We begin by re-aligning the tram. The tram currently occupies the centre of the DVRC along its length. By moving the tram slightly away from the centre we create an asymmetric street profile, alongside this the buses share the tramway when they enter DVRC from Rumsey Street. These two moves enable the making of a larger pedestrian space at the centre of DVRC connected with Sheung Wan MTR. This will be Sheung Wan Square.

Next to this along its eastern section the tram moves slightly to the south side facilitating a dedicated bus corridor and improved waiting spaces for bus passengers.

Sheung Wan Square now becomes the centre of DVRC and a point from where the visitor can orient themselves in the wider context. The streets lead into the square and they establish their function as the predominant place of interaction in the wider context.

In addition to the new street layout we also re-imagine the tram stops. They enable the ground plane of DVRC to connect with the upper level walkways and complexity of the surrounding context. They also increase the efficiency of the tramway system with the improved pedestrian connections.

Next to this each rooftop acts as an elevated parklet and each provides 400m2 of programmed public space, in total we can create 2200m2 of new public space in the very heart of one of the world’s most densely built districts.

The five iconic tramstops become the link between:

• the upper level skywalks,
• the pedestrianised Des Voeux Road Central,
• the surrounding culture and heritage,
• the tram transportation system

The area surrounding Des Voeux Road Central constitutes a complex tri-dimensional pedestrian environment that comprises several levels: at grade sidewalks, elevated walkways and underground passages connecting the metro stations. This environment should be recognised as one single, complex, multi-layered pedestrian environment, leading to an optimal and integrated design of all its elements to the advantage of pedestrian mobility, safety, wayfinding and comfort.

The pedestrianisation of DVRC will be the catalyst for a wider change across the districts of Central and Sheung Wan, the linear connection of DVRC should be matched with lateral connections of equal quality. Safe pedestrian crossing points are needed all along Queen’s Road where the cross streets meet and continue towards DVRC. The topography while posing a challenge also offers many opportunities for micro interventions that serve pedestrians but which simultaneously improve the public realm through greening strategies. A high quality public realm affords its users with opportunities to stop and socialise, meet and gather, sit and watch.

At the eastern end skywalk connections from the ferry now directly connect with DVRC, and at the western end the pedestrian can continue their walk along the elevated connector which connects back to the waterfront, or in the other direction to Sheung Wan market and Lascar Row. These wider connections and interventions establish DVRC as the primary link across the wider district. A role which it already has but now it becomes much more efficient, easy and convenient to be a pedestrian here, while there are increased opportunities for social meetings and interactions along the routes.

The wider context and its complexity really asks for a full and complete modelled pedestrian simulation to be carried out. Pedestrian flow analysis allows the organisation of all the interactions between pedestrians and other vehicles with the aim of gaining a deep understanding of the pedestrian dynamics to identify opportunities that provide guidance to designs starting from the basis of pedestrian flows.