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TO THE TO THE FUTURE? FUTURE? BACK… BACK…

Stephen Davies - Back To The Future

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China Maritime Conference 2010, Hong Kong.

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Page 1: Stephen Davies - Back To The Future

……TO THE TO THE FUTURE?FUTURE?

BACK…BACK…

Page 2: Stephen Davies - Back To The Future

WORKING PORTS WORK…WORKING PORTS WORK………FOR EVERYONEFOR EVERYONE

Once upon a time ours did…Once upon a time ours did………then Hong Kong government planners got to workthen Hong Kong government planners got to work

Page 3: Stephen Davies - Back To The Future

1950s a beach at the dockyards in Hunghom

1950s – busy and accessible in Wanchai

1950s – dragon boating in the harbour – no sharp chop

Page 4: Stephen Davies - Back To The Future

1960s – busy water use and accessibility in

Causeway Bay (remember the floating restaurants and the flower boats?)

1960s – murky but accessible in Western

Page 5: Stephen Davies - Back To The Future

1970s - busy, getting less accessible (spot the railings-on-everything fever

beginning) but still…swimmable, though on government figures, it was more

polluted then than now!

Page 6: Stephen Davies - Back To The Future

A dynamic, modern, attractive waterfront and a people A dynamic, modern, attractive waterfront and a people friendly harbour are going to require creative destruction of friendly harbour are going to require creative destruction of

an order of magnitude far beyond the imaginations and an order of magnitude far beyond the imaginations and capabilities of Hong Kong’s planners and planning system capabilities of Hong Kong’s planners and planning system

now or at any time in the futurenow or at any time in the future

Today’s harbour Today’s harbour

50% smaller than in 1841 and 35% smaller than in 1965 50% smaller than in 1841 and 35% smaller than in 1965

Its shores used for decades as a waste dump for service buildings, Its shores used for decades as a waste dump for service buildings, roads, badly designed piers and sea walls and screened by tower roads, badly designed piers and sea walls and screened by tower

blocks commanding harbour views from their windows while blocks commanding harbour views from their windows while blocking everyone else’s!blocking everyone else’s!

Page 7: Stephen Davies - Back To The Future
Page 8: Stephen Davies - Back To The Future

Compare Britain’s over 40 maritime museums with Hong Kong’s Compare Britain’s over 40 maritime museums with Hong Kong’s one and a halfone and a half

Here’s why it’s such a mess and is likely to remain soHere’s why it’s such a mess and is likely to remain so

Almost no one involved in decision making has any sympathy for, Almost no one involved in decision making has any sympathy for, understanding of, emotional attachment to or interest in matters understanding of, emotional attachment to or interest in matters

maritime whether heritage, commercial or recreational. maritime whether heritage, commercial or recreational.

For example, the Sea Vision UK campaign 2004 assessed a wavering Britannia and For example, the Sea Vision UK campaign 2004 assessed a wavering Britannia and found the average Briton is increasingly divorced from the sea:found the average Briton is increasingly divorced from the sea:

• 75% of respondents wouldn’t take any job in the marine sector75% of respondents wouldn’t take any job in the marine sector• 25% of the supposedly seafaring nation fear or dislike the sea25% of the supposedly seafaring nation fear or dislike the sea• Only 1% is aware that Britain depends on marine transport!Only 1% is aware that Britain depends on marine transport!

In Hong Kong the numbers are probably In Hong Kong the numbers are probably 95%, 50-75%+ and <0.5%-95%, 50-75%+ and <0.5%-

Page 9: Stephen Davies - Back To The Future

The British Royal Yachting Association’s wide-ranging 2005 survey of The British Royal Yachting Association’s wide-ranging 2005 survey of UK leisure boating participation showed that:UK leisure boating participation showed that:

• only 8-9% of Brits aged over-16 participated in any sort of water sport. only 8-9% of Brits aged over-16 participated in any sort of water sport.

In Hong Kong terms that would mean:In Hong Kong terms that would mean:• just 500,590 people got out on the water last yearjust 500,590 people got out on the water last year• only 69,000 (1.01% of the population) – will have gone out moreonly 69,000 (1.01% of the population) – will have gone out more than five times than five times

It was probably fewerIt was probably fewer

<1% of the population doesn’t have clout with any government that <1% of the population doesn’t have clout with any government that isn’t already maritime mindedisn’t already maritime minded

Ours isn’t and probably never will beOurs isn’t and probably never will be

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Welcome to a prescriptively designed, pastiche, Welcome to a prescriptively designed, pastiche, waterfront experience cut off from the sea behind a waterfront experience cut off from the sea behind a barrier at least 3m vertically above high water level, barrier at least 3m vertically above high water level,

difficult of access because of roads and further barriers difficult of access because of roads and further barriers between it and the CBD, and without the maritime between it and the CBD, and without the maritime museum being properly integrated with the design museum being properly integrated with the design

because it wasn’t in the original plan.because it wasn’t in the original plan.

Page 11: Stephen Davies - Back To The Future

During 15 months after the relocation of the maritime During 15 months after the relocation of the maritime museum was part of the Chief Executive’s Policy Address, museum was part of the Chief Executive’s Policy Address, this fact was not mentioned in ANY of the EIGHT papers this fact was not mentioned in ANY of the EIGHT papers

presented by Development Bureau to the Legislative presented by Development Bureau to the Legislative Council’s Panel on Development’s Subcommittee on Council’s Panel on Development’s Subcommittee on

Harbourfront Planning. Nor, twelve months after, did it Harbourfront Planning. Nor, twelve months after, did it appear – or any effort to accommodate a museum and its appear – or any effort to accommodate a museum and its

needs appear – in the latest concept drawing…needs appear – in the latest concept drawing…

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Here’s what HKMM will TRY to do to make a differenceHere’s what HKMM will TRY to do to make a difference

Page 13: Stephen Davies - Back To The Future

The The Seawise Giant, Seawise Giant, Happy Giant, Jahre Happy Giant, Jahre Viking, Knock NevisViking, Knock Nevis

BIG!!BIG!! On the beach at On the beach at Alang waiting to be Alang waiting to be

broken upbroken up

Page 14: Stephen Davies - Back To The Future

So the key feature of Hong Kong’s new Central Waterfront ?So the key feature of Hong Kong’s new Central Waterfront ?

It weighs 29 tonnes. It stands 7m-8m tall. We want it to stand in the It weighs 29 tonnes. It stands 7m-8m tall. We want it to stand in the approaches to the museum as a monument to the tens of thousands of approaches to the museum as a monument to the tens of thousands of

seamen, fisherfolk, dockyard workers, stevedores, tugmen and lightermen, seamen, fisherfolk, dockyard workers, stevedores, tugmen and lightermen, and shipbreakers who died in war and peace to build our home. and shipbreakers who died in war and peace to build our home.

The anchor from what was once the world’s largest ship, now being scrapped, which was The anchor from what was once the world’s largest ship, now being scrapped, which was owned or managed for over 25 years by Hong Kong shipping companiesowned or managed for over 25 years by Hong Kong shipping companies

Government will probably nix it.Government will probably nix it.It wasn’t their idea. It wasn’t in the original plan. It wasn’t their idea. It wasn’t in the original plan.

Who are these sea people and why do they matter anyway…Who are these sea people and why do they matter anyway…