2024 Best Landscape Award Winners Announced for Private Property Development in Hong Kong

2024-10-04 18:40 Last Updated At：18:48

13 private properties receive Gold Awards for best landscape design and maintenance

Winners of the Best Landscape Award for Private Property Development 2024, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), were announced at a prize presentation ceremony today (October 4). Thirteen private properties with outstanding landscape design and quality horticultural maintenance received Gold Awards. Thirty Merit Awards and 12 Environmental Efficiency Awards were also given out at the ceremony to commend organisations for their efforts in greening and enhancing public awareness of green issues.

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13 private properties receive Gold Awards for best landscape design and maintenance

13 private properties receive Gold Awards for best landscape design and maintenance Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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13 private properties receive Gold Awards for best landscape design and maintenance

13 private properties receive Gold Awards for best landscape design and maintenance Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Addressing the ceremony, the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Vincent Liu, said the Best Landscape Award, held once every two years, is one of the LCSD's major activities to promote greening. The award aims to honour private property developments that excel in landscape design and horticultural maintenance.

Mr Liu added that to offer members of the public more green space, last year the LCSD planted over 500 flowering trees in Sha Tin Park and along Shing Mun River and Yuen Long Nullah. Over the next five years, 2 500 additional trees will be planted in leisure venues and along roads across all the 18 districts to create more flower-viewing hotspots. Also, the LCSD has started to systematically replace senescent Acacia confusa with other flowering trees, in compliance with the Development Bureau's guidelines. This serves the dual aim of reducing the risk of tree collapses and satisfying public interest in flower appreciation. Replacement work has started in Victoria Peak Garden, Sai Kung and Kwun Tong; by the end of the year, around 400 trees are expected to be planted.

Apart from planting trees and shrubs, the LCSD has been organising a wide range of community engagement and public education activities. The Best Landscape Award is a notable example. The response to this year's competition was fervent, with close to 200 nominated entries received. Each entry had its own characteristics, demonstrating the immense efforts made by the participating organisations in greening.

In terms of landscape design, the winning projects integrated distinctive landscape features, large trees, seasonal flowers and plants to create a natural and soothing haven. Rooftop gardening and vertical greening concepts were also employed to enhance greenery coverage.

As for horticultural maintenance, some winning projects highlighted plant care and adopted a variety of environmentally friendly measures to promote environmental awareness and green living. These served to reduce the effects of urban heat island and also offer comfortable greening spaces to residents.

The prize presentation ceremony was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre today. Other officiating guests included representatives from the co-organisers. They were the President of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, Mr Benny Chan; the President of the Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects, Mr Paul Chan; the Chairman of the Professional Green Building Council, Mr Kenneth Yun; the President of the Hong Kong Association of Property Management Companies, Dr Edmond Cheng; Vice President of the Institute of Horticulture (Hong Kong) Mr Kingsley Choi; and the Chairman of the Planning and Development Division of the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, Mr Victor Ng.

The competition presented awards in five categories. The Gold Award winners are as follows:

Domestic property:

(1) Large-scale Domestic Property (with a site area of 20 000 square metres or above)

i) Properties below six years of age: Wetland Seasons Bay

ii) Properties between six and below 21 years of age: Valais

iii) Properties of 21 years of age or above: Aegean Coast

(2) Medium-scale Domestic Property (with a site area from 2 000 sq m to below 20 000 sq m)

i) Properties below six years of age: Mount Regency

ii) Properties between six and below 21 years of age: 18 Farm Road

iii) Properties of 21 years of age or above: Royal Peninsula

(3) Small-scale Domestic Property (with a site area under 2 000 sq m)

i) Properties below six years of age: The Holborn

ii) Properties between six and below 21 years of age: Lime Habitat

Non-domestic property (such as hotels, shopping malls, commercial buildings, schools under the Direct Subsidy Scheme [private premises] and private schools):

(4) Large-scale Non-domestic Property (with a gross floor area of 40 000 sq m or above)

i) Properties below six years of age: AIRSIDE

ii) Properties between six and below 21 years of age: Domain

iii) Properties of 21 years of age or above: Nina Mall 1 - Nina Park

(5) Small and Medium-scale Non-domestic Property (with a gross floor area under 40 000 sq m)

i) Properties below six years of age: Union Hospital Extension

ii) Properties between six and below 21 years of age: Lee Tung Avenue

The results of the Best Landscape Award are available on the LCSD webpage

www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/green/property/awards/awards_2024.html.

Hong Kong Films Shine at Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival in Spain

2024-10-05 05:25 Last Updated At：05:38

Brussels ETO supports Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia in Spain

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (Brussels ETO) supported the 57th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, which is taking place in Sitges, Spain, from October 3 to 13 (Sitges time). Five Hong Kong movies are featured in the Festival, namely "Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In", "The Goldfinger", "Peg O' My Heart", "The Moon Thieves" and "Inexternal".

Brussels ETO hosted a reception on October 4 (Sitges time) with the participation of the Director of "Inexternal", Mr Yuen Kim-wai, and about 100 guests from the local film, cultrual and business sectors.

Speaking at the reception, Assistant Representative of Brussels ETO Mr Paul Leung, said that Hong Kong is the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchanges and an Asian front-runner in the global film history.

"To enhance the development of the film industry, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has been supporting the film industry through the Film Development Fund in four strategic directions, namely, nurturing talent, enhancing local production, expanding markets and building audiences," added Mr Leung.

He highlighted the recently launched Hong Kong-Europe-Asian Film Collaboration Funding Scheme, which subsidises film projects coproduced by filmmakers from European and Asian countries to produce films featuring Hong Kong, European and Asian cultures. The scheme aims to support Hong Kong films to expand to overseas markets.

Founded in 1968, the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia is the world's leading fantasy film festival. It screens films related to the fantastic genre, including action and adventure movies and black comedies, with a special emphasis on thrillers.

2024 Best Landscape Award Winners Announced for Private Property Development in Hong Kong

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