The East Kowloon Cultural Centre is an under construction arts complex in Jordan Valley, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It will be located on part of the former site of Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate, directly across Kwun Tong Road from Kowloon Bay station. It will be built on a 2.16-hectare (5.3-acre) site at an estimated cost of $4.1 billion and is expected to open in 2024.[1]
 Site of the future cultural centre in front of Amoy Gardens | |
 | |
| Public transit | Kowloon Bay station |
|---|---|
| Type | Cultural complex |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 2024 |
| Construction cost | HK$4.1 billion |
| Architect | Architectural Services Department |
| General contractor | Leighton Contractors |
| East Kowloon Cultural Centre | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 東九文化中心 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 东九文化中心 | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
The centre will house five performance halls including a 1,200-seat multi-purpose hall and a 550-seat theatre, plus three smaller venues.[1] It was designed by Rocco Yim and the Architectural Services Department.
History
editThe Urban Council explored the provision of a regional cultural centre in East Kowloon as early as the mid-1980s. A site was chosen in Sai Tso Wan immediately south of the Kwun Tong Magistracy. The Kwun Tong District Board strongly advocated a 1000-seat auditorium but the Council doubted the prospective utilisation rate of such a facility.[2] Instead, the Kwun Tong Bypass and an electric substation were built on the site.[2]
Alongside new public housing, a civic centre was also included in the redevelopment plans for the former Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate. This was endorsed by Kwun Tong District Council in November 2006.[3]
Construction commenced in 2016, and is expected to be complete in 2024.[4] The contractor is Leighton Contractors (Asia) Limited.[5]
Facilities
edit- auditorium (1,200 seats)
- theatre (550 seats)
- three studios for music, dance and drama (120-250 seats each)
- large rehearsal room
- two small rehearsal rooms
References
edit- ^ a b Chou, Oliver (19 November 2015). "Move over West Kowloon, Hong Kong's East Kowloon set for cultural blooming". South China Morning Post.
- ^ a b "Provision of a Cultural Centre in Kwun Tong (UC.FIN.90.86)". Urban Council. 30 June 1986.
- ^ "Item for Public Works Subcommittee of Finance Committee: 60RE – Construction of the East Kowloon Cultural Centre" (PDF). Legislative Council. April 2015.
- ^ Chan, Holmes (30 April 2019). "Contractor responsible for MTR construction scandal faces new allegations over East Kowloon Cultural Centre". Hong Kong Free Press.
- ^ "Construction of the East Kowloon Cultural Centre". Capital Projects Under Construction. Architectural Services Department. Retrieved 11 July 2019.