Page 15 - Public Facilities 2016

PUBLIC FACILITIES

while the remaining venues located in the
central part of the district will be built when
the integrated basement is completed.

M+ museum for visual culture
Following an international competition,
Swiss architecture firm of Herzog & de
Meuron, working with Hong Kong-based
TFP Farrells and Ove Arup & Partners HK,
has been selected to design the M+ building.
The approximately 60,000 sq m gross floor
area M+ building is a strikingly slim, semi-
transparent vertical plane, housing education
facilities, a public restaurant and museum
offices.
The building will rise atop an impressive
horizontal slab offering a diversity of well-
considered gallery spaces. At ground and M+ (scheduled completion 2019)
lower levels, generous access will be
provided to the park and other West Kowloon
Cultural District facilities, alongside a public gateway of access to the Cultural District.
resource centre, theatres, retail and dining, The architecture incorporates a generous
and back-of-house functions. Of particular amount of public leisure space, in addition
note, Herzog & de Meuronwho are also to 2,000 sq m of training and education
known for their Tate Modern museum facilities, two superbly designed auditoria
in London, Beijing s Bird s Nest stadium for 1,100 and 400 seats respectively. Xiqu
and other notable designs have firmly Centre will be opened in 2018.
anchored the M+ building on its reclaimed-
land site, excavating a new found space M+ Pavilion
for large scale installations from around the M+ Pavilion, the first permanent venue
existing Airport Express train tunnel that runs for exhibitions and arts events in the West
underneath. M+ is scheduled for opening in Kowloon Cultural District was completed in
2019, July 2016.
The M+ Pavilion is designed by a team of
Xique Centre three Hong Kong-born, young and energetic
The Xiqu Centre will be a world-class arts architects: Vincent Pang from VPANG
venue specifically built for xiqu (Chinese architects ltd, Tynnon Chow from JET
opera) performances, and it is also a Architecture Inc and Lisa Cheung.
centre for the production, education Located within the Art Park amid public
and research of this unique art form. space, the M+ Pavilion is designed to offer
In December 2012, the West Kowloon a respite from hectic city life with a smart
Cultural District Authority announced the simplistic approach that allows it to blend
appointment of a joint venture partnership into its environment. Mirrored external
of Bing Thom Architects and Ronald Lu walls reflect the surrounding expanses of
& Partners Co Ltd to design and deliver a greenery and immerse the building in the
world-class facility. Art Park setting. To further this experience,
The venue will provide a platform for the Pavilion s main exhibition space is
the Xiqu communities to interact, develop, elevated, allowing it to float above the
produce the finest examples of Cantonese foliage, creating the opportunity for artwork
and other Chinese opera performances, to be appreciated against a backdrop of
attract new audiences, educate and the unparalleled Hong Kong Island skyline
collaborate with and host international with spectacular views of Victoria Harbour.
cultural programmes. Inside, the gallery space feature polished
Occupying a prime site of 13,800 sq concrete floors and white walls a flexible
m at the eastern edge of the District on backdrop for multidisciplinary art exhibitions
the corner of Canton Road and Austin and performances.
Road West, the centre will provide a (Source: WKCDA)

Building Journal 13