Location: Hong Kong, China
Developer: Environmental Protection Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Designer: Architectural Services Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Size/Dimensions: 0.791 acres

In May 2015, the Environmental Protection Department of Hong Kong completed the Hong Kong East Community Green Station to implement the “reduction first” waste management strategy, as a pilot project for promoting green living and collection of recyclables at the community level. Instead of a traditional garbage collection point, the Station is designed as a positive asset to the local area with the inclusion of an education center, work area for handling recyclables, office, ancillary facilities, and a landscape area. In total, the project includes 26,705.26 sq. ft. of open space and landscaping, 8,471.2 sq. ft. of industrial space, and 4,391.68 sq. ft. of educational space, with 7,459.39 sq. ft. reserved for buildings. The estimated total cost of the project is $3 million.

Various sustainable initiatives put the green culture of “Use Less, Waste Less” into practice. The Station collects recyclables such as electrical appliances, compact fluorescent lamps, glass bottles and rechargeable batteries which are sorted in the Recyclables Repository before delivery to qualified recyclers for proper treatment and the conversion of waste into usable resources. Modular containers are reused as the bases of the buildings and modified to suit the need of different functions. The flyover above the site contributes to the passive cooling of the venues thus reducing solar heat gain. An additional overhanging roof and vertical greening shelter the interior from direct sunlight.

Hong Kong East Community Green Station transformed an under-utilized carpark under a flyover into a public gathering place to bridge the old and new neighborhood within an existing dense residential area. The concept was to create a new street through the site to connect the surrounding communities through the use of green wall, bamboo trellis and a courtyard garden. The project has become a focal point for the local neighborhoods where the new street and the landscape area embody a variety of gathering spaces as an interpretation of pavilions in a traditional Chinese Garden, representing the local cultural values. Hong Kong East Community Green Station has organized over 100 events on site and has become a popular spot for environmental education and recycling support in the Eastern District of Hong Kong.