2047 HKSZ METROPOLIS 
THE FORBIDDEN ZONE
FROM A SPACE OF SEPARATION TO A CENTRAL ECOLOGICAL EDEN

FCA, the forbidden zone
In-between the densely populated metropolises of Hong Kong and Shenzhen, lies a zone of 2800 hectares which has been operating outside the productive circuit of both cities for the past 60 years. This area, the Frontier Closed Area (FCA) was established in 1951 by the then British-HK government as a buffer between Hong Kong and Mainland China to combat illegal immigrants and smugglers.  The FCA was controlled by the police and access was only possible with a special permit.
Because of this condition this forbidden zone had been spared from the urban expansion of Hong Kong and as a side-effect it was given the opportunity to develop into an ecological Eden.

1997
After the hand-over in 1997 this forbidden zone, with its purpose as a buffer between Hong Kong and Shenzhen will gradually become obsolete.
In 2012 the HK SAR government started the 1st phase of the FCA reduction plan. The 2800 hectares of the original FCA will be reduced to 400 hectares in 3 phases, with the last phase in 2015.
Together with the closer collaboration between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, the urban fabric of these two metropolises will be merged together. But it will be a huge lost for both Hong Kong and Shenzhen to sacrifice this valuable eco-system for yet another “high-end” real estate.

Central Ecological Eden
In contrary to the sprawling occupation, the preservation of this green zone as a Central Park, an Ecological Eden between the both metropolises would be a much bigger contribution.

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