URBIS Limited

HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS (HKILA) DESIGN AWARDS 2021 - 2023 URBIS Limited’s outstanding landscape design work was recognised by the receipt of three awards at the recent Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects (HKILA) Awards ceremony. The projects honoured were representative of the wide range of work that URBIS carries out and included commercial, residential and public infrastructure projects. The winning projects were: 1. SILVER AWARD for Excellence in Private Development for 'AIRSIDE' (Client: Nan Fung Group) 2. SILVER AWARD for Excellence in Landscape Transformation for 'South East New Territories Landfill Extension (SENTX) Landscape Restoration: Trial Nursery' (Client: EPD / Green Valley Veolia JV) 3. MERIT AWARD for Excellence in Private Development for 'The Henley / Henley Park' (Client: Henderson Land Development)

ARENDELLE - THE WORLD OF FROZEN At the end of 2023, Hong Kong Disneyland opened Arendelle, The World of Frozen. This new attraction is based on the settings and characters of the first two Frozen Films and is themed on the arts, culture and architecture of Norway, all set against the dramatic natural backdrop of the Lantau hills. Places and features from the films in the Hong Kong attraction include the North Mountain, Ice Palace, Arendelle Castle, the town of Arendelle, the Friendship Fountain, an interior audio-visual boat ride and an exterior roller coaster carved through a snow-clad mountain. URBIS was the executive landscape architect for the new attraction and undertook the detailed design and coordination of the external works for this technically and logistically challenging project.

FANLING GOLF COURSE WINS INTERNATIONAL HERITAGE CONSERVATION AWARD Fanling Golf Course is one of only three projects to be awarded an ‘Award of Distinction’ in the UNESCO 2023 Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. URBIS is retained by the Hong Kong Golf Club to advise on landscape and arboricultural matters relating to the golf course at Fanling, which is the oldest championship golf course in Greater China.    Twelve projects from China, India, and Nepal were recognised by the Awards jury in this year’s cycle. The UNESCO citation for Fanling Golf Course’s award refers to the “diverse living and non-living, tangible and intangible, attributes of the heritage property”. It calls the multi-disciplinary conservation of the golf course “a welcome precedent for conserving a unique typology of landscape heritage” which “represents a major advancement in the promotion of an inclusive conservation management approach for cultural landscapes in both Hong Kong and the larger region”.   Further information regarding the awards can be found at:   https://lnkd.in/gQW42ZMi Fanling Golf Course in 1935 (courtesy of Moddsey at Gwulo.com)

HONG KONG GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL (HKGBC) LAUNCHES ITS 'GUIDEBOOK FOR SUSTAINABLE BUILT ENVIRONMENT' The 'HKGBC Guidebook for Sustainable Built Environment' was launched on 4th December at an event at the CIC Zero Carbon Park.  URBIS worked with lead consultants Arcadis to produce a guidebook of best practice strategies in the field of sustainable urbanism for Hong Kong. The guidebook provides clear guidance with 8 Key Themes and 48 Strategies for sustainable development. At a well-attended event, Alan Macdonald, Director of URBIS moderated one of the panel discussions on 'accessible and inclusive precincts'. Further details of the event and guidebook can be found here: https://lnkd.in/gukrHCeX

OPCFHK Run For Survival 2023 “Saving Our Biodiversity “   On 3rd December, the Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong (OPCFHK) held its annual charity run, "Run for Survival 2023", and URBIS was thrilled to be a sponsor and participant again in the event. The theme of the run was "Saving Our Biodiversity" and aimed to promote biodiversity and marine conservation. This event highlights the commitment of URBIS to environmental conservation and its support for initiatives that protect our natural resources. URBIS staff and their family members took part in the Fun Run and Timed Race Challenges.

NOMINATION FORMS FOR REGISTRATION OF OLD & VALUABLE TREES AT FANLING GOLF COURSE On September 1st and 25th, URBIS MD Alexander (Sandy) Duggie submitted to the Greening Landscape and Tree Management Section two batches of Nomination Forms for the Registration of Old & Valuable Trees at Fanling Golf Course, located on the land east of Fan Kam Road that was taken back by Government on 1st September. A total of 222 trees are nominated in four volumes, with detailed information and numerous photographs for each tree. Parallel nomination submissions, on the same dates and with the same information, were submitted by the President of the Hong Kong Institute of Horticultural Science. The OVT nominations are also separately endorsed by the Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects and by Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden. The information provided in the Forms includes the Basis for Nomination, Species, Location, Age, Dimensions, Condition, Special Features and Comparison with Existing OVTs of this Species already on the Register. All 222 nominated trees are as good as, or better than, OVTs already on the Register and there is no valid reason not to register them. 62 of the 222 nominated trees are located in Sub-Area 1, the area identified by CEDD for the construction of public housing.  As noted by Justice Coleman in his ruling dated 24th August on the Interim Stay on development, the presence of so many potential OVTs in Sub Area 1 “…….appears to identify that any large-scale development in Sub-Area 1 becomes at least extremely difficult, if not impossible.” The Forms may be viewed on the HKGC Website at https://lnkd.in/gxFsfb28