City-branding without content: Hong Kong's aborted West Kowloon mega-project, 1998-2006

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlespeer-review

30 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

After much debate, in February 2006 the proposed West Kowloon cultural development project - a kind of cultural flagship initiative put forward by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to develop a landmark for the purposes of city-branding, place-promotion and promoting culture - was shelved, at least temporarily. Though a consultative committee was appointed by the government on 6 April to mark its re-launch, the twists and turns are surely lessons for future efforts at city-branding and place-marketing. The proposal was a typical package of urban entrepreneurialism, with an emphasis on chasing after mega-projects, iconic buildings and media visibility. But it avoided questions concerning the substance of the entire project, consensus from below and the vision of cultural development. Its failure shows that, without addressing these basic questions, city competition by means of developing global architecture, mega-projects and fabricated urban culture is inevitably futile. Copyright © 2008 Liverpool University Press.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)215-226
JournalInternational Development Planning Review
Volume30
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2008

Citation

Lui, T.-L. (2008). City-branding without content: Hong Kong's aborted West Kowloon mega-project, 1998–2006. International Development Planning Review, 30(3), 215-226.

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'City-branding without content: Hong Kong's aborted West Kowloon mega-project, 1998-2006'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.