Scott Wilson Kirkpartrick: charting the development of Hong Kong
Authors
Citation
Building journal Hong Kong China, Mar, 1997, pp. 26-48
Abstract
This year, Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick (SWK) celebrates its 45th anniversary in Hong Kong. Much has happened since the firm set up shop here in 1952. From a small office on the site of what was to become Kai Tak International Airport, SWK has matured into one of the region's leading multi-disciplinlary consultancies for engineering, planning, management and the environment. In this anniversary profile, Building Journal takes a look at the firm's impressive project portfolio and talks with SWK (Hong Kong) chairman ron Rakusen.
(1) History in the making
(2) How do you feel about working as an engineer in Hong Kong at this historical juncture?
(3) Unfortunately, one of the drawbacks of the building boom here is increased competition with the industry. How was this affected SWK?
(4) How, specifically, can the consultant save the client money?
(5) How os SWK's workload divided between the public and private sectors?
(6) How is a design-and-build contract approached?
(7) As more and more projects are developed on this basis, professional boundaries with the industry are seeming increasingly fluid. Wat does this mean for engineers and architects who are now becoming competitor?
(8) Does SWK use in-house architects?
(9) What is the attitude to environmental protection in Hong Kong and how is this affecting the engineering profession?
(10) How should such issues be handled? Is any one organisation quiped to mediate?
(11) Are client briefs often difficult to address?
(12) Post-handover, what do you envisage for SWK?
(13) SWK has been preeminent in civil engineering here. What will happen when the massive infrastructure programme now underway is in place?
(14) How has the firm readied itself for this move?
(15) Isn't this traditionally the architect's domain?
(16) When you look back over SWK's achievements in Hong Kong, is there anything not mentioned here of which you are particularly proud?
(17) Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick's projects cover the whole gamut of engineering. Here, Building Journal has selected some of their more recent wowk for review.
(a) River Trade Terminal
(b) New Airport at Chek Lap Kok Flight Catering Facilities
(c) Aviation Fuel Supply System
(d) Western Harbour Crossing
(e) Tuen Mun New Town Development
(f) San Miguel Breway Development Phase I, Longjiang, China
(g) Macau International Airport
(h) Redevelopment of dyeing works
(i) China resources petrocham oil terminal relocation & expansion
(18) Route 3 is a strategic dual three-lane haghway between China, the morth-west New Territories (NT) and the main urban areas of Tsuen Wan, Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. It serves Kwai Chung Container Port and industrial area, as well as Hong Kong's new international airport and port facilities off Lantau Island. The journey via Route 3 from the NT to the commercial heart of Hong Kong in Central takes about 30 minutes.
(a) Route 3 Rambler channel bridge
(b) Route 3 Kwai Chung viaduct
(c) Route 3 Cheung Ching Tunnel
(d) Route 3 detailed design contry park section
(e) Duplicate Tsing Yi South Bridge
Description
Architect: Scott Wilson (Hong Kong) Ltd.
Subject
Type
Article
Format
Date
1997
Language
en