Reclaiming Hong Kong The Central & Wan Chai reclamation controversy from an Actor-Network perspective Joeri Nortier November 2011 1 2 Reclaiming Hong Kong The Central & Wan Chai reclamation controversy from an Actor- Network perspective Author J.A. Nortier
[email protected] Utrecht University Prof. dr. T. J. M. Spit Professor in Urban & Regional Planning City University of Hong Kong dr. B. Wissink Visiting Assistant Professor Department of Public & Social Administration RESPACE 2011 - Debating Hong Kong Oisín Devlin Syd Jordaan Anne Sanders Jessie Vols Cover Photo: Central phase III Reclamation under construction in september 2010. Source: Stanley_Wong < http://www. flickr.com/photos/stanley-wong/4982125563/> 3 [PREFACE] When I started my Master of Urban & Regional Planning at Utrecht University in September 2011, I had no idea that I’d be finishing my thesis about harbour reclamation in Hong Kong exactly one year later. In fact, I was gearing up for a master thesis about a planning subject in The Netherlands, combined with an internship at a municipality or private company. But then, after just one week of lectures, something special came along; I was introduced to the RESPACE project 2011, taking place in Hong Kong. I had heard about this research project before. A small group of students would, together with project coordinator and Utrecht University teacher dr. Bart Wissink, visit an Asian city to research these changing urban environments. This year, the focus would be on urban conflicts in Hong Kong and 5 students would be able to enrol. Such a research project would fit perfectly with what I was and still am interested in; con- temporary issues in large urban areas, urban planning’s increasing difficulty to deal with a fast-changing civil society and the extremely fast growth of Asian cities.