HarbourChill @ Wan Chai
Project Period
2021
Location
Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Project Lead
Harbourfront Commission
Social Ventures Hong Kong
Project Background & Inspiration
The HarbourChill was first opened to the public as part of the Harbourfront Shared Space Initiative co-developed by the Harbour Office of the Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government and the Harbourfront Commission and was positioned as an experimental space to invite community input to breathe life into a site that became available because of the construction of the Central-Wan Chai Bypass.
Social Ventures Hong Kong (SVhk) was engaged to test out initiatives to activate the space on a nonprofit basis and thereby creating:
- An open platform for people of all backgrounds to participate in impactful and purpose-driven public open space
- An opportunity to reimagine Wanchai’s neighbourhood identity and strengthen community bonds
- Cross-sector partnerships to scale up impact
What happened in the project?
Community Playground
A marketplace and kiosk featuring snacks and beverages offered by social enterprises, in collaboration with WE+
WE! Run after-work running events in collaboration with RunOurCity
Community members in Wanchai hosted booths at the Christmas Market
Celebration with an Impact
In collaboration with event planner Triple Lips Production and Bookyay, festivals and festive-themed markets were organized on site, including:
Pumpkin is coming to town
Move it move it sports day
Project Impact and Key Takeaway
Increased accessibility and diversity of public open space usages by hosting signature events
Fostered cross-sector partnerships to collectively reimagine the neighbourhood’s identity with utilizing a public open space as the anchor point
Reaffirmed Harbourfront Commission’s confidence in activating public open space near the harbourfront with a “3E” approach: experiment, engagement, and empowerment, and inspired further collaboration between the government and the public
INNOVATION
COLLABORATION
EMPOWERMENT
Project Gallery
Features/External Links
海濱休閒站 「願景帶動」的空間管理 (avincentng.blogspot.com) (Chinese only)
news.gov.hk - Wan Chai harbourfront space opens
SVhk’s presentation for the Task Force on Water-land Interface and Harbourfront Activation of Harbourfront Commission that details the project’s objectives, impact, public feedback and potential way forward: 20211207_TFWLHA_SVhk Harbourchill (hfc.org.hk)