Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Tony Tse and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (June 4):
Question:
There are views that good public open space and green space design will help enhance Hong Kong’s living environment, physical and mental health of its citizens, as well as increase its appeal to tourists from home and abroad, and that landscape architect profession can play a significant role in this regard. However, some members of the industry have reflected that the Government has failed to attach importance to and optimise the use of the landscape architect profession when launching related projects (such as construction of parks) or consultancy services. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether guidelines have been drawn up to specify that the relevant government departments will fully consult their in-house landscape architects when inviting tenders for the planning, design or construction contracts for projects or consultancy projects focusing on public open space or green space, or those with landscape design accounting for a significant proportion; if so, what are the contents of the guidelines and their implementation status; if not, whether it will consider formulating relevant guidelines;
In addition, some landscape architects take on project management roles, co-ordinating various types of projects such as public open spaces and government buildings, overseeing project planning, construction, environmental compliance, cost control, and monitoring progress and quality. Landscape architects also provide professional advice in vetting assessment reports related to landscape and visual impacts under the Town Planning Ordinance and the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance.
Landscape architects in the Government play a key role in greening and landscape matters, in particular after the establishment of the Greening and Landscape Office under the Development Bureau (DEVB) in 2010. Landscape architects of the office are responsible for the central co-ordination of the Government’s greening and landscape planning and design efforts. Landscape architect posts in various departments have gradually increased to meet the increasingly complex project requirements. For example, landscape architect posts were introduced to the DEVB’s Harbour Office to advance waterfront open space projects, and to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department to enhance public play spaces. The number of landscape architects managed by the DEVB has increased from about 60 to about 100, and three directorate posts at the rank of Chief Landscape Architect were created in 2017 and 2018. These measures demonstrate the importance that the Government attaches to the landscape architectural profession. To further strengthen the team’s capabilities, we also provide systematic training for landscape architects, covering professional knowledge, project management, and innovative technologies. This continuous professional development supports Hong Kong’s transformation into a sustainable and liveable city.