[Field-Homework 3] Dynamic City: Tsuen Wan Town Hall

[Field-Homework 3] Dynamic City: Tsuen Wan Town Hall

 

Director: Chan Long Hei

One photo from https://www.lcsd.gov.hk/tc/twth/40a/town.html was featured in the video.

 

Video link: https://youtu.be/kxMFTESChwo?feature=shared

The Tsuen Wan Town Hall (below as TWTH) is part of a series of infrastructural buildings built during 1970s to 1980s, such as the Tsuen Wan Multi-Storey Carpark, Tsuen Wan Magistrates’ Court, and Tsuen Wan Market.¹³This 1980 established building adopts a simple functionalist cuboid shaped design, with minimalist windows allowing natural light. Its dull grey and dirty white exterior results in an overall inconspicuous appearance. It houses an Auditorium, Cultural Activities Hall, Exhibition Gallery, Lecture Room, Plaza and Conference Room², to promote cultural and societal activities.³

 

In 2019 the Government suggested redeveloping several government sites in Tsuen Wan, including the Tsuen Wan Town Hall⁵, in accordance to the “single site, multiple use” guideline⁴ suggested in the Policy Address⁹ and Budget¹⁰ that year. Speculations in the media arose as to what the Town Hall might be converted into, ranging from sophisticated cultural and recreational complexes⁶, multifunctional governmental services building⁸, cultural arts landmark⁷, or even public housing⁵. In 2023, the Urban Renewal Authorities listed the Town Hall within the ‘’Core Area’’ of the district’s proposed urban renewal project in “Baseline Review” of Tsuen Wan District Study ¹¹, and documents of the Financial Committee of Legislative Council¹² confirmed the Government’s intent to consolidate and rebuild single-used governmental buildings (i.e. TWTH) in Tsuen Wan¹³. 

The video will look into how one architectural component integrates into another, more specifically into the interactions between the L-shaped walkway extending the 1st floor of the Town Hall with Tsuen Wan Town Footbridge Network. TWTH precedes the nearby footbridge system in terms of existence¹⁴, with the L-shaped extension functioning as an open-air observation deck since TWTH’s establishment in 1980¹⁴. Rambler Channel was right next to the Town Hall by then, and citizens could enjoy the fantastic view of the sunset upon the deck.¹⁵ However, since then extensive land reclamation projects have undergone in the channel for Tsuen Wan’s development, distancing the coast and with high-rise buildings constructed in between, blocking much of the view. Meanwhile, a footbridge network connecting malls, MTR stations and residential buildings of Tsuen Wan was developing as well, eventually connects the observation deck, which also gains an overhead cover to shelter rain as the Government realises it as a pedestrian bridge¹⁴. 

 

The hypothesis of the research is the function of an architecture is the primary determinant of its identity. Here “identity” simply refers to “what something is”¹⁶ (similar to “identity” in terms of “identity card”) and is regardless of social science¹⁷. In other words, by changing the function of an architecture, its identity of what citizens perceive it to be changes as well accordingly. To test this hypothesis, a research based on the Town Hall, in which the L-shaped extension outside the 1st floor of the Town Hall changed its function from an observation deck to a footbridge for pedestrian mobility, was conducted and documented by video. Three statements were needed to be proved to validate the hypothesis: 

1. Change in function of the extension 
2. Change in identity of the extension
3. Change in identity of the extension was caused by its change in function, not other factors

Starting off was internet browsing to find out the original identity of the extension. The extension does not seem to be formally named by administrators, with relatively few English citations as well. In Chinese it was referenced as “空中走廊”¹⁵ or “觀景台”¹⁴ (literally “corridor in the sky” and “viewing deck”) when it was still independent of the footbridge system. Both sources mentioned its main function as view-seeing. Old photos¹⁸ confirms the structure as independent extension of TWTH by its establishment. 

 

Next was a site visit where most of the video was produced. Pedestrians crossing the corridor into the two malls connected were recorded. The waterfront was indeed much blocked by buildings. With such a large number of pedestrians, it could be interpreted the extension currently functions as to cross paths, exactly like a footbridge.

 

Then, the current identity of the extension was investigated. Citizens living in Tsuen Wan were asked

Q1. Whether they have been to the extension

Q2. What type of structure do they think it is (with guidance towards answering footbridge/observation deck)

Q3. Whether they believe it is part of the Tsuen Wan Town Hall

With some of the results shown in the video.

For those replying “yes” for Q1, most believes it’s a footbridge and disagrees it as part of TWTH, supporting that the current identity of the structure (as in 2024) is more of a “footbridge” rather than an observation deck. Furthermore, a proposal in 2019 by the LCSD to widen part of the extension referred it as “行人通道” (pedestrian link) rather than “觀景台” (viewing deck), which it refers to in the same document as the extension’s identity when the Town Hall first constructed.¹⁴ Then District Council Member Chiu Yan Loy directly referred to it as “荃灣大會堂行人天橋” (footbridge of the Tsuen Wan Town Hall) in an article his team wrote in 2021¹⁹, while in 2022 as “行人通道” (pedestrian link) in his Facebook post²⁰. These further support the identity of the extension no longer as a viewing deck, the original and made identity. There were no more apparent references to the extension on the Internet.

Concluding,

1: Function of the extension switched from scenery viewing to pedestrian crossing

2: Identity of the extension switched from “觀景台” (viewing deck) to “行人通道” (pedestrian link) or “footbridge’’

3: No other significant factors that might impact the change in identity of the extension could be found

The hypothesis ‘’the function of an architecture is the primary determinant of its identity’’ could be validated.

 

It is understandable that this simple research is by no means a comprehensive study, a wider survey audience with more intensive browsing of internet resources or Government records would lead to a more credible result if more resources and time allows. Nevertheless, it was a valuable experience and it also made me realize how few library sources there were on this particular district, Tsuen Wan²¹. 

Sources:

 

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2. “Introduction.” Tsuen Wan Town Hall – About Us, n.d. https://www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/twth/aboutus/introduction.html 
3. “Tsuen Wan.” Planning for Liveable New Towns, 2022. https://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/outreach/educational/NTpamphlets/pdf/nt_twk_en.pdf
4. “預算案演辭.” 2019至20年度財政預算案, 2019. https://www.budget.gov.hk/2019/chi/budget33.html
5. “財政預算案：推動一地多用　拆荃灣大會堂.” February 28, 2019. https://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/news/20190228/bkn-20190228033011510-0228_00822_001.html
6. 220億整合政府地皮「一地多用」, February 28, 2019. http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/232109/2019/0228/253315.html
7. “政府7地「一地多用」 荃灣最多.” February 28, 2019. https://www.mingpaocanada.com/tor/htm/News/20190228/HK-gac2_r.htm
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   https://www.policyaddress.gov.hk/2019/chi/p28.html
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14. “設計方案及施工安排.” 荃灣大會堂外圍有蓋行人通道擴闊工程, August, 2018.
    https://www.districtcouncils.gov.hk/tw/doc/2016_2019/en/committee_meetings_doc/DFMC/16748/DFMC_Paper_No_22_2019.pdf
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    https://www.hk01.com/article/309126?utm_source=01articlecopy&utm_medium=referral
16. “Identity.” Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries. https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/identity
17. Wolf, Tanja & Kuttner, Michael & Feldbauer-Durstmüller, Birgit & Mitter, Christine. (2020). What we know about management accountants’ changing identities and roles – a systematic literature review. Journal of Accounting & Organizational Change, February 25, 2019 https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Differences-between-identity-and-role_fig1_343548090&ved=2ahUKEwj8t8vAmY-GAxXcr1YBHRaODQsQFnoECA0QBQ&usg=AOvVaw2pV6bKaQM0P-JdHAkPzs6g
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19. 趙恩來議員團隊. “【議會工作】視察荃灣大會堂行人天橋擴闊工程.” April 13, 2021.
    https://chiuyanloy.hk/%e3%80%90%e8%ad%b0%e6%9c%83%e5%b7%a5%e4%bd%9c%e3%80%91%e8%a6%96%e5%af%9f%e8%8d%83%e7%81%a3%e5%a4%a7%e6%9c%83%e5%a0%82%e8%a1%8c%e4%ba%ba%e5%a4%a9%e6%a9%8b%e6%93%b4%e9%97%8a%e5%b7%a5%e7%a8%8b/
20. 趙恩來 Chiu Yan Loy. “【社區消息】荃灣大會堂行人通道擴闊工程　即將竣工.” April 15, 2022.
    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?id=100057319605691&story_fbid=478073050780011
21. https://webcat.hkpl.gov.hk/search/query?term_1=%E8%8D%83%E7%81%A3&theme=WEB

Name: Chan Long Hei 

UID: 3036220137