URBIS Limited’s outstanding landscape design work was recognised with the receipt of three awards at the recent Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects (HKILA) Awards ceremony. The projects honoured were representative of the wide range of work that URBIS carries out and included commercial, residential and public infrastructure projects.
1. SILVER AWARD for Excellence in Private Development for AIRSIDE
2. SILVER AWARD for Excellence in Landscape Transformation for South East New Territories Landfill Extension (SENTX) Landscape Restoration: Trial Nursery
3. MERIT AWARD for Excellence in Private Development for The Henley / Henley Park

Hong Kong Disneyland opened Arendelle, The World of Frozen on 20th November 2023. This new attraction is based on the settings and characters of the first two Frozen Films and is themed on the arts, culture and architecture of Norway, all set against the dramatic natural backdrop of the Lantau hills. Features from the films include the North Mountain, Ice Palace, Arendelle Castle, the town of Arendelle, the Friendship Fountain, an interior audio-visual boat ride and an exterior roller coaster carved through a snow-clad mountain. URBIS was the executive landscape architect and undertook the detailed design and coordination of the external works for this technically and logistically challenging project.

A fantastic day was had by all on the annual Urbis Junk Trip to Sai Kung. After a hiatus of 3 years staff and their families boarded the Teak Junk ‘Jura’ to enjoy an unexpectedly bright sunny day at Bluff island. Lots of swimming, eating and enjoying the sunshine against a backdrop of Hong Kong’s spectacular island landscape.

The Ritz Carlton Rissai Valley Resort in Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan Province, China is scheduled to open this month. URBIS Limited worked with Design in Nature to provide executive landscape architect services for the project, which is designed in a contemporary style, which references traditional Tibetan culture.

URBIS are firmly committed to incorporating sustainable design into all their work and promoting sustainability generally within the construction industry in Hong Kong. Consistent with this philosophy, Sandy Duggie and Craig Doubleday are pro-bono Directors of the BEAM Society Limited (BSL) and at 12th BSL AGM held on 8th June, Sandy and Craig were very pleased to be appointed to the Board for another 2 years. Sandy is Honorary Treasurer and Chairman of the Professional Development Committee.

URBIS Limited’s work with Heatherwick Studio on the 1000 Trees Development in Shanghai has been recognised by UNESCO as the Central Asia and Northeast Continental Laureate in the Shopping Mall development category at the 2022 Prix Versailles. Chaired this year by philosopher Gilles Lipovetsky (France), the World Judges Panel also includes the architects Thom Mayne (United States), Lu Wenyu (China) and Thomas Vonier (United States), the designer Jasper Morrison (United Kingdom), the disc jockey Charlotte de Witte (Belgium), the filmmaker Mahamat-Saleh Haroun (Chad - France) and the mountaineer Samina Baig (Pakistan). The Official Announcement, took place at UNESCO Headquarters on 19 December 2022.

With the easing of health restrictions, URBIS were delighted to hold our annual Christmas Lunch for the first time in 3 years. Our regular venue at Hong Kong Football Club served a delicious Asian and Western menu rounded off with traditional Christmas desserts. The gathering concluded with the presentation of long service awards to several staff who have given loyal and dedicated service over extended periods. Congratulations and thanks to all URBIS staff who have served so well, particularly through the recent challenging times and may 2023 be successful and prosperous for all.

URBIS staff were pleased to share Christmas spirit and good cheer with our traditional ‘Secret Santa’ event. Participating staff were allocated another staff member by lucky draw and then bought them an anonymous gift. Great fun was had opening presents beneath our tree and sharing a Christmas toast and treats. URBIS wish all our staff, fellow consultants and clients a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

URBIS is pleased to announce that ‘Crescent Green’ won a Merit Award in the Large Scale Domestic Property (Site Area > 20,000 sq.m.) category. URBIS undertook full hard and soft landscape design services for this mixed medium and low-rise residential development in Kam Tin by Road King Properties Holding Ltd. which provides self-contained low density residential environment with generous communal and private open space. The tower blocks are aligned in a broad arc and create a central open area between them and the low rise housing. An internal EVA access road serves as an effective and comprehensive vehicular and pedestrian circulation route leaving the remaining areas as a pedestrian open space. Given the rural fringe location, the design concept was to reflect the local natural and cultural landscape context within the site to create sustainable and attractive living spaces. The central open space provides communal passive and active facilities for the residents in the form of a Club House with swimming pool and deck and surrounding amenity areas. The open space design provides a conceptual transition from a naturalistic mountain stream, through cultivated agricultural lowlands to coastal fishponds. Water features and cascades connect and activate the landscape. Seating areas are well distributed for users’ convenience and enjoyment. Additional communal open space is provided beneath and around the West Rail viaduct which bisects the northern half of the site with barbecue areas, play features and gathering spaces. In addition to communal open space, all low rise residential units have privately accessible gardens. A mix of evergreen and deciduous trees provide shade in summer and invite more sunshine in winter as well as seasonal visual interest. Large canopy shade trees are planted where space is available and fragrant trees, colourful shrubs, groundcovers and climbers are widely distributed throughout the landscaped areas and attract local wildlife, particularly butterflies.

URBIS is pleased to announce that ‘One Kai Tak – (I) and (II)’ won a Merit Award and an Environmental Efficiency Award in the Medium Scale Domestic Property (Site Area <20,000 – 2,000 sq.m.) category. URBIS undertook full hard and soft landscape design and implementation services for this luxury residential development by China Overseas Property Limited. The site lies in the heart of the urban redevelopment area of the former Kai Tak Airport and the twin lots were two of the first to be developed. The residential complex consists of two parallel lots separated by a street comprising a mix of high-rise towers, exclusive low-rise apartments and residential units. An important concept was the lack of podia in order to promote a ground level ‘garden’ feel for residents and achieve a seamless transition with the highly pedestrianised surrounding environment. Landscape design elements include club house swimming pools, communal open spaces, focal water features and roof gardens. Ground Floor planting is generous with trees, shrubs, climbers and lawns creating communal gardens with seasonal variety and richness, promoting biodiversity within the new urban area.

URBIS was happy to sponsor and participate in the “Run for Survival 2022” by Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong (OPCFHK). This annual event is a charity run promoting biodiversity and marine conservation. Over 20 URBIS staff and family members joined the Run and enjoyed the Conservation Carnival.

Sandy Duggie, MD of URBIS Limited, was delighted to be invited by Rooftop Republic to join the panel at Farm The City @ ReThink HK 2022 on 5th October 2022 to discuss the topic “Buildings and Liveability: Envisioning a New City Landscape.” The other panel members included Tiffany LAU (JLL) and Wing LEUNG (MMoser Associates) with Wendy TSAI (Oval Partnership) as moderator and a lively discussion ensued on issues such as “sponge cities”, community-centric design approaches and the “biophilia’ hypothesis that seeks multiple ways to reconnect people with nature through design. The ReThink HK 2022 was buzzing with over 4,700 delegates and it was encouraging to see so many minds being applied to creating a sustainable future for Hong Kong.

The first phase of the 1000 Trees mixed use development opened in Shanghai on 22nd December 2021. URBIS Limited has been working for several years with London based Heatherwick Studio on the landscape design of this spectacular new addition to the Shanghai skyline. Situated on the banks of Suzhou Creek in the Putuo District of the city on the site of a former floor mill, the development retains several historic structures. URBIS designed the riverside landscape, ground floor landscape, first floor terraces and the hundreds of planted ‘living columns’ which rise above the development. Construction of the larger, second phase is currently under way.

URBIS Limited is delighted to receive 4 AWARDS at the 2021 IFLA Asia-Pac Landscape Architecture
Awards:
1. Award of Excellence for K11 Nature Discovery Park under Built Projects: Skyrise Greenery Category
2. Honourable Mention for Six Private Gardens on Lantau Island under Built Projects: Residential Category
3. Honourable Mention for Victoria Dockside under Built Projects: Cultural and Urban Landscape Category.
4. Honourable Mention for Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront Revitalisation – Salisbury Garden and Avenue of Stars under Built Projects: Parks and Open Space Category.

On Sunday 1st August, Sandy Duggie, MD of URBIS, joined with Tim Peirson-Smith of Executive Counsel and David Stanton of AEC to host a guided tour of the beautiful landscapes of the Old Course at Fanling Golf Club to some fellow members of the Hong Kong Institute of Environmental Impact Assessment. The Old Course was created in 1911 and the landscape comprises undulating fairways weaving through secondary woodland of high biodiversity, containing many very old and beautiful mature trees. Fanling Golf Club contains probably over 400 potential OVTs (Old and Valuable Trees) a large proportion of which are located in the Old Course, including a stand of the rare Glyptostroboides pencilis, the Chinese Swamp Cypress, that is critically endangered. The Old Course constitutes a “Living Heritage Landscape” that has been under continuous care and management for over 110 years. HKIEIA members were shown many of the initiatives taken by the Club to promote and enhance the biodiversity of the local flora, fauna and birdlife, and also paid a visit to Club’s Bee Farm and Butterfly Garden.

URBIS is delighted that our project Victoria Dockside has been received Urban Habitat - Single Site Scale 2021 Award of Excellence at 2021 CTBUH Awards.
The winning projects represent the very best projects synthesizing tall building design and quality of the surrounding urban environment.

URBIS is proud to be the Landscape Architect of “Castle of Magical Dreams” which is the new centerpiece castle at Hong Kong Disneyland, opened on November 21 2020 as part of the park's 15th anniversary celebration. The castle's redesign pays tribute to all of the Disney Princesses.

URBIS is delighted and honoured that ‘This Place in Time’ - A Public Heritage Plaza at HSBC, 1 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong, a project conceptualised and designed by URBIS Limited and One Space Limited, has received a MERIT AWARD at The Greater Bay Area Urban Design Awards 2020 in the Urban Intervention category.
The objective of the first Greater Bay Area Urban Design Awards (GBA Urban Design Awards) is to elevate the standard of urban design in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) through recognition of excellence in urban design-related projects in the GBA, and to foster professional collaborations within the GBA.

URBIS project “Victoria Dockside” is shortlisted as Finalist of Asia Pacific Leadership in Green Building Awards 2020 under “The Leadership in Sustainable Design and Performance Award – Commercial“ category which recognises pioneering green building projects that deliver a range of benefits through a holistic approach to sustainability.
The winner of each category will be announced at an online ceremony on the 3rd December 2020.

URBIS Limited is very pleased that South East New Territories (SENT) Landfill Landscape Restoration: One-off Interim Monitoring Exercise is shortlisted as Finalists of the UK Landscape Institute Awards 2020 in the category ‘Excellence in Horticulture and Planting Design’. This year the Landscape Institute will be hosting an online edition of the 2020 LI Awards ceremony on 26 November.

URBIS has been honoured by the MPFS Authority as a “Good MPF Employer” and presented with “MPF Support Award” for the year 2019-2020. One of the objectives of the award is to recognize employers who are exemplary in enhancing the retirement benefits of their employees and URBIS is very pleased to be recognised in this regard.

URBIS Limited is delighted that “Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront Revitalization – Avenue of Stars and Salisbury Garden” won a Special Mention Award of the 8th Annual Architizer A+Awards in Concepts - Plus-Architecture +Urban Transformation category.
In response to global upheaval, this season’s theme of the Awards – The Future of Architecture – elevates those designs that are transforming society and the built environment for generations to come.

On Saturday 30th November, the Young Landscape Architects’ Group of the HKILA hosted a guided tour of Harcourt Garden led by URBIS Managing Director Sandy Duggie who was responsible for leading the Garden redesign. Located between Queensway and Harcourt Road, Harcourt Garden was rebuilt as part of the MTRC’s redevelopment of Admiralty Station to accommodate the Shatin to Central Line and South Island Line. The Garden was reopened to the public in May 2018. Sandy provided attendees with an explanation of the numerous design constraints and solutions, describing how the political structure of landscape management and maintenance in Hong Kong had a big influence on the final design and the facilities provided within the Garden.

Managing Director Sandy Duggie and Director Iris Hoi attended the Asian Townscape Conference and 2019 Awards held at THEi Chai Wan Campus on Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd November, attended by delegates from around Asia. The topic of the conference was “Resilient City: Landscape Planning towards Climate Adaptation”. On Friday morning Sandy gave a presentation on the “Tsim Sha Tsui Revitalisation: Salisbury Garden and Avenue of Stars” project by James Corner Field Operations (JCFO) and URBIS and in the afternoon provided delegates with a guided tour of URBIS’ “Kai Tak River” project. On Saturday, Iris was delighted to receive an Asian Townscape 2019 Award for ‘Tsim Sha Tsui Revitalisation: Salisbury Garden and Avenue of Stars”.

URBIS Limited did extremely well at the Hong Kong Institute of Planner’s annual awards ceremony held on the 9th of November 2019 at the Hong Kong International Conference and Exhibition Centre. The awards gave recognition to the work of URBIS and supporting consultants on two major high-profile projects
• Enhancing the Recreation and Education Potential of Country Parks and Special Areas: A project commissioned by Agricultural Fisheries and Country Parks Department to identify and design new facilities and attractions that will promote increased visitorship of Hong Kong’s Country Parks. The selected facilities were informed by extensive public engagement and surveys. It is now intended that the proposed new facilities will be incrementally implemented by the public and private sectors in forthcoming years.
• Kai Tak Urban Design Guidelines and Manuals: The preparation of a set of manuals circumscribing design principles and parameters that are geared at the creation of quality developments within the Kai Tak Development Area (KTDA) – the site of Hong Kong’s former international airport. The guidelines set out building massing and disposition arrangements and façade and design parameters that are intended to assist developers and architects to establish quality sustainable developments in a manner that meets governments design and planning aspirations for the KTDA.
Urbis Director Alan Macdonald led both projects accepted the awards on behalf of URBIS and supporting consultants who were respectively engaged on each project.

URBIS is heavily committed to promoting sustainable planning and design in all of its projects and recognition of this was obtained at the Green Building Awards 2019 Ceremony held on 5th November at The JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong, at which URBIS’ projects received no less than 9 awards including 4 Grand Awards and a Special Citation. The Awards comprised:
Grand Award (New Buildings-Completed) - Victoria Dockside
Grand Award (New Buildings-Completed) - One Taikoo Place
Grand Award (New Buildings-Under Planning Construction) - Grade A Office & Retail Development at NKIL 6556
Grand Award (New Buildings-Under Planning Construction) - A 30-Classroom Secondary School at Kai Tak Development (Site 1A-2)
Special Citation on UN Sustainable Development Goals - Victoria Dockside
Finalist (Research & Planning) - From "Brown to Green" Hung Shui Kiu New Development Area Planning and Engineering Study
Finalist (New Buildings-Under Planning Construction) - Chung Chi Student Development Complex
Finalist (Existing Buildings-Completed) - Renovation works for the West Wing of the former Central Government Offices for office use by the Department of Justice and law-related organisations
Finalist (Existing Buildings-Completed) - Tsimshatsui Waterfront Revitalization

URBIS Limited is delighted to announce that University of Chicago Center in Hong Kong (The HKJC University of Chicago Academic Complex) has been awarded the Hong Kong Institute of Architects Medal of the Year of Hong Kong and Special Architectural Award – Heritage and Adaptive Re-use.
The University of Chicago is nestled amongst tree canopies and verdant public hiking trails in Mt Davies, Hong Kong Island. Its design is inspired by the site's challenging topography, magnificent panoramic views and scattered remnants of its military past. The site’s unique history presents symbols of enclosure whilst serving as a reminder of Hong Kong’s history in the last century. The meticulous integration of heritage and contemporary architecture embodies a transformation reconciling the past with the promise of future opportunities.

Two of URBIS’ projects have been selected as WINNERS at the MIPIM Asia Awards 2019 – the leading regional property awards scheme:
1. Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront Revitalization in the ‘Best Urban Regeneration Project’ category.
2. Rosewood Hong Kong in the ‘Best Hotel & Tourism Development’ category.
The Gold, Silver and Bronze rankings will be decided by a public vote and revealed at the annual MIPIM Awards Gala in November, which recognizes some of the industry’s best projects in the Asia Pacific region.

URBIS Limited is delighted that Kai Tak River Improvement Works (Wong Tai Sin Section) is short-listed as a Finalist of the UK Landscape Institute Awards 2019 in the Design for Medium-Scale Development category. The awards will be announced in London on 28 November 2019.

URBIS Limited is proud to be the Executive Landscape Architect for the University of Chicago Center in Hong Kong (The HKJC University of Chicago Academic Complex). The recently completed University of Chicago's new Asian Campus – Francis and Rose Yuen Campus in Hong Kong, is located at scenic Mt Davis, Hong Kong Island. Nestled amongst native woodland with spectacular views of the South China Sea, the campus has celebrated a number of architectural design recognitions since its official opening in November 2018. These include:
• Gold Award of the HKIA CADSA Cross-strait Architectural Design Symposium and Awards 2019 in the Education & Religious category by the    Hong Kong Institute of Architects.
• Merit Award of the SCUP/AIA-CAE Excellence in Architecture 2019 by the Society for College & University Planning
• Merit Award of the FuturArc Green Leadership Award 2019 by the Building Construction Institute Asia
• Merit Award of the ASLA Northern California Chapter 2019 in the General Design Category
• Winner of the International Architecture Awards 2019 in Restoration / Renovation category by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of    Architecture and Design together with The European Center for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and Metropolitan Arts Press, Ltd.

Managing Director Alexander (Sandy) Duggie attended the garden party held by The Helena May on 27th September to celebrate the reopening of their Garden following renovation work undertaken by The Peak Tram’s contractors. The renovation was necessitated by the upgrading to the neighbouring Peak Tram. Host Linda Ferguson, Chair of Council, and Guest of Honour Sir Michael Kadoorie, Chairman of Hong Kong & Shanghai Hotels Ltd, owner of The Peak Tram, both spoke of the importance of good neighbours and made reference to the fact that the Kadoorie family have a long association with The Helena May and contributed to the creation of the original garden in 1916. URBIS Limited provided expert advice to The Helena May during the garden renovation.

URBIS Limited is proud to be the Executive Landscape Architect for K11 MUSEA. This new cultural-retail destination brings together retail, art, culture and entertainment at Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. It has been enlisted ‘100 Creative Powers’ to mastermind the architecture, landscape architecture, interiors and artwork.
K11 MUSEA sets a new benchmark for green design in Hong Kong. It boasts the world’s largest green walls wrapping its facade — with over 50,000 sq. ft covered in live greenery.
Nature Discovery Park at level 8 is Hong Kong’s first urban biodiversity museum and sustainability-themed education park. The K11 MUSEA project has also been awarded the US LEED (Gold) and the Hong Kong Beam Plus (Gold) standards, both green building pre-certifications proving that sustainability is key to its design.

URBIS Limited is proud to announce that Salisbury Garden Revitalization - A Harbour Front Vision received two awards at the Building Surveyor Awards 2019, namely the Merit Award in A&A and Conversion category, and the overall Sustainability Award.

URBIS Limited is delighted that Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront Revitalization - Avenue of Stars and Salisbury Garden is short-listed as a Finalist of the World Architecture Festival 2019 in the Landscape - Urban category. The Chung Chi Student Development Complex of the Chinese University of Hong Kong is also a Finalist in the Future – Education category. The awards ceremony will be held in Amsterdam on 6 December 2019.

URBIS Limited is proud to have contributed Landscape Design and Survey Services to the development of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Conghua Racecourse Project. Situated in the Conghua District of Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, Conghua Racecourse is the first world-class racecourse and thoroughbred training centre in the Mainland. Operating as part of a dual-site model, Conghua Racecourse complements the existing training centre at Sha Tin. With its state-of-the-art stabling, training and horse-care facilities, it will enable the Club to further develop the quality of its world-class racing.

URBIS is delighted to be appointed by the HKSAR Government as Landscape Architect for the upgrading of Hung Hom Promenade. This is one of the key waterfront spaces on Victoria Harbour and the landscape design will reinforce its local distinctiveness by referencing the site’s shipbuilding past.

URBIS have recently been awarded the contract to provide Landscape Architectural services for the Development of the New Training Centre for the Construction Industry Council of Hong Kong. URBIS will work with Leigh & Orange Architects to design the new centre which is envisaged as an innovative construction training campus located in Tai Po with an objective to support and encourage construction industry training development in Hong Kong.

URBIS is proud to announce that the University of Chicago Center in Hong Kong (The HKJC University of Chicago Academic Complex) has been awarded the FuturArc Green Leadership Award of Merit 2019. The site—formerly known as Victoria Road Detention Centre (VRDC)—is a historic site that has undergone various phases, and inhabited by different users over the years. It is located at the foot of Mount Davis at the western edge of Hong Kong Island, overlooking the Lamma Channel with 180-degree unobstructed sea views and lush vegetation. The building design seeks to preserve as many trees on-site as possible and deliberately proposed a low structure (three storeys high with one storey below grade) such that all levels can be surrounded by trees at eye level, strengthening the sense of connection with nature. The building design respects both the existing landscape and the existing heritage structures by weaving around and floating above the ground level.

The Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) launched a publication on HKHS’s quality elderly housing project, The Tanner Hill which URBIS Limited is proud to be the Landscape Architect. The publication features stories from contributors of The Tanner Hill project, covering topics such as its development concept, planning, design, construction, marketing, operation management, customer service and healthcare, sharing the little things behind the project’s development with the industry and the public.

URBIS Limited is proud to be the Executive Landscape Architect for Rosewood Hong Kong which was opened on 18 March 2019. Rosewood is a magnificent new ultra-luxury property in the heart of the Victoria Dockside arts and design district on the shores of Victoria Harbour. Situated on one of Hong Kong’s most significant waterfront locations in Tsim Sha Tsui - Kowloon’s dynamic, culturally compelling heart - the property is set to become a grand icon for the city, celebrating the area’s role as Hong Kong’s new creative and cultural epicentre.
Thailand's former prime minister Thaksin’s youngest daughter was married on the Wedding Lawn at the Rosewood on 22 March 2019 and Thai Princess Ubolratana was a guest.

On 20th of March 2019, AECOM and URBIS signed contract for the “Urban and Green Design Study for the Future Town Centre and the District Commercial Node in Hung Shui Kiu New Development Area- Feasibility Study”. The Study is geared at creating two distinctive commercial nodes within the HSK NDA. The HSK Town Centre will form the core commercial and administrative centre for the NDA whilst the District Centre located adjacent to Tin Shui Wai MTR Station will be developed as a secondary and supplementary key development node. The objective of the project is to create sustainable, green and state of the art development nodes that are of high architectural quality and are reflective of Hung Shui Kiu’s Role as a gateway from Hong Kong to Mainland.

URBIS Limited is proud to be the Landscape Architects for the Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel which was opened on 19 February 2019. The 471-room, resort style hotel combines nature-inspired décor and green elements. The landscape area includes three large lagoon style swimming pools, tropical planting and alfresco dining areas. The buildings have been designed to meet the environmental-friendly gold-rating for BEAM Plus New Buildings, including the hotel façade with its energy-saving design. With its world-class facilities and services of Ocean Park Hong Kong, the hotel offers guests a fun and educational stay supporting Hong Kong as a leading destination for tourists.

URBIS Limited is proud to be the Executive Landscape Architect for the newly revitalized Avenue of Stars, which reopened to the public on 31 January 2019. URBIS collaborated with James Corner Field Operations whose design concepts create an entirely new aesthetic look. The AOS is now more functional, comfortable and convenient for visitors, making it a world-class harbourfront landmark.

Hong Kong has swept the project categories at the ICE Awards in the 200th anniversary year of the Institution, with water and rail projects from the region earning top accolades. The 2018 Brunel Medal for civil engineering excellence is awarded to Hong Kong’s integrated Admiralty Station project, for which URBIS provided the landscape design. The project involved the complete redesign of Harcourt Garden located above the station, and URBIS had to resolve a complex series of design constraints including integration of numerous existing and new vent shafts associated with the expanded station, complex stepped levels on the station roof, difficult EVA requirements, and existing pedestrian stairwells and air-vents associated with the existing underground Admiralty Car Park.

The Cityscape Awards for Emerging Markets celebrates excellence in real estate development and architecture. Covering a range of categories, the awards offer international architects and leading real estate developers a prestigious platform to communicate a shared vision for the future, from culturally integrated city skylines to sustainable urban communities.
URBIS’ project (Salisbury Garden) is shortlisted as a Finalist in the Community & Culture Project Award (Built) Category.

URBIS Limited is delighted to receive the RTPI International Award for Planning Excellence 2017 for the Hung Shui Kiu New Development Area. The project (The Hung Shui Kiu New Development Area Planning and Engineering Study, Hong Kong) was undertaken for the Planning Department and the Civil Engineering and Development Department of the HKSAR Government and produced a Master Layout Plan, a Master Urban Design Plan and a Master Landscape Plan. The awards were announced in London on 15 June 2017. The URBIS team submission successfully beat off competing award bids from Europe, Africa, The Middle East, China and other locations. The study adopted the slogan of ‘From Brown to Green’ as planning and design proposals gave emphasis to the conversion of brownfield sites into sustainable new neighbourhoods. The project is currently under implementation.

URBIS Limited is delighted to receive a Merit Award for 1 & 3 Ede Road in the Domestic Property Category of the Best Landscape Award for Private Property Development 2016 organised by Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

URBIS is delighted to receive a 1^st Runner-up Award for the Sustainable Slope Landscaping Award under the Man-made Slope / Retaining Wall Category for the slope feature no. 11SE-A/FR61 at the Junction of Fortress Hill Road and Tin Hau Temple Road, North Point. The award was organised by the Geotechnical Engineering Office of the Civil Engineering and Development Department to commend excellent landscaping works for man-made slopes and natural hillsides and the contributions of the landscaping and engineering industries. It also marked the fifth anniversary of the Landslip Prevention and Mitigation Programme under the GEO.

URBIS is delighted that Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li is a 2015 Global Award for Excellence Winner. Twenty-two real estate developments have been selected as finalists in the 2015 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Global Awards for Excellence competition, widely recognised as one of the land use industry’s most prestigious award programmes. This year’s finalists represent developments from around the globe, including six in Asia, five in Europe, and eleven in North America. URBIS Limited is proud to be the landscape architect for Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li Chengdu, an open-plan, low-rise and lane-driven shopping precinct built around the old Daci Temple and other historic buildings located in the heart of Chengdu’s downtown shopping district.

URBIS Limited is very honoured to receive special recognition as the Landscape Architect with the most BEAM Plus Final and Provisional Platinum projects at the WorldGBC Congress 2015. Projects include Hysan Place, Zero Carbon Building, Trade & Industry Tower, Swire Leadership Centre at Pui O, Kai Tak Nullah Desilting Compounds 1 & 2, Office Development at NKIL 6312 Kowloon Bay & Hong Kong Science Park Phase II.

URBIS Limited is pleased to report its completion of a series of Urban Design Guideline Manuals for the Civil Engineering and Development Department. The manuals have been prepared specifically for the Kai Tak Development Area (KTDA). They are intended to guide developers and architects on the design parameters and approaches that should be applied within the KTDA.

URBIS Limited is proud to be the landscape architect for Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li Chengdu, an open-plan, low-rise and lane-driven shopping precinct built around the old Daci Temple and other historic buildings located in the heart of Chengdu's downtown shopping district. The project celebrated its grand opening on 24 April 2015.

URBIS supports Prudential Beach 5's 2015 and enters a beach 5’s Rugby team. The team won its way through to the final stages of the tournament.

The Upper House in Admiralty, owned by Swire Hotels, has received numerous accolades and is now recognised as one of the world’s top 25 hotels and China’s best luxury hotel by travel web-site TripAdvisor. The hotel was designed by Hong Kong born architect Andre Fu, the external façade by British architect Thomas Heatherwick and the soft landscape by URBIS. The name, “ The Upper House”, is derived from the design philosophy of an upward journey from Queensway towards Pacific Place, elevating to a serene house above the bustling city. The tall Ficus hedges and clipped Ficus trees of the landscape garden provide a calm and serene enclosed space within which to escape from the bustle of the city below.

We are pleased to announce the official launch of our brand new website www.urbis.com.hk. Our new website has been designed with a fresh new look. It presents the services offered by URBIS, recent projects and latest achievements in a more accessible and contemporary graphic format. With our 37 years experience in providing Landscape Architectural, Planning and Urban design services in Hong Kong, PRC, South East Asia and the Middle East we will continue to strive for design excellence in a rapidly changing environment.

A very tasty Christmas Lunch was enjoyed by all Hong Kong staff at the Hong Kong Football Club. Traditional fare included roast turkey with trimmings and Christmas pudding with brandy sauce.

URBIS is delighted to receive a SILVER MEDAL for Comprehensive Street Tree Management Plan for Hong Kong.

URBIS is delighted to receive a SILVER MEDAL for Jordan Valley Park.

URBIS is delighted to receive a MERIT AWARD for Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre.

URBIS is delighted to receive a “Winner” Award in the "Landscape Policy & Research" category of the UK Landscape Institute Awards 2014 for our study “A Comprehensive Street Tree Management Plan for Hong Kong” undertaken for Development Bureau. The awards where announced in London on 27 November 2014. The judges said “The comprehensive coverage of the key issues, and the rigour applied to the assessment. was exemplary. The methodology is not specific to the management of trees in Hong Kong, but could be adopted to such a programme anywhere.”

On 23rd November 2014, Phaidon Press and Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre Hong Kong presented an exclusive garden tour and talk in celebration of "The Gardener's Garden" which features 250 of the world's outstanding gardens.
Alexander M Duggie, Managing Director of URBIS Limited and Lily Jencks, daughter of Founder Maggie Keswick, spoke in conversation with Kissa Castaneda, Editor, Home Journal, and conducted a tour of the garden at Maggie's, which features in the book. A portion of all the proceeds were donated to Maggie's Hong Kong.

URBIS is delighted that our landscape design has contributed towards the “Trade and Industry Tower in Kai Tak Development Area (TITKT)” receiving a GRAND AWARD in the “New Buildings – Buildings under Construction” category of the Hong Kong Green Building Award 2014.

URBIS is delighted to receive a Merit Award for ‘Central Cityscape’ Streetscape Enhancement Project in the HKIUD Urban Design Awards 2014.

URBIS is delighted to receive a Merit Award for Hong Kong Island East Harbour-Front Study - Feasibility Study Project in the HKIUD Urban Design Awards 2014.

URBIS is pleased to announce that we have 5 projects on display at the HKILA’s 25th Anniversary Exhibition showcasing work of Hong Kong landscape architects’ who have won International planning and design awards.
The exhibition is titled “人‧境‧共融” and is at The Rotunda, One Exchange Square from 14th-28th August.
5 of the 17 projects on display are by URBIS.

French International School – Chai Wan New Primary School
HKIA Annual Awards 2013
Special Architectural Award
Alteration & Addition Works

CIC Zero Carbon Building
Certificate of Grand Award
Hong Kong Non-Residential [New Building] Category

Centennial Campus, The University of Hong Kong
Certificate of Merit Award
Hong Kong Non-Residential [New Building] Category

Hysan Place
Certificate of Merit Award
Hong Kong Non-Residential [New Building] Category

China Resources Building
Certificate of Grand Award

Pacific Place Contemporisation
Certificate of Merit Award
Hong Kong Building [Renovation / Revitalization] Category

Azura
Certificate of Merit Award
Hong Kong Residential [Single Building] Category