The two readings discuss urban spaces in Hong Kong and Tokyo respectively. While both cities are global and financial cities, with a mixture of real, surreal, and hyperreal types of urban spaces in Isozaki and Asada’s typology. Despite sharing similarities, Hong Kong and Tokyo have distinct urban identities shaped by their unique historical backgrounds and cultures.
In the first reading, Abbas describes Hong Kong as a space of disappearance. Due to the colonial handover and economic restructuring, Hong Kong has undergone significant cultural changes. Old buildings are continuously being replaced, revitalized, or reconstructed. For example, Flagstaff House, a Western-style architecture, has been turned into a museum of Tea Ware, a Chinese traditional culture. The architectural style and its function contradict each other, resulting in the disappearance of its original identity. However, the hybridity of culture in Hong Kong forms its unique identity. And as a Hongkonger, I am proud of the dualities of Eastern and Western, traditional and modern in my homeland.
In the second reading, Tsutsui discusses the destruction and reconstruction of Tokyo. In Japan’s traumatic history, the city has been undergoing destruction and reconstruction repeatedly due to fires, atomic bombs, earthquakes, and other disasters. Meanwhile, reconstruction of urban spaces in films is used as a means to relieve the anxiety of citizens. Such as in the film Godzilla, the monster Godzilla is defeated, and the city is reconstructed, conveying the idea that disasters will always be brought under control.
Despite the challenges of destruction and cultural changes, both Hong Kong and Tokyo have the potential to continue evolving through reconstruction.
Fu Tik Wai 3036078730
Your response have summarized the main ideas of Abbas and Tsuitsui’s writing and demonstrated good understanding. I appreciate your examples to help concretize your points and identifying the common characteristic of constant reconstruction for both Hong Kong and Tokyo as depicted in the texts.