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30 November 2006 A warm and green collegiate environment:
The government according to its policy does not allocate extra land for the construction of colleges, the land has to be found within the present boundaries of the University campus, and of course, outside the grounds of the four existing colleges. The Campus Planning and Building Committee and the College Planning Committees had the following principles in mind when choosing the sites: (1) The University is committed to a sustainable campus, and must strike a balance between environmental protection and new developments. (2) The sites should be convenient for student movement, with easy access to teaching and research facilities on campus, and to service outlets. (3) A warm and harmonious college environment should be established, consistent with the overall development of the University, and making good use of resources. (4) There should be adequate land and space for hostels where students can live and study in comfort. The facilities need to cater for fully residential colleges with communal dining. The new colleges will be sited centrally on campus, north of University Avenue, next to the University Sports Centre. The colleges, with magnificent views facing Tolo Harbour, will be developed into congenial environments for living and studying. Transportation will be convenient, with easy walking access to the KCR Station and most teaching and research facilities, as well as service outlets, such as the Sir Philip Haddon-Cave Sports Field and the University Health Centre. University buses on their current routes also pass by the new college sites. The two college sites will occupy a land area of 13,200 square metres; the land area per student will be comparable to that for the existing colleges. Each college will have its own campus, with distinctive characters. Built against the hillside with a lush backdrop and commanding a view towards the Tolo Harbour, the colleges will blend with the natural environment. The two colleges will form a cluster of buildings to promote interchange and to make the best use of resources. There will be enough land to build hostels, dining halls, fitness rooms, small theatres, reading rooms, common rooms, as well as courtyards and walks. The overall design and environment will cater for fully residential colleges with communal dining, with invigorating yet comfortable surroundings suitable for living and learning. The University has always adhered to the principle of sustainable development in planning for campus development, and has adopted a comprehensive policy on tree preservation, to avoid and reduce any impact on trees as new facilities are put up. Trees of conservation value will be preserved or transplanted, while compensations will be made by replanting, for any other trees affected. The overall design principle is to aim for a green campus ¡V to allow the trees to grow and the foliage to provide cooling shades in summer. The buildings are designed flexibly to fit into the surroundings; for example, in order to preserve the trees on the S. H. Ho College campus, the canteen will be shifted, despite a higher construction cost. Moreover, the architects will consider theme planting, to add to the greenery and to enhance the characteristics of each college. The Campus Landscaping Enhancement Committee has already approved in principle the plan on tree preservation in relation to the construction of the two colleges, to ensure that impact on the landscape will be minimized and compensated for. Facilities that may be affected by the building of the new colleges will be re-provided for elsewhere on campus. The overall plan is targeted towards a warm and harmonious campus, and the steps taken in the establishment of the new colleges exemplify the ideal of sustainable development that guides the overall planning for the University.
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