East Kowloon Cultural Centre

The East Kowloon Cultural Centre is an under construction arts complex in Ngau Tau Kok, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It will be located on part of the former site of Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate, directly across Kwun Tong Road from Kowloon Bay station. It will be built on a 2.16 hectare site at an estimated cost of $4.1 billion and is expected to open in 2021.[1]

East Kowloon Cultural Centre
東九文化中心
Site of the future cultural centre in front of Amoy Gardens
Public transitKowloon Bay station
TypeCultural complex
Construction
Opened2020-21
Construction costHK$4.1 billion
ArchitectArchitectural Services Department
General contractorLeighton Contractors
East Kowloon Cultural Centre
Traditional Chinese東九文化中心
Simplified Chinese东九文化中心

The centre will house five performance halls including a 1,200-seat multi-purpose hall and a 550-seat theatre, plus three smaller venues.[1] It was designed by Rocco Yim and the Architectural Services Department.

History

The Urban Council explored the provision of a regional cultural centre in East Kowloon as early as the mid-1980s. A site was chosen in Sai Tso Wan immediately south of the Kwun Tong Magistracy. The Kwun Tong District Board strongly advocated a 1000-seat auditorium but the Council doubted the prospective utilisation rate of such a facility.[2] Instead, the Kwun Tong Bypass and an electric substation were built on the site.[2]

Alongside new public housing, a civic centre was also included in the redevelopment plans for the former Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate. This was endorsed by Kwun Tong District Council in November 2006.[3]

Construction commenced in 2016, and is expected to be complete in 2020.[4] The contractor is Leighton Contractors (Asia) Limited.[5]

Facilities
  • auditorium (1,200 seats)
  • theatre (550 seats)
  • three studios for music, dance and drama (120-250 seats each)
  • large rehearsal room
  • two small rehearsal rooms

References
  1. Chou, Oliver (19 November 2015). "Move over West Kowloon, Hong Kong's East Kowloon set for cultural blooming". South China Morning Post.
  2. "Provision of a Cultural Centre in Kwun Tong (UC.FIN.90.86)". Urban Council. 30 June 1986.
  3. "Item for Public Works Subcommittee of Finance Committee: 60RE – Construction of the East Kowloon Cultural Centre" (PDF). Legislative Council. April 2015.
  4. Chan, Holmes (30 April 2019). "Contractor responsible for MTR construction scandal faces new allegations over East Kowloon Cultural Centre". Hong Kong Free Press.
  5. "Construction of the East Kowloon Cultural Centre". Capital Projects Under Construction. Architectural Services Department. Retrieved 11 July 2019.

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