[Video Essay] Public City: Dormitory University Hall

Hypothesis: The design of HKU’s University Hall dormitory fosters a strong sense of community among its residents,

Statement: University Hall is a Western castle architecture that is now being used as a dormitory for students of the University of Hong Kong.

Essay:

A dormitory is a very interesting concept. It provides a private, personal place for students but at the same time, it is a shared community. University Hall, one of the dormitories owned by HKU, embodies this idea of a public dormitory. My goal was to examine the hall’s communal aspects, and how its communal life bleeds into the hall’s private areas as a consequence of its design. In this way, it is a unique example of Hong Kong architecture; built with community in mind, it does not represent the divided high-rises of Kowloon or the New Territories, but rather how a former castle and monastery turned into a student hall. As I was one of the current residents in University Hall, it was not hard accessing the place, which was fortunate. I will attempt to explain how the architectural design of University Hall leads to it being a ‘public dormitory’. I will examine the corridors, the library/conference room, and the dining room to explain how the architectural design of University Hall leads to its unique character as a public dormitory.

The dining room is one of the most significant communal areas in the hall. It was originally a chapel and has been designed with openness and accessibility in mind. Students are required to pay meal fees and eat in the public area, which is always bustling with activity. The balcony from the library overlooks the chapel space, meaning that the fact that the two are on different floors does not interfere with community or participation. Students can easily communicate with each other, even from different levels of the building. For instance, students can shout up from the chapel to the balcony to talk to their fellow hallmates while eating dinner or taking part in Hall’s famed high tables. The high tables are reserved for special occasions, and they are a great way for students to bond and socialize with each other.

The library and conference room are other communal area that embodies the hall’s public dormitory theme. It has two entrances, one from the communal kitchen, and the other from the hall’s “golden stairs”, which connect all three floors of University Hall. The design of University Hall is open and has few doors, which fosters a sense of trust among students. The thin door that separates the library from the communal kitchen is usually kept open, and students can easily see each other. This creates a sense of community and makes it easy for students to communicate with each other. The other entrance, up the hall’s “golden stairs,” provides easy access to anyone from the second floor. Instead of traversing all the way down the corridor to the grand stairs, one can walk up a spiral staircase directly from the dining hall entrance to the library. This creates a constant flow of students going back and forth between the two areas, which reinforces the hall’s public theme.

The corridors of University Hall make up a substantial amount of the building’s space. Behind each door, which is usually unlocked and quite often ajar, live three to four students. This means that when walking down the corridor, students often get a glimpse into their fellow residents’ lives, and this allows for easy socialization between students. The walls, ceilings, and doors are all thin, which further enhances the sense of community and the hall’s liveliness.

In conclusion, the architectural design of University Hall creates a unique example of Hong Kong architecture that is centered around communal living. The hall’s public dormitory theme is embodied by the design of the dining room, library and conference room, and corridors. The open design of the building fosters a sense of community and trust among students, which makes it easy for them to socialize and bond with each other. Overall, University Hall is a great example of how the design of a building can promote communal living and create a unique sense of community.

References:

1) Visit HKU. www.hku.hk/visit/campusbuilding.php?m=heritage&t=dm&bdg=declareduhall.

2) University Hall | HKU | Tradition. www.uhall.hku.hk/trad.php.

3) Coffin, David R., et al. “Western Architecture | History, Styles, Examples, and Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Jan. 2000, www.britannica.com/art/Western-architecture.

4) Cartwright, Mark. “An Illustrated Glossary of Castle Architecture.” World History Encyclopedia, May 2023, www.worldhistory.org/article/1233/an-illustrated-glossary-of-castle-architecture.

5) What Is Communal Sense? | Spaces of Communal Sense | Communal Sense. Political Challenges and Cultural Practices | Research Institutions | Research | University of Konstanz. 6 Sept. 2021, www.uni-konstanz.de/en/research/research-institutions/communal-sense-political-challenges-and-cultural-practices/spaces-of-communal-sense/what-is-communal-sense.

6) Zhang, Tianyao, et al. “The Associations of Communal Space With Sense of Place and Mental Health in Public Housing: Evidence From Guangzhou and Hong Kong.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 23, MDPI, Dec. 2022, p. 16178. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316178.

7) Kim, WonPil. “Effects of Physical Living Environment on the Social Interaction and Perceived Sense of Community Among Students in University Dormitory.” Gyoyug Si’seol, vol. 22, no. 5, Sept. 2015, pp. 3–10. https://doi.org/10.7859/kief.2015.22.5.003.

Video link: [Video Essay] Public City: Dormitory University Hall – YouTube

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