Happy Valley Underground Stormwater Storage Scheme
The Happy Valley Underground Stormwater Storage Scheme (HVUSSS) is an important flood prevention project, aiming to relieve the flooding risks in the Happy Valley and Wai Chai areas. In addition to the underground stormwater storage tank, the project includes two above-ground ancillary facilities, a pump house and a fan room. These ancillary facilities are located within the Happy Valley Recreation Ground, surrounded by sport pitches and greenery. The design of these facilities incorporates green elements to provide a “Green Living” environment for public enjoyment.
Happy Valley Underground Stormwater Storage Scheme
To camouflage the pump house to the surrounding, a “Cave with Greenery ∙ Lawn on Top” design concept is adopted. The pump house is sheltered under a green soft blanket of lawn with a gentle slope extending from the ground level to the top of the pump house. This barrier-free gentle slope offers an easy access to the rooftop sitting area, welcoming everyone to sit down and enjoy football games and the stunning scenery of Happy Valley from a unique perspective. The green blanket also serves as a good thermal insulator for the pump house, reducing the temperature inside the pump house. The vertical facades of the pump house are decorated with timber cladding to further enhance its natural characteristic.
The concept for the pump house is further developed in the circular fan room and its adjacent backstop for the soccer pitches by wrapping the timber-decorated fan room with the curtain-like backdrop. In addition to the provision of timber cladding on the façade of the fan room, vertical greening with a combination of up climbers and down climbers, including diverse-leaved creeper (Parthenocissus dalzielii), creeping fig (Ficus pumila) and honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum), is introduced, creating a natural outlook for the fan room.
This design transforms the original hard, man-made ancillary facilities into a natural and joyful landscape. These green, elements not only camouflage the pump house and fan room in the surrounding but also enhance the communal connectivity by providing recreation areas for public enjoyment. The design attained the Final Platinum rating under BEAM Plus New Buildings.
The project also constructed a public changing room and toilet for Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The design resembles a piano keyboard, and provides vitality to the Happy Valley Recreation Ground.
