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Foster + Partners has designed a new gateway to Hong Kong for cruise passengers at the Ocean Terminal in Harbour City. Recently opened to the public, the five-storey terminal extension lies opposite Victoria Harbour, yielding marquee views of the extensive skyline via a free rooftop observation deck. The expansion better positions the terminal as a unique waterfront experience and aims to create a new landmark for the city.
Passengers, residents and tourists are given 270-degree views of the city from the dense apartments of Kowloon Peninsula to vibrant Causeway Bay. The building provides a platform for new outdoor spaces, using cascading terraces as al-fresco dining and entertainment nodes. The idea is to create a 'living room' for visitors right in the heart of the city, and photos show snap-happy photographers making good use of the space.
The cantilevered levels provide shade to the spaces below, a climatic response to the building's tropical context. The balustrades are angled to align with the overarching geometry of the structure and serve as louvers for the balcony underneath.
A stepped outdoor seating area is equipped with glass risers that allow natural light to penetrate the internal atrium. The existing terminal is linked to the extension seamlessly, and a "central diagonal circulation spine" connects the roof level to the marine deck through a series of escalators.
The 112 shops within Ocean Terminal, which opened in 1966, made it the first and largest shopping centre in Hong Kong. Often cited as a must-see destination, the enhanced cruise terminal facilities and entertainment experiences are destined to attract even more tourists to the site.
