daydreamers design revitalizes longest escalator system in the world

daydreamers design revitalizes longest escalator system in the world
all images courtesy of daydreamers design

as one of the most vibrant cities on the planet, hong kong evolves each day to suit its economical development. new infrastructures and super high-rises are erected in every corner of the city. as a result of such phenomenon, many forgotten spaces appear as by-product. daydreamers design‘s ‘sustainable living center’ revitalizes the abandoned areas underneath the mid-levels escalators in central district; it is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world. they are disconnected from the surrounding urban fabric and the citizens are not encouraged to engage with them. at the moment, they are mostly occupied with planters and garbage.

diagram of the concept 

by systematically inserting old plastic crates to create a social platform that develops community interactions, unique gathering spaces are formed according to the context and its character. the modules will stack up and become different architectural elements acting as vertical partitions, decking, seats, chinese chess tables, promotional boards, and LED displays.

the spaces underneath the escalators are disconnected from their surroundings and are often occupied by garbage

other than architectural elements, these boxes will be used to collect unwanted items that will be classified and placed around the site according to its own category. each category is represented by a unique color to promote a particular sustainable living concept. as such, they will collect PET bottles, glass bottles, daily newspapers, aluminum cans, books, and clothing. meanwhile, a special type of container will allow for organic planting. at the same time, up-to-date information regarding sustainable living can be found inside the center as to promote the concept. the idea is to supply a large hub for resources exchange, where the neighborhood is encouraged to donate, to exchange and to collect.

the project envisions a location where ideas and resources can be exchanged in the community

the scheme follows the mindset that stanley siu of daydreamers design has implemented in his previous projects, such as the rising moon pavilion. for the past years, he has been spending his leisure time doing research on the possibility of using recycled materials. whether it be carton boxes, canvas, or tires, he believes that in exposing their tectonic potentials, he can arouse the public awareness on sustainability. the philosophy has led siu to win the 2014 HKIA young architect award.

different scales of sustainable living center prototypes can be located along the mid-level escalator in central area of hong kong

crates are stacked up to form different spaces in order to encourage various activities

areas are formed according to the context and character of each forgotten space

items will be classified and placed in different crates relative to their categories

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.