HKU Station

HKU
香港大學
MTR
MTR rapid transit station

Platform 1 (foreground)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 香港大學
Simplified Chinese 香港大学
General information
Location Yam Pak Building, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam Road, Shek Tong Tsui
Central and Western District, Hong Kong
Coordinates 22°17′03″N 114°08′08″E / 22.2841°N 114.1356°E / 22.2841; 114.1356Coordinates: 22°17′03″N 114°08′08″E / 22.2841°N 114.1356°E / 22.2841; 114.1356
Operated by MTR Corporation
Line(s)
Platforms 2 (island platform)
Connections Bus, public light bus
Construction
Structure type Underground
Depth 70[1] metres (230 ft)
Platform levels 1
Disabled access Yes
Other information
Station code HKU
History
Opened
  • 28 December 2014 (2014-12-28)[1][2]
Services
Preceding station   MTR   Following station
Terminus
Island Line
towards Chai Wan
  Proposed  
TerminusSouth Island Line (West)
Location
Hong Kong MTR system map
HKU
Location within the MTR system

HKU (Chinese: 香港大學) is a station on the Hong Kong MTR Island Line located in the Shek Tong Tsui neighbourhood of the Western District, Hong Kong. It is named after The University of Hong Kong, which is also served by the station.

Part of the West Island Line, a westward extension to the existing Island Line, HKU Station opened on 28 December 2014 along with Kennedy Town Station.

As of its opening, HKU Station is the largest and deepest station in the MTR network, at 70 metres (230 ft) below ground.

History

Before the 1980s, the HKU station was planned to be built underground at Des Voeux Road West, near Ka On Street, Whitty Street and Hill Road. Lots at Chong Yip Centre and Pacific Plaza were reserved for future station exits and concourse.[3]

The MTR Corporation let out a tender for the construction of the Sai Ying Pun and HKU stations and 2.2 km of tunnel. In 2009, the design and architecture was awarded to Aedas in joint verture with AECOM.[4] The construction work was awarded to Gammon Construction, (half owned by Balfour Beatty) for 4.7 billion HK dollars.[5] Construction commenced in 2010 and was completed in 2014.

Naming

There were disputes among locals and district councillors over the station's name. Some suggested to restore the previous official name "Belcher" (寶翠, [pǒutsʰɵ̄y], bou2 ceoi3) after The Belcher's, a housing development in the area, as well as Belcher Street and Belcher Bay. Some believed that the MTR Corporation's decision to change the name to "University" was not well consulted within the community, while others worried that it might cause confusion with another existing University Station on the East Rail Line. Some also suggested "Shek Tong Tsui", after the area the station would serve.

In August 2009, MTR named the station "Hong Kong University".[6] The latest revision changed the English name to "HKU",[7] the abbreviation of the nearby University of Hong Kong.

Station layout

G Ground level Exits/Entrances
C Concourse Customer Service
P
Platforms		 Platform 1      Island Line towards Chai Wan (Sai Ying Pun) →
Island platform, doors will open on the right
Platform 2 ←      Island Line towards Kennedy Town (Terminus)

The station is located under Pok Fu Lam Road.[8] It has two tracks and one center island platform.[9] In addition, the MTR has built elevators to link HKU Station to the University of Hong Kong.[10] The HKU station is located at a depth of 70 metres (230 ft), making it the deepest station in the MTR system upon its opening.[11][12]

HKU Station features designated refuge areas, to which passengers can be evacuated in case of emergency. Refuge areas are pressurised and equipped with fire systems including sprinklers and fire curtains, and independent power supply units. The HKU station is the first station in the MTR network to apply such shelter design and the use of lifts to reach safety.[11]

Exits

HKU Station has a total of six exits. As exits A1, A2 and C1 are situated deep underneath the Mid-Levels, only express elevators are used to transport passengers.[1] This makes HKU Station the first to feature lift-only exits.[13][10]

Exits A1 and A2 are served by a total of eight lifts with a maximum load of 1,800 kg per lift. Exit C1 is served by four lifts with a capacity of 2,100 kg each.[10]

Future

HKU Station is proposed to be an interchange station for the Island Line and the South Island Line (West). The platforms of the South Island Line (West) will be built under those of the Island Line.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to HKU Station.
  1. 1 2 3 "Extension of Island Line to Western District". MTR Corporation. Archived from the original on 26 April 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  2. ↑ "West Island Line targets to open in December 2014, 90% of works complete" (PDF). MTR Corporation. 2014-05-29.
  3. ↑ 西港島線歷史 [History of West Island Line] (in Chinese). Hong Kong West Island Line Concern Group. 2002. Archived from the original on 2004-08-24. Retrieved 2014-07-06.
  4. ↑ "Spectrum Asia Issue 02/April 2011" (PDF). AECOM.
  5. ↑ "MTR West Island Line progresses". Railway Gazette International. 31 March 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  6. ↑ Construction of the MTR West Island Line Project Commenced, MTR Corporation.
  7. ↑ "Official website of West Island Line". MTR. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
  8. ↑ Proposed location of HKU Station, MTR Corporation
  9. ↑ "HKU Station layout" (PDF). MTR Corporation. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  10. 1 2 3 "First MTR Lift-only Entrances at HKU and Sai Ying Pun Stations Provide Convenient Vertical Access" (PDF). MTR Corporation. 19 November 2014.
  11. 1 2 Sung, Timmy (20 November 2015). "Emergency 'refuge areas' at deepest MTR stop". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  12. ↑ "The MTR's new West Island line". TimeOut Hong Kong. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  13. ↑ "University station will be learning experience". The Standard. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Site Plan of University Station, West Island Line EIA Reports
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "HKU Station street map" (PDF). MTR Corporation. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
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