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1. Kwun Tong chooses 'City of Tomorrow'

1. Kwun Tong chooses 'City of Tomorrow '
CHLOE LAI , SCMP 30 November 2006

A design dubbed "City of Tomorrow ", centred on a 70-storey office and hotel tower, has been selected as the model for redevelopment in Kwun Tong town centre.

The design, by architectural firm Wong & Ouyang, also features widened roads surrounding the 5.3-hectare site and separation of residential blocks to ensure they do not form a wall to block air and sunlight.

The Urban Renewal Authority said yesterday it was the preferred plan of three put up for public consultation and the design contract had been awarded to the firm.

The three shortlisted models for revamping the rundown former industrial area were on display from August to October and the University of Hong Kong was commissioned to survey public opinion.

An associate professor of social work at HKU, Law Chi-kwong, said about 85,000 people visited the exhibition. The survey team had interviewed 1,602 visitors; 1,755 had filled in questionnaires and 1,177 had voiced their views at public forums.

City of Tomorrow won every category, including visual, design of the landmark building and overall planning.

The plan was criticised for the height of the 280-metre office and hotel tower, but it also provided the biggest open public space.

"There was no consensus on the building height," Dr Law said. "Many said they accepted a trade-off of one very tall building for more open space and greening, while some said it should be lower."

The researchers found the other designs worried the public because of a possible "wall effect". But they liked the dome-shaped community centre of the Civic Hub plan submitted by architectural firm MLA and a waterfall design included in WDA Group's Metamorphosis.

Wong & Ouyang will have to design a new model on the basis of its winning design nd views the public expressed during the consultation. It will submit the new model to the Town Planning Board at the end of March.

The firm also has to conduct a traffic-impact assessment, air ventilation test and environmental impact assessment for the design.

The public will have two months to comment on the plan after the board's scrutiny. Approval will then be required from the Chief Executive in Council and the authority will then begin to buy property rights.