Dating back to the 1950s, public housing in Hong Kong has progressed with time and in response to the changing needs of society. Let's take a look at the interesting designs of public housing buildings from different eras.
At the very beginning public housing was developed simply to provide shelter for victims of fire or natural disasters and families who had lost their homes due to clearance. In the 1950s, the six- or seven-storey resettlement blocks were built mainly in an "H" shape, in the styles known as Mark I and Mark II. Flats were merely cubicles with no amenities. The residents had to cook in the common corridor outside their flat. Shared communal washing facilities including toilets and showers were provided on each level at the cross bar linking the two wings of the block. A flat for a family of five at that time covered only 11 square metres. Built in 1954, Mei Ho House on Shek Kip Mei Estate is the only remaining Mark I resettlement block in Hong Kong. It is being refurbished and revitalised as a youth hostel.
A majority of the public housing blocks built in the 1960s belonged to the Mark III to Mark VI family. Starting with the Mark IV series, a toilet was provided inside each flat. Block 22 of Tung Tau (I) Estate, built in 1965, remains as the only example of this type in Hong Kong today. The 1960s also saw the introduction of the Slab Block. Ma Tau Wei Estate and Choi Hung Estate, both built in 1962, are examples of this type. Slab Blocks rose to either 8 or 15 storeys, and offered lift access to every third floor. A characteristic of this type of building was the long corridor running the length of each floor.
With increasing demand for public housing in the 1970s, the buildings became taller and taller, and their design more diverse. The Twin Tower, for example, went up to 20 storeys or more, with a central void to improve air flow. The blocks on Wah Fu (II) Estate (completed in 1970) and some blocks on Oi Man Estate (completed in 1974) belong to this building type. In the late 1970s, the Twin H design was introduced. The buildings rose to 27 storeys. Both the Twin Towers and Twin H blocks have lift access to every floor. In addition, the flats were built with a private balcony / kitchen and a toilet. An air conditioner vent was also provided in each flat.
Designs for public housing estates became more sophisticated in the 1980s. Typical of the era are the Trident and Linear Blocks. Trident Blocks were built to 34-storey high with open views, having three identical wings in a "Y" shape and shared lifts at the central core. Linear Blocks feature multi-room units where partitions can be set up by the tenants. Another unique and interesting block type, the Zigurrat, can be seen on Butterfly Estate (1983). The shape of its buildings just looks like a series of steps.
The Harmony Block is the most predominant public housing design in the 1990s. The buildings came with standard units of various sizes to cater for different households, and with windows in every room to let in more daylight and air. The extensive use of standardised precast building components such as concrete facades, staircases, drywall panels and semi-finished slabs, facilitated quality control and helped shorten the construction time.
In recent years, the Housing Authority has been moving towards non-standard building designs in a bid to optimise the use of a site's unique location and features to meet residents' needs. By adopting the Modular Flat and Site-specific designs, it can achieve better cost-effectiveness, overcome site constraints and utilise land resources more effectively. The use of micro-climate studies during the planning and design stage results in better ventilation and light penetration for the flats and common areas. At the same time, application of the Universal Design principles ensures the estate facilities cater to the needs of residents of all ages and different physical abilities. The recently completed Kwai Luen Estate and Shatin Pass Estate, built on a slope and in a hilly area respectively, incorporate such non-standard designs.
At the very beginning public housing was developed simply to provide shelter for victims of fire or natural disasters and families who had lost their homes due to clearance. In the 1950s, the six- or seven-storey resettlement blocks were built mainly in an "H" shape, in the styles known as Mark I and Mark II. Flats were merely cubicles with no amenities. The residents had to cook in the common corridor outside their flat. Shared communal washing facilities including toilets and showers were provided on each level at the cross bar linking the two wings of the block. A flat for a family of five at that time covered only 11 square metres. Built in 1954, Mei Ho House on Shek Kip Mei Estate is the only remaining Mark I resettlement block in Hong Kong. It is being refurbished and revitalised as a youth hostel.
The Harmony Block is the most predominant public housing design in the 1990s. The buildings came with standard units of various sizes to cater for different households, and with windows in every room to let in more daylight and air. The extensive use of standardised precast building components such as concrete facades, staircases, drywall panels and semi-finished slabs, facilitated quality control and helped shorten the construction time.
