a fraction of the time.
With minimal reclamation along its edge, the entire Disney site could be redeveloped affordably in a concentrated effort to provide an accessible community of almost 500,000 residents in just a matter of years … not decades.
OBSERVATION: The creation of land supply in Hong Kong through reclamation has been used extensively, with varying levels of controversy. The Government is currently mulling reclamation of a massive island for long-term housing.
SOLUTION: Seek out alternatives to land reclamation to increase Hong Kong’s housing supply.
HONG KONG’S VICTORIA HARBOUR: A TRIP THROUGH TIME
See how this spectacular harbour has been transformed over the years … and what might happen if land reclamation continues unchecked. While originally drawn in 2014, the dystopian future depicted could still become a reality!
OBSERVATION: Hong Kong’s designated “sitting out” spaces, or outdoor public parks, for communities are often dismal depressing patches of concrete between buildings.
SOLUTION: Completely revamp the city’s existing sitting out spaces and create well-designed “pocket parks” to improve residents’ lives in an otherwise concrete jungle.
Could Hong Kong’s existing urban “open spaces” receive a major revamp to make them more usable while beautifying the city? Imagine how spaces could be transformed for the better?
Could more spaces in Hong Kong be more thoughtfully designed like this pedestrian-friendly space in Sheung Wan?
Open space fronting Grand Millennium Plaza in Sheung Wan — a very pleasant space to sit and eat outdoors.
OBSERVATION: Hong Kong produces a high level of waste per capita, yet has one of the worst recycling rates in the developed world.
SOLUTION: Provide new community recycling centers at the neighborhood level which facilitate the collection and processing of recyclable materials and serves as a community gathering point.
Copyright 2014 Thomas Schmidt; All Rights Reserved Copyright 2014 Thomas Schmidt; All Rights Reserved
OBSERVATION: Pedestrians in Hong Kong are completely overrun by vehicle-dominated infrastructure and outdated planning policies.
SOLUTION: Provide an urban revitalization plan that includes the temporary and permanent pedestrianization of key streets to foster walkable communities and to reduce the reliance on vehicles.
Imagine a pedestrianized portion of Causeway Bay with lush landscaping and outdoor cafes! Illustration (c) 1999 Thomas Schmidt – All rights reserved
