Rebecca Lo examines how HK’s skyscraper-dominant transit-oriented developments have been trying to build a greater sense of community. 

The newly-opened office tower One Taikoo Place benefits from its proximity to Tai Koo and Quarry Bay MTR stations. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Although the novel coronavirus outbreak is keeping most Hong Kong residents indoors these days, once the storm brews over and people start stepping out of their homes, they will begin to notice some of the city’s new developments. In Quarry Bay, the skyscrapers One and Two Taikoo Place (1&2TP) have replaced their quasi-industrial counterparts Somerset and Warwick Houses. What gives the Swire Properties-developed office complex an edge is its proximity to Tai Koo and Quarry Bay MTR stations, the latter being an interchange hub. The twin towers, 1&2TP, capitalize on Hong Kong’s infrastructure and the transit-oriented developments (TODs) it fosters. A destination favored by big-time corporate entities, the new buildings come with expansive floor plates. The developers are also keen to engage the community, including its tenants and people who live nearby.

“TODs are the only way forward for cities,” admits Paul Zimmerman, Pok Fu Lam councillor since 2010 and CEO of urban think tank Designing Hong Kong. “It is a proven way to reduce traffic, and new towns in Asia are planned to incorporate TODs. The trick is how to retrofit them within older towns’ existing networks. And I question letting developers dictate TOD models.” 

International Commerce Centre is like a lighthouse, shining its beacon on downtown Hong Kong. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Swire Properties director, Don Taylor, sees the Wong & Ouyang-designed 1&2TP as part of Taikoo Place’s evolution. “With every project we undertake, we focus on transformation,” he explains. “It’s not just about bricks and mortar — it’s about creating places where communities and people can really grow and thrive, with connectivity, placemaking and sustainability inspiring everything we do.”

Part of a TOD’s effectiveness may be gauged from the way it engages the community. Swire Properties offers a diverse range of amenities and activities. These include a co-working facility, called Blueprint, private members club, The Refinery, sustainable development exhibition center, The Loop, and art exhibition center, ArtisTree. Pop-up events, such as Tong Chong Street Market, help to draw people living in the neighborhood outdoors. All of these facilities are connected to Taikoo Place’s two adjacent MTR stations via covered walkways and landscaped pedestrian paths. 

The walkways connecting the structures in Taikoo Place are used as public thoroughfares. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

“I think Taikoo Place is a perfect example of a TOD,” Taylor says. “Tenants have incredible amenities which give them the confidence to attract and retain talent. Local residents enjoy street markets, sporting activities, arts and culture events, and sustainability initiatives. These all come together to help build a greater sense of community and that’s the key. Increasingly, organizations are seeing the benefits of relocating from traditional business districts to areas that focus on better quality of life, which directly translates into higher productivity.”

Zimmerman appreciates Swire’s on-going efforts in engaging the public, but reserves his praise for 1&2TP until after 2TP is completed and fully occupied by 2022. “1&2TP pose a risk to the activities at the street level,” he cautions. “Taikoo Place’s first generation of buildings is not as interactive for pedestrians on the ground as they can be. I wonder to what extent Swire is going to make 1&2TP work for the local community?”

Swire Properties director Don Taylor says connectivity, placemaking and sustainability informs the projects in Taikoo Place. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Standing tall

Zimmerman is not too ecstatic about Sun Hung Kai Properties’ (SHKP) International Commerce Centre (ICC), though. “It is an example of the complete failure of a building’s integration with the surrounding community,” he argues. “ICC is a floating island surrounded by high traffic roads. That is the risk of a TOD — there is nothing human to offer at the street level except exhaust fumes. People there don’t live in a neighborhood. Although they are part of the Tai Kok Tsui community, they are isolated in their skyscrapers above (the) Elements (shopping mall).” 

In its defence, SHKP argues that the tallest building in Hong Kong is a vertical Wall Street, surrounded by luxurious Park Avenue-level residences. Together with SHKP’s sister development Two International Finance Centre (2IFC), they form a pair of lighthouses, shining their beacons on Victoria Harbour. 

SHKP’s Kwok family began securing reclaimed waterfront lots in Central soon after Governor David Wilson announced a new airport in 1989. Back then, it was already anticipating the development potential of a rail connection between Chek Lap Kok and Hong Kong’s Central Business District. Its reputation is based solidly on successful TODs. New Town Plaza, Yoho and Millennium City all benefit from their proximity to Sha Tin, Yuen Long and Kwun Tong stations respectively.

All civic amenities in Taikoo Place are connected to each other and the nearby MTR stations through covered walkways. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Following Hong Kong’s first Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa’s policy address outlining Hong Kong’s transition from a manufacturing to a financial hub, the Cesar Pelli-designed IFC opened on top of Hong Kong Station. A decade later, ICC opened on top of Kowloon Station. Its mix includes state-of-the-art Grade A office space, observation deck Sky100, restaurants, and a five-star hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong — all stacked in one building. ICC is the jewel in SHKP’s crown. 

Census data seems to corroborate SHKP’s claim that ICC helped spur Yau Tsim Mong (YTM) district’s prosperity. In 2001, only 4 percent of the district’s residents drew a monthly income of HK$40,000 or more. By 2016, the figure had ballooned to 17 percent. This indicates that people with high net worth have made YTM their home in the 15 years between the two censuses. “Not too many other major developments besides ICC in YTM could bring about such a major change,” observes Margaret Chan, senior development manager within SHKP’s Project Planning and Development Department.

The opening of International Commerce Centre on top of Kowloon Station in 2010 helped enhance the prosperity of Yau Tsim Mong district, significantly. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Financial consultant Kenneth Chow is one such homeowner. In 2009, he purchased a flat with sunset views in Sorrento, a luxury residence adjacent to ICC. He continues to live there today with his wife Rachel and her parents.

“My in-laws often go on short trips to Guangdong, and they love the convenience of taking the cross-border buses downstairs at Elements directly to their destination,” Chow reveals. “My mother-in-law enjoys buying groceries from the Yau Ma Tei wet market for our nightly dinners together. To stretch our legs, we often go downstairs to take a stroll along the landscaped podium after dinner. And we enjoy brunch and dinner at Tosca in The Ritz-Carlton, my favorite restaurant.” 

“The nearby High Speed Rail terminus adds another dimension to ICC,” Chan states. “Getting to Guangzhou in 45 minutes makes the world seem so much smaller — family and friends across the border are more willing to travel and visit. ICC has made a positive impact upon the community.” 

When it becomes fully functional in 2022, the challenge for Two Taikoo Place will be to create an interactive space for pedestrians. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Close to the airport

An upcoming hyper-connected TOD is New World Development’s SKYCITY. The 350,000 square meter floor area project with Lead8 as its architect is sited adjacent to Hong Kong International Airport. The retail, dining and entertainment complex will link sea, air, rail and car via sky bridges, and is slated for completion in multiple phases from 2023 to 2027. As SKYCITY capitalizes on its proximity to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok link, residents in the Bay Area should benefit from the connection, like those of Lantau Island. 

“As there are no residences within walking distance of the airport, the goal for SKYCITY would be to engage Lantau residents with amenities that different segments of the public can enjoy,” Zimmerman advises.