One-third – or more than 100 hectares – of the Kai Tak Development (KTD) will be used for public space. To show KTD’s vibrant, picturesque and people-oriented attributes, the Civil Engineering and Development Department commissioned expert consultants to explore how we could optimise this public space in order to promote place branding for Kai Tak. The study recommends adopting an innovative “Public Creatives” concept and using a tree as the core design concept. The overall design will include logos, font types, colour schemes and related two- and three-dimensional features to convey Kai Tak’s distinctive identity.

What is Public Creatives? Compared to conventional public art design, Public Creatives has a broader dimension which is not confined to the design of public space, or art works displayed or artistic performances staged within public space.  It also includes the design of public facilities, from street benches to graphics on a rubbish bin, as well as public participation in activities held there. For example, the design ideas competition for Preservation Corridor for Lung Tsun Stone Bridge Remnants which I mentioned previously also falls under the scope of Public Creatives. Public Creatives integrates innovative designs, arts and place branding.  Identification with the unique character of the area by the community and visitors is nurtured through public participation and interaction in activities taking place in the public space, and in turn this can cultivate a clear and vibrant place branding associated with Kai Tak.

The KTD image has to reflect the vibrant and energetic features of Kai Tak and its neighbouring areas. Trees represent the robust energy of life. In this case for example, the roots of the tree will symbolise that Kai Tak is deeply rooted in the community, as well as its close connection with the neighbouring areas. The tree’s crown, a natural resting place for migratory birds, will symbolise flights taking off and landing and the crowds of passengers at the former Kai Tak Airport. The tree’s growth rings will represent the long history of Kai Tak and the transformation of Hong Kong from a small fishing village into one of the global financial centres.

In consideration of place branding, we created a set of visual identity icons for Kai Tak. Using the abstract concept of a tree, we produced a set of aesthetic visual identity icons. Drawing from the various components of a tree, such as leaves, branches, trunk and roots, together with elements including air, wind, water and soil, designers used simple, clear graphics and vivid lines to generate a unique “DNA bar” for Kai Tak, representing the inheritance of life.

The DNA bar is the soul of the Kai Tak logo. The graphically designed Chinese and English font types convey an attractive and modern image. The logo uses deeply coloured Chinese text for the main part and lightly coloured English text in a supplementary role, and a decorative light touch on the DNA bar, which gives out an energetic visual effect. Together with the slogan “Current of Vitality”, it conveys the personality and identity of Kai Tak.

With regard to the colour scheme, we have chosen a combination of colours that have visual symbolism. The blue and green colours in the logo symbolise “water” and “tree”. Through various combinations of the theme and decorative colours, the diverse yet close relationship among the smaller areas within the KTD and its neighbouring areas is represented. We have applied the visually artistic DNA bar to site hoardings in public works projects.

The consultants have also recommended establishing a set of design icons in association with with the tree concept and applying them to the design of public facilities. In this regard, we will apply these design icons to some public street facilities such as rain shelters, benches on the street, rubbish bins, bicycle racks and information display boards. Through these sample designs, the visual identity icons will be gradually diffused in various developments in Kai Tak.

With the launch of the works projects and public facilities in the KTD, we have discussed with relevant departments and stakeholders the incorporation of these visual identity icons into the architectural designs of various works to display the connection between these works and the KTD. Recently, the visual identity icons have been adopted for the Kai Tak Fire Station at Cheung Yip Street and the Sewage Pumping Station at Prince Edward Road East.

In addition, we hope to incorporate the whole concept into the street facilities and private buildings within the KTD, so as to connect the whole KTD with these systematic design elements. Through these, we hope the KTD brand identity and its vitality can be seen and felt by the public. In this regard, we plan to promote the preliminary proposals of the two-dimensional and three-dimensional street facilities design under Public Creatives to the construction sector this year, including professional institutions and the real estate developers, and to explore the application of Public Creatives design elements to private and public developments, so as to achieve a visually coherent and consistent brand effect in and around the KTD. We have created a website titled “Kai Tak - Current of Vitality” (http://www.ktd.gov.hk/publiccreatives) for public information. Together, let us make Kai Tak a vibrant, picturesque and people-oriented community with unique attributes.