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| Ir Tsui Tack-kong |
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| Professor Thomas Ho
Hang-kwong |
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| Ir Professor James Lau
Chi-wang |
On 19 April 2011, outstanding PolyU alumni
were honoured in a dinner ceremony at the Inter-Continental Hotel.
Jointly organized by PolyU and the Federation of The Hong Kong
Polytechnic University Alumni Associations since late 1996, this
biennial award aims to give public recognition to the outstanding
graduates of PolyU for their accomplishments in their professions
and their contributions to the community.
Three of the winners for this year’s
Outstanding PolyU Alumni Awards were once students in
construction-related disciplines at what was then known as the Hong
Kong Technical College, the predecessor to the present Hong Kong
Polytechnic University. The oldest honoree, Ir TSUI Tack-kong,
graduated more than 40 years ago. The other two, Prof. Thomas HO
Hang-Kwong and Ir Prof. James LAU Chi-wang, were also outstanding
alumni of the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE) and
the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering
(CSE) respectively at the FCLU Congregation and Prize
Presentation Ceremony in November last year. Following are their
profiles of excellence.
Ir TSUI
Tack-kong
- Diploma in Building /1959 (Hong Kong
Technical College)
Ir TSUI is the Managing Director of T.K.
Tsui & Associates Limited. He started his career at the Public
Works Department of the Hong Kong Government and the China Light and
Power Co. Limited before setting up his own development consulting
firm in 1973. He is an Authorized Person, a Registered Structural
Engineer and a Registered Geotechnical Engineer with over 50 years’
experience in the construction field. He is a Fellow of The
Institution of Structural Engineers and was the First Chairman of
its HK branch in 1979.
Ir TSUI is actively involved in local
charities. He has been a Director of Pok Oi Hospital and Yan Oi
Tong. He is also a consultant to many non-profit making societies.
Ir TSUI has given unwavering support to his alma mater over the past
decades. He is a Founding Member of the PolyU Development Foundation
and has sponsored various fund-raising events of the university. In
2009, Ir TSUI conceived and found the "Wall of Pride" in
commemoration of the 50th anniversary of his graduation and the
early development of the institute. He also serves as a Senior
Advisor to the President on various on-going campus development
projects.
Professor Thomas HO
Hang-kwong
- Higher Diploma in Surveying/Building
Technology (General Surveying) /1971 (Hong Kong Technical College)
After graduation, he was fortunate enough
to join the civil service and was sent to the UK for training in all
aspects relating to land administration, town planning, law and real
estate valuation. His ensuing 19 years in the Hong Kong Government
have given him invaluable experience in land administration, land
acquisition and land economics. In 1991, he joined the MTR
Corporation as their Property Director. The Hong Kong political
climate was very uncertain at that time with the interminable
discussions on the return of sovereignty. The restriction of 50
hectares of land disposal per annum came into being then. With his
professional background and experience in the Government, he was
able to mastermind large-scale property development projects at the
five stations along the Airport Express Railway, getting the consent
of not only the then Hong Kong Government, but also the Land
Commission of the Joint Liaison Group. That was a pioneer land
disposal concept unheard of before his time. He was able to convince
the then Hong Kong Government to grant a single lot of land to MTR
in advance for development with the land premium payable in phases
afterwards. Without that concept, large-scale developments like the
International Finance Centre, the Kowloon Station and the LOHAS Park
in Tseung Kwan O would not have been possible.
Serving on both the MTR Corporation Board
and the Executive Committee, Professor HO has played a key role in
developing and managing all properties above and adjacent to MTR
stations and depots. His great endeavours in publicizing and
realizing the MTR integrated "Rail + Property" development model
have not only shaped the urban landscape, but have also brought
dignified civilisation to high density development. The concept of
seamless integration between railway, road transport and other
functions like shopping, living, working and hotels in one-stop shop
has inspired many mayors of big cities in Mainland China and the
west. Due to the convenience that the underground railway provides,
Hong Kong people are fond of living and working directly above MTR
stations. As a result, car ownership has been kept at the lowest
possible level, i.e. only about half a million, in contrast to other
big cities in the world. The rail-and-property model has greatly
helped MTR to finance the capital expenditure of its railway
extensions. It is his personal wish that he could export his
accumulated skills and experience to places outside Hong Kong where
underground railway systems are required.
He is particularly proud of two iconic
projects, namely, the 88-storey high International Finance Centre
(IFC) at the Hong Kong Station and the 118-storey International
Commercial Centre (ICC) at the Kowloon Station, which have now
become the gateway of the Victoria Harbour. With the help and
understanding of friends and Government officials at the time, it
was possible for him to secure the planning permission for these two
developments, which have since become a symbol of Hong Kong’s status
as a world-class city despite their controversial
height.
He is modest about being one of the first
outstanding BRE alumni, for he feels many of his friends, colleagues
and development partners are more deserving of the award than
himself. Without their unreserved support and counsel, he would not
have been able to plan, build and complete so many developments
along various railway extensions since the early 1990s. He is
extremely thankful to the panel of judges of the first outstanding
BRE Alumni Award for their recognition, and to the Technical College
for nurturing so many professionals in the building and construction
industry. He hopes that PolyU will continue to prosper with the
growth of Hong Kong and Mainland China for many more years to
come.
Currently, Prof. HO is a Fellow of the
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Hong Kong Institute
of Surveyors, a member of the Organizing Committee of The Community
Chest of Hong Kong, as well as an Honorary Professor of the
Department of Real Estate and Construction of The University of Hong
Kong (HKU). He is also an Adjunct Professor at PolyU and strongly
supports the Department of Building and Real Estate, where he serves
as a member of the Departmental Advisory
Committee.
Ir Professor James LAU
Chi-wang
- Higher Diploma in Structural Engineering
/1968 (Hong Kong Technical College)
Professor LAU is Managing Director of James
Lau & Associates Limited and Fong On Construction Limited. He
obtained his Master’s degree in Structural Engineering from The
University of Manchester and earned a PhD in Geotechnical
Engineering from the University of London. Later, he became a
Barrister-at-Law from the Gray’s Inn in the UK. Professor LAU’s
professional qualifications have enabled him to be a registered
structural and geotechnical engineer specializing in construction
laws, contracts, and project management.
Professor LAU is a Fellow of Hong Kong
Institution of Engineers and The Institution of Structural
Engineers. He was also a former Vice President of the Institution of
Structural Engineers. Through active participation on government
boards and committees, he has contributed his professional expertise
to the community. He is currently a member of the Town Planning
Board and the Wong Tai Sin District Council, where he has served for
over 7 years. As a District Councilor, he learned that a good
engineering design must have three elements: it should be
technically sound, cost-effective, and above all, satisfy human
needs. In 2009, he was awarded the Bronze Bauhinia Star.
Professor LAU has also been a strong supporter of education, sharing
his valuable experience as an Adjunct Professor of several tertiary
institutions, including PolyU.
Every time Prof. LAU returns to PolyU, he
cannot help but be amazed at the great changes that have appeared on
the campus. According to him, there are currently 3 major
construction projects at PolyU. These projects all have a very
tight time schedule. They have to be completed by June 2012 before
the launch of the new 4-year degree programmes. The President has
appointed him as one of the Senior Advisors on the construction of
these projects, the designs of which are very impressive. By the
time they are completed, they will have altered the landscape of the
Tsim Sha Tsui and Hung Hom areas. He is very pleased that he
has played a part in PolyU’s transformation.
Perhaps because of the opportunities that
have come his way, Prof. LAU feels indebted to his alma mater. His
teachers have also taught him much when he was studying to be a
civil engineer. He treasures the basic training he was given
more than 40 years ago. By basic training, he means the basic
principles and concepts of engineering, which have served him
extremely well in his subsequent work as a design engineer, as a
contractor, as a legal practitioner and as an expert
witness.
During his career as an engineer, he used
to encounter many legal problems, so he decided to get a law degree.
After a brief stint as a barrister, he returned to engineering,
which was more attractive to him because it allowed him to create,
design and build. Over the years, he has designed many hotels
and holiday resorts in Asia. Every time he is on holiday in
South-East Asia, there is a very good chance that he may be staying
in one of his creations. Whenever that happens, he has really
enjoyed the experience.
However, he does not regret having a legal
qualification. In the many cases where he has appeared in court, he
believes that the verdict or award would have been very different if
the engineers involved in the dispute have had some basic legal
training. He has made this known to the advisory committees of the
local universities, which has led to the introduction of a number of
law courses to the civil engineering programmes. He has taught law
for civil engineers at HKU, a minor degree programme in law for
engineers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology as
well as the MSc programme in construction law and arbitration at
PolyU.
Prof. LAU has also supervised the design
projects of civil engineering students at HKU. Every year, a group
of 7 students has spent one year working on a project chosen by him.
He has always selected projects that can benefit the people living
in Wong Tai Sin. In his first lecture, he would remind students to
remember the human aspects of design. There is no point in designing
something that is technically sound and cost-effective if nobody
will make use of the final product. He wants students to consult the
local people fully before they commence their design, which should
be from the bottom-up. In this way, there will be less resistance
from the local people once the projects are
completed.
Having learnt much from serving as a
District Councilor, he strongly encourages university graduates to
participate in local politics. As far as he is concerned,
engineering, serving the people and local politics can work together
perfectly well. He hopes that more engineers can become councilors
to serve the people of Hong Kong.
FCLU would like to take this opportunity to
congratulate all three outstanding alumni, whose accomplishments
will no doubt inspire a new generation of students to follow in
their footsteps. | 
