Intergenerational Waterfront Playscape

Sai Ying Pun
Harbourfront Park

Victoria Harbour has long shaped Hong Kong’s identity, yet stretches of its shoreline have remained disconnected from the communities beside them. In Sai Ying Pun, a fragmented site of temporary car parks has been transformed into an open space for the public. 

Opened in 2025, Sai Ying Pun Harbourfront Park offers a shared setting for morning exercise, afternoon play and sunset strolls. Its 440-metre promenade links Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park with the Western Wholesale Food Market waterfront, forming a key part of Hong Kong Island’s 13-kilometre Harbour Walk. Commissioned by the Architectural Services Department, onebite designed the park’s playscape and proposed the concept of ‘A  Day in the Harbour’, bringing the water’s edge back into everyday neighbourhood life.

  • Category: Public Space & Architecture, Placemaking

    Type: Playscape Design

    Client: Architectural Services Department

    Location: Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong

    Area: 4,600 sqm.

    Completion: 2025

Transforming a once-disconnected stretch of waterfront into an intergenerational open space, Sai Ying Pun Harbourfront Park reconnects the neighbourhood with Victoria Harbour through a shared space for play, rest and everyday encounters. Photo from the Architectural Services Department (ArchSD)

New Narrative of A Day by the Harbour

Now from afar, one can see a continuous ribbon of colour unfolds from sunset orange at the western entrance to sky blue towards the east, translating the harbour’s shifting light and atmosphere into a sequence of interconnected play spaces. Connected yet functionally diverse zones punctuate the waterfront, inviting movement, discovery and rest while strengthening the neighbourhood’s connection with the harbour.

Early public engagement sessions revealed strong support for bouncing equipment, sand and water play, open harbour views, spaciousness and shelter. Participants also emphasised accessibility, inclusion and flexibility for recreational, cultural and community activities. These aspirations informed a landscape that moves beyond the conventional children’s playground. Active play, sensory exploration and communal seating sit alongside one another, allowing different generations to share the space. Accessible routes, an inclusive carousel and elevated sand tables support participation across a range of abilities.

Photo from ArchSD

Cone Climber

The Cone Climber invites children to find their way upwards, adding a vertical challenge to the play landscape.

Sunken Plaza

Set below the surrounding landscape, the Sunken Plaza creates a distinct spatial moment along the waterfront.

Pipe Playground

Concrete pipes create a network of spaces for exploration and hide-and-seek, preserving a playful connection to ‘WE Park’, the temporary park introduced on the site in 2019.

Sensory Wall

A local map, architectural motifs and varied textures invite visitors to explore the neighbourhood through touch, linking sensory play with a sense of place.

Concrete pipes create a network of spaces for exploration and hide-and-seek, preserving a playful connection to ‘WE Park’, the temporary park introduced on the site in 2019.

Inclusive Carousel

A generous rotating platform welcomes wheelchair users, family and friends to enjoy the carousel together.

Dancing Swing

The Dancing Swing adds the familiar joy of swinging to the waterfront’s varied play experiences.

Water and Sand Play Area

Fountains, shallow pools and accessible sand tables encourage hands-on discovery beside the harbour. Nearby washing facilities make it easy to clean up after play.

Sunset Slide

From an observation deck overlooking the harbour, the 4.8-metre-high Sunset Slide sends children on an exhilarating descent towards the setting sun.

Breezy Chairs

Between bursts of activity, the Breezy Chairs provides a place to pause and enjoy the harbourfront.

Climbing Wall

Alongside the concrete pipes, the Climbing Wall offers another route for children to test their skills and explore through movement.

  • Team: Alan Cheung, Stella Lin, Lung Mak, Vivian Tsoi, Sarah Mui

    Photographer: Ho Ka Ho

  • playscape, playground, harbourfront, intergenerational, placemaking, multisensory

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