Catalog

InPark

2019

Kwun Tong

Project Description:

Locating at the centre of the former industrial area, the Tsun Yip Street Playground was built in 1973 serving mainly factory workers in the manufacturing sector at the time. With history of being one of the major manufacturing centres in Hong Kong, Kwun Tong was occupied by large factory blocks and godowns. But due to recent economic development, the area began to transform into a business district. The existing playground, which was mainly hard-paved ball courts, can no longer meet the needs of present-day business workers. This tiny open space is the only breathing lung for the area. There are public aspirations for more diverse greenery and leisure space that can provide flexibility for users of different generations.

InPARK develops from a concept that integrates historical urban context, densely built environment and natural landscaping. Like a secret garden, the park is a gem with seasonal greeneries hidden within high blocks of commercial giants. Visitors are free to sit, run and play on this open ground.

The rebirth of the park also showcases creative ways of adaptive reuse of containers and other industrial elements.

Description how the project contributes with humanity:

As the project involves social wellness of elderly in our design, and one of the earliest projects to manifest the Elderly Friendly Guideline in 2019, with better integration of neighbourhood for people of all ages and abilities, this design has benefited the elderly as well as a wide spectrum of the community.

This new urban green hub forms an oasis in the hyper-dense built environment of Kwun Tong, which connects the pedestrian flows at all sides of the site. The park experience was enhanced by the formation of irregular and organic streets and plazas and different ways of engagements along the path by planning of tree lines, artworks and architectural features.

Furthermore, seven award-winning artworks, engaged through extensive public engagement and competition, were installed by different artist groups to celebrate the glorious industrial past of the manufacturing industries back to 1950s which form parts of the collective memories of the local district as well as Hong Kong at large. InPARK has been well received by the public as a photo taking spot, which sublimes memory and history of this local district and catalyses the transformation of the industrial/ commercial neighbourhood.