Hong Kong is an integrated city.
Synopsis
This video explores how public toilets are integrated into the surroundings, each possessing diverse “personalities” and giving implications about the nearby city functions, atmosphere and culture. Public toilet is designed and located to meet the needs of people from specific region, who might share common daily commuting routes and purposes of visiting the region. Also, the exterior design needs to well fit in the surroundings, while interior design needs to keep in line with exterior one for consistency. From public toilets, one can see the ingenious consideration of city planners, how they make different elements of the city all become an integrated, incoherent part of the environment and the whole city.
Transcript
Welcome! It is a pleasure to meet you here today and introduce to you our new in-depth Hong Kong Island tourist route. We are the unprecedented, one of a kind, the world’s most unconventional, bizarre, but extraordinary travel agency, Toiletaholic. This tour will lead you into the heart of hygiene, the physiological hub, and the borderline of private and public, public toilets, to see how an extremely ordinary everyday facility can act as a window to get to know its surroundings and the whole city. Here, let me introduce some featured destinations in our tour.
- Cross lane public toilet.
In sharp contrast to the nearby busy Southorn Playground and Wan Chai Market public toilet, and after passing streets jamming with traditional dried food, ingredients and groceries, the cross lane public toilet is just another realm. Turning from a restful, cozy café, the building comes into your sight. The toilet is located at the second floor and separates itself from outside world. Dislike those on major streets, you don’t need to rush here and can take your time in front of the mirror. The toilet inherits a peaceful temperament from the seldom-visited cross lane and keeps the same pace with a restful afternoon spent in the cafe.
- Harbour Road Garden public toilet
Harbour Road Garden is a getaway from the embracing high rises – Regis hotel, China Resources Building and Causeway Center. It has a sense of design, with its arc-shaped architecture and extremely simple and fundamental facilities. No automatic ones, just a classical wash basin and mirror, few notices and signs and absent of keep clean ambassador Ah Tak on the wall. People give their feet and hearts a rest in this garden, accompanied by this delicate, small architecture where you may find, the simplest is the best.
- Tamar Park South public toilet
Adjacent to Central Government Complex, the toilet is the same solemn and silent, fitting into the atmosphere here. Instructions to the toilet are less noticeable, making the small entrance hard to find against the huge office building architecture. The toilet is black color dominated and exclusively equipped with a speaker constantly broadcasting news in three languages. At first it might be a bit horrifying because you hear someone talking inside but find that every door is open and no one in there. The Tamar Park South Public Toilet is another example of aligning itself to the city function, atmosphere, and culture nearby.
Other destinations including Star Ferry Car Park public toilet, Queen Mary Hospital public toilet also serve as windows to look at the city since they all tailor themselves into an inherent part of the surroundings. Interested? Don’t hesitated! Just log in to our website and sign up for the tour!
Method of Research
I visitor 11 public toilets in Hong Kong Island in person and investigate the people coming to the toilet and the surroundings, figuring out their characteristics. After comparison among these toilets, the difference is noticeable, suggesting how different every region is functioning inside the city.
Objective
Against the post-pandemic backdrop, as a place where people are highly aware of hygiene, I want to prove that public toilets deserve a close investigation for the fact that it gives implications about the people and the city functioning around it.
Reflection
It is a pity that I have planned for returning back to mainland in May. 3 so that I don’t have time to collect sufficient original video clips and photos for repeated times, not mentioning that shooting inside toilets may cause legal issues so collecting sources is really hard.
References
Diego, Cumplido. (2011). Zizek on toilets, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzXPyCY7jbs, accessed May 16, 2021.
Sun, Kai Sing, Lam, Tai Pong, Tang, Wai Sin, Chan, Hoi Yan, Lam, Kwok Fai, Chow, Enoch Ching Yeung, . . . Ho, Pak Leung. (2021). Improving Public Toilet Environment and Hygiene Practices in an Asian City: Voices From Hong Kong Residents. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health, 1010539521993685.
Shen Ao, 3035637424
Your website doesn’t work! What a disappointment! I am ready to use your guide.
Very creative and intelligent way to comment on some key aspects of Hong Kong – tourism (I sense some google trip and trip advisor strategies), daily infrastructure/amenity in relation to the everyday life. The video essay is presented with insightful depth and wit. I am entertained and learnt something new.
Demonstrates a clear understanding of and the ability to apply and synthesize research, concepts
and key issues relating to a well-identified topic.
Able to clearly identify the critical aspects of the subject matter and presents a well-articulated
analysis and original interpretation of the topic.
Innovative in regard to methodologies and use of research and/or fieldwork materials.
Maintains a good control of techniques and organization of the form/content and narration.
Written and verbal articulation are of high academic standard, and well integrated into the overall
presentation.