Chapter Overview

Hong Kong’s coastal edges, shaped by its history as a global trading hub, continue to play a vital role in the city’s cultural identity and sense of place. Yet with land values among the highest in the world, economic “exchange value” often outweighs “user value,” leaving limited access to the waterfront as public open space.

This chapter critically examines recent waterfront regeneration projects in Hong Kong, situating them within a broader global discourse alongside examples from Sydney, Hamburg, and Baltimore. By analyzing public open spaces along Hong Kong’s waterfront, Professor Choi identifies the conditions that shape their usability and vitality, including factors such as air quality, accessibility, functional density, points of interest, and patterns of user interaction.

The findings highlight the risk that under-utilized infrastructural spaces may simply transform into under-utilized public spaces if regeneration efforts overlook experiential and environmental dimensions.

This chapter advances an evidence-based framework for evaluating waterfront public open spaces (WPOS), offering valuable insights for scholars, urban planners, and policymakers engaged in shaping more inclusive and resilient waterfronts.