HONG KONG

TOWN PLANNING

Nazeeha Nazneen
Roll No. 20
Div C
B.V.C.O.A
Industrialization and affects
on Town Planning
Industrialization approached a shift from an agricultural economy
generator to that of an industry based economy generator.
The Industrial Revolution, during the 18th and 19th was the start if
an era that brough forth major changes into the fields of
agricultural, technological, manufacturing and transportation.

This onset of this revolution had changed the fabric and planning
of cities:
• The invention of steam engine allowed the transportation of
goods to farther distances.
• The invention of automobiles demanded for wider road lanes
connecting locations for commute.
• Technological advancements aided in the generation of mass
production of goods
• The fabric of the city then focused more on the production-
economy generating factories.
• Production created large job opportunities that attracted a
large influx of migrants into the cities.
• Faster, cheaper and mass production also enabled the creation
of accommodations for migrants.

Advantages: Disadvantages:
• Faster production of • Miserable and unhygienic
cheap goods working and living
• Increased job conditions
opportunities • Working class were
• New inventions and exposed to diseases that
innovations emerged, claimed the life of many
changing life more many • Increased differences
• Paved way for the growth between the working class
of large cities and the upper class
through income
• Livelihood settled around
factories exposing them to
polluted air and water.
Hong Kong
Industrialization in Hong Kong
(Colonial Era)

Hong Kong, during its colonial rule (1841-1941), had operated to

become one of the strongest financial centers under the British Empire.
Before industrialization completely came into the country, migration had
already began, attracted by the commercial, shipping, banking and
merchant companies.

During the 1930’s, to accommodate Hong Kong's’ rising population. New

building forms were created among which the tong l’ou (Chinese Style)
tenement or shophouse remained common till the 1960’s. This housing
typology involved accommodation above and hierarchical arrangement
of space where the front of the housing served the public while the back
for private uses. Despite its flexible spacing and arrangement, these
housing was subjected by intense crowding, unhygienic living conditions
and amenities.

Hong Kong (colonial era)

Industrialization in Hong Kong (Post
War)
Events after the World War ll and the Chinese War weakened
the city and it slowly lost its status as a trade center because
the Chinese didn’t want it to be open to foreign trade as it
would make it difficult to control the city. The wars and its
aftermath left the already high population, destitute and
homeless.

From here on, the focus of the city’s development changed to

that of turning it into a self-sufficient city, i.e, from 1945
onwards, industrialization was used to create Hong Kong as a
self-sufficient city.

With booming rise in

industries and
manufacturing can
another set of influx of
immigrants looking on
for job opportunities.
While industries
developed during this
period, the government
truly engaged in the
city’s planning around
1960 when the need for
housing arose.
Hong Kong Streets

Hong Kong (During World War ll)

Public Housing programs were initiated and new industrial
towns were built to house immigrants in high rise buildings,
providing them both employment and improved livelihood.

By 1970, six new cities (Tsuen Wan, Sha Tin, Tuen Mun, Yuen
Long, Taipo and Fanling) were built for housing, located away
from the historic urban center around the Victoria Harbour
(Important port during the colonial era), providing housing to
around three million people.

Due to the locations of housing in cities besides the central hub,

a transportation system had to laid for accessibility between the
people and the core of Hong Kong city. Along with this, as the
Handover of the city to the Chinese approached, decided to
develop an Airport Program to reestablish the transportation
network with the rest of the world.

Dense Housing in Kowloon City Compact Housing

Aerial View of Housing development

Industrialization in Hong Kong (Post
The Handover- 1997 )
The city’s planning aimed to only use 30% of the land owned
while the rest remains to preserve the ecology. The 30% land
was developed to embrace the density of the population
explaining the city’s current skyline

Arrangement of housing and other amenities were placed

considering the walkability of the users, hence the city streets
welcome users with compact and mixed use development
typologies.

The transportation developed allowed easy accessibility to the

public with affordable and reliant systems. The development of
transportation system was integrated into the planning and built
form

Importance has been given to public spaces to rely the city’s

civic identity and unity among the public, hence multiple public
spaces are seen to exist in the fabric of the city.

The streets of the city integrate a market that allows the co-
existence of local markets and global priced office buildings in
the same streets.

Finally, the public housing programs developed throughout the

years have produced various housing options, almost equally
compatible, allowing the notion of choice to the public in terms
of livelihood.

Hong Kong (current) Housing