PBL Seminar on Sustainable Urban Planning

On 23 February, our Grade 9 students had the opportunity to attend an insightful seminar hosted by the Hong Kong Institute of Planners on urban planning and renewal strategies. The seminar focused specifically on redeveloping and revitalizing the Kowloon City district through sustainable urban planning practices.

During the session, students learned about the key factors that planners would consider when developing renewal plans for an area. These included balancing environmental protection, infrastructure improvements, and community engagement. The speakers provided local examples of renewal projects underway in Kowloon City, such as renovating historic buildings and public spaces to preserve cultural heritage while accommodating population growth. Examples of innovative community-led solutions were also shared, like setting up "Summer Resting Stations" to help mitigate heat risk and the "wall effect" caused by dense urban development. Through these cases, students explored how district-level planning could address complex social issues.

It was a valuable experience for our Grade 9 students to gain expertise from industry professionals as they define their own project on a sustainability challenge facing Hong Kong. The seminar equipped them with useful insights that can be applied when proposing recommendations for renewing and revitalizing neighborhoods. We are grateful to the Hong Kong Institute of Planners for providing this informative learning opportunity.