What Abbas mentioned was in fact a prophecy. He highlights how the city is ever changing, undermining its identity, rendering it unfamiliar or even unrecognizable for locals with their own city. The gradual disappearance of parts of the city and erosion of our memories happens everyday. The ’emerging postcolonial awareness’ mentioned was not shared by all, where some prioritize economic considerations. Buildings would be replaced one by one, just like the errors in a computer system. Although seemingly minimal at first, it finally accumulate to a point where the system fails, just as our identities as a ‘Hongkonger’. We find our communities strangely familiar, with pieces out of place. We question our roles in the community. Even when buildings are preserved, only the superficial appearances are preserved, but not the crucial context, like a phantom limb. The building stands as a ghostly reminder of the past, despite its presence trying to connect us in the present. enhancing our sense of anonymity.
WONG Wing Yan Audrey
Student no.:3035667297
Well-written. You have certainly identified the bind that contemporary Hong Kong and its built environment is in.