Ordinary Gweilo

This is an interesting and very positive view of Hong Kong, from the Toronto Star:

“Here,” explains leading Hong Kong architect Rocco Yim, “the end product must contribute to the working of the city. The idea is to enable people to get from one part of the city to another, preferably through your project. A building becomes part of the public domain.”

Hong Kong embarked on its highrise campaign in the mid-1950s in response to a devastating fire that swept through a refugee camp. The first residential skyscrapers were primitive structures that offered minimal privacy and shared facilities.

Since then, however, the Hong Kong housing development has evolved into a highly sophisticated arrangement of enormous towers — 60 to 72 storeys — set on a vast podium crammed full of shops, restaurants and other amenities.

Worth a read!