First section of Waterfront Promenade WKCD Art Park opens

After 1,5 years of construction, the first section of the waterfront promenade at the West Kowloon Cultural District Art Park designed by West 8 together with DLN Architects and ACLA is since late Janurary, the Chinese New Year period, open to public. From now on it provides stunning views of Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island, particularly lovely at sunset for photography.

Visitors can now access the waterfront promenade and WKCD Nursery Park by crossing the pedestrian footbridge located at the toll plaza of Western Harbour Crossing. Many visitors have come during the Chinese holiday season to watch the sunset, run, cycle, and walk while enjoying picture-perfect views. This section of promenade also gives a taster of how the future promenade that extends all along the district waterfront will look. 

Acting as a test ground for the public programming and pop-up festive events, a 4.5 hectares site, the temporary Nursery Park, located next to the West Kowloon Cultural District Art Park construction site has been opened since the end of 2016. It has become a very popular site since its opening. Lots of people come and enjoy a stroll, get a taste of the new waterfront park during weekends and holidays. Trees being nurtured at The Nursery Park will be planted in the future Art Park. This new waterfront area provides open air for the busy citizens of Hong Kong. With the temporary cycling routes and shared bicycles system SmartBike people come and ride along the promenade. Many bring their children, family or friends for a picnic or just lie back on the lawn and enjoy the stunning views.

Within the Art Park planning program, the M+ Pavilion designed by local VPANG Architects ltd + JET Architecture Inc + Lisa Cheung, was opened in 2016, serving as the primary site for M+ exhibitions in the run-up to the completion of the M+ building desgned by Herzog & de Meuron. After M+ building’s completion in 2019, M+ Pavilion will become a new space for artists, designers and organisations to stage independent small-scale exhibitions and events in the Art Park. 

The construction of the Art Park is currently still ongoing and the entire park is estimated to approach completion in 2019.