The Kowloon Walled City was an anomoly in Hong Kong’s history: a tiny (0.016 sq.mi.) enclave owned by China in the middle of British Hong Kong. I can’t help but notice the uncanny resemblance the city has to the ancient walled structures of the Hakka Chinese.
This video takes you through the market stalls and walks you through the city. At 6:00 you enter the narrow, dark paths that crisscross the walled city.
I’ve always been skeptical about the extent to which architecture and city planning affect our lives, but from my experiences living in a few cities, I’m becoming more convinced of the strong influences the type of housing spaces can have on our lives.
‘My Chinese parents used to beat me with a feather duster’
It’s pretty amazing the types of things parents can find to beat their children with: badminton rackets, hula hoops, hot rods car tracks, vacuum cleaner accessories, hoses, leather belts, chairs… you name it
Tai O is the type of place you wouldn’t expect to find in Hong Kong, one of the busiest port cities and financial centres in Asia. Located on Lantau Island, it is a 40 minute bus-ride from the nearest subway station, but it feels as though you are transported back in time with the stilt huts built from sheet metal, wooden poles, and scrap material. It is one of the last places in Hong Kong where you can feel a sense of place and history.
After a fire in 2000 destroyed a large part of Tai O, the Hong Kong government tried to relocate its residents amid stiff opposition. The government hasn’t been able to take away this vibrant and interesting area yet, but it seems that it will only be a matter of time before this area is turned into the highrises that plague the rest of every square inch available land.
Hong Kong’s dirtiness, haphazard appearance, and what seems like a hodgepodge of buildings aspiring to be the most economical on the block, is not a bad thing. This type of cityscape is a fact ingrained in daily life, but one that enriches the urban experience. In most housing developments, government intervention is kept to a minimum, the appearance of buildings comes off as untidy and unkempt, but the city is vibrant, alive, and feels remarkably safe.
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