This design for the North Point waterfront redevelopment, which won the first prize in the competition, proposes an “organic network” of forms for the site. Designed by Chris Y. H. Chan + Stephanie M. L. Tan, the project approach is based on the study of the adjacent “community street” – Chun Yeung St., which should have human life and the life of dwellers establishing the community. In this project, they aim to transform the Chun Yeung St’s urban model as part of an organic ecology. This model could affect the North Point district to become a more sustainable urban model. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Chun Yeung St. is operated as Fujian tulou (Hakka earth building), bazaar and community are located in the container of community life. At the same time, this container stand as an agent sustains the community pattern, neighborship & the continuity of the culture successfully.
Traditional urban organizations have been focused upon a centralized, hierarchical order. However the diverse and multiple expression of contemporary community suggest new understandings and possibilities. The live social networks have under gone gradual changes in their organization, moving initially to a decentralized form and then transforming to a distributed network, with multiple nodes of communication and exchange.
The organic ecology urban structure is formulated to respond, to engage with and express the contemporary understanding of community as a series of multiple and distributed networks. The structure is an open, developable and sustainable urban model; modify the urbanity from a regular conventional grid city to an organic pluralistic cell city. Each centrioles are addressed by community or socio-related programs; while the “wall of the cells” are contained the supportive programs for the cell community. The cells are interrelationship with each others, in sociocultural aspect, urban circulation and living quality. When the grid city creates the isolated urban nature; the cells fabric, the organic ecology urban structure suggest an interactive expandable urban model.
This interconnecting precinct of loop elements and courtyards, of open spaces and shaded passageways, with landscaped links and clusters of recreation programs and community service, forms an integrated and coherent ensemble. The landscape matrix and building mass varies in height and openness, and is attuned to the environmental constraints (the fly over) of the site. Internal courtyards provide for a range of landscapes, as well as giving fresh air and light to all the occupancy and user in the site. These court yards also act as communal meeting and entertainment areas.
Commercial, retail and community facilities have been located to develop zones and environments that are lively and socially active, while also providing for variation and disparate spatial experiences. These various facilities have been grouped to produce a critical mass of activity at any one location, but also dispersed enough to create a true community, with a broad range of amenities and day to day facilities and services.
Project Team: Chris Y. H. Chan + Stephanie M. L. Tan Location: North Point, Hong Kong, China Competition Award: First prize (open group) Type: Urban planning + waterfront design Organizer: Hong Kong Government, Eastern district Concept and Approach: Organic urbanism Theme: Expanding field
