Hong Kong Estate Centres as Public Amenity
Estate centres lie at the heart of Hong Kong housing project, large and small. The unique building type typically integrates mall, market, services and public space to support the day to day lives of half of Hong Konger’s population. Over 150 centres were constructed, between the realization of Wah Fu Estate in 1967 to the mass privatization of estate centres in 2005, events that bracket our period of study. Yet, in the absence of systematic study, the merits of this previously unnamed building type are largely unknown and threatened with neglect. Older centres, such as Wah Fu, are being demolished today. Just as Hong Kong turns to major housing schemes like the Northern Metropolis, the time to remember and celebrate the tailored-to-Hong Kong community building legacy is timely.
Estate centres lie at the heart of Hong Kong housing project, large and small. The unique building type typically integrates mall, market, services and public space to support the day to day lives of half of Hong Konger’s population. Over 150 centres were constructed, between the realization of Wah Fu Estate in 1967 to the mass privatization of estate centres in 2005, events that bracket our period of study. Yet, in the absence of systematic study, the merits of this previously unnamed building type are largely unknown and threatened with neglect. Older centres, such as Wah Fu, are being demolished today. Just as Hong Kong turns to major housing schemes like the Northern Metropolis, the time to remember and celebrate the tailored-to-Hong Kong community building legacy is timely.
Building Narrative is an architecture, design and research office established by Jeffrey Cheng in 2018. The studio seeks to tell those stores that bind us to a particular time, place and each other. Expertise range from hospitality, F&B and residential interiors to workplace design and material development. Projects have been featured by South China Morning Post, Design Anthology and the Hong Kong Institute of Architects. The in-house research project, Yuen Yeung; Hong Kong Coffee and Tea Houses was published in 2021.
Kris Provoost Photography is a photography studio established and based in Hong Kong in 2019. Kris Provoost is active across Asia and Europe photographing for a wide roster of clients ranging from architects, developers, interior designers and publications. Besides creating client work, he is actively telling stories that merge architectural photography with social issues. Photo essays include ‘Beautified China’ (book publication, 2019), ‘Human vs City, in frame: Chongqing’ and ‘Eden of the Orient: Hong Kong.’
- 2022
- Grantee: Jeffery Cheng and Kris Provoost
Jeffrey Cheng is founder of the architecture, design and research studio, Building Narrative. Born in Toronto, Canada, Jeffrey holds a Bachelor and Masters in architecture from the University of Waterloo. He is the recipient of the Ontario Association of Architects Guild Medal and a Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship. Jeffrey has trained for ten years with internationally acclaimed architects including REX, Buro Ole Scheeren, Atelier Zhanglei and Farrells. Jeffrey will lead the Feature Grant initiative.
Kris Provoost is a Belgian award-winning photographer specializing in architecture, interiors and infrastructure. After graduating as an architect, Kris moved to China where he worked for a decade for world-leading design firms such as Zaha Hadid Architects, Ole Scheeren and GMP. After moving to Hong KOng, Kris focused on his photography, working with architects, developers and brands to photograph their projects with an architect’s eye.