Hong Kong's aspiration to be an events capital as envisaged by the HKSAR Chief Executive, Tung Chee-hwa, in his 1999 Policy Address took a step closer to reality on February 28, 2002.

Lord Rothschild, chairman of the International Jury, announced at a press conference that a team led by Foster and Partners had won the design competition to create an integrated arts and culture center on a 40-hectare reclaimed site at West Kowloon.

Launched in 1999, the competition drew interest from 161 architecture and planning practices, with 90 submissions received from overseas and 71 locally.

In awarding the first prize to the London-based firm of Foster and Partners, the jury concluded that the submission "more than any other, fulfilled the purpose of the competition."

Commenting on the design, Lord Rothschild singled out for praise its signature feature, a great canopy, that flows over the various spaces contained within the development area to create a unique iconic landmark. The canopy employs the latest design and construction techniques and creates under its dramatically fluid form a great spatial volume to accommodate open park spaces shared with individual cultural, residential and commercial buildings.

"The masterplan takes full advantage of the prime waterfront location and its proximity to Kowloon Park and the Canton Road retail district. The sinuously flowing form of the site contours and the canopy produce a memorable effect."

A lagoon, though a relatively weak point in the design in the opinion of the jury, might easily be redesigned, without affecting the arts and cultural facilities encircling it or detracting from the overall excellence of the scheme.

"The primary components of the design include a cultural hub of auditoria, museums, galleries and performance venues as well as a dense collection of shops, bars and retail spaces. The multitude of proposed uses lends a great vitality to the scheme. A continuous promenade along the smooth curvature of the waterfront simply enhances further the attraction of the scheme and its possibilities for development both for cultural purposes and retail and commercial uses," he said.

Lord Rothschild compared the similarity in concept of the large roof structure to certain international air and rail terminals constructed in recent years and said that this would create an unmistakable landmark for Hong Kong. He also pointed out that the horizontal scheme contrasted well with the predominant verticality of the city behind.

"The jury felt that this bold and the carefully analyzed scheme was the deserving winner of the competition and would be a major tourist attraction. It would symbolize the community's vision of their city as a future world centre of arts and culture and realize that vision with great style," he said.