published_or_final_version / Urban Planning and Design / Master / Master of Urban Design

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning and Design / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Landscape Architecture

Baotou owes its existence to its raw material resource, and iron and rare earth industry. Because of cheap labor, low cost and lax vat the world rare earth political economy with more than 95% of production. Increasing demand of rare earth due to our modern culture and consumption has turned the 12km2 tailing pond as a 'toxic leftover of global capitalism'. My thesis is asking questions of how a city at the edge will survive in the future. In this case, it is an extreme scenario of resource depletion, environmental destruction, and large number of unemployment caused by modern consumerism. The thesis is a questioning imaginary of a waste urbanism, that intentionally propose a major transformation of urban metamorphosis by rethinking the economic and ecological value of industrial waste, especially with its complicated connection to globval network. By understanding the operational mechanisms of the city globally, the operational mechanisms of the city globally, nationally and locally, I intervene into the flows of material, migration, economy and politics at regional and local scale. This thesis is asking a question and exploring the alternative future of a resource-extract industry city like Baotou. Connect how a global modern culture reflects on a local landscape. And explore the extreme potential of economy as driving force of urbanization. / published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Landscape Architecture

This dissertation seeks to solve a long-standing conundrum for heritage conservation in Hong Kong, regarding the ‘area-wide’ mistreatment of our historic places and their settings. While Hong Kong has the legal framework and policies in place, it has been let down by an outdated and incomprehensive set of ‘area-wide’ conservation guidance in the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines (‘HKPSG’) – an important manual that has received scant attention in the conservation field. Through a review of international charters, this dissertation will offer the first extensive critique on the ‘area-wide’ conservation provisions of this infamous document. Drawing lessons from international best practices, this dissertation will go further to recommend possible remedies for the Hong Kong context. Having regards to the current administration’s liking for swift administrative responses, the motion to rethink the HKPSG is a refreshing sign of change; or in line with the Government’s motto – this is ‘Change amid Stability’. / published_or_final_version / Conservation / Master / Master of Science in Conservation

Form-based codes have been part of an innovative design reform since they were suggested in early 1980s. Still in the development stage, Form-based codes have limited precedent examples to demonstrate its applicability in high dense and compact cities, and their advantages as prescriptive design tools for creating the predictable result of the built environment, in urban design projects and the plan-making process. In the search of potential improvement to avoid bulky buildings, lack of streetscape, non-environmental friendly building massing, lack of directionality and relevance to the surroundings, this research has analysed whether and how Form-based code is effective and applicable to address the existing urban planning problems in Hong Kong. It also addresses other implications to the existing urban planning system if Form-based code can be fully, partially imbedded or cannot be affiliated. Form-based code can by no means be isolated from social, economic and lands issues in Hong Kong. With the principles associated with New Urbanism for the development of urban communities, Hong Kong and many cities have different degrees of difficulty in introducing and balancing the factors. With Hong Kong’s massive land values, finance-dominated lands and urban renewal criteria, Form-based code can be valid in small communities as an alternative to suburbia, but it is very difficult to apply in a high-rise high-density city situation. Therefore, detailed analysis and evaluation is precisely needed on why Form-based codes are necessary in cities, as opposed to small-torn American growth areas which are often promoted by a single developer. In Hong Kong, a combination of Outline Zoning Plans and building and public health regulations tend to dominate considerations of form. The generated form has little to do in practice with sensible considerations of connectivity, transportation, workability and urban design. The research examines the whole issue of form based codes - essentially. This seeks to extract in what urban situations Form-based codes succeed in meeting physical, social, economic and sustainable objectives. The research also critically evaluates the existing planning and lands system and the system of prevailing controls in order to identify the benefits and drawbacks in producing good urban design, and the opportunities and constraints in realistically introducing Form-based code. These urban design components including building form standard, frontage type standard, building type standard, architectural standard and public space standard are evaluated. The research concludes what Form-based code in Hong Kong can technically achieve, the factors need to be considered in the planning process, the preventive constraints in achieving Form-based objectives. The implication of the needs of change in terms of urban planning, management and organizational mechanisms including aspects of bureaucracy, policy ‘silos’ and lack of overall value system is evaluated. Last but not least, an appraisal of what can or cannot be achieved is included. Despite the hypothetical advantages of Form-based codes over the conventional zoning, the important point is that Form-based urban planning code in Hong Kong cannot be simply a replacement for, but a supplement to urban planning tools. Physical Form-based components in present framework should absorb Form-based code to make them compatible with the conventional zoning and city comprehensive plans. / published_or_final_version / Urban Planning and Design / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

Researchers and policy makers have long recognized the elderly’s desire to age in place at their familial environment for as long as possible. The ability of the elderly to age in place would be distinctive, depending on the individual’s needs and how responsive the local environments addressing their needs. Many literatures acknowledged the potentials of the elders to sustain independent lifestyle through building a community life, despite of their gradual decline in functional capability. With the anticipation of doubling the city elderly population in the next couple decades, there is an urging need of reviewing how compatible the existing community space fostering the elders’ physical and psychological well-being. This study aimed at identifying strategies to improve the design and planning of community space in Hong Kong older districts. The analysis for this study comprises five sets of assessments identifying the special socio-spatial needs of the elders, existing problems in community space in the older districts affecting the elderly’s ability to satisfying their socio-spatial needs, investigating enhancements in design and planning of community space and the shortcomings of the existing system, as well as exploring the potential improvements in policy framework facilitating better implementation of the recommended strategies. This study concluded that the elders tend to engage in age-appropriate activities within the activity space that are relevant to their functional capability. The capacity, accessibility, proximity of the community space to their residences as well as the availability of universal design and weatherproof protection features are among the key determining factors affecting their decision (particularly for the more vulnerable group) on how frequently attending the community space for active and passive activities. While a number of legislations and government policies already in effect aiming at creating more inclusive environment, without having long-range land use plans in place at the neighbourhood level guiding the districts’ redevelopment, it created challenges of establishing comprehensible collaboration among government departments and agencies to steer community transformation in a cohesive manner. The recommendation of advancing neighbourhood redevelopment plan for older districts not only would allow for the review on the existing shortcomings in community space design, it can also formulate locally appropriate neighbourhood level revitalization strategies and strengthening the implementation of the strategies and guidelines from the community perspective. / published_or_final_version / Urban Planning and Design / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

There is growing interest in the impact of development controls on the development process. Many researches focus on whether development controls offer certainty and flexibility to developments. Nevertheless, not many researches explore the causes leading to delays in developments. Through examining the length of time spent in the stages of planning, lease and building controls of 57 completed Comprehensive Development Area (CDA) sites where the development processes were started and completed in the Metro Planning Committee Area in Hong Kong between 1990 and 2014, this paper explores if there are any factors accounting for the delay in the development process of the completed CDA sites. Besides, this research examines the relationships between the length of time involved in the development process and the characteristics of the completed CDA sites. Meanwhile, this research also examines 67 approved planning applications submitted for uncompleted CDA sites where the development processes have not been completed in order to explore the relationships between the stage of planning control of CDAs and particular variables. Through quantitative statistical analyses, this paper confirms that the stage of planning control does not cause a delay in the development process of the completed CDA sites. Approval rate of planning applications does not necessarily affect the development process of them. Instead, the relatively lengthy amount of time spent in the development process in the completed CDA sites can be stemmed from the change of mind of the planning applications’ applicants. The GFA of completed CDA sites affects the length of time spent in the development process. In addition, when the year of the first approved planning application of completed CDA sites is closer to year 2014, the length of time spent in the whole development process is less. For the 67 approved applications submitted for the uncompleted CDA sites, it is confirmed that the GFA of the proposed developments cause impacts on the length of time a planning application involved to get an approved decision from the planning authority. Based on the findings collected, it is concluded that the stage of planning control does not cause a delay in the completed CDA sites and, various factors play a part accounting for the length of time spent in the development process and in getting approved decisions from the planning authority. / published_or_final_version / Urban Planning and Design / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 144-149).