Art enchants from the ground up

September 8, 2024

Local charm:

Engineer Vincent Wan showcases a manhole cover that depicts the view from Tai Chung Bridge, reflecting the area’s tranquil yet vibrant life in Tai O.

Rich tradition:

These covers highlight the auspicious banyan trees of Lam Tsuen in Tai Po, which are adorned with wishing placards that symbolise hope and prosperity for everyone.

Lasting legacy:

Outdoor-grade painting materials were chosen for the thematic manhole covers to ensure the designs can withstand exposure to sun and rain.

Download Video| Transcript

Voiceover:
Does this image look a little familiar? That’s right. It is a coloured pattern featuring the famous Wishing Tree in Lam Tsuen. 

What about this one, with its bold Chinese characters meaning “stilt houses”? 

With a watercourse in the foreground and mountains to the back, it depicts Tai O.

But that’s not all. We also have Butterfly Valley Road Pet Garden, Cha Kwo Ling Promenade, Kai Tak River and Ngong Ping.

The Drainage Services Department has installed over 200 limited edition manhole covers, at 11 selected locations. 

Drainage Services Department Engineer Vincent Wan:
The theme of these manhole covers is the stilt houses of Tai O.  

We portray the scenic view seen from the Tai Chung Bridge towards the stilt houses on our thematic covers. 

The stilt houses, the small boats and the (fishermen’s) catches show the daily life of Tai O fishermen today. We have also included Tai O’s specialities in our design, including shrimp paste and salted fish. 

The wooden ladder on the manhole covers shows how Tai O residents use architectural design to accommodate and facilitate their lifestyle as fishermen. 

Voiceover:
The department has integrated local scenic elements into the design of its manhole covers, enhancing the drainage system’s aesthetic appearance while also highlighting Hong Kong’s rich culture, allowing both citizens and tourists to discover new hotspots for photos.

Drainage Services Department Engineer Daniel Chan:
These thematic manhole covers are designed with the theme of “wishing trees”, depicting a magnificent banyan tree with lots of wishing placards hanging on its branches that symbolise blessings. 

Voiceover:
In designing the manhole covers, the department must also consider their practical functions. The patterns must maintain slip-resistance and durability, while the designs must also ensure the covers’ keyholes remain unobstructed.

Drainage Services Department Engineer Eugene Qiu:
To increase the durability of coloured thematic manhole covers, we selected a painting material used in outdoor environments, so that the colour coating is able to resist the effects of exposure to the sun and rain.  

For the thematic manhole covers located in Lei Yue Mun, mountains, water, carp, fishing boats, nostalgic ferries, (archway) and lighthouse have been chosen as design elements.

Mountains and water not only represent the geographical environment of Lei Yue Mun Village, surrounded by mountains and rivers, but also symbolise the sewerage system built by the DSD (Drainage Services Department) to improve water quality in the typhoon shelter area. 

Carp, fishing boats and nostalgic ferries represent the district’s vibrant fishing activities and tourist attractions, featured by delicious seafood, while (archway) and lighthouse are landmarks in the village. 

Voiceover:
Beautifying our city is a joint effort – and everyone can join in.

To celebrate its 35th anniversary, the department is hosting a thematic manhole cover design competition. 

The winning designs may be transformed into actual manhole covers that will be installed at various locations throughout Hong Kong.

As you stroll around Hong Kong, glancing beneath your feet is probably not what comes naturally to mind. After all, there is so much to see at eye-level and above.

The Drainage Services Department (DSD) is doing its best to give residents and visitors more reason to look down, however. Its series of more than 200 limited edition manhole covers at 11 selected locations, each bearing a coloured design representing a scenic Hong Kong landmark, is aimed at beautifying the city’s infrastructure and enchanting pedestrians.

One of the designs captures the spirit of Tai O with an intricate depiction of stilt houses, small boats, and the daily lives of fishermen. It even references local specialities such as shrimp paste and salted fish.

DSD Engineer Vincent Wan explained: “These covers unveil the scenic view from Tai Chung Bridge, capturing the essence of Tai O’s tranquil yet bustling life.”

Vibrant heritage

Other themed manhole covers in the series portray the renowned “wishing trees” of Lam Tsuen. DSD Engineer Daniel Chan said these covers highlight Lam Tsuen’s auspicious banyan trees, which are adorned with wishing placards that symbolise hope and prosperity for both locals and visitors alike.

The covers depicting Lei Yue Mun meanwhile offer vistas of mountains, water, and the lively echoes of fishing boats and nostalgic ferries, whilst also giving a nod to the DSD’s efforts to enhance water quality. The archway and lighthouse, quintessential landmarks, pay homage to the area’s rich cultural heritage.

There is more to the covers than just artistic merit, however. They are designed to be functional as well as aesthetically pleasing, and the patterns must maintain slip-resistance and keep keyholes unobstructed. They also have to be durable against Hong Kong’s varied weather conditions, and to that end the DSD has used a special paint that can withstand sun and rain, ensuring these artworks will remain vibrant.

Outdoor canvas

In a true celebration of community spirit, the DSD is inviting residents to contribute to this treasury of urban art by holding a manhole cover design competition marking its 35th anniversary. Winning entries may be transformed into actual manhole covers, giving citizens the chance to leave their mark on the cityscape.