HKU Bulletin November 2009 (Vol. 11 No .1)

20 The University of Hong Kong Bulletin 21 November 2009 NEW LANDSCAPES FOR Hong Kong The University launches new undergraduate major in Landscape Architecture. Sky Rain Harvest in Prince Edward Gloria Lee, Benni Pong and Ken Law teamed up to find an innovative solution to flooding in urban areas. Benni says, “We thought about Mong Kok and the flooding issue they have there from time to time, and it made us think about the use of water. We have an abundance of water in Hong Kong, to the extent of suffering from flooding during heavy downpours, but we don’t use our water very efficiently. So we came up with this design which is quite futuristic.” Gloria explains, “We thought about upturned umbrellas that would gather water and funnel it into a water supply, for use as grey water rather than drinking water. We considered having a series of umbrellas that would not just catch water but also provide shelter, and about interlinking them with green landscaped walkways and perhaps sky gardens. But our problem was one of scale. Maybe our scale here is too big.” Teaching and Learning The trend towards greener cities, and a growing awareness of the need for a sustainable approach to development, has spurred an increasing demand for Landscape Architects. To meet this demand the Faculty of Architecture has launched a new Landscape Architecture major within the Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies. In addition to core courses from the undergraduate architectural course, students will take modules in landscape sciences and ecology, planting design, contemporary landscape design, strategic planning and history and theory of landscape. The Landscape Sandwich – Wah Fu Estate, Aberdeen Stevie Wong won an Outstanding Award for this concept, which involved creating gardens ‘sandwiched’ between residential floors in high rise blocks. She explains, “I grew up in Wah Fu Estate in Aberdeen, one of the first public housing estates in Hong Kong, and my father still lives there so I know the area well and was aware of what might improve it for the residents. “I did some research and found that there are around 4,000 vacant units on public housing estates – flats that no-one wants to live in. So, my idea was to find some other use for these units, so that the people who live in the block can enjoy the space. By tearing down the walls, taking out the windows and filling the spaces with trees and plants you can create a garden between the residential floors – a landscaped sandwich if you like. You could have four or five units in one block to serve this purpose. “Elderly people who may not be very mobile can enjoy a green space, an easily accessible garden within their own block. And the people could tend the garden themselves which would give older people a hobby, a pastime, and also create a sense of community within the block.” Seizing the Urban Void Allen Cheung, Stephanie Lai and Eric Wong’s idea gained an Honourable Mention. They set out to improve the environment at tram stations across Hong Kong. Using the tram route, which has run from west to east across the length of urban Hong Kong for more than a century, their plan was to create a green corridor. Stephanie says, “While waiting for a tram, the roadside environment is not particularly attractive or pleasant, so we thought of creating some kind of oasis. Trams are already one of the most environmentally- friendly mean of transport and we tried to improve on that by creating lawns along the route.” Although, Eric points out, that this is not possible along the entire length because of the many utility cables buried underground. “Additionally we thought of placing solar panels above the stations that could create enough power to light them,” says Stephanie. “We also thought there could be a system for rainwater collection on the canopies above the stations and that this could be utilized as irrigation water,” explains Allen. “At the moment all the stations look the same, there’s nothing to distinguish one from another, so we wanted to create a different image for every station, by using different planting designs.” “We are currently seeking approval for this major to become a BA in Landscape Studies with a minor in environmental sustainability,” says Assistant Professor Matthew Pryor, Head of the Division of Landscape Architecture. “Last year we changed admission to the two-year Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) programme from alternate year to annual intake. “Landscape architecture is growing so strongly in the region, that even in these difficult times, there is still virtually no unemployment in the profession. “Improving the quality of our living environment is now a central theme within both HKSAR and PRC Government policy, and developers fully appreciate the sales value of a clean environment and quality landscape settings for their projects.” Earlier this year, MLA students were invited to enter the ‘U+L’ competition – a China- wide initiative for university students. They were given ten days to solve a brief which involved creating innovative ideas for environmental improvement of urban districts. The following are some of their entries: