Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) is committed to the environment and incorporating greenery in office buildings, malls and residential developments. The company's International Commerce Centre (ICC) features a new vertical landscaping technique to accommodate the maximum greenery in the least floor space. A living wall of vegetation will help refresh the air and reduce temperatures in this new commercial centre.

Art and nature

The ICC vertical garden will have plants embedded in an upright wall to increase the amount of greenery without taking up the site area as a conventional garden. The result will be more greenery in the development. The plan also allows for plants and flowers of different colours to be arranged in aesthetic patterns, in a first for Hong Kong.

Senior Landscape Project Manager Lemon Ling said: "Land is scarce in Hong Kong, so we have been looking for new ways of efficient landscaping in our developments, with new and improved ways of providing the maximum green space within the least site area. Vertical gardens have many merits, such as increasing the overall foliage to refresh and cool the surroundings while offering a green refuge in the bustling city."

Overcoming various difficulties

Traditional gardening requires a great deal of space and maintenance, but vertical planting has its own challenges like keeping the water and soil in place up a wall, so SHKP's landscaping specialists began looking at alternatives. Some went overseas to study previous examples first-hand and learn the artistic techniques. The plants at ICC will come from around the world, including evergreens and colourful flowers for a soothing visual effect as the leaves rustle in the breeze. Plants will be rotated regularly to sustain their appeal.

Preserving trees

SHKP believes that trees help improve air quality and add beauty, so SHKP developments have vast green spaces and special landscaping with different types of plants. The company makes preserving old trees a priority during planning and construction. The site for Woodland Crest in Sheung Shui had many mature trees, and each one was plotted so that the placement of the buildings would blend with the green surroundings. The estate has 190,000 square feet of natural greenery including more than 300 old trees.

Total landscape management

SHKP is committed to protecting the environment and offering residents green surroundings. It was the first developer with an in-house landscaping team for total landscape management from design and purchasing to installation and maintenance. Some plants are sourced from other countries if they are suitable for Hong Kong's climate, and SHKP landscape staff have overseas experience of latest conservation and management techniques to ensure the finest green living environments.