Hong Kong’s ‘Chubby Heart’ display skips a beat as high wind speeds force event to take ‘short break’
- Hong Kong Design Centre says display at Statue Square Gardens in Central to take a pause as winds speed exceed tolerable limit for 12-metre heart-shaped installation
- Art piece vulnerable to strong winds due to large size and vertical rigging of ropes, which might cause it to move in weather and pose risk to people, expert says
Hong Kong’s giant heart-shaped balloon installation is taking a “short break” amid high wind speeds, organisers have announced.
The Hong Kong Design Centre wrote on social media on Saturday that the “Chubby Heart” display, which launched on Valentine’s Day, would be briefly paused due to the weather that afternoon.
“Currently, the wind speed at Statue Square Gardens in Central has exceeded the maximum limit that the 12-metre [39-foot] heart-shaped installation can withstand,” it said. “To ensure public safety, the giant heart needs to take a short break and will meet everyone again when the weather stabilises.”
The installation is believed to be four times the size of one on display in London.
A source told the Post that the team carried out a test before and found that the balloon would need to be taken down if the wind speed reached about 41km/h (25mph), similar to that experienced under a typhoon No 3 signal.
According to the Hong Kong Observatory, the 10-minute mean wind speed at Central Pier ranged from 20km/h to 25km/h at 4pm.
But the organiser said it had prepared a surprise for residents. “For the first time ever, two 3-metre Chubby Hearts will appear together at Statue Square Gardens in Central today! Come and capture this special moment from 1pm to 9pm today!” it said.
The installation’s smaller counterparts will be on display across the city until February 24, with some set up at Ngong Ping Village on Lantau Island on Saturday.
Authorities on Friday revealed the organiser of the installation, which is categorised as a major local event, had sought HK$7.8 million (US$997,170) in government funding to showcase the art piece from British designer Anya Hindmarch.
The funds have yet to be approved and would cover the costs of curation, exhibition production, security, market research and promotion.
Louis Szeto Ka-sing, a former chairman of the Hong Kong Institute of Engineers’ mechanical, marine, naval architecture and chemical division, said he agreed with the organiser’s decision to suspend the exhibit.
“The installation cannot be placed in locations where the wind is too strong. It is not designed to withstand strong winds,” he said.
“The ropes are tied to the installation vertically. When there is a strong wind, the art piece will be blown in a certain direction like a balloon being held by a kid. No ropes are pulling the piece horizontally.”
Szeto said the ropes could snap due to strong winds and pose a danger to those nearby.
“Even if the ropes did not break, they are attached to the balloon using hot-melt materials. The materials might split, causing the balloon to leak air,” he noted.
A smaller balloon would be less affected by such winds due to its lower contact area, he added.
As of 5pm on Saturday, dozens had gathered to view the Chubby Hearts exhibit in Central despite the replacement of the larger balloon.
The two smaller heart-shaped balloons bobbed up and down in the wind, with staff occasionally adjusting the wires holding the display down.
Housewife Aria Eom, who visited the display with her friend and husband after eating nearby, said the two smaller hearts were “still fine”.
“If I came here just for that [the large balloon], maybe I would say that I would be disappointed,” she said.
The 39-year-old South Korean noted the larger display would have been prettier as the smaller hearts required more lines to secure them down.
Hotel concierge Wai Chan said he was a little disappointed that the larger heart was replaced with the two smaller ones, but he said he understood why the organiser had to do so.
“Of course a big heart is better than a small heart, but having a small heart is better than nothing,” the 50-year-old said.
Chan, who came from Shau Kei Wan specifically to view the installation with his wife, said he did not regret coming to view the display as he knew it was replaced but still wanted to view it anyway.
However, he said that the display was average and questioned why it cost HK$7.8 million.
More than 200,000 have visited the installations across the city in the first three days, with more than 20 per cent tourists, according to the organiser.
