Between highway and harbour, Hong Kong finds room to exhale

As traffic moves overhead, North Point residents gather on a new boardwalk to watch the sun set over Victoria Harbour. Built in the 1980s, the elevated highway once cut off access to the waterfront. This year, it was converted into a double-decker with a pedestrian level, reconnecting the community to the shoreline. 

Paul Zimmerman, urban designer said "That's how we ended up with this meandering pathway under the highway, which is far more interesting than having to put everything out over the water and make it a straight line, no protection from the rain, no protection from the sun. Now you have places where you can hide when it rains, you can sit in the shade. Plus, it's kind of interesting that the sound under the highway, there's hardly any noise, despite the fact that you have all the trucks going overhead, so it's a great solution."

The redesigned space includes walking paths, seating and charging stations. But concerns remain over shared lanes, as young cyclists pose a risk to pedestrians. Despite this, the boardwalk has become a popular, breezy alternative to indoor public spaces.