OBSERVATION: The HKSAR Government continues to express interest in redeveloping the historic Fanling Golf Course for new housing to address Hong Kong’s dire housing shortage
SOLUTION: Provide new low-rise residential housing at existing fairways, topped by an innovative new continuous rooftop “sky course” to preserve the use of the site as a golf course
Hong Kong suffers from an acute housing shortage, often chalked up to a perceived shortage of land. Since 2017, the spectre of controversially redeveloping portions of the 111-year old historic Fanling Golf Course continues to gain traction, despite public outcries.
While the private course arguably benefits relatively few Hong Kong residents, it is renowned as one of the oldest championship golf courses in Asia, and adds significant value to the city’s status as an international hub. Additionally, environmentalists have noted that the site contains heritage-worthy Chinese swamp cypress trees, also known as Canton water pine (Glyptostrobus pensilis).
If such a preposterous redevelopment plan to produce more housing were to go ahead, as a thought exercise, could this 172-hectare Golf Course site be more sensitively redeveloped to provide new housing WHILE still preserving the existing landscaping and the golf course, albeit in a different incarnation?
While this is somewhat of a tongue-in-cheek proposal, if the “powers that be” eventually decide that this site must be redeveloped for housing, COULD there be an innovative and environmentally sustainable redevelopment scheme that might provide a win-win solution to satisfy all stakeholders?
OBSERVATION: Many of Hong Kong’s bland public playgrounds are poorly designed and maintained, and may represent significant safety issues for children.
SOLUTION: Provide safe, well-researched and better designed playgrounds with more appropriate equipment, materials, features and amenities — coupled with more rigorous and frequent inspections.
Hong Kong has a wide variety of playgrounds throughout its many districts; the majority of the 600+ public playground areas are managed by the HKSAR Leisure and Cultural and Services Department (LCSD). Playgrounds within private residential developments and public housing estates are typically within the purview of the Hong Kong Housing Authority and the Hong Kong Housing Society.
A 2017 Legislative Council report concluded that LCSD-managed public playgrounds suffered from:
uneven distribution through the city’s districts
insufficient provision of play equipment
monotonous playground design
insufficient channels for community participation in the design process
insufficient inclusive facilities
As of 2017, Hong Kong’s public playgrounds provided a paltry average 0.27 sq m per child; a 2018 UNICEF report further lamented that Hong Kong’s open space for play spaces is only a small fraction of other major Asian cities like Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, and Singapore.
Today, it appears nothing has changed.
PLAY EQUIPMENT
Many of Hong Kong’s public playgrounds use commercially-available proprietary plastic playground equipment in a variety of bright colors. However, due to Hong Kong’s climate, many of the darker colored surfaces — ranging from seating to slides –heat up to “untouchable” temperatures in the summer months, rendering them unsafe and unusable.
This dark blue seat heats up to unacceptable temperatures during hot summer days, and is capable of delivering burns to young children.
The protective finishes on many of the factory-painted “high touch” areas of playground equipment tend to rub off due to repeated use, and sometimes results in the premature corrosion of the metal substrate below.
The paint on these neglected high-touch surfaces is flaking off on the hands of young children. Has anyone determined if the paint used is non-toxic, and are young children actually safe?This horizontal member of play equipment is badly corroded and results in sharp rusty edges — if a child were to scrape themselves on this rusty surface, this would likely require an urgent trip to the doctor and a painful tetanus shot. Is the HKSAR Government prepared to accept this level of public liability?
Due to Hong Kong’s coastal climate, the accelerated corrosion of playground members also results in issues of structural instability, and the potential for equipment to structurally fail due to the live loads of multiple children playing.
This member anchoring a section of playground equipment to the ground shows significant corrosion; other members have completely disintegrated resulting in unstable equipment installations that are not properly anchored, which greatly impact child safety.
The selection of playground equipment at public play areas is often heavily criticized by users, and has raised complaints from the HKSAR Legislative Council in recent years. Sometimes, the selection of playground equipment may be purely based on the recommendation of an overseas equipment manufacturer. However, how many installations in Hong Kong have actually been based on local research into local children’s preferences or through community engagement exercises?
As an example, a large stage-like section at the playground below is largely underutilized –even during peak periods — while the very few swings that have been provided at this playground are in extremely high demand throughout the day, resulting in ad hoc queues and frequent playground squabbles involving both children and adults.
Could there be more research put into the design of Hong Kong’s playgrounds and the selection of play equipment to match community expectations?
SHADING DEVICES
Some playgrounds have been equipped with shading devices above select play areas, but these are largely absent throughout many playgrounds. This results in an increased chance of dehydration and heat stroke in children playing beneath the sun for an extended period. This is further exacerbated by a total lack of drinking fountains or rehydration stations at playground areas, which many global cities have mandated by law.
This shading device at Quarry Bay Park playground offers a much needed patch of shade beneath a punishing midday sun; if there were only more of these to increase the usability of this particular playground.
GROUNDSCAPE
While many play equipment areas have been thoughtfully surrounded by rubberized safety pavers to cushion falls, the hardscape areas surrounding these areas — perhaps under the purview of different government departments — have drainage grates that result in significant safety hazards.
The grate below, with it’s wide slats, was responsible for the loss of a 6-year old’s two front teeth, when her two wheeled scooter became entrapped in one of the linear slots while traveling at speed, catapulting her over the handlebars, and landing face-first on the pavers. The author of this post was the child’s father who witnessed the entire traumatic event and rushed her to the dentist!
Why were such drainage grates — which represent significant safety hazards to wheeled play equipment — ever installed at children’s playground areas?
The same type of grate is installed in the middle of a dedicated bicycle path frequently used by children — needless to say, this is an accident waiting to happen.
Why would a drainage grate with slots wider than the width of a bicycle tire ever be installed along a bicycle path? Does this represent a failure in coordination between various Government departments?
Could drainage grates at playgrounds be replaced with a new design with smaller apertures as shown below?
NEXT STEPS
WHAT IF … Hong Kong’s playgrounds were to be revamped to incorporate the following best practices and improvements:
Provide professionally designed playgrounds that are based on extensive research of the demographics of the catchment area, resident surveys, and detailed analysis — instead of relying on potentially outdated planning guidelines, rules of thumb, and manufacturer recommendations
Construct playgrounds that are larger, have more diverse activities, and provide a greater degree of inclusiveness for children of all abilities
Seek community participation in the design of new and existing playgrounds, and increase responsiveness to user needs
Invent more playground concepts based upon a specific theme — instead of the monotonous “standard issue” proprietary playground equipment package used by the LCSD
Diversify and provide attractions that better stimulate other senses such as sound and touch
Integrate nature into playgrounds –even if it’s a pile of large boulders that children can scramble up and overlook activities below
Maximize the use of shading devices above playground equipment geared to younger children
Allocate dedicated areas for the use of bicycles, scooters, skateboards, roller-blades, and other wheeled play equipment — with appropriate smooth finishes, and non-hazardous drainage grates.
Specify lighter-colored climate-appropriate play equipment to minimize heat gain during very sunny periods
Select a wider variety of play equipment, which may include seesaws, merry-go-rounds, sandboxes, playhouses, and mazes
Use equipment with more durable paint finishes, or antimicrobial materials with integral colors, at high touch areas
Encourage the use of innovative play equipment where the kinetic energy of swings, merry-go-rounds, spinners, etc. could be harnessed and stored to recharge phones, power playground lighting, and perhaps drive overhead fan systems in helping to cool play areas
Use solar-powered overhead fan systems that are automatically activated on hot days
Enhance landscaping and select evergreen plant materials to provide shade while minimize seasonal shedding of leaves relative to maintenance
Design landscapes to direct and “pre-cool” the prevailing breezes to help passively cool playgrounds during hot summer months
Provide picnic tables to facilitate eating and playing — instead of standard rows of benches — tables could also patterned with chess boards and other local board-games
Provide patterned rubberized safety pavers with “hopscotch” numbers, symbols, or other footwork games that encourage movement — instead of a sea of monochromatic pavers
Incorporate water features and wet play areas to provide cooling during hot summer months
Construct public toilets within an acceptable walking distance of all playgrounds, which include family toilets with diaper changing stations
Install rehydration stations at all playgrounds that dispense clean potable water, free of charge
Consider supplying vending machines that dispense playground-specific products that might include bottled water, sports drinks, snacks, sunscreen lotion, and mini first-aid kits containing bandages for minor scrapes; recycling bins could be co-located with these machines
Provide an emergency / duress telephone in case of emergency — not everyone carries a mobile phone to the playground.
Mandate more frequent inspections of existing installations by certified playground safety inspectors, and require a more proactive repair and maintenance program by relevant government departments
Require that new playground installations or updates are implemented at least every 8 years, if not sooner
Hong Kong’s playgrounds need a major overhaul and more rigorous inspections to provide our children with safe outdoor venues in which to play and to improve the city’s quality of life. If not now — when?
OBSERVATION: Despite Hong Kong’s obsession with efficiency, in an ironic twist, many of the larger shopping malls and office buildings have been designed with excessive circulation areas that could be put to better use.
SOLUTION: Provide “pop-up” kids’ zones in unused corners of shopping malls that serve as a supervised creative outlet for children, while allowing some parents to slip away and shop in peace.
Many of Hong Kong’s larger shopping malls and interconnected commercial buildings often have excessive amounts of non-programmed circulation space that could be put to more creative use.
This area at Taikoo Shing’s Cityplaza Shopping Center formerly had a water feature, but now sits vacant for the majority of the time. Could this space be put to better use?
Today’s shopping malls, typically surrounded by high-density residential areas, have become the de facto town square and serve as a gathering place for the community — especially during the weekends when children are out of school.
During the weekends, young children can be seen racing around the mall, chased by harried parents, amidst a relatively static assortment of retail and food & beverage outlets. Despite offering spacious areas for children to escape from their cramped residences, could these community gathering hubs better cater to our children?
Could some of the unused areas within shopping malls and the vacuous lobbies of commercial buildings become weekend “pop-up” kids’ zones where free supervised creative activities could be hosted, while allowing some parents to have short periods of peaceful shopping therapy?
This area at the bottom of an escalator landing has been converted to a pop-up arts and crafts center.
These drop-in kids’ zones could become a social enterprise and allow art teachers and retired volunteers to interact with a younger generation and impart their knowledge. Children could engage in a variety of guided programs: Arts and crafts using recyclable materials, learning Chinese calligraphy from an older member of the community, or creating their own puppets and performing puppet shows for other children and passersby.
While there are many paid private art and creative programs available for those parents who can afford it, could there be free programs for ALL children, regardless of their family’s economic situation?
A child’s creativity could be nurtured by using materials otherwise destined for the landfill .Small creations could help improve children’s self-esteem and provide colorful home decorations.
While children are occupied with various creative activities under the watchful eyes of organizers, parents would then be able to browse unencumbered in nearby shops or run quick errands — and potentially increase their average length of stay and total spend within the shopping mall, to the benefit of retailers.
These types of multi-purpose corners within the shopping malls could not only serve as Kids’ Zones during the weekends, but also transform into rent-free pop-up shops for local artists and designers to gain exposure and sell their creations on weekdays, while children are at school. Supply cabinets, tables and chairs, perimeter kids fences, and mats used within these area could be lightweight, portable and fitted into wheeled units to allow for quick deployment and tear-down, in addition to facilitating off-site transportation and storage as necessary.
Relative to its operation, there would be multiple issues to resolve in such an undertaking, including:
Liability & Insurance (i.e. if a child gets hurt, have the parents signed a waiver?)
Hygiene and disease prevention precautions
Opening hours and parent tracing (ensuring parents pick up children in a timely manner)
Vetting of volunteers relative to child safety
Security and ensuring children don’t run off during activities
Could such a social enterprise be supported by the Government? Could the Hong Kong Jockey Club become involved? Could these types of children outreach programs fulfill the CSR objectives of the shopping mall owners and management companies?
Could Hong Kong’s shopping malls be transformed into a more inclusive community gathering area catering to kids, instead of just a retail proposition?
OBSERVATION: As one of Hong Kong’s key sporting venues, the west facade of the Happy Valley Racecourse is considered by many as an eyesore and does nothing to promote the appeal of horse racing to the public or visiting tourists.
SOLUTION: Provide a new vibrant and colorful facade along the highly visible west facade of the Happy Valley Racecourse to help visually reposition the facility, while reflecting the excitement and drama of one of Hong Kong’s signature sports.
Countless drivers along Happy Valley’s Wong Nai Chung Road, and the 60,000 daily vehicles using the Aberdeen tunnel pass along the imposing edge of the Happy Valley Racecourse stands, and are assaulted by one of the most depressing building facades in the city, which might be mistaken for a deteriorating industrial complex.
What if … the HKSAR Government and the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) undertook a facelift of this major sporting venue in a bid to help improve the city’s battered tourism image? While the HKJC likely has vast financial resources at its disposal to undertake such an improvement, imagine how the perception of horse racing could be improved through a new colorful facade that captures all of the speed, excitement, and drama of one of the city’s most renowned sports — all while helping to improve Hong Kong’s tourism image?
BEFORE
The existing facade of the Happy Valley Racecourse — which has likely been cobbled together over the years — does very little to passively promote horse racing to the general public.
AFTER
What if the Happy Valley Racecourse were to have a “facelift” that captures the excitement and drama of horse-racing, while providing visual interest to the tens of thousands of commuters who pass this imposing facade each day? Graphic by Thomas Schmidt.
Could a new system of powder-coated aluminum spandrels and decorative panels, or other low-impact applied treatments be installed at the existing facade, that would be acceptable to the Building Department? The solution should be as low-maintenance as possible, emphasize durability, and allow access to the existing facade and its existing fenestration and mechanical equipment installations.
Such a “facelift” could have a positive impact on tourism in Hong Kong, improve the image of the HKJC, further elevate horse racing as one of the city’s premiere sporting activities, and provide visual interest for the traveling public in an often bleak urban environment. The new facade design could include the entire perimeter of the complex to varying degrees, while incorporating existing facade improvements located at ground level entry locations. Could the design of the facade be based upon a winning entry of a local design competition that showcases the talent of the city’s students, designers, and architects?
While some might propose a knee jerk solution of installing massive LED screens or towering revenue-generating billboards to conceal the existing facade, the public outcry and resulting light pollution would likely negate any benefits. A more artistic solution should be considered.
Such a dramatic visual improvement to the city’s built environment in such a high visibility area, could be a win-win situation for multiple stakeholders.
OBSERVATION: Mobile / smart phones pervade every aspect of Hong Kong’s society and almost always find themselves in corporate boardrooms, resulting in constant disruptions and often compromising confidentiality.
SOLUTION: Provide secure self-charging “Phone Lockers” at the entrance of meeting rooms and other areas hosting sensitive discussions — improve meeting productivity and participant focus, minimize meeting times, and maximize confidentiality.
How many business meetings have we attended, where half of the those in attendance are completely distracted from the discussions at hand as they check email, sheepishly swipe through social media accounts beneath the table — or worse yet, secretly record sensitive meeting discussions unbeknownst to the other participants? There are often occasions when younger staff members are compelled to chat about their experience in real time through social media; sometimes inadvertently tipping off competitors as to a company’s confidential affairs or strategies. Then there is of course, the cardinal sin of a distracting phone ringtone blaring at full volume, destroying a presentation in progress.
What if … personal devices were to be banned from the boardroom all together? Some clever designers have proposed “Phone Lockers” at corporate office boardrooms, which help solve these problems. If wireless power chargers were to also be installed within each locker, this might provide an additional incentive for meeting participants to put their phone on ice, minimize the length of meetings, and exit the meeting with a fully charged device as an extra bonus.
This confetti-like arrangement of Phone Lockers by interior architects Richards Basmajian makes it easier to remember where you stored your device than if all of the lockers were the same color, with tiny numbers – a winning solution to holding more productive meetings.
What about Hong Kong’s schools? This same system of Phone Lockers could be rolled out throughout Hong Kong’s school system to provide classrooms that are distraction-free to maximize students’ learning opportunities — not to mention keeping everyone honest when exam time rolls around!
Could such a culture of temporarily parting from one’s phone be extended to some of the city’s more exclusive fine dining outlets and private clubs, where a quiet ambiance is desired? What if restaurants actually encouraged a couple to have a discussion over dinner, instead of the frequent sight of two zombies enamored with their own handheld device sharing a common table? How long will people continue photographing their desserts and instantly uploading images to social media for constant validation?
OBSERVATION: High contact areas such as escalator handrail belts are groped by millions daily and are a breeding ground for germs; in Hong Kong armies of cleaners have been deployed in an ad hoc manner to manually clean select escalators with suspect rags and buckets of watery disinfectant.
SOLUTION: Install automatic sterilization devices to more reliably disinfect existing escalator hand rails and minimize labor costs. Better yet, invent a rubberized material that completely repels microorganisms.
This automatic sanitizer near the Quarry Bay MTR station uses UV technology to disinfect the escalator handrail — but is it actually effective?
There are over 10,000 escalators in use throughout Hong Kong, which are groped by millions on a daily basis. Do the hordes of escalator cleaners who stand motionless at one end, mindlessly manually wiping escalator handrails with a suspect rag and bucket of watery “disinfectant,” actually do an effective job of cleaning these handrails? Or might this even result in a more even distribution of germs along the entire length of the handrail belt?
Could these cleaners be put to more productive use in our society? Could automatic disinfecting machines save labor costs and more effectively sanitize high contact surfaces in an era of widespread infectious diseases in highly-populated environments? Provided that the efficacy of these devices can be proven, could the Government subsidize building owners and management companies in mandating the installation of automatic disinfection units on all of the city’s escalators to ensure a consistent and higher level of hygiene?
Going one step further, could new escalator handrail belts simply be manufactured using a new rubberized antimicrobial material that would be incapable of harboring microorganisms in the first place? Could public and private funding be allocated to the research and development of such a material, which could potentially have a global impact on disease prevention and highlight Hong Kong as a center for innovation?
OBSERVATION: Many of Hong Kong Island’s steeper streets are relatively utilitarian and difficult to navigate on foot … if you’re confined to a wheelchair, forget it!
SOLUTION: Create a series of “Garden Streets” which can add value to the surrounding neighborhood and facilitate disabled / elderly access between cross streets of differing elevations.
OBSERVATION: Apart from a minority of well-designed environments within the urban areas, much of Hong Kong has a disappointing amount of public art.
SOLUTION: Provide stimulus for the city to embark on a public art campaign to create a built environment that inspires both residents and visitors.
Outdoor public art is a key ingredient in any well-designed aspect of the built environment throughout the world — whether it is a small outdoor residential plaza, a secret graffiti-filled alley, or major civic space located within the heart of the city. Some of Hong Kong’s property developers have done an admirable job of incorporating public art into their developments, and the MTR and other public entities continue to inspire through an ever-expanding program of public art. Can we keep the ball rolling?
A piece to experience and ponder at the MTR’s Sai Ying Pun station.An exquisite sculpture of a traditional Chinese fisherman in a rarely-visited corner of Sai Ying Pun that instills a “sense of place” for visitors.This sculpture of a dog at a residential area is a big hit with young children intuitively “taking it for a ride”.
Can outdoor public art throughout Hong Kong be increased through new Government initiatives?
Here are some ideas to get the creative juices flowing:
Create an aggressive public art campaign to beautify the far corners of Hong Kong and to inspire visitors and residents.
Apply the 80/20 rule, requiring 80% of outdoor public artwork to be commissioned by locally-based artists, with the remaining 20% by international artists. Why commission an artist in Frankfurt, pay for travel expenses, insurance and shipping, when Hong Kong has an incredible pool of talent in its own back yard?
Nurture Hong Kong’s aspiring artists, art schools and creative industries. How many disillusioned youth — who feel like they have no place in society — could be inspired through new creative careers and public recognition of their contributions to the city?
Could there be increased numbers of public art competitions to stimulate the creativity of individual and teams of local artists?
Could the permitted use of the city’s industrial buildings be amended to encourage artistic activities?
OBSERVATION: Hong Kong arguably might have some of the coldest indoor temperatures of any major world city.
SOLUTION: Provide new indoor temperature range requirements for all indoor public spaces to increase thermal comfort and decrease energy consumption.
QUESTION: Which major sub-tropical world city has blistering summer temperatures and a population clad in Arctic survival gear?
ANSWER: You guessed it.
Visitors to Hong Kong often remark about near-freezing temperatures within the city’s shopping malls, MTR, restaurants, and other public spaces. To cope with these extreme temperature swings, Hong Kong residents and visitors are forced to clad themselves with Arctic survival gear to venture out into public or dine in restaurants. How many times have you worn a ski hat and warmed your hands around a cup of soup while a stream of refrigerated air is blown down upon your table as ice crystals form on your cutlery? As nonsensical as this is, this is the reality of the situation — and it has been accepted as the status quo!
The effect of these wild temperature swings on a stressed-out population — many of whom already have compromised immune systems from the city’s pollutants — only adds to more visits to the doctor and pushes the health care system to a breaking point.
Air conditioning systems extract heat from indoor areas and expel it outside of the building envelope to the outdoors, further warming the ambient air surrounding large buildings — often resulting in a vicious cycle and contributing to the urban heat island effect. While the indoor units of many wall and ceiling-mounted air conditioners have built-in sensors and allow for the creation of set points, these sensors are not actually located where temperatures for human comfort should be measured.
The ubiquitous air conditioning remote — could this be somehow linked with a centralized control system to minimize costs to individuals?
How could people warm up to change?
Could the Government enact legislation and penalties by codifying indoor temperature ranges from a public health standpoint, instead of just issuing guidelines which are simply ignored?
What would happen if all public buildings were required to be equipped with an Energy Management System that would automatically regulate indoor temperatures and save millions of dollars in energy?
Could subsidies be provided for a more basic and affordable control management system for the city’s ice-cold restaurants, which link the control systems of independent air conditioning units with wireless temperature sensors at strategic locations within the outlet?
Could air conditioning manufacturers dream up new wireless remotes that could be used with existing systems comprised of independent units, which could then interface with wireless temperature sensors and automatically control multiple units simultaneously?
Could air curtains be provided at many open exterior portals to minimize vast volumes of chilled air being spewed out onto adjacent sidewalks and roadway and chilling passing drivers? Similarly, could more buildings be designed with entry vestibules?
Would the ambient outdoor temperature in Hong Kong’s urban areas experience a significant reduction as a result?
Could public health issues be improved in the process?
Could Hong Kong residents save a fortune on winter apparel and accessories?
How would the lives of people visiting and living in Hong Kong be improved with a thaw out from the endless big chill?
OBSERVATION: Smoking in high-density communities like Hong Kong results in predictable clashes between smokers and non-smokers.
SOLUTION: Could smoke-free zones be greatly expanded, along with advances in pollution control technologies to reduce the impact of second-hand smoke?
Societies around the world have grappled with preserving the rights of people wishing to smoke, while providing protection to non-smokers from second-hand smoke. The health hazards of smoking have been well documented, and the friction between smokers and non-smokers in a densely-populated city like Hong Kong often reaches a fevered pitch. It is estimated that only 10% of Hong Kong’s population currently smoke on a daily basis, and some have linked this relatively low percentage to Hong Kong’s relatively long life spans. Visitors to Hong Kong — especially from Mainland China where smoking levels are much higher — increase the overall number of smokers found in public areas throughout the city.
Within high-rise residential buildings, smokers have the freedom to puff away in their homes — sometimes adversely affecting upper floor residents directly above — while being restricted from smoking in the common areas of a particular housing estate. While Hong Kong society generally complies with the ban on smoking inside public buildings, the indoor smoking ban at the city’s restaurants and bars is regularly flouted — often due to a complete lack of enforcement and penalties — which exacerbates the conflicting needs of smokers and non-smokers in social situations.
The advent of “vaping” — the dire health consequences notwithstanding — has arguably reduced the amount of lingering second-hand smoke affecting nearby non-smokers; however, there remain frequent conflicts at Hong Kong’s more popular watering holes. For many, the desire to smoke while imbibing one’s favorite tipple is a hard habit to shake.
While Hong Kong’s Department of Health includes a dedicated Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office that seeks to discourage smoking, are there other strategies to improve the lives for all parties concerned?
Is there a solution for this age-old conundrum? Here are some ideas:
Restrict smoking in urban areas to dedicated street-side smoking booths for 2-4 people that contain smokers’ secondhand smoke, which are equipped with interior finishes that use powerful nanotechnology to instantly attract and neutralize airborne pollutants, automatically filtering the air.
Could there be designated smoking restaurants and bars with enhanced air filtration systems that are clearly labelled at the entry? Smokers could have a refuge, and non-smokers could simply choose to dine elsewhere.
Encourage the use of innovative paints and architectural finishes that use nanotechnology to help attract and neutralize airborne pollutants throughout Hong Kong’s building industry.
Could Hong Kong become an R&D center for new pollution-control nanotechnology building materials?
Prohibit smoking of any kind within 6 m from all building entrances, and open-fronted bars and restaurants.
Encourage the creation of completely smoke-free residential housing estates, that require private leases to include a smoking clause as a cause for early termination.
Either ban or severely restrict the import certain tobacco products and e-cigarettes into Hong Kong from a public health standpoint.
Restrict smoking of traditional tobacco cigarettes to wide-open spaces where second hand smoke will not affect nearby people.
Provide more funding and resources to the Department of Health relative to legislation, enforcement, and smoking cessation services.
OBSERVATION: Roadworks in Hong Kong typically provide minimal protection to pedestrians relative to dust and noise pollution.
SOLUTION: Provide new requirements for labor safety, and strict environmental protection for all roadworks projects.
It has been said that noisy Hong Kong is like one giant construction site, with its roadways and sidewalks in a constant state of being dug up and paved over. Currently, there is very little environmental protection from deafening jackhammers and the massive amounts of dust affecting passersby, walking just inches away. How many times have you had to hold your breath and plug your ears as you push your way through the crowds as quickly as possible? First-time tourists visiting Hong Kong are often shocked and appalled.
The situation becomes even more reckless with many low-paid laborers at these roadside work sites lacking personal protective equipment (e.g. helmets, eye protection, work boots, face masks, ear plugs, etc.) relative to the dangerous nature of the work required of them.
This has sadly become the status quo in Hong Kong; why do things have to remain this way?
A very common site throughout Hong Kong, deafening jackhammers and dust assaulting passersby; rarely is any kind of acoustic protection or dust mitigation provided.
In high-density Japan, there are strict regulations regarding labor requirements, noise pollution, and the environmental / health impacts related to these types of everyday roadside repairs. Could the Hong Kong authorities take a leaf out of Japan’s book and be more responsible in protecting its population?
Could Hong Kong adopt similar measures of requiring acoustic enclosures around work areas to save our ears from deafening jackhammers?
Could the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) become a mandatory requirement for contractors to obtain a Government contract and repeat business?
Could better dust abatement strategies be employed to minimize the impact on pedestrians, walking just inches away?
Could a new type of noise-cancelling jackhammer be invented that could dramatically decrease noise pollution levels and achieve the same results?
OBSERVATION: Climate change, whether natural or manmade, is very likely to result in significant rises in ocean levels that will threaten coastal communities across the world.
SOLUTION: Provide a new non-governmental task force to envision a long-term strategy and proactive measures for the preservation of Hong Kong’s coastal areas and communities.
Ocean levels have been steadily rising since the beginning of the 20th century. Most attribute this to global warming, which is driving thermal expansion of seawater and the melting of land-based ice sheets and glaciers. While there is intense debate over projections of sea level rise over the next century, many have indicated ocean levels will rise by at least 0.7 m and perhaps in excess of 2.0 m. While many insist that the reduction of carbon emissions are integral to reign in catastrophic rises in ocean levels, is it already too late?
How will Hong Kong respond to the inevitable impact of rising sea levels on its high-density coastal urban areas? Retreat, accommodate, or protect?
RETREAT:
Property Loss: If sea levels along Hong Kong’s coastline continue to rise, will low-lying areas eventually become flooded and abandoned, resulting in significant financial loss to property owners?
Coastal Restrictions: Is a strategic and planned “retreat” envisaged by the Government that might see a future ban of new development along coastal areas and encourage more intense development at higher elevations?
Migration:Will there be a slow and steady migration out of Hong Kong in search of safer and higher ground?
ACCOMMODATE:
Transformation:Could the low-lying inhabited area of Hong Kong be transformed to remain livable if ocean levels rise significantly?
Overwater Living: Could some coastal districts be modified and adapted to serve as new models of over-water living?
New Canals:Could the foundations of some existing buildings be modified to allow for existing low-lying streets to eventually become canals like Venice?
Codes: Should new building codes be enacted requiring buildings in vulnerable locations to be built with modified foundations and at higher elevations?
Infrastructure: Will some roadways and key infrastructure need to be elevated to accommodate higher water levels?
Could some of Hong Kong’s coastal urban areas be transformed into communities served by canals? Will high tea at the historic Peninsula Hotel someday require access by a Venetian gondola?
PROTECT:
The most likely option to preserve some of the most high-value property and iconic skyscrapers lining Hong Kong’s coastline might revolve around strategies of protection, which could work hand in hand with concurrent strategies to retreat and to accommodate.
What protective strategies might be considered?
Locks:Might Victoria Harbour someday be sealed at both ends by a system of locks that regulate water level, while still admitting critical marine traffic?
Seawalls: Will sections of Hong Kong need to take a page from The Netherlands and require the construction of giant dikes and seawalls to protect low-lying areas?
Drainage Systems: Could a city-wide system of pump drainage systems be created as in Miami, Florida, USA?
Natural Systems: Could the establishment of new barrier islands, mangroves and coral reefs surrounding parts of Hong Kong provide protection from increases in flooding and erosion?
Coastal Protection: Will compensated or involuntary coastal land resumption be enacted to create artificial and natural defenses? Residents in Nova Scotia, Canada have already been faced with this alarming issue.
China Water Risk, among many others have already raised the alarm over the submersion of Hong Kong. Reclaimed areas of Hong Kong Island’s north coast and some of the most populous low-lying neighborhoods in Kowloon have been identified as some of the city’s most vulnerable populated areas. What will happen to these areas in the future?
As one of the most vexxing and costly issues confronting the survival of Hong Kong, urgent policies to protect the territory’s coastal population need to be formulated — which must include representation by individuals, property owners, property developers, the HKSAR Government, as well as the National PRC Government.
While so many people are focused on Hong Kong’s political climate when 2047 rolls around — is anyone thinking of the physical climate and whether the city will be livable?
OBSERVATION: Hong Kong is arguably one of the loudest cities in the world; the situation is exacerbated by the liberal use of automobile horns within high density urban areas.
SOLUTION: Provide new automobile warning systems and better enforce existing Hong Kong laws restricting the use of the horn for emergency situations only.
Hong Kong can be a deafening city — and how many times have pedestrians and surrounding residential units been assaulted by a long queue of cars all leaning on their horns in frustration of slow-moving traffic?
The ubiquitous automobile horn has its origins almost 200 years ago in the earliest of “horseless carriages” as an audible warning device. However, today this vestige from the past is misused by millions of drivers expressing their frustration with drivers within close proximity — often due to traveling too slow, blocking traffic, turning illegally, or changing lanes unexpectedly.
In the worst case scenarios, situations of road rage ensue with angry drivers racing to catch up with an offending vehicle for a “showdown” which results in potentially very dangerous situations.
While the current audible horn must still be maintained for emergency situations and to warn of imminent collisions — in a high density city like Hong Kong, could a new type of “silent” wireless horn be designed into new automobiles that would spare nearby pedestrians and residents from unnecessary noise pollution?
What if steering wheels in new cars were equipped with a sensor that could detect the pounding of a frustrated driver’s fist on the top of the steering wheel that could send a wireless “dissatisfaction” or warning signal to all vehicles within a certain radius through their surround sound stereo system, indicating the relative direction of the signal? This driver-specific signal could be accompanied by a visual warning indicator for those oblivious drivers plugged into their personal headphones or enamored with their dashboard-mounted smartphones.
Taking things one step further, could a direct wireless audio link be provided between two vehicles for temporary communication? This could be provided via a touchscreen at the dashboard indicating the relative positions of surrounding vehicles. If the recipient agrees to accept the call, then the two drivers could have a short hands-free chat to resolve any potential misunderstandings, warn of the dangers of a damaged part dangling off a nearby vehicle … or perhaps even strike up a conversation with an attractive person of the opposite sex! The receiving driver can always opt to block the call.
If such a system was able to be implemented, could the use of the traditional car horn be restricted by law to emergency situations only in an effort to reduce overall noise pollution levels?
OBSERVATION: Much of Hong Kong’s planning and development happens behind closed doors with minimal consultation with the public.
SOLUTION: Encourage “participatory design” activities in all sectors of society to establish dialogue with residents and to better understand the needs of the end users.
Idea competitions, charettes, and placemaking work sessions are used across the world to engage the public and to arrive at innovative design solutions for the built environment. Unfortunately, Hong Kong’s often top-down development and planning approach, and lack of a clear long term vision leaves much to be desired.
IDEA COMPETITIONS:
Idea Competitions are an excellent and relatively affordable means of soliciting public feedback in the evolution of the built environment. As an example, this locally-produced winning entry in a 2008 idea competition for the redevelopment of the Central Police Station proposed the creation of a new hub for arts and culture revolving around historic preservation; this helped shape Government and public support for what would later become Tai Kwun a decade later.
PLACEMAKING WORKSHOPS
Some forward-thinking developers in Hong Kong, such as Swire Properties, have hosted a series of “placemaking” workshops which solicit creative ideas from the local residents who live within their developments. Residents of all ages are supplied with a small artbox and variety of arts and crafts materials to construct a vision of how they would like to see their community in the future. The collection of ideas — small artistic creations in their own right — are then exhibited in local shopping centers for feedback from a wider audience. This type of participatory process can be used by both developers and the Government in shaping future design and planning decisions related to the built environment.
Participants were supplied with a small artbox to construct the type of things they would like to see in their community. This example illustrated the desire for wide-open green spaces in which people could picnic.An exhibition of “placemaking” entries from local residents at Cityplaza Shopping Centre in Taikoo Shing.
DESIGN CHARRETTES
Architects, planners and other design professionals from around the world often participate in design “charrettes” which seek to find collaborative design solutions within a very constrained amount of time. Design professionals often volunteer their time and expertise to help solve some of society’s more pressing problems on a probono basis. Within Hong Kong, the American Institute of Architects Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Institute of Architects are two such organizations that frequently host such charrettes in an attempt to improve the built environment.
A roll of tracing paper and a bit of caffeine are often all that is required to get an architect’s creative juices flowing!
An increase in participatory design activities might help bridge the gap between what the people ACTUALLY want, and what the Government THINKS the people want in their built environment.
OBSERVATION: Hong Kong’s worsening traffic congestion and pollution are in dire need of alternative “smart city” non-polluting transportation systems.
SOLUTION: Provide vast fleets of automated driverless 6-8 passenger electric vehicles that operate using an AI-powered “hive” technology to enable Hong Kong to become a world leader in public transportation.
Imagine pressing “home” or “office” on your smartphone, and within seconds a shared driverless electric-powered transportation pod arrives at your location, which takes you and a handful of other pre-selected passengers on the most efficient route to their respective destinations. The entire “hive” network could be centrally managed and directed by an artificial intelligence dispatch system that provides the most efficient transport path and mix of passengers and pods for millions of commuters simultaneously.
Each disabled-accessible pod could be compact enough to fit down the smallest of Hong Kong’s historic streets, equipped with rotating wheel bases to stop and maneuver sideways into small curbside spaces. While dedicated “pod lanes” could be provided in urban centers, these self-driving pods could also co-exist with traditional human-driven vehicles and other forms of public transportation across Hong Kong’s existing road network.
Does it make sense to retain the current polluting fleets of mini-buses recklessly piloted by sleep-deprived speed demons that race down the highways half empty?
Is this really science fiction? Or just around the corner? Amazon is already doing this in their warehousing operations. Can Hong Kong step up to this sci-fi challenge?
OBSERVATION: Hong Kong’s three “cross-harbour” tunnels have greatly differing tunnel tolls, resulting in predictable congestion at the cheapest tunnel.
SOLUTION: Take cost avoidance out of the equation and equalize the tolls for all three tunnels and allow traffic to redistribute itself into the most efficient travel patterns.
The three cross-harbour tunnels snaking beneath Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour are currently priced at differing levels, with the Western Harbour Crossing costing 3-4 times more than the Cross-Harbour Tunnel and Eastern Harbour Crossing. Each tunnel has differing ownership and operator structures, and at least one has been accused of incrementally increasing tolls each year despite enjoying record profits.
The Cross-Harbour Tunnel opened in 1972 and is owned / operated by the HKSAR Government / Serco Group (HK) Limited; similarly the 1989 Eastern Harbour Crossing is owned / operated by the HKSAR Government / Pacific Infrastructure Limited. The newest 1997 Western Harbour Crossing is owned / operated by the Western Harbour Tunnel Company.
What if the Government could restructure the operations of all three tunnels and strike a profit-sharing agreement with each tunnel operator and equalize the tolls across all three critical links connecting Hong Kong Island with Kowloon?
To what extent could this reduce cross-harbour vehicle travel times and reduce the amount of vehicular pollutants that are emitted into our already filthy air?
How much time could be saved for commuters if large portions of private vehicles and taxis could be redistributed to the Eastern and Western Crossings when the cost differential is taken out of the equation?
What if motorcycle riders were exempted from tunnel tolls, or at least outfitted with autopay readers on their helmets to ensure smooth traffic flow?
Why not do a trial run for one year and see what happens?
For a long-term solution to Hong Kong’s transportation ills, some of suggested taking the Western Harbour Crossing, MTR and all bus companies into public ownership. Could this be the way forward?
OBSERVATION: Hong Kong’s venerable rickshaws have almost completely vanished, despite their cultural and historical significance.
SOLUTION: Bring back the rickshaws by issuing new licenses and providing dedicated areas of travel along the harbourfront and other pedestrianized areas.
Can rickshaws be rescued before they disappear into oblivion?
Hong Kong’s rickshaws and their owners are a dying breed. In 1924, it was estimated that almost 3,500 rickshaws were in use throughout the territory, which have now dwindled to the last remaining license holder since the Government stopped issuing licenses in the 1970s.
Could the soon-to-be-extinct rickshaw industry be revived along the frontage of Victoria Harbour and other pedestrianized areas of Hong Kong?
While patrons of a rickshaw ride would likely be predominantly tourists, could this humble wheeled contraption also become a viable resident transport option for short hops along the flat harbourfront areas, especially if a new harbourfront pedestrian promenade could be developed?
Could new “pullers” hoping to get into shape be recruited as new license holders? Why jog along the harbourfront to get into shape when you could pull a rickshaw, make money, expand your social network, and get a better cardio workout?
Could a new line of high-performance rickshaws be created with ball-bearings, minimizing friction and maximizing speed?
Let’s get creative:
Could new rickshaw races through challenging obstacle courses be created to rival the annual Dragonboating races?
Could rickshaws be interfaced with computer / geocaching games where teams compete to collect points from various locations to bridge computer gaming with physical fitness?
What about a new “Hong Kong Challenge” — could a new ultramarathon team event be devised which incorporates Dragonboating, Rickshaw Pulling, Bun Tower Scrambling, and other endurance activities that are specific to Hong Kong, while celebrating the city’s unique characteristics, and attracting sporting enthusiasts from around the world?
While the film industry will always have a need for the occasional rickshaw for various productions, are there other possibilities to help keep the rickshaw from disappearing forever like many other aspects of Hong Kong’s vanishing heritage?
OBSERVATION: Hong Kong’s taxis have gained a poor reputation for taking residents and tourists on the “scenic route” to their destinations … just to make an extra buck!
SOLUTION: Provide GPS tracking and identification of all taxis for trip audits in the event of a dispute, and to more efficiently dispatch taxis to meet the needs of both passengers and drivers.
How many times have you been “taken for a ride” by an unscrupulous Hong Kong taxi driver in a poorly maintained vehicle that reeks of urine and cigarette smoke? Could a mandatory GPS tracking system and interactive driver rating system be implemented to safeguard both passengers and drivers, as well as minimize disputes?
Since Uber is still not an approved public transport option in Hong Kong, consider a comprehensive overhaul of the current taxi industry to provide a positive impact on Hong Kong’s tourism industry and residents’ quality of life.
Consider the following ideas:
Install a GPS tracking system in each taxi that is linked with a Taxi Hailing app that efficiently matches passengers with nearby taxis and taxis with their preferred routes, all while being monitored by a central taxi dispatching center. This would also provide a time-stamped audit trail of routes taken to dissuade unscrupulous drivers from taking the “scenic route” and to minimize passenger complaints.
Provide drivers with an interface to a real-time traffic conditions map that assists drivers in taking the least congested route for maximum efficiency, and to maximize their number of revenue-generating trips per day.
Provide QR codes on the passenger side door which passengers could scan with their smartphones, and instantly ascertain the rating of that driver.
Create an interactive taxi app to allow passengers to rate the vehicle and its driver relative to driver safety, hygienic condition of the taxi, driver courteousness, and other factors that are compiled into an overall composite score per trip.
Greatly reduce staffing levels at taxi complaints hotlines due to a predicted dramatic fall in complaints.
Provide a central database with each professional driver’s licensing history, training, traffic violations, passenger complaints, etc. for use by the Department of Transport in granting and renewing individual taxi licenses.
Provide driver protection — assuming privacy issues are addressed, the smartphone ID of particularly abusive or disorderly passengers could be flagged, allowing drivers to decline a fare.
Provide Government subsidies for the repair, upkeep and detailing of individual vehicles to motivate drivers to improve their scores.
Provide a financial reward scheme for drivers with the highest composite scores.
Could Hong Kong’s taxi industry be vastly improved through some of these initiatives which could minimize complaints and incentivize drivers to improve their service? Singapore currently employs several similar strategies and should be further assessed whether some might be adopted for use in Hong Kong.
OBSERVATION: The recycling of cardboard in Hong Kong is often via a grassroots army of elderly and often impoverished “cardboard grannies” who can be seen pushing massive carts of cardboard across town to scrap collectors, which often use roadways for loading and sorting activities.
SOLUTION: Provide dedicated purpose-built Community Recycling Centers to minimize travel distances, incentive the public to participate in recycling programs, and provide financial assistance to the elderly.
Daily life in Hong Kong: Elderly citizens pushing trolleys piled high with cardboardOne of thousands of elderly citizens with recyclables in tow.
In 2017, it was estimated that 340,000 people over the age of 65 were living in poverty. The income disparity that exists in Hong Kong today is exemplified by the many elderly low-income residents — predominantly women — who have become urban scavengers to make ends meet. According to recent studies, many of these “cardboard grannies” ranging in age from 60 – 80 haul up to 70kg of cardboard a day for a meager payout of only HK$50 (US$6.40).
The current ad-hoc system pays on the basis of weight, which often has these entrepreneurial grannies wasting precious water to soak their cardboard to increase its weight — and the corresponding payout.
Scrap collection centers often use public sidewalks and roadways for their operations, inconveniently blocking pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
Scrap collection areas in the urban areas are often cramped within tiny ground floor recesses of buildings, necessitating the use of sidewalks and roadways (technically Government Land) for loading / unloading, sorting, and breaking down various components by hand before consolidation in cardboard balers and glass crushers. As a result, in some areas young children walking between residential areas and public transport interchanges often need to “run the gauntlet” along sidewalks strewn with twisted metal, broken glass and other hazards.
Could there be a better way?
Could purpose-built Neighborhood Recycling Centers be established to minimize travel distances, encourage all residents to recycle, and provide safe passage along the city’s sidewalks?
Could financial incentives be provided as motivation for people to recycle … instead of leaving this to the financially challenged elderly?
Could additional financial assistance be provided to the low-income elderly to relieve them of scavenging in their golden years and enjoy retirement?
OBSERVATION: Hong Kong is a foodie paradise with dining options ranging from the humble Dai Pai Dong to legendary Michelin-starred restaurants. Unfortunately, the hygienic condition of kitchens are woefully overlooked and are often not commensurate with the quality of the outlets they serve — unbeknownst to diners.
SOLUTION: Supplement the existing Government food licensing requirements with mandatory food hygiene certificates to visibly grade each food and beverage establishment for the general public.
The condition of restaurant kitchens in Hong Kong range from spotless and well-maintained commercial kitchens to vermin-infested grimy pantries which give rise to frequent cases of food poisoning. As the kitchens of many establishments are out of sight to restaurant patrons, a mandatory annual food hygiene certification scheme with a requirement for a certificate to be posted at the outlet entry would provide customers with an informed choice, raise the level of kitchen hygiene across the territory, and might assist in reducing unnecessary food-borne illnesses.
This straightforward UK-based numerical certification system could be easily adopted in Hong Kong.
Annually-issued numerical ratings for each outlet could also be included in food apps such as OpenRice, and would very likely incentivize some restaurant owners to “clean up their act” if they want to remain in business.
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