AtkinsRéalis named for Loop Hong Kong Park phase 1

AtkinsRéalis has been appointed by Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Parks as Lead Design Consultant for key infrastructure and public facilities in Phase 1 of Loop Hong Kong Park, within the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Co-operation Zone.

The appointment covers roads and related transport infrastructure, a common utilities enclosure, underground water, drainage and utility networks, and the Central Boulevard with its surrounding landscaped public realm. AtkinsRéalis will lead the multidisciplinary contract and work with Leigh & Orange and Zaha Hadid Architects on parts of the boulevard development.

Loop Hong Kong Park is being developed as a major technology and research site on the Hong Kong-Shenzhen border. It is intended to support closer collaboration between the two cities as Hong Kong expands its role in innovation and technology within the Greater Bay Area.

Phase 1 scope

The Central Boulevard is expected to be a key organising feature of the first phase, linking different parts of the development and shaping movement through the site. Public facilities and outdoor space form part of the initial infrastructure package, alongside the utility and transport works needed to support later stages of the park.

The scheme will also include smart city provisions, digital infrastructure and building information modelling in project delivery. The brief includes sustainability measures, including a review of features linked to net-zero goals and an assessment of opportunities for green building certifications.

The project adds to AtkinsRéalis' presence in Hong Kong's infrastructure and urban development market, where coordination with regulators, utilities and transport bodies is often central to delivery. Its local project experience will be applied alongside broader engineering and planning input across the site's multiple interfaces.

Hong Kong authorities have positioned the wider development as a flagship cross-boundary innovation project. It is designed to bring together research activity, commercial tenants and skilled workers in a single district, with infrastructure intended to support those links from the outset.

Cross-boundary focus

The Hetao zone has emerged as one of the most closely watched areas in plans for deeper economic and technology integration between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Development at Loop Hong Kong Park is expected to play a visible role in that strategy by creating physical connections and shared facilities for innovation-led businesses and institutions.

For HSITPL, the infrastructure contract is an early step in turning a broad planning concept into an operational site. Delivery of transport links, utility systems and public realm is likely to influence how quickly research and commercial uses can be introduced in the first phase.

Simon Wong, Chief Project Development Officer at HSITPL, said: "The Loop Hong Kong Park is an important platform for deepening innovation and technology collaboration between Hong Kong, the Mainland and the rest of the world, and for creating the conditions that will allow research, enterprises and talent to connect and grow. As Phase 1 progresses, the delivery of high-quality, connected and sustainable infrastructure will be critical to supporting the Park's continued development. We look forward to working with AtkinsRéalis to help create an environment that enables innovation, collaboration and future growth."

The contract also gives a clearer picture of the practical elements that will underpin the park's first phase. Alongside below-ground engineering works, the inclusion of boulevard design, landscaping and digital systems points to an effort to shape both the functional and public-facing character of the site at an early stage.

Wing Law, Chief Executive Officer, Asia, AtkinsRéalis, said: "The Loop Hong Kong Park is a cornerstone development within the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Co-operation Zone and a catalyst for deeper innovation and technology collaboration between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. AtkinsRéalis is honoured to support this landmark initiative by providing the infrastructure foundations that will underpin the Park's long-term vision. By bringing together multidisciplinary engineering, digital and sustainability expertise, we aim to enable a connected, resilient and future-ready environment that supports innovation, collaboration and sustainable growth as the Park evolves."