Compatible Building Design RestoringRestoring GGreenreen CCentralentral - The new commercial building comprising Grade A offices and commercial will be widened to facilitate vehicular facilities will be located at the west end of the West Wing site at the ingress/egress to the site which will also facilitate a TheThe NNewew LLandscapeandscape ooff junction of Queen’s Road Central and Ice House Street. restricted vehicular access to St. John’s Cathedral. All drop-off/pick-up, car parking and loading/unloading facilities are provided below the Lower Albert Road level. CentralCentral GGovernmentovernment OOfficesffices Site Area 5,720m2 approx An emergency vehicular access from Lower Albert Road through the public open space to the Former French Gross Floor Area Mission Building will also be provided. The Central Government Offices (CGO) Complex is one of the eight projects under the Office 28,500m2 approx ‘Conserving Central’ initiative announced in the 2009-10 Policy Address. All existing offices in the Complex will be relocated to the new Central Government Complex at Commercial 13,500m2 approx Tamar by end-2011. Based on the recommendations of a historical and architectural 2 Total 42,000m approx appraisal undertaken in 2009 by a British firm of architects and historic building Plot Ratio 7.34 consultants, the Main and East Wings will be preserved while the West Wing, which is of low historical significance and architectural merit, will be demolished to make way Site Coverage 23% approx (at Lower Albert Road level) for public open space and commercial development. No. of Storeys 32 The West Wing occupies a prominent location in the heart of Central. Demolition of the existing building would provide a good opportunity for a new public space in Maximum Building Height 150mPD Central. There will be added greenery, improved pedestrian connectivity and a better setting for the heritage precinct in Central.

The height and bulk of the new commercial building will be compatible with the surrounding developments. The maximum building height of 150mPD The proposed scheme will be lower than most of the adjacent buildings, including The Galleria is to redevelop the (about 158 mPD), Standard Chartered Bank Building (about 183 mPD) and West Wing into a HSBC Main Building (about 179 mPD), creating a stepping height profile in public open space in the area. the eastern portion and a commercial building with Grade A offices and shopping Further details of the proposed facilities at the west scheme for the West Wing site are end. The commercial available at the websites of the building would Development Bureau and the accommodate a total Planning Department at gross floor area of http://www.devb.gov.hk and about 42,000m2. http://www.pland.gov.hk respectively. Public exhibition on Conceptual Master Layout Plan the proposed scheme will also be organized. It will be publicized at the websites.

The new commercial building will be setback to facilitate widening of Ice House Street and provide more pedestrian circulation space. It will be meticulously orientated to Views Are Welcome avoid creating canyon effect on Ice House Street. The We welcome your views and suggestions on this proposal. Please green façade at the lower part of the commercial building send them to us on or before 30 November 2010: together with the entrance plaza at the junction of Queen’s Road Central and Ice House Street will become a By post Special Duties Section, new green focus in Central. Planning Department 15/F Government Offices, 333 , North Point, (Ref: Public Consultation on CGO) By fax 2577 3075 By email [email protected]

Development Bureau Planning Department September 2010 環 INGI CENTNTRAAL More Greenery Better Pedestrian Connectivity Preserve the Heritage Precinct

New pedestrian More than two-third of the connection via the new The site, being surrounded by declared West Wing site will be commercial building will monuments, historical landmarks and other transformed into a public better link up Queen’s ‘Conserving Central’ projects (including the open space. With an area of Road Central and Lower Former French Mission Building, St. John’s 2 6,800m , which is of similar Albert Road which have Cathedral, the Government House, the Main size of Statute Square or a difference in level of and East Wings, Murray Building and the about half of the size of about 25m. Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Compound), , the public Statute Square (left) and Chater Garden (right) will become a key destination on the open space will become an Central Route of the Central and Western “oasis” within the bustling Heritage Trail. Central Business District.

The public open space will restore the appearance of the CGO site back to its condition before the existing Main, East and West Wings were built. It will extend the greenery from the Government House down to Ice House Street and , forming an integral part of an extensive greenery network in Central.

Above : Photograph taken in the late 19th century (the building to the left was a demolished Government office building built in 1847) (Source: Government Records Service) Below : Proposed public open space with preservation of a Burmese Rosewood already existed in the late 19th century

Declared monuments, historical landmarks and other ‘Conserving Central’ projects in the surroundings

A new landscaped footbridge to The Galleria at Queen’s Road Central will connect the site to the existing footbridge network in Central, bringing pedestrians to different parts of the Central Business District.

A green façade concept with a vegetated podium will be The public open space adopted for the lower part of the with its preserved new commercial building facing trees and green Queen’s Road Central and Ice backdrop will enhance House Street. This design concept the setting of the is to extend the greenery of declared monuments Battery Path, providing a visual and other historical relief for this busy road junction landmarks in the in Central. Skyrise greenery will surroundings. also be provided in the building.

Pedestrian connectivity to other buildings

Both the public open space and the new commercial building are highly accessible from all directions. Buildings on Garden Road, including Murray Building, St. John’s Building with Peak Tram Terminus and Citibank Plaza will find new connections to Queen’s Road Central and Ice House Street Existing Old and Valuable Trees Greenery network in Central via the new commercial building. The existing 11 Old and Valuable Trees on In sum, the public open space will form an site (including the Burmese Rosewood in important part of the existing extensive the central courtyard already existed in the greenery network in Central encompassing: th late 19 century), along Battery Path and - the Hong Kong Zoological - Cheung Kong Park in the vicinity will be preserved. and Botanical Gardens - - the Government House - Chater Garden NEW LANDSCAPLANDSCAPEL - 新貌貌