The reading talks about how the buildings in Hong Kong show how the city has changed over time. The writer provides a valuable perspective on the complex interplay between architecture, colonialism, and identity in Hong Kong. It also mentions the constructed environment of the city reflects a process of “disappearance,” and draws attention to how colonial influences are gradually being replaced by a more Chinese identity.
The reading also offers a helpful analysis of the role of architecture in shaping cultural individuality, based on the reading, the term “disappearance” involves a shift from the colonial history of Hong Kong, which can be argumentative, to a more peaceful simultaneousness of Chinese culture within colonial architecture. This involves the replacement of one thing with another. The author notes that many of the city’s most iconic buildings, such as the Hong Kong Cultural Center funded and made by the British Government with a symbol of traditions, become symbols of Hong Kong’s modernism and economic success.
The term “placeless” in the reading explained the new buildings in Hong Kong designed by architects, have a lack of connection to the city’s history and culture. To keep the original and input new ideas, the revitalization of old districts is a good idea.