Tamar Development Plan

[Aboveday]

The shape of design #4 is too funny for a building which represent the center and the top of HK`s political power.If you say #1 is a copy cat of CCTV or the Grande Arche de la Défense ,then #4 should be a copycat of AIG Tower.

#3 reminds me of a card tower and government falls.#2 is great enough for a District Council or Central Library.#1 is my choice, its simple ,strong & iconic.

[hkskyline]

[gladisimo]

I dont get why people say Government buildings shouldn't be fancy. Why should they be limited to stoic, boring blocks, instead of something iconic?

it's not like design D is overly tacky, its icony, but classy, and uniquely displays HK's symbol, which I think is fantastic for HK's government.

[kelw]

Originally Posted by gladisimo

I dont get why people say Government buildings shouldn't be fancy. Why should they be limited to stoic, boring blocks, instead of something iconic?

it's not like design D is overly tacky, its icony, but classy, and uniquely displays HK's symbol, which I think is fantastic for HK's government.

Well, I guess there will always be differences in opinion. Personally, I think Design D is very tacky.

[hkskyline]

有 議 員 批 評 添 馬 艦 工 程 披 露 的 資 料 不 足
2007-05-07 HKT 09:01
RTHK

在 立 法 會 檢 討 中 區 海 旁 規 劃 小 組 的 一 個 會 議 上 ， 議 員 要 求 政 府 就 添 馬 艦 政 府 總 部 工 程 ， 提 供 更 多 資 料 ， 令 市 民 真 正 有 機 會 參 與 。

議 員 李 永 達 指 出 ， 添 馬 艦 工 程 的 四 個 模 型 正 在 進 行 展覽 ， 但 建 築 物 會 否 導 致 屏 風 效 應 ， 是 否 達 到 環 保 標 準 ， 公 眾 能 否 經 建 築 物 通 往 海 濱長 廊 等 ， 政 府 並 無 再 提 供 進 一 步 資 料 。

政 府 並 無 派 代 表 出 席 會 議 ， 而 行 政 署 提 交 的 文件 就 指 出 ， 由 於 不 能 就 標 書 內 容 作 任 何 評 論 ， 因 此 未 能 出 席 會 議 。 又 指 出 招 標 過 程涉 及 四 家 投 標 者 ， 及 旗 下 超 過 100 位 分 包 商 及 顧 問 公 司 的 利 益 ， 必 須 小 心 處 理 ， 確保 公 平 及 完 整 性 。 而 在 招 標 文 件 中 ， 亦 禁 止 投 標 者 在 招 標 過 程 中 向 公 眾 解 釋 設 計 方案 。

[hkskyline]

[hkskyline]

Tamar exhibition moves to Kowloon Park
Friday, April 27, 2007
Government Press Release



Ever considered that a day out to the park could combine with a visit to an exhibition?

Starting tomorrow (April 28), members of the community will have such a chance when visiting the urban oasis of Kowloon Park in Tsim Sha Tsui.

This is because the exhibition of design proposals submitted by the four tenderers for the Tamar Development Project will be held in a historical building inside the Park until May 27.

A government spokesman today (April 27) said that the public could visit the exhibition at the Thematic Exhibition Gallery of the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre to give comments on the design and aesthetic aspects of the proposals, in addition to sampling the beauties of the Park and enjoying the leisure amenities there.

The Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre occupies two historic blocks of the former Whitfield Barracks which were built in circa 1910. The exhibition there will be open daily from 10 am to 7 pm until May 27 and admission is free.

Comment cards will be distributed at the exhibition venue. The public can also view the exhibit materials online at www.tamar.gov.hk and submit their comments via the website, by fax: 3106 3094, by email: tamar@cso.gov.hk, or by post: Central Government Offices, Lower Albert Road, Central, Hong Kong (Attention: Tamar Development Project Team).

"An independent consultant has been engaged by the Government to collate and analyse all the public views collected.

"The consultant will afterwards submit a report on its findings to the Special Selection Board for the Tamar Development Project, the sole authority for assessing the tenders and deciding on the contract award, which will take these views into account before making the final selection," the spokesman said.

"The first stage of the exhibition at Queensway Government Offices has attracted more than 14,500 visitors between March 28 and April 24 while nearly 51,400 visitors have surfed the website. So far, more than 9,400 comment cards have been received at the exhibition venue and via the Internet," he said.

[hkskyline]

[sfgadv02]

That means that the AIA carnival will not come back once the project commence?

[EricIsHim]

Originally Posted by sfgadv02

That means that the AIA carnival will not come back once the project commence?

Not in Tamar. Might be somewhere else.

[hkskyline]

BUILDING A PRESENCE - HONG KONG SPECIAL REPORT - 10 YEARS ON - DEVELOPMENT
29 June 2007
The Australian

Leighton has strong business foundations in Hong Kong, writes Glenda Korporaal

LEIGHTON Holdings is one of the frontrunners for the prestigious $1 billion contract to redevelop the landmark Tamar Site on Hong Kong harbour for the Hong Kong Government.

The company, which set up its Asian operations in Hong Kong 32 years ago, is one of four consortiums bidding for the project, which aims to be an Opera House-style iconic building for the city, housing key public service offices and Hong Kong's Legislative Council (LegCo).

Leighton's design, by New York architect Daniel Libeskind, was voted the most popular by far in a survey of public opinion on the four designs put out for public comment two months ago.

"Our design has the building shaped like the sail of a junk with a pearl in the middle which will be the LegCo meeting chamber," says Leighton Asia northern chief Joe Dujmovic.

"We are hopeful that it might go in our favour -- but I am sure the other tenders are also hopeful.

"The competition is both on design concept and price. It won't go to who is cheapest.

"The project has to reflect what the Government is trying to express -- as well as price."

One of the longest-serving Australian companies in Hong Kong, Leighton has survived the ups and downs of its market, particularly following the market shifts following the return of Hong Kong to China.

The construction of Hong Kong's new international airport on Lantau Island in the lead-up to the handover in July 1997 attracted some of the world's biggest contracting companies to the city.

The airport, which opened in 1998, and the associated works, provided a huge amount of work for Leighton and other international companies.

But once the airport work ended, the city and the region was also hit by the Asian crisis.

The volume of construction work slowed down with big players battling for a share of declining market.

The Hong Kong economy picked up briefly with the dotcom boom in 2000 but the property market took another slump after it burst.

With a long record in the city, Leighton has always been in line for most major government-backed jobs.

It had a strong business in building the new government housing projects rolled out in the years after the handover, but in recent years this business also slowed as the Government got out of the market.

"Construction work has declined in the last six or seven years," Dujmovic says.

But Leighton was able to sustain its Hong Kong business by expanding its infrastructure and engineering work with government-sponsored tunnelling and railway projects.

"Because we cover nearly all the industry, when there is a cycle we can move between building work and engineering work," Dujmovic says. "We have been able to ride it out -- whether there is a building slump or an engineering slump, we still get our market share and the work continues to happen for us."

In 2003 it won a $600 million contract to reclaim land in Victoria Harbour and build the infrastructure for an underground road system along the waterfront.

Leighton currently has about $US300 million ($360million) of work in hand in Hong Kong, including the tunnelling for the Kowloon Southern Rail link, work on new West Kowloon station and the Eagle's Nest Tunnel.

There is also hope of another megaproject like the airport -- a massive bridge that will link Hong Kong to Macau through Chinese waters.

"Hong Kong is for us one of the easiest places to do business," says Dujmovic. "It's very transparent and open. You have rule of law here -- English law -- and the English language makes it an easy place for an Australian company. When it comes to business, Hong Kong is a very clean place. It's just a matter of doing your job in a competitive manner."

Dujmovic says a lot of the big international construction companies have left Hong Kong, easing the competitive pressure. At the same time he can see some signs of an upturn in the city of seven million people. "Hong Kong is picking up," he says.

"The place is buoyant. It's the best it has been in seven years. The tenders are starting to come out a lot thicker than they were before."

[trueapprentice]

「門常開」造價超支擬壓縮

馬艦新政府總部和立法會 大樓工程，花落誰家正式揭盅。由「金門——協興聯營」建議的「門常開」方案，一如所料順利「跑出」，但政府暫時只發出意向書，未批出正式合約。據悉，有關設計在評審時分數獲壓倒性優勢，但由於建議造價超過當局向立法會所申請的五十二億元預算，當局留有一手，僅發出不具約束力的意向書，以便與財團研究，能否將造價略為「壓縮」至預定水平之內。

　　由政務司 司長擔任主席的評審委員會，就收到的四份標書完成評分後，初步決定將政府總部和立法會大樓的設計和建造合約，批予質素和價格總分最高的「金門-協興聯營」設計（即設計A），距離正式批出合約邁進一步。

　　不過，負責有關工程的行政署 表示，政府暫時只是向協興聯營發出不具法律約束力的意向書，並強調不表示該聯營組合是最終的中標者，評審委員會將全權決定合約的最終批出；而在正式批出合約前，招標程序尚未完成。

　　由本港著名建築師嚴迅奇有份「操刀」的設計A「門常開」方案，大樓外形有如一扇「門」，予人開放感覺，驟眼看有點像巴黎 凱旋門 設計。其賣點是整體視野廣闊、綠草如茵，感覺舒適和莊嚴。

　　消息指，早已被視為大熱設計的「方案A」，在評審過程中以壓倒性的優勢「跑出」，總體評分是明顯高於其餘三個設計方案，除了在評審委員會及政府部門均是獲得好評，並大致與政府所進行的民調結果合，評審時沒有太大爭議。

　　據悉，評審委員會早於約一個月前，即有份參與評審的政府高官調任前，已就中標設計作最後拍板，但現階段仍未向準中標者批出正式合約，是由於中選設計的建議造價超出預算的五十二億元撥款。

　　據了解，政府內部亦認為向立法會追加撥款未必是理想做法，因而正向準中標者商討和協調，了解能否直接減低造價，或通過略為修改設計或用料，將造價「壓縮」至預定水平以內。

　　消息人士指出，由於評審委員會在評審標書時，設計「質素」是佔總分六成，價錢並非是最重要考慮，加上協興聯營設計的整體評分是最高，不能單單因其造價「超支」，而作他選。

　　將會成為新總部大樓「用家」的公務員和立法會議員普遍認同中選的方案。公務員工會聯合會主席梁籌庭表示，中選的設計現代化，配合香港大都會形象，當中綠化設施做得不俗，不過添馬艦始終位置隔涉，政府要做好交通配套等措施。

　　而民建聯 立法會議員陳鑑林 亦指，該設計富特色，在通風、景觀上設計有心思，當中立會及行會「擺位」中規中矩，希望設計方案被修正後，更顧及實際用途及親民性。

　　根據當局原定的時間表，工程合約在今年批出，下半年展開工程，二○一○年完成工程。

[Rachmaninov]

I just read that singtao article
I'm pretty much for this design (out of the 4) and I'm hoping that it won't be cancelled just because of the cost.

[EricIsHim]

Although, I hate the design picked; but if it's going to be turned down and diminished because of the construction cost, it's just stupid. What's the whole point of picking a design that doesn't work? I am afraid it's going to look even uglier and will not work as well (in every aspect operationally and environmentally) as it was designed to.

[hkskyline]

Tsang brothers team up on Tamar project
19 July 2007
South China Morning Post

It is an open secret that Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen is extremely keen to see the new government headquarters complex at the Tamar site get off the ground. Now, with the selection of a Gammon-Hip Hing joint venture for the project, his brother is also a major stakeholder. Former police commissioner Tsang Yam-pui is executive director of New World Service Holdings, of which Hip Hing Construction is a member. Both are under the umbrella of New World Development. Aside from his management expertise, pundits are suggesting the younger Tsang's police background could be a big help in security aspects of the complex, a matter dear to the government's heart. If all goes smoothly, the new headquarters could emerge as the joint signature project of the Tsang brothers when it is completed in 2011. The choice of the joint venture's towering, arch-shaped design, known as The Door, was announced on Tuesday.

[hkskyline]

Deal with the public's concerns about Tamar project, government urged
19 July 2007
South China Morning Post

The government should address public queries and concerns as soon as possible now that it has selected the design for the government headquarters at Tamar, planners and lawmakers urged yesterday.

The government said yesterday that planning details and the public response to the proposed designs would be disclosed only after the contract was awarded to the company, by the end of this year.

But critics said issues such as security, wind studies and the amount of open space accessible to the public should be open to public comments.

"The Door", the towering, arch-shaped design by Hong Kong architect Rocco Yim, won the hearts of the government's selection panel but appears likely to exceed the government budget of HK$5.2 billion.

Sources from the industry said one of the options for the Gammon-Hip Hing joint venture design could cost up to HK$5.8 billion. However, since the choice of construction materials is adjustable, the actual cost is still negotiable.

Wong Kam-shing, chairman of the board of local affairs for the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, said the government must address issues of public interest early. "Where is the area for demonstrations? How much indoor and outdoor space will be really open to the public?" he said. Scientific data on air movement around the design, from a ventilation study, should also be released for public comment, he said.

The government's invitation to tender called for a 10-metre wide security moat around the buildings. It said an area guarded with a fence and gates should be located in front of the headquarters. Neither feature is clearly visible in the design chosen by the government.

Albert Lai Kwong-tak, chairman of the Hong Kong People's Council for Sustainable Development, said the government should demonstrate how the disclosure of such information could affect the commercial operation of bidders.

The Frontier's Emily Lau Wai-hing said a special meeting of the Legislative Council planning panel should be called to hear more details from officials. Another legislator who has closely monitored the development said Legco President Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai should brief the legislature, since a new Legislative Council building was part of the Tamar project.

Meanwhile, a source close to the selection process said details of how and why the design was chosen would be published in the future.

"Everything will be made public and people should not worry about the public interest being harmed. Legco's approval must be sought and given if it costs more than HK$5.2 billion," the source said.

[hkskyline]

Tamar plan keeps the public away
Design for headquarters gives the chief executive an exclusive entrance
11 August 2007
South China Morning Post

The public will not use the same entrance as officials at the new government headquarters at Tamar, a detailed design unveiled for public consultation yesterday shows.

An exclusive entrance, on a different street from the public entrance, will be reserved for Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen and other designated VIPs.

Critics said the design was not public-friendly and questioned the absence of a demonstration area for protesters.

But security experts said the arrangement had been made to minimise risks that might arise from public protests.

The government issued a letter of intent to Gammon-Hip Hing Joint Venture last month, and the company submitted its detailed design of "The Door" project to the Town Planning Board on Monday.

The design was released yesterday for a three-week public consultation, after which the board will discuss it for two months.

The developer's statement said no parking facilities would be provided for the general public. The public and the press would use a drop-off area, next to the East Wing of the government complex on Tim Mei Avenue, and would have to go through a security check on the ground floor.

The officials' entrance on Tim Wa Avenue is at least 150 metres away.

The master layout plan also shows that the low-rise office block, where the chief executive will work on the third floor, is surrounded by pools and a landscaped island. It is four storeys high plus one storey below ground.

Other officials will work in the higher office block - 27 storeys plus two storeys below ground. The planning statement said an open space would provide access to the public 24 hours a day.

The plan does not show an area for gatherings and protests, nor the underground pathway linking the Legislative Council building with the government complex, as suggested earlier in the tender document.

But a government spokesman said it would later come up with special arrangements for large-scale activities or rallies, as well as staff and public access, with consideration given to the operational and security needs that are appropriate for a government headquarters.

Human Rights Monitor director Law Yuk-kai wondered whether the complex, even if it were accessible to all, would be as open as the existing headquarters.

"My feeling is that the design as a whole is very unfriendly to protesters," he said.

"[Government officials] can keep their ears shut and eyes blindfolded. It would make them immune to public influences."

Medical constituency legislator Kwok Ka-ki agreed: "They are building this moat, a body of water, like medieval castles in Europe. I am worried that this moat will be used like a barrier."

Political analyst Ma Ngok, of Chinese University, said the so-called public engagement had been a slogan. "The administration has always been selective in communicating with the public," he said, adding that the exclusive entrance simply "fits their long-serving practice".

But Glenn Tracey, managing director of security firm G4S Holdings, said locating the chief executive's office on a low floor with an exclusive entrance was probably to ensure easy evacuation. It would also help keep demonstrators isolated at another location of the complex.

Democratic Party member James To Kun-sun said a chief executive can always find ways to avoid facing protesters or receiving petitions, even under the existing arrangements. "It depends on the chief executive and whether he himself has the will to meet the public," he said.

[hkskyline]

'The Door' has little impact on air flow
11 August 2007
South China Morning Post

Hailed as the best among the four designs submitted to the government, "The Door" also proved to have little impact on urban air flow, a study commissioned by the winning developer, Gammon-Hip Hing Joint Venture, said.

But the new government headquarters at Tamar might affect the air quality of areas to the south of it, including Queensway, because of reduced wind speed. It said the reduction was insignificant and the conditions met the government's technical guideline that the wind speed of the surrounding area should exceed 1.5 metres per second 50 per cent of the time.

Wind-tunnel testing was done to measure the change of wind speed at pedestrian level throughout the site and the surrounding area. It was based on long-term statistics recorded at the Waglan Island station and a study by the University of Science and Technology.

Results show places along Harcourt Road, such as Harcourt Garden and the Drake Street bus depot, will have a higher wind speed, which dilutes air pollutants. The deflected wind flow channelled around the new buildings of the government and the Legislative Council complexes caused the stronger wind.

But the development will lower the wind speed of places along Queensway, such as the public transport interchange at Admiralty. The situation is particularly serious in winter, during north or northeast winds.

Within the site, several places are identified as stagnant zones.

But the study said development designs were amended to minimise wind problems. The permeability of the design allowed northerly winds to maintain the breezeways between the waterfront and the Harcourt Garden area.

Central and Western District councillor Kam Nai-wai said leaving Tamar as a green, open space was the most desirable option.

[Aboveday]

Letter of Acceptance issued for Tamar Project



The Government yesterday (January 9) issued a Letter of Acceptance to the Gammon-Hip Hing Joint Venture (G-HH JV) for the design-and-build contract of the Tamar Development Project.

The Letter of Acceptance allows the G-HH JV to start the detailed work needed to execute the contract. The letter is legally binding on the Government and the G-HH JV.

The contract covers the design and construction of the Central Government Complex, the Legislative Council Complex, an open space of not less than two hectares, two covered pedestrian footbridges and other ancillary facilities. The contract is worth $4.94 billion.

The G-HH JV was the highest-scoring tender assessed by the Special Selection Board for the Tamar Development Project.

The Government issued a non-binding Letter of Intent to the G-HH JV in July 2007 so that it could proceed to obtain the necessary planning permission from the Town Planning Board. The Town Planning Board granted permission to the G-HH JV's tender design under Section 16 of the Town Planning Ordinance (Cap. 131) in October 2007.

"The Government is very delighted that works for this important project will soon commence," said Miss Jennifer Mak, Director of Administration.

"A workforce of over 3,000 will be engaged at the peak of the project's construction period, which will help ease unemployment in the construction sector.

"It will also help solve the acute shortage of office space faced by the Government and Legislative Council.

"We look forward to working with the G-HH JV to bring this important project to life. It will provide our city with a new and iconic civic centre, and greatly enhance connectivity to the harbourfront and surrounding areas," she said.

The Tamar complex will be one of the government's "greenest" complexes when completed in 2011.

Environmentally friendly and energy-efficient features will include double-layer ventilated facades, green roofs, high energy efficiency sea-water cooled chiller plants, rainwater recycling for irrigation purpose, solar electricity panels, service-on-demand escalators, daylight sensor controls and computerised lighting controls.

The G-HH JV design also provides a landscaped "green carpet" open space for public enjoyment.

The Special Selection Board for the Tamar Development Project is chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration. Other members of the Special Selection Board are Mrs Rita Fan, Ms Miriam Lau, Professor David Lung, Mr Alan Lai and Mrs Rita Lau.

Ends/Thursday, January 10, 2008
Issued at HKT 17:00

[Aboveday]

港府添馬艦新政府總部合約批出 預計下月動工
2008年01月10日 16:14

據香港中通社報道，香港特區政府添馬艦新政府總部合約已由香港金門協興聯營公司奪得，合約價值49億4千萬港元，較原先預期節省5%。預計下月動工，2011年完成。

香港特區政府行政署長麥綺明與建築署及金門協興的代表在10日下午會向立法會發展事務委員會彙報工程的詳情。

據悉，金門協興的設計概念，包括門常開，地常綠，天復藍及民永係。新政府總部包括一座27層高辦公室大樓,中間設有門廓,以締造門常開效果,另外也有立法會綜合大樓，議事廳足以容納120名議員開會。另外還有21000平方米休憩用地，提供草地、花園、廣場、海濱長廊等設施。

麥綺明表示，新政府總部會採用可再生能源及節能裝置，是特區政府最環保的建築物。承建商表示，工程採用環保物料，部份建築物採用雙層通風玻璃，以達致天然送風及採光效果。

麥綺明稱，將來在不影響保安及運作的原則下，會研究開放新總部大樓的多用途廳大堂，讓市民參觀及欣賞海景。