Prof. Hon. Patrick Lau, Legislative Council Member for the Architectural, Surveying and Planning Functional Constituency, gave a presentation on “Beautifying the Harbourfront” at the luncheon. He shared the experience of Bilbao, which originally was an industrial city in Spain and now is transformed to a world class city after it had successfully implemented the Strategic Plan for the Revitalization of Metropolitan Bilbao. Guggenheim Museum on the waterfront is an icon of architectural expression and waterfront revitalization. Bilbao’s image was changed forever because of its waterfront developments.
The lesson Hong Kong can learn, in Prof. Lau’s opinion, is that the Hong Kong Harbourfront should be transformed into an innovative mixed-use harbourfront that offers a full range of activities for year-round enjoyment of residents and visitors.