POWER HOUSE

The Chinese University of Hong Kong, School of Architecture, Hong Kong

Project idea

The POWER HOUSE is a communal sports complex located in Shau Kei Wan, Hong Kong. Inspired by the adjacent old quarry of A Kung Ngam, the project steers away from conventional sports center layout and aims at calling back to the historical identity of the industrial area. The massing layout is heavily inspired by industrial facilities, as separated massings are connected by exposed tubes serving as vertical and horizontal circulations - a key design feature reminiscent of conveyor belts found in mining facilities.

Project description

The massing design caters to the sloped site. The lobby connects to both levels of the site and allows multiple entry points. The main hall is lifted up from the ground to create a continuous public space connecting the streetscape to the landscape area in A Kung Ngam. The covered ground plaza includes pop-up stores and children playgrounds serving as gathering and communal space.

Materiality is detrimental to the project’s design. Aluminum tubes and weathered copper cladding give the building’s exterior a sharp and clean appearance and highlight the relationship between massing and tube connections. The exposed structure and mechanical services of the interior give a dynamic and energetic feel in contrast to the exterior. The juxtaposition of these features truly reflects the image of a POWER HOUSE.

Technical information

Structure for the main sports hall
- Concrete column grid supporting a 50m*36m waffle slab as the floor
- Post and beam roof structure with 5m spacing
- 1.4m Castellated beam used to fit mechanical services