Liantang / Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point (Concept)

How to express the link age of China and Hong Kong with help of the terminal building?

How to create an iconic land mark in the vicinity of 45 floors high build ings?

How to easily organize the traffic flow inside the building?

Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Conrol Point cannot consist of two separate buildings divided by the river and reconnected by bridges. We propose one object spanning over the river as a symbol of the union of China and Hong Kong. A softly shaped object that contrasts with the rigid structure of the truck parking which sur rounds it. The same soft form is also used for the plat form accessed by cars and coaches. Together they work harmoniously as a whole and reflect the ubiquitous flow over the river.
Impres sion of the building also represents the simple organization of the traffic inside. We mirror the two basic directions of passengers flow. Depar­ture halls on both sides are located in the 1st floor and are acces si ble by esca­la tors and lifts directly from the park ing lot. The build ing entrances are empha sized by lifting the building volume. Passengers then descent the ramp / bridge over the river to the arrival hall on the ground floor. To avoid bridges inter sec tion, they are jux ta posed and cre ate a void in the space between.
Offices and ser vice spaces are located on the sides of both arrival and depar­ture halls and also on two floors above orga nized around the cen tral atri ums, which illu mi nate the inside of the build ing and allow a visual con tact between the dif fer ent lev els. There is also a roof ter race located on the top floor, which serves the employ ees for relax ation.
The green roof is formed by ter races, cre at ing an impres sion of a typ i cal South China land scape. It also acts as a ther mal and sound insulation, reduc­ing energy con sump tion for heating and AC and reducing the temperature fluctuations within the building.
The façade has been designed to artic u late the pro gram and to empha size the iconic struc ture. The trape zoidal cladding creates an everchang ing appear­ance once mov ing around the build ing. The pan els of the same size are made in the same color grade. Part of the facade is equipped with com puter reg u­lated openings that can be opened to sup port the air cir cu la tion inside the build ing based on the cur rent wind flow in the location.
Check-in kiosks for cars and buses are util i tar ian in nature, to avoid com pet­ing with the main build ing. They are connected with the offices by a bridge at a height of 7m. Bridges for vehicular traffic has also a very sim ple design not to attract atten tion.
The architectural concept was developed to respond the surround ing urban struc ture, to meet the brief and to cre ate a visually striking landmark that will act as a gate point for both cities. The building therefore has an elegant iconic char acter, is simply organized and environmentally friendly.

Description from the architects