Undersecretary for Development David Lam Chi-man recently called for a fresh “facilitator” mindset to streamline the project vetting and approval process, while the Buildings, Fire Services, Highways and Water Supplies Departments all committed to cutting excessive red tape. Such initiatives are a small step in saving resources and time, and a giant leap in inspiring new development interests.
Advertisement
The message shines a welcome light, showing that even bureaucracy can change and adapt to the current market conditions. To reinvent ourselves, we should not stop at streamlining the process, but should also question the quality of our built environments.
In his architectural manifesto Humanise, British designer Thomas Heatherwick condemns modernism as spearheaded by Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier and popularised in the 20th century. He argues that as modernism took over the world, built environments were stripped of beauty, interesting elements and emotional connections with people.
His words remind me of Hong Kong buildings, and I don’t mean particular starchitects’ masterpieces, skyscrapers or cultural facilities. I mean the everyday architecture where most people live and work.
Surprisingly, Heatherwick gives a shout-out to Hong Kong as a positive example of visual interest. “A lot of buildings in Hong Kong have visual complexity, as a direct result of a government initiative from a number of years ago that encouraged bay windows,” he writes. “The towers that got built as a result were no longer flat and smooth but much more three-dimensional – and therefore more interesting for everyone passing by.”
Heatherwick is no stranger to Hong Kong and mainland China, having worked on projects including Pacific Place in Admiralty. While he is spot on about modernism’s monotony and we should acknowledge a world-renowned designer’s appreciation of the city, I could hardly agree that our towers are interesting by any measure.