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Rejuvenating the Collective Tenement

Part 1 Project 2012
Curtin University Perth | Australia
[The author of this entry has chosen to remain anonymous]

Tenement house is a rapidly disappearing typology that represents Hong Kong's lifestyle and culture. The Kowloon Walled City, the worldwide acknowledged tenement buildings, although demolished, the vitality of the tenement buildings, as well as the culture and collective memory attached were architecturally valued.

The tenement houses are always being tagged with the label of poverty as the most units within are cheap and outmoded, although they are welcomed by working class. The label catalyses the urge for demolishment and reformulation of the tenement houses to podium and tower for the bourgeoisies which reinforces the power of mammonism and allotment of space turning the urban development into a sick phenomenon. Thus, the conflict between economic growth, cultural preservation and accommodation of various classes in the urban development shall be well negotiated for social harmony.

The project proposes several treatments to this urban sickness: firstly, it is to inject the religious activities into the buildings to diffuse the class tension within the community; secondly, a surgical modification can be adopted to evolve unique elements such as corridor, staircase, lightwell, balcony and rooftop to a better environmental condition while preserving the embodied culture; thirdly, the insertion of new structural framing can magnify the possibility of tenement houses to grow in line with the city's developmental needs. These treatments demonstrate how a 'classless' community can be established within tenement community - a relative healthy equilibriant sphere.

The test site consists of two tenement houses built in the 50's, both situated at To Kwan Wan waterfront, an old urban district near former Kai Tak Airport, witnessing Hong Kong culture similar with that of Kowloon Walled City. Even though they are rare tenement houses with luxurious sea view, they are still facing potential demolition. As these tenement buildings are of a sizable layout and good structural condition, they are an ideal site to test out the treatments and envisage how monopoly can be broken.

Tutor(s)
Chin Pang, Benjamin Yiu
2012
Rejuvenated Tenement houses grow three-dimensionally healthily safely and legally to continue its life within the city context
Read the city as a body the urban context and history reflects various problems due to different time of generation
What if see the urban renewal process as a surgical process it is no reason that anything existing shall be removed and inserted a new thing peoples originally live in city are forced to live to the remote area
Analysis of spatial relationship and study the tenement houses example in Kowloon Walled City
Comparison of old and new typology and take their merit for design development
Site analysis and MLP showing different site context
3D Site Model showing the tenement building can be grow upward
Site model concept model process model and final models put to the tenement house environment
Axonometric drawing showing the design development of the tenement house the final design indicates also the circulation programme and conservation of tenement culture
Axonometric drawing showing part of the residential buildings with material used
Elevation and section of the building showing the newly added structure contrasting the old structure
All existing structure is kept but the internal layout has been redefined as new module layout the public staircase has been kept for duplex unit also with common area to grow outside entrance and adding balcony
Internal housing design keeps to be immaterial to enhance the class equality within the building and different background of people live within the same context for better interaction
Detailed layout plans and details showing the buildability of the proposal MLP and Site View showing how the building sits on the site context
Image of the spatial quality to be immaterial for its clarity and purity of space reflecting the design concept
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