Kwong Yuen Shopping Centre
Date: 24 December 2025
Must shopping malls revolve around a central atrium and follow a standardised layout? Kwong Yuen Shopping Centre, offers an alternative vision.
Its award-winning design by the Housing Authority consists of 11 dispersed buildings: 9 retail blocks, a restaurant, and a market, inspired by surrounding rural settlements. These low-rise structures, linked by sheltered walkways for climatic practicality, form a network reminiscent of village houses — encouraging residents to move freely in open spaces, unbounded by rigid circulation.
Between the blocks that are positioned in different datums, a variety of public spaces support everyday life: elderly residents play chess in quiet corners, gather in the plaza for lunch distributions, or rest near a vintage-style fountain. The architect hopes that the sparks of the urban journey will allow residents to forget the very steps they need to climb. The use of red brick and human-scale proportions fosters a sense of intimacy, contrasting sharply with the surrounding concrete towers. A clock tower, visible even from across Shing Mun River, anchors the estate’s identity—establishing a unique architectural and communal landmark. The project received an HKIA Merit Award in 1992.
Text and Photography: @kongcept852 (Commissioned by HKIA)
