Colorful (Tetris) Building in Wan Chai

We often form expectations, create mental images for what will happen and what it will mean.  Yet none of which were able to match what we actually faced in Hong Kong.  Upon departing the plane, even just walking through the tunnel the connected back into the terminal I was blasted with humidity and heat (Note, this was in six in the morning).  Adjusting to the different environment was among the hardest challenges.  Everywhere you went, you were met with a barrage of people.  That included the endless stream of pedestrians that commonly overflowed into the equally packed vehicular roadways, to the interesting array of automobiles.  With such human/building multitude, the experiences go far beyond simply visuals; as we immersed ourselves in the streets of Hong Kong, the city eagerly fought to control our senses.  There were the blaring lights and car horns,  the subtle humming of million air conditioning units, the arguing shopkeepers, and, of course, the sweet aroma of food.  Not to say other cities are not vibrant and lively, but while many cities have their quirks that beckon you towards them, Hong Kong persona seems to assert what it has to offer, as it vigorously hauls you in.

Another challenge was the communication of ideas.  Aside from the language barriers within the groups, there was the difficulty in presenting our research and knowledge on the poster or in words.  Mainly, I found the most challenging part of this to be the consolidation of ideas.  After spending approximately two days studying the landscape of Mei Foo, we gathered a plethora of sections, interviews, layout plans.  Determining what to keep and use from became challenging, especially since each person perception of an item’s importance varied.  During the first week review, one of the instructors suggested to search/ stay close towards the main idea, or take-away.  Even if not all the points are strong/relevant as others, sticking and returning to a key idea helps to focus the audience.   Our group decided to deploy that advice in the second project, production of a video, and we started with brainstorming for a single point we wanted to make.

In regards to my career path, this trip greatly reinforced my passion for architecture and design.  The program being meant for landscape architecture students, and graduate students at that, evoked some distress, intimidation and fear of inability to comprehend the course material.  Thankfully, that was not the case, in any regards.  As shown through one of our opening games, everything is connected, whether be architecture, astronomy, or finance.  All of the fellow UO/HKU students and staff were approachable and willingly elaborated when misunderstandings arose.  Being surrounded by a group talented, gifted individuals was hardly daunting, but much rather humbling, edifying, and even entertaining at times.  I am more than overjoyed to have participated in this study abroad experience and have nothing but affirmations and gratitude to everyone who made it possible.

Thank you, and until next time Zai-Jian!

Video link to project two:

Innovation Tower

ICC Tower

Milk Tea & French Toast

Southorn Park in Wan Chai

Gondola Ride up to see Big Buddha Statue

Mido Cafe – Old fashioned, traditional HK cafe. Very popular among tourist and locals alike.

The second assignment tasked us in discovering the story of our selected place, then displaying that story in video format to the rest of the class.  From the research we conducted during the previous week, we saw an overarching prevalence of disconnection in Mei Foo, both spatially and/thus socially.  The elevated podium levels divided the pedestrian and vehicular presence which provided safety for either party, but in doing so limited vibrancy in said locations.  Our video set out to show the inhabitance conditions of these spaces visually, additionally implying our thoughts on the space’s connectivity metaphorically; the video’s protagonist walked through places while searching for a cellular connection.  Aforementioned character, interview English translations, minimal video editing via Adobe Premiere Pro, and partial script decisions were performed by me, while filming, directing, major film editing were done by the rest of my group.

In comparison with sites presented by other groups, Mei Foo shares many similar aspects.  Not unlike many housing projects in Hong Kong, Mei Foo housing complex’s main function is to provide large quantity over any other purpose.  It features the common podium level construction, which elevates semi-private space usually two to three levels above street level.  It has easy accessibility to transportation devices such as MTR, taxi, and bus.  The dense, rugged condition simply resonates with numerous other cities in Hong Kong.  However, when compared to other cities such as San Francisco, (Near where my family currently lives) it is entirely dissimilar.  Although also sharing the need for relatively large population, the availability of space greatly influences the typology and efficiency of the buildings.  Certain Victorian/Edwardian homes in San Francisco also share a common walls, similar to the Mei Foo complex.  Yet, these generally do not exceed three stories and offer much more visibility than the respective “towers” in Mei Foo.  Public space/ Semi-private space either takes form in parks or the pedestrian streets, which are significantly wider.  Experience at the street level has its own differences, heat/density, based on location and existing structures.

Constructed during the 1940’s, the buildings seem lackluster and even foreign when placed next to contemporary or modern buildings and complexes.  One can easily determine negative aspects of the complex, the inability to perceive location among the wall of buildings, relatively dark arcades, divided spaces; however, with time and effort, certain positive elements begin to unveil themselves.

The usage of video format gave us the ability to demonstrate what if felt like to be in a space, with still-shots of spaces themselves and the movement/inhabitance of humans.  We included interviews of residents/visitors, and asked them for their opinion of Mei Foo; while broadcasting their responses we switched between video recording of themselves or relevant still shots.  Having both verbal and visual displays reinforced the points they/we were making; this was another benefit of using video format.

Overall, the video-making process as well as watching everyone’s video was an insightful and fun experience.  The videos provided us a perspective on the place, and the group representing it based on how they presented.

Group Presentation Board

Mei Foo Housing Complex

Seemingly mere seconds, this past week, teeming with adventures in multiple domains, concluded with a peaceful hike up the hill overlooking the cityscape.

Throughout the week, twelve groups studied various sites through macro/micro scales in order to understand the “natural” and “synthetic” landscape.  My group studied the mass private housing complex in Mei Foo.  The dense structures, tight pedestrian and vehicular roads, and lack of greenery evoked a rather unpleasant initial impression towards the complex.  However, as we ventured onward, we began to uncover its brilliance.

The site, originally used as Exxon Mobil’s petroleum storage site, was chosen for the existing flat land.  Sudden flux in population growth demanded equally large accommodations; it is the largest mass housing project in Hong Kong, occasionally considered largest amongst the world.  Despite this focus on speed and size, Mei Foo complex was still considered grand at the time.  The complex provided multiple schools, health clinics, and market.  The lack of interior space, although typical in Hong Kong, is well compensated through the spacious terraces on the podium level.  We observed that this large open space, enclosed by the wall of buildings, acted as a backyard for the community.  People would go here to walk their dog, read a newspaper, bike around the boxed plants and fountains.  The elevated open space ensured safety for those gathered here, from the chaotic automobiles below.  However, this separation between the road and the community spaces has its disadvantages.  For example (and likely not a hypothetical one), suppose student sketching sections from the podium level finds himself fatigued and dehydrated, therefore, requiring a drink, that student must navigate towards the nearest stairwell, descend multiple floors, then look for the nearest 7- Eleven.  Yet, we discovered through our interviews, that this hardly affected the lives of locals and visitors.  Most of the residents expressed either indifferent or positive opinions towards Mei Foo and were rather content with spaces we found cramped or unsanitary.

On Saturday, we woke up early and boarded the Cotai Ferry over to Macau.  Despite encountering some conflicts with Macau customs, it did not hamper our excitement and eagerness to explore the city.  Firstly, we took a tour of Macau colonial houses, which were painted in bright teal and overlooked a beautiful expanse of marshland.  After eating a wonderful traditional Portuguese meal, we walked through busy streets, filled with combating aromas and voices.  Secondly, we took an adventurous (frightening) bus ride into the heart of the city; it was like stepping into another world.  A composed array of new, outlandish buildings along with culturally rich vernacular structures surrounded us.  While trying to reach the St. Peter’s Ruins, we were funneled through one narrow street completed filled with countless people, all shoving and pushing as we slowly inched towards our destination.  To further enhance this experience, Bella broke a coconut on the steps up to the facade ruins through repeatedly smashing it on the pavement.  Lastly, on top of fort/ history museum, we had a great view of the city.

Peak Galleria Lookout

Taking a much-needed break from walking along the crowded streets of Tsim Sha Tsui, we boarded the Star Ferry that took us across the bay back to Central.

– Kevin So