HKBCF Competition 2nd-Place Entry 'Ephemeral Roof Exchange'

Yesterday, we announced the Professional Group winners of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB)‧Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities (HKBCF) International Design Ideas Competition. Following is the stunning proposal ‘Ephemeral Roof Exchange’ by Austrian architects Steven Ma Tze Chung, Wendy Fok Wei Yue and Dominik Strzelec that was awarded the Second Place in the competition’s Open Group.

Here’s a detailed project description we received from the architects:

Transient and ephemeral by nature and aesthetics, the transitional energy “ephemeral roof exchange” represents the trilateral relationship between the borders of Hong Kong, Macao and Zhuhai, where the iconic design becomes a symbol of the intermediary relation between land and sky.

Design Concept

Bringing together a fusion of technological, economical and cultural entities, and combining a public free space into a unified secure zone between Hong Kong, Macao, and Zhuhai, the “ephemeral roof exchange” becomes an interactive connection point and node which extends its use as a pivotal point of interaction fro the three points of entry, while establishing itself for future new developments in and around the area of the site.

Through readapting the original site, the three-point, access system creates an entry diversion that is iconic from the aerial perspective – for the viewing pleasure of visitors arriving into and departing from the Fosters designed airport – while, in parallel, delivers an architectural phenomena and dramatic dispatch of the design is inspired by the iconic and indigenous Bauhinia Blakeana of Hong Kong, which subsequently sets a stage for future thematic conception for the HKBCF in further design development of the facilities for Hong Kong, Macao and Zhuhai developmental area.

While the three different points of entry specifically pertain to advanced sustainable technology, specifically, Solar, Hydro and Piezoelectrical energy concepts, the aesthetics tribulation spawns from the physical qualities of elegance, lightness, and patterning, where the edges of the dynamic roof system aesthetically feathers out into the clouds, and floats into the spectrum of the horizon. The roof system dually offers itself like a mirage of a watering-hole in the vast desert that is equality as ephemeral, while physically acting as a transient pivotal terminal of spectacles exchange for the People of Hong Kong, Macao and Zhuhai.

Energy Concept

Three point energy collection points are each representational to the location and orientation of the site. The Solar Photovoltaic Louvres with a South Orientation is designed for the Hong Kong/ Kowloon exchange entrance that dually uses the natural heat and sun light from the Hong Kong and supporting area as the secondary energy source that is collected into the system of the energy roof system. A Hydro Collective System designed with humidity and rain water collectors recycles hydro-energy to provide a cooling system for the waiting guests locates itself within HK/Macao/Zhuhai Terminal. While the Piezoelectrical system is a self sustainable energy system embedded into the asphalt and landscaping throughout the site that recycles and reuses the evanescent nature of sound and vibrational energy collected from the numerous passing vehicles during the border crossing as a cast-off form of energy.

Each energy system interrelates to a larger sphere which contributes and infiltrates throughout the site. Just like the iconic flower which grows from the soil of the motherland, the energy from the site harvests itself as a form innate energy that provides to the foundation of the site and future development of the exchange point. Essentially, energy would be collected from both roof and ground designed technologies.

The iconic nature of the design is developed hand-in-hand with a strong hold on sustainable concerns to strive into making this the most sustainable transportation exchange hub in the world.