Ma On Shan Public Library, Hong Kong

The Ma On Shan Public Library is located at 14 On Chun Street, Ma On Shan, Hong Kong. Ma On Shan is a new town along the eastern coast of Tolo Harbour in the New Territories of Hong Kong. At first an extension of Sha Tin New Town, it now has its own town center and government facilities, and is classified as a separate new town. Ma On Shan is near the west face of the twin peaks of Ma On Shan (horse saddle mountain). The slope of Ma On Shan once contained an iron mine, which was abandoned before the new town developed. Ma On Shan was once renowned for its iron ore deposits, extracted from the 1950s to the 1970s and mainly exported to Japan. A species of azalea, a flowering plant, is found only on and around Ma On Shan. It blooms in April with white and light red colors. Since 2006, an annual Ma On Shan Azalea Festival highlights the flower as a symbol of the district. Also special to the area is the Indian muntjac, also called the barking deer, found in South and Southeast Asia (students of natural history may recognize the name of the Thai subspecies, M. m. curvostylis). The Ma On Shan Public Library opened in April 2005. It was built in a cylindrical shape next to Ma On Shan Park, covering an area of 3,450 square meters (37135.49 square feet). Its collection contains more than 150,000 books. An article in Building Journal Hongkong China from October 2004 noted that the library

is a two-storey structure rising to a height of 15.4 metres. The building is formed by two adjoining blocks, circular and rectangular in shape, to house various functions and services. On the ground floor, the circular-shaped section is the Children’s Library and a newspaper and periodicals room is also included. The first floor of the circular wing is the Adult’s Library. The rectangular-shaped section comprises the main entrance, an exhibition area, two activity rooms and a computer and information centre… The circular shape of the library was selected to provide easy and efficient access to different types of books and periodicals. Visitors standing at the centre of the library can easily see aisles and bookshelves at a glance. A skylight is incorporated into the ceiling of the Children’s Library at the ground floor to create a more pleasant internal environment and to increase the penetration of natural light and glazed walling is used on the external walls of the Adult’s Library on the first floor. A sitting out area has been provided in the project’s landscaped public open space to supplement the two structures and enhance the outdoor environment.

The library’s architecture is credited to Aedas, an international architectural firm founded in 1985 in Hong Kong. The firm has designed projects as varied as the casino resort project Sands Macau in 2004, the Dubai Metro (2004), and Suning Plaza in Xuzhou (2017). Its name derives from the Latin term meaning to build. Interior design was by ADO Limited, a company based on Hoi Shing Road, Tsuen Wan, N.T., Hong Kong. Its name stands for Art/Design/Office. As its website explains:

ADO Limited focuses on SPACE BRANDING design profession which cherishes the juxtaposition of different ideas from the fields of arts, branding, interior, architecture and engineering, as well as our respective potentials of creativity. By injecting branding concepts into spatial design, we have unlocked the cultural significance of the project sites; re-interpret client’s briefs and deliver projects with landmark quality and cultural meaning.   

In its designs for the interior of the Ma On Shan Children Library, the ADO Limited designers were inspired by the local landscape:  

Ma On Shan Children Library demonstrates a symbolic and delicate mapping of the place. Based on Ma On Shan’s topography, the mount-like area is the reading-zone, roads resembling rivers have been portrayed on the rug, creating the atmosphere/aura up on the hill. Beyond the boring pattern of repeatedly constructing skyscrapers in new modern towns, this fresh design nurtures children’s sense of belonging to, and indoctrinates them the knowledge of, the district they live in.

This design was singled out for praise in Very Hong Kong: Design 1997-2007, a book by John Heskett, produced by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Hong Kong Design Centre. Mr. Heskett noted:

Ado is a young firm with bold ideas that has been making quite a name for itself on the Hong Kong design and public art scene by working across media and disciplines and challenging existing relationships… Ma On Shan Children’s Library in Ma On Shan is a good example of ADO’s thinking outside the box. Because most libraries in Hong Kong are mundanely alike and most school children live in monotonous, high-rise apartments devoid of character or cultural insight, project leader [Mr Karr Yip] decided the library needed a unique identity rooted in its distinct location. A library is a place for learning and growth; why not, he thought, start with the local district culture. Give the children a holistic picture with a sense of their surrounding environment and some history and culture of the area to instil a greater sense of belonging. The transformation of the interior space into a Ma On Shan countryside scene is the backbone of the design concept. The virtual experience is achieved by mapping the local topography onto the library floor plan. Contour lines include mountain ranges that  become reading and multi-media areas and bookshelves that recreate the illusion of walking among hills and valleys, woods and streams, while rivers and roads are painted onto the carpet. The result is an environment that accommodates various functions, that cultivates children’s reading habits and is enjoyable. The setting redefines how people perceive and use a library; for ADO it is an on-going communication as they observe all the unpredictable ways the children experience the space.

Since the library’s opening in 2005, individual and school visits as well as book circulation have all increased.

Thailand and Hong Kong

TU students and ajarns who follow trends in business and economic affairs will know that last month, Hong Kong and the ASEAN community concluded negotiations for a free trade agreement and related investment pact. These will be signed next month. In May, a group of investors from Hong Kong visited the Kingdom to discuss economic and investment opportunities, focusing on the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). The seminar, Thailand-Hong Kong-Shanghai Strategic Partnership on One Belt One Road, drew some 300 participants from the Thai business community and public sector. Among modern industries promoted were

next-generation cars; smart electronics; affluent, medical and wellness tourism; agriculture and biotechnology; food; robotics for industry; logistics and aviation; biofuels and biochemicals; digital industries; and medical services.

In April, planning discussions were held for a possible submarine cable linking Bangkok with Hong Kong and mainland China, to make Thailand the digital hub of Southeast Asia. Also in April, an MoU was signed between the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Thailand’s Office of SME Promotion to promote trade among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for product distribution online.

(All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and ADO Limited)