[Field-Homework 3] Disappearing City- Corner tower, Portland Street, Mong Kok

Hypothesis: corner buildings are disappearing due to the rapid development of modernization.

The theme of the movie is to introduce corner towers and the meaning of them, while at the same time discuss the underlying methods to prevent or slow down the speed of the disappearance of corner buildings.

With the development of modernization, the architectures that we see through various approaches, such as films and dramas, have a tendency of unification in which the majority of newly constructed buildings are starkly angular skyscrapers. The uniqueness part of Hong Kong is losing during this process. According to Michael Wolf, the last photographer who started to document Hong Kong’s corner towers in 2005, there were five corner buildings already disappeared in 2010 and the situation will be worsen continuously in the future (Dewolf, 2019). Currently, corner houses are mainly located in old urban neighbourhoods including Price Edward, Mong Kok, Sai Ying Pun and Wan Chai, etc.

Apart from its unique outlook, the meanings behind the buildings are another factor that makes them treasurable. Corner Tong Laus have contained the common memories of residents from different generations ever since the 20^th century. it is a representation and educational tool of sense of belonging for modern citizens. More importantly, the qualities of both anonymity and peculiarity of corner houses are surprisingly high, which has exhibited the talent and creativity of their designers and the spirit of an era lived through by many Hong Kong people (Ku, 2018).

To contribute to the conservation of corner houses, it is essential for us to comprehend the difficulties that we are confronting so as to provide better solution. The major obstacle we discussed in the video is that the government has insufficient power to execute any actions as a multitude of corner houses are privately held by developers who prioritize profit when they are making decisions regarding corner buildings. Demolishment of corner Tong Laus is therefore inevitable.

Apart from providing subsidies for private owners, which is delineated in the video, there are a few other available solutions. Firstly, as an individual, we can utilise social media or films to increase the exposure level of corner buildings so as to raise the awareness of citizens regarding the importance of these architectures and encourage the preservation. Secondly, the government can preserve them by imposing height restrictions to suppress the desire of developers to convert them into profitable private housing, while at the same time assisting them with renovation and future development plans so that they could benefit from the project and willing to conserve the corner houses. Lui Seng Chun is a successful example of preservation.

This video is conducted by taking the reference of photos that were taken by Michael Wolf, a skillful photographer who perfectly captured the essence and specialties of Hong Kong. Even though I have been living in Hong Kong for over 4 years, it was his photos that enabled me to appreciate the beauty of traditional architectures in old neighborhood. The angles of his photos were mainly horizontal or upward views. These shooting methods allows viewer to feel the warmness of photo and place themselves in that building, to experience the history, memories, and meanings of these architectures. Meanwhile, it can still reflect the spectacularism of buildings. Inspired by his photographs, I utilized the same method to take photos and videos.

To better understand the current situation related to corner tong laus, I have tried to search for academic papers that are discussing the topic regarding them. Surprisingly, the result of the papers pertaining to this topic was quit limited which indicates how people are under evaluating the value of corner buildings and the urgency of preventing from disappearance. Hence, the major sources of my research are newspapers and government documents. Besides, I have interviewed some of local residence in the neighborhoods where corner buildings are located to understand the meaning of corner houses and their history. These experiences offer me a rare opportunity to stop in the fast-paced society and the middle of rapid city development. While everyone is chasing the high-tech and modernized city, these old neighborhoods remind me who I am and where we are. Hong Kong is not just a normal city in the world, it is a unique city on the Earth, and we are part of it. As a Hong Kong citizen, we have the obligation to conserve our special identities.

During the assignment, I have strengthened my techniques in terms of video editing. I utilized AI voice to assist me delineating the content clearly and provided subtitles for viewers to better understand the details. Moreover, pictures with different meanings such as increasing profit and subsidies are used so that the content is visualized for better comprehension.

It is patently evident that corner houses are not the only special feature of Hong Kong. Consistent effort is therefore required for us to explore and protect the true Hong Kong!

Reference 

Dewolf, C. (2019). Hong Kong’s Modern heritage, Part X: Corner Buildings. Zolima Citymag. DOI:https://zolimacitymag.com/hong-kong-modern-heritage-part-x-corner-buildings/

HKFP LENS (2019). Hong Kong’s disappearing corner houses captured by the late Michael Wolf. Hong Kong Free Press. DOI: https://hongkongfp.com/2019/04/26/hkfp-lens-hong-kongs-disappearing-corner-houses-captured-late-michael-wolf/

Hong Kong Tourism Board. (2012). Lui Seng Chun. DOI: https://www.discoverhongkong.com/uk/interactive-map/lui-seng-chun.html

Ku, A. S. M. (2018). City Dwellings in Hong Kong: A Photo Book Review Essay. DOI: https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/26531712.pdf?casa_token=XXrI_4hZ5JcAAAAA:8KeU9om4RDCPw5dmoah8dboNK-TJgsIoIjIwmiT9iQDCohjA3nBM6C9jVBJ0bTCegbjDFL52NX-sWXueYJXDa8zQo6aVbNlDwyn4GfnOqBeesVo_jpzy

Lowenthal, D. (1994). Identity, heritage, and history. Commemorations: The politics of national identity, 41-57.

Ling, J. & Wan, V. (2018). Fighting for Hong Kong’s heritage. Varsity. DOI: https://varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk/index.php/2018/12/fighting-for-hong-kongs-heritage/

Lu, A. (2015). The vanishing elegance of the corner tong lau. CHINADAILY. DOI: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/hkedition/2015-10/12/content_22160019.htm#:~:text=Another%20part%20of%20old%20HK,the%20passing%20of%20an%20era.

Legislative Council. (2022). Antiquities and Monuments (Declaration of Monuments and Historical Buildings. DEVB/CHO/1B/CR/141. Legislative Council. DOI: https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr2022/english/brief/devbcho1bcr141_20220520-e.pdf

Nikielska-Sekula, K. (2016). The role of cultural heritage in the creation of a sense of belonging among young Norwegian Turks: Boundary making and crossing. The Age of Human Rights Journal, (7), 96-119.

Wlliams, A. (2019). Hong Kong’s round-cornered buildings. Vernacular. DOI: https://www.vernacular2.com/hk-round-cornered-buildings/

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