Spontaneous Urban Landscapes: Surviving Through the Cracks in Hong Kong
Plants growing spontaneously in urban environments represent an often-overlooked dimensions of nature in our everyday life. This project explores the ecological agency of vertical and horizontal cracks within Hong Kong’s hyper-dense urban fabric, positioning these fissures as prototypes and inadvertent sites of ecological emergence. Through systematic documentation of unplanned vegetation across architectural and infrastructural surfaces, the study constructs a typological catalogue that links spatial configurations to key determinants of urban microhabitats – soil, water, sunlight, and human or animal disturbance. Grounded in primary ecological field data and experiments, the research bridges practice-based study and unfolds the latent aesthetic and ecological potential of spontaneous growth through the lens of design and landscape architecture. Drawing on interdisciplinary knowledge comprising of urban ecology, botany, soil science, and landscape architecture, the project unveils the value of spontaneous landscapes which are pivotal to climate resilience, urban nature, sustainable development and ecological urbanism in cities.
Plants growing spontaneously in urban environments represent an often-overlooked dimensions of nature in our everyday life. This project explores the ecological agency of vertical and horizontal cracks within Hong Kong’s hyper-dense urban fabric, positioning these fissures as prototypes and inadvertent sites of ecological emergence. Through systematic documentation of unplanned vegetation across architectural and infrastructural surfaces, the study constructs a typological catalogue that links spatial configurations to key determinants of urban microhabitats – soil, water, sunlight, and human or animal disturbance. Grounded in primary ecological field data and experiments, the research bridges practice-based study and unfolds the latent aesthetic and ecological potential of spontaneous growth through the lens of design and landscape architecture. Drawing on interdisciplinary knowledge comprising of urban ecology, botany, soil science, and landscape architecture, the project unveils the value of spontaneous landscapes which are pivotal to climate resilience, urban nature, sustainable development and ecological urbanism in cities.
- 2025
- Grantee: Kate Lau, Ivy Wong, Homan Wang, Benni Pong
Kate Lau Hoi Ying is the founding director of 2 Square Metres Design Limited, a Registered Landscape Architect, and a lecturer at the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong. She holds a Master of Landscape Architecture (Distinction) from the University of Hong Kong and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia. Her work integrates social dimensions into landscape architecture and explores materiality, ecological solutions, and community-oriented design within the Hong Kong context. Her work has been recognised with the Japan GOOD DESIGN AWARD.
Ivy Wong Hiu Yan and Homan Wang Ho Lam are the co-founder of WEEDsilience and Pi Lab Limited. Ivy was a research coordinator in a local herbarium and received her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science (First Class Honors) from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her works range from scientific botanical illustration, field survey, specimen collection, processing, digitization and inventory management, botany education, to Scanning Electron Microscopy imaging of pollen and TCM l. Her current research focus includes urban herbal plant ecology, adaptations and spontaneous landscape.
Homan Wang Ho Lam is a plant researcher who received his Master of Science in Environmental Management from the University of Hong Kong. His professional practice has ranged from plant authentication, wildlife photography to 3D photogrammetry. His research findings have been published in renowned international scientific journals, including PLoS ONE and Ecology and Evolution. He won the Champion in the Hong Kong Youth Nature Documentary Competition.
Benni Yu-ling Pong is a landscape architect who holds his Master of Landscape Architecture with distinction from the University of Hong Kong and Master in Design Studies from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. His works were featured in Beijing International Horticultural Exposition 2019 and UABB 2022. Recent design awards include Architizer A+ Award and the Hong Kong Institute of Architects Special Award. His researches study spontaneous landscape, urban ecology, cultural landscape and perception of urban space. He is currently the Vice President of the Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects.