Redefining the Hong Kong Typology

Redefining the Hong Kong Typology

Snyder, E.

Bracken, G. (mentor)
Bruyns, G. (mentor)
Plomp, H. (mentor)
Cuperus, Y. (mentor)

Architecture

Architecture

DSD Architecture Thinking

2012-07-02

Hong Kong for me is a fascinating city; it embodies many contradictory conditions while at the same time acts as a palimpsest -- a readable, but layered, whole. The city exists as a lamination of eastern and western forces that can be seen in both the social and built environment of the city. As the city has grown and become wealthier, these contradictions have intensified, and become increasingly asserted onto the built environment. As a result, a growing asymmetry exists between globalized space and local spaces. Such is the case with the site I have chosen, as 40 storey high-rise towers are being constructed within an existing fabric of 4-7 storey shop houses. For the design, I was inspired by the contradictory conditions mentioned above. The starting point for my research was in the most general sense a study of residential typology. I began with an analysis of the existing neigbourhood fabric to see which typologies were most common and what the specific characteristics of each type are. From this, I was motivated to investigate the forces which catalysed change in typology, many of which were related to demographic [population] and economic changes. Furthermore, research into the relationship between architecture and typology lead me to question the role of the luxury high-rise residential tower given the growing wealth disparity and increasing need for affordable housing in the city centre. Continuing along with the theme of typology, I began to investigate some traditional Chinese dwelling typologies such as the tu lou and siheyuan as a starting point for the design work. The courtyard house [siheyuan] was the most interesting because of the gradation of privacy embedded in the architectural layout. The courtyard house then became the basis for the design, and the public/private relationship was flipped to the vertical in order to develop the formal nature of the building. This reconceptualization of the courtyard house provides a new alternative to the isolated high-rise typologies prevalent in Hong Kong and infuses public space, green space and flexible dwelling typologies into the design.

architecture
asia
dwelling
mixed-use
typology

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:771f2b1d-2fb9-41f8-9b20-c4daaa96d926

2013-01-30

Student theses

master thesis

(c) 2012 Snyder, E.