Tsun Yip Street Playground (TYSP) was originally built in 1973 serving mainly the workers in the Kwun Tong industrial area at the time. With the area transforming into a business area, improvements to TYSP have been made in two phases to cater for the community needs. TYSP has been renamed as “InPARK” after completion of the improvement works, which conveys industrial culture elements through the park facilities and installations, and was officially opened in March 2019 for public enjoyment.
Part of the TYSP has been converted from an ordinary sitting-out area into an open-air gallery showcasing industrial culture and art installations in Phase 1 improvement works. It is the first project showcasing how findings and recommendation of "The Spirit of Creation – Study of Industrial Culture of Kowloon East" can be integrated into the public space design.
Rain shelters and exhibition pavilions, which are converted from four industrial containers, demonstrate the possibility of small public spaces via adaptive reuse and design. It is designed to accommodate exhibition and leisure, community and culture, as well as public art and urban daily life. A virtual tour video is available below.
This exhibition space displays the exhibits and art installations of "The Spirit of Creation", which is the essence of the economic development in Hong Kong and tells the story of Hong Kong people with great perseverance, braveness and creativity spirit that will be inherited into the future.
In addition to the explanatory panels, there are art installations created by local artists. Some unique industrial products manufactured in Hong Kong such as watches, plastic strainer, hot water kettle, etc. were casted in clear resin for the public to appreciate them. A Kowloon East Discovery Map made of welded nuts and corten steel, which detailed the amalgamation of materials and industrial stories, is also exhibited. A large scale neon light installation entitled "The Light of Industry" is installed in a vertical container, which produces colors and lights to symbolize the vibrant industrial culture of Kowloon East.
Phase 2 improvement works converted the remaining part of the TYSP into a park with an industrial culture theme, providing a central lawn with landscape amenities, sitting-out areas and a multi-purpose area for performance and exhibition.
Seven sets of public artworks are installed, featuring seven prominent industries in Kowloon East in the past, including clothing and garments, textile, toys, plastics, electronics, printing, and timepieces. They highlight the industrial culture in Kowloon East and showcase the vision of integrating future commercial developments and creative design. The public can be embraced in the artistic ambience filled with industrial culture elements while enjoying the open space. These artworks are selected via the “Public Art Scheme of Tsun Yip Street Playground”, which was organized by the Art Promotion Office, Leisure and Cultural Services Department, supported by the Energizing Kowloon East Office and launched in September 2016 to select artworks for InPARK through an open call for proposals from local artists and art groups.
Adjacent to InPARK, Tsun Yip Cooked Food Market has been facelifted through facade renovation, provision of accessible lift, upgrading of building services installation and renovation of roof-top sitting-out area with addition of a community garden. The roof-top sitting-out area was reopened in May 2021 for public enjoyment.