PolyU Jockey Club “Operation SoInno” Project : Intergenerational Play Space Design Competition - Prosperous Garden to Inspire Innovative Design and Re-imagine Public Space in Hong Kong

The Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation (JCDISI) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) together with Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) announced today the launch of 'Intergenerational Play Space Design Competition - Prosperous Garden' (Competition), a pioneering contest which aims to create play space in our cityscape to promote intergenerational harmony. Registration for the competition is open now.

Re-imaging HKHS Prosperous Garden into a child and elderly-friendly urban public space

An ageing population is one of the major challenges facing all modern cities. In Hong Kong, there is also a lack of public spaces and outdoor recreation areas for intergenerational interaction. Research from overseas has shown that intergenerational play space is able to motivate the elderly to participate in outdoor activities. This cannot only improve both their physical and mental health, but also foster communication between different generations.

The Competition stems from PolyU Jockey Club “Operation SoInno” - "Intergenerational Play Space" co-creation workshops and a symposium organised by JCDISI in 2019. Participants are required to redesign the public space in Prosperous Garden, an estate managed by HKHS, the Action Project Co-organiser of the Competition. It is aimed to advocate intergenerational harmony and complement the "Ageing-in-Place Scheme" launched by HKHS in 2012, which was designed to promote the well-being of their elderly tenants.

Located in Yau Ma Tei, Prosperous Garden was built in 1991. Of the 1,600 sale and rental flats, 157 rental units are designed for the elderly. With a mixed-age population, the public space in Prosperous Garden would be an ideal location for participants to design a creative open space, catering to the needs of both the aging and the younger residents. The winning design will serve as a prototype to facilitate the transformation and creation of more intergenerational play spaces in Hong Kong.

About the Competition

The Competition is open to university students and professionals such as architects and designers. Participants are required to put forward creative ideas or solutions to overcome the challenges in the public space design for promoting intergenerational play and interaction. All entries should focus on the overall environment of the public open space of Prosperous Garden, and specifically how to improve the confidence of the elderly, motivate them to continue outdoor exercises, encourage the shared use of the playground among different generations, strengthen social cohesion, and increase the residents’ sense of belonging.

Uniting Cross-disciplinary Experts for Knowledge Sharing

The joint effort of interdisciplinary experts is required so that an innovative but workable idea can be developed and implemented. The organiser encourages participating teams to include members with expertise in different fields, such as environmental design, public health, rehabilitation science and the Internet of Things in order to enrich the overall proposal.

The Competition is supported by various professional bodies, including the Hong Kong Institute of Planners, the Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects and the Hong Kong Institute of Housing. Professionals from these fields form the jury panel and include:

Dr Lam Ching-choi, SBS, JP - Chairman, Elderly Commission; Dr Lawrence Li Kwok-chang, JP - Deputy Chairman, PolyU Council; Mr James Chan – CEO and Executive Director, HKHS; Mr Lawrence Chau - President, Hong Kong Institute of Planners and Ms Iris Hoi - President, Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects.

Key Dates and Awards

The Competition opens today (15 May) for entry. Interested parties are encouraged to join the online briefing session on 30 May. Group registration and portfolio submission should be made on or before 30 June.

All successful submissions will be offered for public online voting. Prosperous Garden residents will be also invited to select their favourite design proposals. The results will be announced at an Award Presentation Ceremony to be held on 14 November 2020.

As the Action Project Co-organiser of the Competition, HKHS will provide prize awards to the most workable and innovative design schemes.  Prizes of $30,000, $20,000 and $10,000 (HKD) will be awarded to the first, second and third team from the professional track, and $10,000, $7,000 and $3,000 (HKD) for the university students track. A "My Play, My Say" Award will be given to the most popular design voted online by the general public and residents of Prosperous Garden.

For further details , please visit the Competition website: https://www.polyujcsoinno.hk/en/pg-designcomp

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