HKU station

HKU (Chinese: 香港大學) is a station on the Hong Kong MTR Island Line located in the Lung Fu Shan and 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.

This article is about the station serving University of Hong Kong. For the station serving the Chinese University of Hong Kong, see University station (MTR).

HKU 香港大學
MTR rapid transit station
Platform 1 (foreground)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	香港大學
Simplified Chinese	香港大学
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xiānggǎng Dàxué Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization hoeng1 gong2 daai6 hok6 IPA [hœ̂ːŋkɔ̌ːŋ tàːihɔ̀ːk] Jyutping hoeng1 gong2 daai6 hok6
General information
Location	The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam Road, Bonham Road, Lung Fu Shan, Shek Tong Tsui, Central and Western District, Hong Kong
Coordinates	22°17′03″N 114°08′08″E
Operated by	MTR Corporation
Line(s)	Island line
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 Kennedy Town Terminus Island line Sai Ying Pun towards Chai Wan Planned Terminus South Island line (West) Queen Mary Hospital towards Wong Chuk Hang
Track layout to Kennedy Town 2 1 to Sai Ying Pun
Location
HKU Location within the MTR system

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 (1.4 mi) of tunnel. In 2009, the design and architecture was awarded to Aedas in joint venture 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.

HKU station opened on 28 December 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 University of Hong Kong nearby.

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]

• A1 : Pok Fu Lam Road
  • Pok Fu Lam Road, The University of Hong Kong West Gate, Loke Yew Hall, St. Anthony's School, St. Paul's College, St. Stephen's Church College, King's College[14][15]
• A2 : The University of Hong Kong
  • HKU University Street (Chow Yei Ching Building, Haking Wong Building, Run Run Shaw Building, Rayson Huang Theatre, Sun Yat-sen Place, Knowles Building)[14][15]
• B1: Whitty Street
  • Whitty Street, Courtyard by Marriott Hong Kong, Kwan Yick Building Phase 2, Ramada Hong Kong, Shek Tong Tsui Municipal Services Building, St. Louis School, St. Stephen's Church College, Western Court, Western Harbour Centre[14][15]
• B2 : Hill Road
  • Hill Road, Hong Kong Plaza, Hotel Jen, Kwan Yick Building Phase 1, SKH St. Peter's Primary School (70 Hill Road), Yip Cheong Building[14][15]
• C1 : Pok Fu Lam Road
  • Pok Fu Lam Road, Chiu Sheung School Hong Kong, Jockey Club Student Village I, Ricci Hall, SKH St. Peter's Primary School (88 Hill Road), The Belcher's, HKU Yam Pak Building, HKU Centennial Campus (Cheng Yu Tung Tower, Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre, Run Run Shaw Tower, The Jockey Club Tower)[14][15]
• C2: Belcher's Street
  • Belcher's Street, Belcher Bay Park, Harbour One, Kennedy Town Swimming Pool, The Westwood[14][15]

• 
  West Concourse
• 
  East Concourse
• 
  Exit and Entrance A1
• 
  Exit and Entrance A2
• 
  Exit and Entrance C2

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

1. "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. 29 May 2014.
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 24 August 2004. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
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. Archived from the original on 25 February 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
8. Proposed location of HKU Station, MTR Corporation
9. "HKU Station layout" (PDF). MTR Corporation. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
10. "First MTR Lift-only Entrances at HKU and Sai Ying Pun Stations Provide Convenient Vertical Access" (PDF). MTR Corporation. 19 November 2014.
11. 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. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
13. "University station will be learning experience". The Standard. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
14. Site Plan of University Station, West Island Line EIA Reports
15. "HKU Station street map" (PDF). MTR Corporation. Retrieved 10 January 2014.