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Mongkok (Thesis Project)
Mongkok, Hong Kong, China
Retail Prototype (10' x 10' x 10')
2007
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Artist
Statement
Mongkok is one of the most densely populate areas in the world which includes shoppers and residents. It is located in between the subway station and the train station where there is no underground connection.
Ultra density and chaos is exactly what attracts young people to Mongkok. It is characterized by intense street level activities and thematic street, where vendors and retailers self-organized over the years into clusters. The result is a tremendous sense of adventure and treasure hunting while shopping in the neighborhood. Most retailers have small display cases that display the most fashionable, hard to find collectors items such as limited edition Nike sneakers and custom vinyl dolls in addition to flourishing buy/sell/trade activities within its numerous consignment shops.
However, most buildings in the neighborhood are old that lacks many contemporary amenities such as elevators and proper ventilation.
Redevelopment in MK has never been an option before due to the height limit imposed by its close proximity with the old Kai Tak International airport. However, with the relocation of the new airport in 1998, Hong Kong government has initiated and finished several redevelopment projects for the area which includes an office tower and a five star hotel completed with a 13-story shopping mall.
The new buildings are not unlike most of the new residential / retail typology that is developed in many other neighborhoods that embodies the official strategy of complete separation of the residential area, and subway station with a shopping mall. In one extreme case, there are only seven streets left in a residential area of 80,000 residents. However, I feel by imposing such separation will deny density and destroy the existing chaos and messiness that has become the very characteristics of the neighborhood.
Instead of separation, this thesis is to explore the possibility of completely integrate the three primary programmatic elements of residents, retail and information. It is an attempt in exploring a new spatial strategy where street level activities are replicated vertically while flexible circulation pattern encourages exploration by occupants and visitors. Within this new organization of adjacency, shoppers, retailers and residents are allowed to negotiate their boundaries and self organized within the chaos.
Contact
naabeebe@yahoo.com
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