The Green Innovation Future Technology or GIFT Ideas Competition promotes the advancement of iconic, green, and technologically and materially advanced architecture. Its winners have just been selected by a panel of judges representing the Hong Kong Science Park (HKSTPC) as well as various other local private organizations. The designs picked best represented the prompt given while simultaneously unifying the park’s development.
“Professional Group” Category
First Place | ‘Seeding Architecture’ by Chik Tsz Ting, Eugene Kiang, Alan Siu Lun Wu, Tang Wai Kwong, Ho Lai Ki, and Hui Po Man
First Prize: Seeding Architecture. Image Courtesy of Hong Kong Science Park GIFT Design Ideas Competition
Architects: “We believe the basic principles of green design should be an awareness of nature: to appreciate the beauty of natural forces, and to create a connection between the man-made and nature.”
“Instead of putting in two building blocks – the first gateway building and the future annex building – we decided to preserve as much as possible by lifting the land up to form a ‘landscape’ that rises from the ground, and filling the sloping roof surface with 100% vegetation.”
Second Place | ‘The Green Carpet” by Wong Hin Fai and Lee Tin Wan
Third Prize: The Staggered Green. Image Courtesy of Hong Kong Science Park GIFT Design Ideas Competition
Architects: “This design is an architectonic expression of cutting a green carpet (the landscape) and folding it up (as the building roof). It creates a new dimension of public space and an iconic building form which resembles a gateway. The landscape is brought to the podium level by the Grand Steps. By situating the slopped building clusters on the two sides, the exposure to natural lighting and view are substantially increased. In addition, the pocket spaces at the Green Boulevard provide a vibrant platform for idea exchange and breeding of talents.”
Third Place | “Staggered Green” by Chan Kin Kwok and Ng Man Hoi Simon
Architects: “The typical central core office layout, although highly efficient, depends heavily on mechanical ventilation and lighting due to its deep office space with only one side of windows possible. To create a more sustainable working environment, we must abandon the norm of a central core office and rethink the ideal plan for work space.”
Fourth Place | “The Green Estuary” by Oscar Tong Hei, Kelvin Chu, Buran Chen, and Ma Vickie Ka Ki
Architects: “The building form is inspired by the natural formation of the estuary and rock erosion by water. The square office block is being divided by a creek, forming a ‘Gateway’ towards the main public square in Phase 3. The splitting of the block creates a fantastic communal garden space between the offices/labs with the vegetation and water in the middle. The visitors will enter the building as if they are walking into the nature.”
“Open Group” Category
First Place | “’En’ Phasing” by Lu Chih-hao, Vivian Lee, and Tien Wen Jack Wu
Second Prize: Green Carpet. Image Courtesy of Hong Kong Science Park GIFT Design Ideas Competition
Architects: “The idea is to extend the mountains and its nature from the south of the site and continue into the green belt of Science Park development. The architecture acts as a threshold between the nature and the Science Park precinct. Furthermore, it weaves the nature and human interaction together by forming a space that is based on: sustainability, green living, nature, human interaction, ideas for knowledge and discovery, and the housing of technology.”
Second Place | “Sky Tree” by Lee Ka Wai, Tang Yu Tsun, Chan King Man, and Ng Tsz Fung
Architects: “The design concept of “Sky Tree” is vitality – it takes one to two decades for a “sapling” to grow into a “tree”, during which it would experience all sorts of difficulties, but still unyielding and persevering. This kind of vitality is what Hong Kong people need to have.”
Third Place | “Gift” by Chang King Kwan and Benjamin Lee
Architects: “Our gift to Hong Kong combines science with nature, a blend of man-made forms with a softness that only comes from the natural world. Our concept based on the Taoist Yin and Yang principles, presents a series of opposite and equal qualities. Light and shade, warm and cool, hard and soft, and places these qualities in a building which will both educate and inspire.”
By Lyly Huyen
Courtesy of Hong Kong ‘GIFT’ Ideas Competititon Winners Announced
