Nature Discovery Park, K11 MUSEA
Hong Kong, HKSAR
9,429 sf Greenroofs

Greenroofs.com Featured Project July 20, 2021

Covered in about 50,000 sf of greenwalls, the dazzling K11 MUSEA in Hong Kong came to my attention in late 2019 and I just had to add it to Greenroofs.com’s annual “2019 Top 10 List of Hot Trends in Greenroof & Greenwall Design.” As special as it appeared to be, I placed it in the #10 Category: Client Specific ‘Boutique’ Greenroofs & Greenwalls – for those projects just too unique to fit into any other category.

Image: K11 MUSEA

In particular, K11 MUSEA was chosen for the developer’s thinking: Creating a “Silicon Valley of Culture” for Global Millennials – with art and plants, inside and out.

Image: “Nature Art Jam at the Park” via Nature Discovery Park Facebook, cropped

But its true cultural and educational star is the Nature Discovery Park, a beautifully executed environmental and architectural roof garden design combo of urban park, education center, and rooftop farm floating eight stories up and overlooking Victoria Harbor. Kudos to developer K11 Group and its founder Adrian Cheng – along with the 100 architects and designers – and specifically to LAAB Architects and P Landscape (PLA) for their design of the wonderful Nature Discovery Park! Thanks also to v2com newswire for starting my Project Profile off with their Press Kit.

Nature Discovery Park. Image: Otto Ng of LAAB Architects

Excerpt from Greenroofs.com Project Profile:

Designed by an architecture team led by Kohn Pedersen Fox, the centerpiece of the $2.6-billion Victoria Dockside development is K11 MUSEA. The new LEED Gold & Hong Kong Bean Plus Gold, 10-story state-of-the-art museum and luxury retail hybrid provides a revitalized cultural district for Hong Kong.

Conceived as “A Muse by the Sea,” the 3 million-square-foot K11 MUSEA responds to a demand for naturally immersive experiences of art, culture, nature and commerce along the iconic Victoria Harbor.

Image: K11 MUSEA

Nature Discovery Park. Image: Otto Ng of LAAB Architects

Located on the 8th floor, Nature Discovery Park is Hong Kong’s first urban biodiversity museum and sustainability-themed education park. Showcasing Hong Kong’s ecological importance and global value, it plays host to a variety of rare endemic plants and also features over 180 tropical and native species.

Designed by LAAB Architects, P Landscape (PLA), and more, the rooftop nature conservatory offers experiential learning and farm-to-table dining experiences. Victoria Harbor visually embraces Nature Discovery Park, and greenroofed areas encompass the urban farm, planters, and smaller greenroofs on structures totaling 876 sqm.

Nature Discovery Park is a rooftop conservatory in Hong Kong. Image: Otto Ng of LAAB Architects

Its spatial design advocates for the co-existence of human, nature, and the urban environment by enabling eco-tours and a series of education programs on biodiversity and sustainability. The nature exploration journey begins with an archive that showcases rare butterfly species, leading to an aquarium that hosts the water and tropic marine species of the Victoria Harbor across the site if there were no pollution.

Inside the greenhouse, a hydroponic nursery brings organically grown vegetables to the table. Urban farming opportunities abound for city dwellers and supports local charity partner Food Angel Hong Kong, harvested by the community kitchen team and volunteers. Eco-parenting is promoted through activities such as rooftop farming and “Nature Art Jam at the Park.”

Guided tour in the Butterfly Garden. Image: Otto Ng of LAAB Architects

As Hong Kong is home to a dazzling diversity of butterfly species, the nature discovery journey ends with a butterfly garden in Nature Discovery Park. Community and business networking are held regularly at the Nature Discovery Park to drive action to the UN Sustainable Development Goals endorsed by the “New World Sustainability Vision 2030.”

An urban green oasis demonstrating sustainability strategies, Nature Discovery Park sees nature as a classroom to develop an appreciation for culture and heritage, and for visitors to get creative inspiration for building sustainable communities.

Image: Victoria Dockside 202007.jpg by Wpcpey, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Year: 2019
Owner: New World Development
Location: Hong Kong, HKSAR
Building Type: Multi Use: Commercial, Museum, Park, Educational, Urban Farming
Type: Intensive Greenroofs
System: Custom
Size: 9,429 sq.ft.
Slope: 2%
Access: Accessible, Public

Image: K11 MUSEA

Credits:

PROJECT MANAGER:
NEW WORLD DEVELOPMENT

DESIGN ARCHITECT & INTERIOR DESIGNER:
LAAB ARCHITECTS

DESIGN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT:
P LANDSCAPE (PLA)

DESIGN LIGHTING CONSULTANT:
SPEIRS MAJOR

DESIGN STRUCTURAL ENGINEER:
ECKERSLEY O’CALLAGHAN

EXECUTIVE ARCHITECT:
RONALD LU & PARTNERS

EXECUTIVE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT:
URBIS LIMITED

EXECUTIVE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER:
ARUP

MEP ENGINEER:
WSP

MANAGING CONTRACTOR:
NEW WORLD CONSTRUCTION

AQUARIUM DESIGN:
JARI AQUARIUM

K11 MUSEA ARCHITECTS:
KPF + RLP

Image: Nature Discovery Park Facebook

See the Project Profile

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Image: K11 MUSEA

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By Linda S. Velazquez, ASLA, LEED AP, GRP
Greenroofs.com Publisher & Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summits Host