Hong Kong Gets a Hot Pink Micro-Park
Launched under Hong Kong’s Design Trust Futures Studio (DTFS) programme, this new 376-square-meter micro-park stands out in one of Hong Kong’s densest districts thanks to its delightful hot pink hue
In late September 2021, Design Trust launched its first pilot micro-park in Hong Kong’s Yau Mau Tei neighbourhood. The micro-park is an update to the original Portland Street Rest Garden built in the 1980s, and was conceived as part of the programme ‘Play is for the People’ under the Design Trust Futures Studio (DTFS) 2018 initiative. Echoing the neighbourhood characterised both by its lively activities and elderly population, the micro-park is defined by a ‘half park’ concept, where half of the park has simply been updated with new finishes and furniture, while the other half has been completely transformed into an unapologetically pink visual icon. ‘The park makes a bold statement and brings to light the myriad possibilities of creating unique parks that are specific to a site, and the surrounding demographic’s changing needs,’ says DTFS lead curator Marisa Yiu, who is also the co-founder and executive director of Design Trust, a a grant-funding platform established by Hong Kong Ambassadors of Design.
A key feature of the park is a set of movable stools and tables. ‘Users can participate in shaping the park by freely creating their own seating arrangements for different activities,’ says branding specialist Ricky Lai, who worked on the project alongside architect and landscape designers Kam Fai Hung and Wendy Wu and industrial and product designer Xavier Tsang. To create the movable furniture that’s also safe for outdoor use, the team experimented with eleven different materials, finally choosing glass reinforced plastic and concrete for their durability, lightness and reasonable cost.
To provide more seating space, a long terrazzo bench has been installed along one edge. As Yiu explains, unlike the normal government park benches that come with armrests, this pink bench has a small ledge lip that allows users to also lie down comfortably. With the terrazzo bench and movable stools, the park now offers 65 more seats than before.
The park’s bright pink hue is accentuated by pink and orange plants, including Bauhinia variegate, bougainvillea and plume grass. Green bamboo screening and climbers contrast with the pinks and heighten the visual impact, while also, as Tsang explains, ‘serving the practical function of shielding the park from an unsightly back alley’.
While it may be small in size, the micro-park embodies huge efforts. The design team held more than 100 meetings with the government, district councillors, stakeholders and the community throughout the design process. Now open, the park is receiving much public attention, and the team is satisfied with the result. 'We anticipate that the park will lead to wider discussions in the community and broader society,' says Hung. 'This is exactly the reform we want to bring out.' And for Yiu, the colour adds another layer of meaning. ‘Pink has many associations and sparks debate,' she says. 'I’m enjoying the debates and the recurring question: “Why pink?”’
Text / Sylvia Chan
Images / Courtesy of Design Trust
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