The Pierside Precinct is designed to invite visitors to rediscover the charm of old Wan Chai and reconnect with the splendour of Victoria Harbour. As an expression of urban continuity from the past to the present where the East meets West, we used a series of urban typologies such as street, courtyards, arcade and terraces that enable us to demonstrate the interplay of the old and the new. A series of low rise commercial buildings are linked in courtyard formations by means of a street colonnade as a reminder of old Wan Chai as well as a core element to mediate between the open waterfront on one side and the commercial clusters embodied in courtyards and city landscapes. On-site pavilions adopt a concept of "framing" to provide alternative perspectives of the harbour. Rows of trees along Hung Hing Road have been planted to screen off dust and noise from the bustling traffic, creating an oasis amidst the urban fabric.

To facilitate an eco-friendly public gathering space, several sustainable features have been adopted throughout the Precinct. For example, four wind and solar hybrid street lights as well as solar-powered bollards have been installed along the Precinct to promote the application of renewable energy features. Permeable pavers have also been installed to echo with the sponge city concept to enhance surface water runoff by allowing rainwater to directly discharge into the ground. Wooden stumps seating and benches made from recycled trees have been installed to promote awareness of the natural environment. Eco-friendly, recycled plastic decking has also been used in several prominent areas. In addition, a section of the promenade in the Precinct, which was formerly known as Ah King’s Slipway, has been beautified with preservation of a large banyan tree nearby to conserve the habitation for birds and also create synergy with the new Tin Hau Temple. It has provided a new waterfront pedestrian route connecting Victoria Park Road and Whitfield Road Rest Garden.

The East Coast Park Precinct (ECPP) is about 42,000 square metres in size with an about 772 metres long waterfront promenade. ECPP Phase 1 area which is located at the south-west side of the Precinct, was opened to the public under the "incremental approach" as a quick-win measure in 2021. It is well received by the general public in particular the first publicly opened breakwater (approximately 100 metres in length with a fenceless design), and the first large scale Word Art Installation designed under the theme of the Victoria Harbour. In addition, there are four existing landing steps within ECPP promoting marine activities and connecting people to the water. The features of ECPP Phase 2 include the first public extreme park located in the harbourfront which is suitable for beginner, intermediate and experienced users given the growing public demand. Another feature is the conversion of the existing rooftop of the Central-Wan Chai Bypass Eastern Portal into a landscaped garden with a panoramic view overlooking Victoria Harbour. Phase 2 would also provide seven connection points between the waterfront and the hinterland across the infrastructure of Eastern Island Corridor, which greatly improve the accessibility to the waterfront. Several sustainable features would be adopted throughout the Park. For example, rainwater harvesting system would be adopted to reduce water usage and building integrated solar panel system would be installed to promote the application of renewable energy features.

The overall planning of ECPP was developed from Phase 1 and aimed to integrate the old and new as one harmonised park. The future construction of Phase 2 would also prioritise the convenience and safety of pedestrians to Phase 1 by ensuring unobstructed access and minimising fence-off. This project is entirely advocated by the Harbourfront Commission since Phase 1 under the “incremental approach” and would provide important pointers to similar projects in the future.

Based on thorough discussion and public engagement results, the Civil Engineering and Development Department proposes an innovative engineering solution to build a boardwalk over water running through the space underneath the Island Eastern Corridor (IEC) to overcome the land constraint. The construction of the Boardwalk commenced in December 2021. Altogether, there are 72 spans of steel deck segments over the sea which are supported on the existing pile caps of the IEC and about 80 numbers of new marine piles.

Lying on the edge of Victoria Harbour, the project faced challenges due to the limited headroom of the IEC, which restricts the piling plant to be used and the length of pile segments for installation. Moreover, any chance of water contamination at the Victoria Harbour has to be prevented during the construction. With meticulous planning, the Contractor selected a new reverse circulation drilling method for the construction of the proposed pre-bored rock socketed H-piles, which secures the transportation of excavated debris to sedimentation tank through drill rods and pipes, avoiding water pollution issues in a better way than the conventional method. The project has also made use of pre-fabricated components to build the Boardwalk deck segments, including the structural steel frame and major architectural finishing works like glass balustrades.

To accomplish the completion targets in phases from end 2024 to end 2025, it is imperative to have a strong coordination throughout the tight construction timeframe. Upon commissioning, the Boardwalk will enrich the experience of different users, bringing vibrancy and livability enhancement.