Kowloon Walled City
Government Destroys Symbiotic Nature Between the City and its People
Architectural History and Theory: Urbanism and the City
Second Year
Date: 30th March 2012
School of Architecture DAB – UTS
Case Study: Kowloon Walled City
FIG 1: Kowloon Walled City as a fort
FIG 1: Kowloon Walled City as a fort
Kowloon walled city was a Chinese city, situated in the middle of colonial Kowloon, (Harter 2000, p.p. 94). It was one of the most notorious slums of its time. The city was free, adapting the many needs of its residents. It became a social network of families and businesses. At its peak, it housed over 50 000 people within a 26 000 metres square zone. When it was demolished, as the network was destroyed, so was the sanctuary of the people.
FIG 2: Density of Kowloon Walled City before demolition
FIG 2: Density of Kowloon Walled City before demolition
The city began as a military fort, built by the Chinese government to check British expansion in Hong Kong. However, after WW2, China wished to reclaim the rights to the walled city sending 2000 Chinese refugees to the site. Despite the population growth, the city was still under the British colony (Coates 2011). However, although the Chinese Government had refugees living within the city, it still didn’t have jurisdiction to govern the site. Due to the intrusion of the Chinese government, the British government ignored the city and focused on Hong Kong. By 1898 the British colony had expanded in Hong Kong, thus engulfed the old city in its position. As a result, the city found itself trapped between two political powers, neither under the jurisdiction of the Hong Kong authorities nor part of the Chinese government. Lui Kan, cited in Julia Wilkinson, quotes a resident living within the city “Peking knows it’s their duty to protect us. They will look after us. This is part of China. The Walled City will never become part of Hong Kong. One day Hong Kong will be part of us – main land China.”
Architectural History and Theory: Urbanism and the City
Second Year
Date: 30th March 2012
School of Architecture DAB – UTS
Case Study: Kowloon Walled City
FIG 1: Kowloon Walled City as a fort
FIG 1: Kowloon Walled City as a fort
Kowloon walled city was a Chinese city, situated in the middle of colonial Kowloon, (Harter 2000, p.p. 94). It was one of the most notorious slums of its time. The city was free, adapting the many needs of its residents. It became a social network of families and businesses. At its peak, it housed over 50 000 people within a 26 000 metres square zone. When it was demolished, as the network was destroyed, so was the sanctuary of the people.
FIG 2: Density of Kowloon Walled City before demolition
FIG 2: Density of Kowloon Walled City before demolition
The city began as a military fort, built by the Chinese government to check British expansion in Hong Kong. However, after WW2, China wished to reclaim the rights to the walled city sending 2000 Chinese refugees to the site. Despite the population growth, the city was still under the British colony (Coates 2011). However, although the Chinese Government had refugees living within the city, it still didn’t have jurisdiction to govern the site. Due to the intrusion of the Chinese government, the British government ignored the city and focused on Hong Kong. By 1898 the British colony had expanded in Hong Kong, thus engulfed the old city in its position. As a result, the city found itself trapped between two political powers, neither under the jurisdiction of the Hong Kong authorities nor part of the Chinese government. Lui Kan, cited in Julia Wilkinson, quotes a resident living within the city “Peking knows it’s their duty to protect us. They will look after us. This is part of China. The Walled City will never become part of Hong Kong. One day Hong Kong will be part of us – main land China.”