Author: Yin Ho

Cat Links Final Video Essay

[Field-Homework 3] Unconventional City: Glyph, Man Wah Building, Jordan

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Video essay link: https://youtu.be/2TWSCy5qDGE Backup link to Google Drive (In case YouTube remove the video again): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VOF3dB4WykYQ_zPp2EzPfhigNJhNRZZ0/view?usp=sharing Theme and subject matter The theme of my video is unconventional glyphs in the Man Wah Building, specifically the words appearing on signages and posters in the streets. The definition of ‘design’ is taken loosely in this project, referring to any glyphs that are written in an unconventional way, including those that may regarded as incorrect by many. Of all the artifacts in a physical community, glyph is almost the most abstract one. It certainly is presented in the street as an actual object

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Cat Links Lecture 7: Monsters, Materials & Skyscrapers

[Reading Response 2] Oh No, There Goes Tokyo

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In the chapter, the author humorously uses ‘Oh no, there goes Tokyo… but it will be back, and it may be even better than before.’ to conclude the never-ending optimism of the Japanese towards apocalypses. However, reflecting on the newer takes in the franchise, I believe the optimism is starting to be questioned, and a new perspective is introduced in this parallel of apocalyptic imagery and real-life disaster. One iconic example is Shin Godzilla (2016) directed by Hideaki Anno. In the postwar ‘golden age’, the monster in films is merely a plot device that introduces the apocalyptic backdrop and renders

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Cat Links Lecture 6: Housing Stories

Moving House Reflection – Fung Yin Ho

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The movie highlight the sarcasm of the departed ones unable to ‘rest in peace’, but are subjected to the redevelopment of the city. House is not only representing the physical columbarium that carry the ashes of the departed, but also, in an abstract manner, showing how the tradition of the people is impacted by the modern development.

Cat Links 2024 Blog, Lecture 3: The Post-war Asian City as Set

[Reading Response] Noirs – The City The Woman and Other Spaces by Eunice Seng

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The paper analyzes Hong Kong cinema in the 1960s, focusing on how spatial representation, including architectural features and set design, illustrates the underlying meaning of the melodrama and noir thriller mentioned in the essay. Such cinematic expression highlights how architectural elements enhance metatheatre, serving as metaphors for broader narratives of modernity, feminism, and political activism in 1960s Hong Kong. The cinema in the 1960s reflected the directors’ notion of modernity. They explore the concept of modernity to critique prevailing social norms and advocate for change. A notable example is the portrayal of the socialite-vigilante identity in Blackrose, which highlights the

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