The Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point is the seventh land port connecting Hong Kong’s northeast to mainland China. Part of the government’s Northern Metropolis vision, this is a key piece of infrastructure.
The 18-acre site comprises cross-border clearance facilities, including a passenger terminal building that is a fully-integrated port for people, coaches and goods vehicles. The design concept puts people first: Biophilic design brings in natural light and ventilation, breathing life into indoor and outdoor areas, while fluid connectivity throughout creates a stress-free, welcoming environment that enhances the passenger experience by balancing out the tension intrinsically associated with border crossing processes. Numerous fluid design elements grace the exterior and interior of the buildings, while the two passenger terminals and link bridge seamlessly flow, making border crossing an easy experience.
The complex also strengthens cross-boundary transport connectivity, cutting travel time between Hong Kong, Shenzhen and eastern Guangdong, and creating a “one-hour living circle” that spans the Greater Bay Area.
The complex has received a BEAM Plus Green Building Assessment provisional Gold rating for its lean design, optimised greening and numerous green features. Its buildings and halls have multiple energy-efficient features – LED lighting, light sensors, high-efficiency HVAC, and more – cutting energy and water consumption significantly. Vehicle clearance, parking and passenger border crossing functions are all located in the same place, minimising land take and environmental impacts while providing multiple transportation options.
The project also improves the surrounding community: Nearby villagers access public transport and car parks via a subway link, while the police base and fire station serve travellers and nearby residents.The low-lying buildings also blend into the rural context – reflecting the fluidity of the border and the duality of the “rural yet urban” nature of the border zone, and modelling how a modern metropolis can exist in an ecologically-sensitive environment.
