Located in the former City Hall Annex Building on the Victoria Harbour, the new City Gallery is more than 3200 square metre facility. The City Gallery is spread over five-levels and offers exhibition and public display space. The project spanned two years and involved retrofitting and renovation of the building.
Hypsos’ scope of work involved building fit-out, setworks, audio visual hardware, multimedia software and programs, and lighting and graphics installation. The City Gallery has been designed to set an example of effectively reusing existing buildings in new and innovative ways. The exhibition space of the gallery features a dynamic mix of detailed content, eye-catching graphics, captivating multimedia displays and interactive activities, which have all been designed by Hypsos.
The ground floor is a visually dramatic space, which is punctuated by intriguing views at floor level. The level has floor opening and windows, which gives visitors intriguing glimpses of the galleries above. The gallery also includes a space, set in a street scene environment that features replicas of Great World Cities, and is complete with unique sights and sounds effects.
The second floor offers a mix of fun and engaging exhibits on such diverse topics, such as Underground Infrastructure, Strategic Planning (utilising a multi-user Multitouch display), and Transportation and Communications. The space also offers a glimpse into Hong Kong’s natural habitats and recreational facilities.
The first floor gallery is a theatre-like setting, wherein a debate on the on-going urban development versus heritage conservation topic is represented. The theatre features the original seats from Hong Kong’s iconic Star ferries. The level also has other exhibits, which include a detailed look at Urban Planning with respect to a case study of Hong Kong’s “New Towns”.
The third floor takes the visitors on the historical journey of Hong Kong by means of a multi-projection story. The level also tell about the current development projects and a vision of future developments. The other spaces at the building include multipurpose areas for organising special events and a resource centre overlooking the Victoria Harbour. The City Gallery opened to the public on 22 August 2012.
