By Cheung Chi-fai
October 20, 2014, South China Morning Post
An award-winning American architect has proposed transforming some of the city’s municipal services buildings and refuse collection points into multistorey recycling and community centres.
Thomas Schmidt, a founding member of the American Institute of Architects Hong Kong, has drawn up a conceptual plan of a low-rise complex that could serve as the focal point of collection and handling of waste generated from a neighbourhood.
The buildings, of up to six floors, would house recycling, community, leisure and educational activities under one roof.
Schmidt came up with the scheme as the saga over funding for the extension of landfills and an incineration plant continues in the legislature.
“The goal of such a centre would be to sort and process as much waste as close to source as possible and divert as much material away from landfill as possible,” he said. Read more…