Express Rail Link West Kowloon Terminus in Hong Kong and The Heart of Yiwu, an ‘Urban Living’ Plaza in China were recognised with a high commendation and a commendation respectively at the Architectural Review MIPIM Future Project Awards 2015.
 
The Express Rail Link will connect Hong Kong to major cities in Mainland with the largest high speed rail network in our history. Upon completion, the 380,000-square-metre West Kowloon Terminus, designed by Andrew Bromberg at Aedas, has fifteen tracks and will function more like an international airport than a rail station. The site’s immediate adjacency to the future West Kowloon Cultural District and Victoria Harbour requires a design which is motivated by civic demand. As a ‘gateway’ to Hong Kong, it is vital to make every arriving and departing passenger aware that ‘I am in Hong Kong’.
 
Sited on a plot designated for retail and commercial services, The Heart of Yiwu, an ‘Urban Living’ Plaza, designed by Executive Director Leo Liu and Chairman Keith Griffiths, will combine large-scale retail, dining and entertainment facilities into one urban complex. Additionally, a landscaped square, interior and exterior pedestrian streets and an underground car park will be provided. It aims to offer multiple experiences to visitors by integrating shopping, food and beverage, cultural and leisure activities into one destination.
 
With a strong focus on creativity, the Architectural Review MIPIM Future Project Awards showcase projects that are examples of fine architecture, but have also responded to the client’s development brief, and considered the way in which they will impact and contribute to the community around them. With architectural awards and recognition commonly focusing on current projects and designs, these awards provide a unique and exciting perspective.