At the southernmost tip of Kowloon, rising above the promenade that handsomely fronts Victoria Harbour, stand a collection of government buildings crying out for more imaginative use. Anyone who’s snuck a peek from the highest floors of The Peninsula, The Sheraton, or even the YMCA on Salisbury Road knows that this killer panoramic vista is one of Hong Kong’s best.

So why not develop rooftop gardens atop these buildings? Take your pick: the Museum of Art, the Space Museum, and the Cultural Centre all have flat roofs begging to be used for wining and dining or just whiling away the time. Space and noise wouldn’t pose problems, especially considering all the tout-teeming and tourist-trapping that already goes on in every nearby direction.

Technically, it’s definitely possible, according to Boyd Boxshall, whose Hong Kong-based company, Verte, designs rooftop gardens and plant life known as vertical landscapes. Boxshall has tackled similar projects across Asia and played an active role in contributing to Singapore’s urban greening when he used to live there. The whole process of installing a rooftop garden, from design development to installation, could take as little as six months, he says.

“The key technical limitations are only weight-bearing issues, the ability for a building to bear the load of the plantscape. We’re talking about very insignificant loads.” Boxshall adds that, depending on the quality of plants, the costs would range between $1,700 and $6,000 per square meter. “It boils down to the genuineness of the client to embrace what we call the aesthetics of sustainability and recognizing there are always costs associated.”

Not to mention the returns. Rooftop gardens would certainly pique the interest of curious onlookers who might not otherwise patronize the museum exhibits or live programmes on offer, especially if a bar or café space was incorporated into the design. This one’s a winner for all involved.

And at a symbolic level, rooftop gardens on some of our best-located government buildings would make clear to one and all that Hong Kong is serious about greening the harbourfront, allowing us to make the statement with our unique sense of style. We’ve got the view. Now all we need is the vision.

Bong Miquiabas

Read the features:
Establish an art cinema on Hong Kong Island
Host mega-gigs at Hong Kong Stadium
Put a rooftop garden on top of the Museum of Art
Parks that are more fun than restrictive
Finish the TST construction works
Relax noise ordinances in bar areas
Build a super club
Ban evening traffic from Lan Kwai Fong