Page 94 - The Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC) 香港綠色建築議會
P. 94
Public Sector Kowloon East
Projects
Kowloon East, with a total area of about To maintain and further develop Hong Kong • Advocating development that includes a
488 hectares, comprises the Kwun Tong and as an international financial and service hub, wide range of cultural, leisure and water
Kowloon Bay Business Areas and the Kai Tak a steady supply of high quality office buildings sports activities to energise the business
Development Area. is essential. While the existing CBD is being district.
consolidated to enhance its office building
Kowloon East has been evolving through supply in terms of both quantity and quality, an The Policy Addresses in 2013 and 2014
a number of economic cycles in the past opportunity for the development of a second reaffirmed the role of Kowloon East as a
decades: CBD to facilitate office decentralisation distinctive new CBD with major additional
has been explored. Kowloon East has been office supply and the enhancement of arts,
• With the rapid growth of manufacturing identified as an alternative CBD to cater for culture and creative industries. As stated
industries in the 1950s, thousands of the long-term economic growth of Hong Kong. in the 2013 Policy Address, Kowloon East
factories in Kwun Tong accounted for has the potential to supply an additional
nearly one-fifth of Hong Kong’s total sales In the Chief Executive’s 2011 Policy Address, office floor area of 4 million m2. The existing
and production in manufacturing industries. it was announced that the transformation government facilities in the two action areas
of Kowloon East into another CBD would be of Kowloon East are being considered for
• Following the mass migration of local expedited with the following initiatives: relocation. It is expected that these two action
manufacturing industries to the Mainland areas will be able to provide about 500,000
starting in the 1980s and the relocation of • Enhancing connectivity within East m2 of floor area in total. The 2014 Policy
the Kai Tak Airport in 1998, a huge stock Kowloon, such as improving pedestrian Address further states that the Energizing
of vacant or under-utilised industry floor access networks; considering building Kowloon East initiative will facilitate the
space was found in the area. an environmentally friendly linkage development of Kowloon East into a new CBD
system through the entire district; and to support Hong Kong’s long-term economic
• During the booming economy of the 2000s, strengthening external connectivity development. The transformation of Kowloon
a large number of financial service sector through the Kwun Tong Line and future East will be expedited and sites identified to
and multi-national corporations set up their Sha Tin to Central Link of the Mass Transit support the development of arts, culture and
headquarters and regional offices in Hong Railway (MTR); creative industries, with a view to turning
Kong. The increasing demand for high Kowloon East into a distinctive business area.
quality office space could no longer be met • Introducing attractive urban design
by the existing Central Business District concepts with greening features and
(CBD). As a result, private companies pedestrian promenades to create a
began to seek alternative office locations pleasant business district; and
away from the CBD.
92 HONG KONG REPORT ON THE STATE OF SUSTAINABLE BUILT ENVIRONMENT 2014
Projects
Kowloon East, with a total area of about To maintain and further develop Hong Kong • Advocating development that includes a
488 hectares, comprises the Kwun Tong and as an international financial and service hub, wide range of cultural, leisure and water
Kowloon Bay Business Areas and the Kai Tak a steady supply of high quality office buildings sports activities to energise the business
Development Area. is essential. While the existing CBD is being district.
consolidated to enhance its office building
Kowloon East has been evolving through supply in terms of both quantity and quality, an The Policy Addresses in 2013 and 2014
a number of economic cycles in the past opportunity for the development of a second reaffirmed the role of Kowloon East as a
decades: CBD to facilitate office decentralisation distinctive new CBD with major additional
has been explored. Kowloon East has been office supply and the enhancement of arts,
• With the rapid growth of manufacturing identified as an alternative CBD to cater for culture and creative industries. As stated
industries in the 1950s, thousands of the long-term economic growth of Hong Kong. in the 2013 Policy Address, Kowloon East
factories in Kwun Tong accounted for has the potential to supply an additional
nearly one-fifth of Hong Kong’s total sales In the Chief Executive’s 2011 Policy Address, office floor area of 4 million m2. The existing
and production in manufacturing industries. it was announced that the transformation government facilities in the two action areas
of Kowloon East into another CBD would be of Kowloon East are being considered for
• Following the mass migration of local expedited with the following initiatives: relocation. It is expected that these two action
manufacturing industries to the Mainland areas will be able to provide about 500,000
starting in the 1980s and the relocation of • Enhancing connectivity within East m2 of floor area in total. The 2014 Policy
the Kai Tak Airport in 1998, a huge stock Kowloon, such as improving pedestrian Address further states that the Energizing
of vacant or under-utilised industry floor access networks; considering building Kowloon East initiative will facilitate the
space was found in the area. an environmentally friendly linkage development of Kowloon East into a new CBD
system through the entire district; and to support Hong Kong’s long-term economic
• During the booming economy of the 2000s, strengthening external connectivity development. The transformation of Kowloon
a large number of financial service sector through the Kwun Tong Line and future East will be expedited and sites identified to
and multi-national corporations set up their Sha Tin to Central Link of the Mass Transit support the development of arts, culture and
headquarters and regional offices in Hong Railway (MTR); creative industries, with a view to turning
Kong. The increasing demand for high Kowloon East into a distinctive business area.
quality office space could no longer be met • Introducing attractive urban design
by the existing Central Business District concepts with greening features and
(CBD). As a result, private companies pedestrian promenades to create a
began to seek alternative office locations pleasant business district; and
away from the CBD.
92 HONG KONG REPORT ON THE STATE OF SUSTAINABLE BUILT ENVIRONMENT 2014