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DESIGN STATEMENT

Pier_ArcAdiA

Situated in the buzzling urban setting of Hong Kong Island, the Western District Public Cargo Working Area is chosen as our site of experimentation for post-coronavirus era public space.

Recent statistics show that the densely populated Western District, which is where the pier is located, is in lack of public space as each resident can only share 1.5 sqm. of public space. As the pier provides a vast piece of harbourfront free space during non-operating hours, nearby residents discovered the potential of this rare yet unplanned open area with fascinating harbour view, and gradually transforming it into an attractive leisure destination.

Nowadays, the cargo working area remains its operation during daytime for loading and unloading of goods while the space would be occupied by the large crowds of general public for recreational activities as the sun starts setting. It does not only serve as a popular open space but also a hot photography spot which attracts locals or tourists to share their photos taken on-site given the spectacular harbour and sunset views. It is hence entitled to be the ‘Instagram Pier’. Despite the unprecedented times of Covid-19 pandemic, the site he space is still highly utilized by the public for a variety of leisure activities including photo-taking, fishing, running, and chatting.

Our proposal highlights the unique fluidity and dynamism of the ‘Instagram Pier’. Its’ spatial organization is constantly evolving with changing use of space. The entities within the site are thereby mobile: the wooden pallets, the containers and the vehicles. Furthermore, the popularity of the site is derived from its disorganization and individual intrepretation. Our concept also celebrates the public reinterpretation of the cargo area as an unplanned and abstract public space which gives room for their own imagination and active participation in the space.

We are inspired to create mobile designs to enhance the experience of the users while complying with the principles of social distancing to provide a safer and flexible public environment for the post-coronavirus times:

The A-Frames device proposed by the project is a ladder-like wooden structure with a series of variations left for the individual's interpretation. It combats the challenges brought by the Covid-19 with three principles: distancing, separation, and orientation. Upcycling the existing abandoned wooden pallets on site, each A-Frames are set to stretch in a width of 1.5 m, satisfying the universal standard of social distancing. A set of variations is also developed to transform the A-Frames into an abstract device: a fabric seat that could kill viruses, a swing or a reflective mirrored-space.

The A-Frames explores the possibilities of conducting innovative interactions while safeguarding users’ health. It echoes with the unplanned nature of the popular pier by granting freedom for users to interpret their own ways of communal space. It resonates with the evolving spatial configuration of the site as the wheels are attached on one side of the A-Frame to allow it to be relocated by one person to allow dynamic activities to occur across the day.