What makes the more habitable high-rise, high-density residential environment in the future of Hong Kong?

Abstract

With the ever-rising number of population and the ever-increasing urban density since the urbanization in the 1960’s, the Hong Kong government has been putting effort on enlarging the buildable land mass and maximizing the capacity and efficiency of the existing urban context. The striking amendments in building regulations in 1966 marked the milestone of the change in the majority of building forms and later, the urban form of Hong Kong. Since then, the urban form of Hong Kong started to evolve from single towers to towers sitting on the podiums. Since the birth of a pioneer residential project from the amendments in late 1960’s, the podiums have been accommodating shops, facilities and transportations that support urban dwellers who lived above and in the surrounding area. However, as the type evolves over decades, it might have failed in coping with the ever-changing urban fabric and creating growing chasm with dweller’s life styles in both physical and social aspects, hence, failed to bring the initial concepts to reality. The podiums have progressively worsened the already-high density as well as the living quality. Negative critiques of this urban form are in increasing number. Thus, this study revises the existing form in the city so as to explore the possible design solutions to the existing and foreseeable problems. Spatial and formal analysis and on-site data collection are adopted to figure out the relationship between podium designs and pedestrian footprints in and around the urban area. Also, through a series of sectional studies, failure in creating sense of neighborhood because of the site-less generic design is also found. From the findings, next, new design solutions will be suggested to provide insights and ideas on the more habitable form of future high-rise, high-density composite residential environment in both physical and social perspectives. This study will also provide architects and urban designers with design concepts of accommodating continuous changes in urban contexts and dweller’s life styles.