With the tenders for two “Hong Kong Property for Hong Kong People” sites awarded, as well as the opening of the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and the nearby public rental housing estates ready for occupation later this year, the Kai Tak Development Area is gradually taking shape. The Kai Tak Fantasy, a recreational landmark proposed in the Policy Address comprising the sites of the former runway tip now lying next to the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, the Kwun Tong Ferry Pier Action Area (Action Area) and the water body in between, is also about to become a reality.
In our quest for more creative and imaginative designs, we announced a few days ago a two-month public engagement on the Kai Tak Fantasy – the International Ideas Competition on Urban Planning and Design – to solicit public views on the technical arrangements and design requirements of the competition. We hope that the Kai Tak Fantasy, with some 80 hectares of land and water body, will not only turn into a traditional entertainment theme park, but will become a world class tourism and entertainment hub that will facilitate the transformation of Kowloon East and boost the economic development of Hong Kong. The Kai Tak Fantasy is, in fact, a new concept in the recently launched Conceptual Master Plan 3.0 of Energizing Kowloon East.
The competition is open to both international and local professionals such as planners, urban designers, architects, engineers, landscape architects and surveyors, and their unique and innovative designs proposed in the competition will be used for our reference and adoption. We also see the competition as an opportunity to promote the Kai Tak Fantasy around the world and facilitate an exchange of ideas between local and international professionals. In the related public engagement process, the community will have the opportunity to express their views on the entries for the competition. Combining their valuable opinions with the expertise of professionals, we really hope the “Fantasy” of Kai Tak will soon come true.
Let me briefly explain the content of the Kai Tak Fantasy, its Competition Area and preliminary planning and design requirements, especially the one of utilising the body of water between the former runway tip and the Action Area for water sports.
(1) Kai Tak runway tip
Located at the centre of the eastern part of the territory next to the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and the Kwun Tong Typhoon Shelter, the Kai Tak runway tip commands a panoramic view of eastern Victoria Harbour. With its unique geographic, transportation and historical features, the site is proposed as a tourist, educational and recreational landmark.
Themed on the aviation, maritime and transportation history of the area, entries for the competition should link the runway tip with the waterfront and the Action Area for the development of water sports. It is hoped that we will not only provide both indoor and outdoor leisure and educational venues for the community, but also develop the Kai Tak Fantasy into an “edutainment” area instead of a traditional theme park, an indoor museum or a science museum.
(2) Kwun Tong Ferry Pier Action Area
Located on the prime site opposite the Cruise Terminal and the Kai Tak runway tip, the Action Area has the potential to become a leisure and entertainment hub. Consequently, we have already proposed it as a Comprehensive Development Area in the Conceptual Master Plan of Energizing Kowloon East to keep it aligned with the transformation of the district. Entries, therefore, should incorporate comprehensive development proposals that have mixed uses including offices, art and creative spaces, retail stores, restaurants, outdoor performance venues, a promenade and existing government facilities. Through the provision of working and performance spaces for artists and creative industries, the Action Area can showcase the distinctive art and cultural characteristics of Kowloon East and promote the diversity and sustainability of local culture.
On the other hand, in order to maintain the existing services and facilities, entries are required to give due consideration to the existing Kwun Tong public and ferry piers and the bus service in the district, and to propose appropriate arrangements to fully unleash the development potential of the area for transforming Kowloon East into another core business district of Hong Kong.
(3) The enclosed water body between the runway tip and the Action Area
A vibrant waterfront is one of the key elements of Energizing Kowloon East. With the inclusion of the Kwun Tong Typhoon Shelter in the Competition Area, we expect that entries will not only retain the function of the shelter, but also utilise the water body for the development of water sports such as rowing and dragon boat racing, to energise the waterfront of Kowloon East.
Entrants should base their designs and layouts on the proposed land uses and broad development parameters of the Kai Tak Outline Zoning Plan. We plan to launch the competition by the end of this year and to announce the results by the end of next year. We are currently conducting consultation with different parties and will hold a public consultation meeting at the end of July so as to listen to people’s concerns and views regarding the design requirements of the competition. Where appropriate, these views will be adopted as part of the requirements. All entries will be considered by a judging panel comprising both international and local experts, and short-listed entries after the initial assessment will be exhibited in mid-2014 to help generate further public comments for the panel’s consideration in selecting the winning entry. It is expected that the Kai Tak Fantasy will go into operation sometime after 2020-21.
23 June, 2013
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