{"version": "1.0", "type": "rich", "title": "In\u00a0\u201cHong Kong Corner Houses,\u201d\u00a0the internationally renowned German photographer Michael Wolf continues with his visual quest for...", "author_name": "kontextmaschine", "author_url": "https://kontextmaschine.com", "provider_name": "kontextmaschine", "provider_url": "https://kontextmaschine.com", "url": "https://kontextmaschine.com/post/157217318568/", "html": "

stoweboyd:

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chroniclesofamber:

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In\u00a0\u201cHong Kong Corner Houses,\u201d\u00a0the internationally renowned German photographer Michael Wolf continues with his visual quest for the overlooked and underappreciated urban phenomena that give a city its special character. \u00a0This time, he draws our attention to Hong Kong\u2019s urban corners and buildings that are often inconspicuous amid the high-rise, high-density urban clutter of Hong Kong. \u00a0These ordinary residential-commercial buildings of 1950s and 1960s vintage represent the expression of local Chinese pragmatism and expediency in the economic austerity of early postwar decades.

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The photographic presentation captures the inherent paradoxes of their architectural character: \u00a0the quiet prominence, attractive banality, and tectonic chaos that give urban Hong Kong its endearing quality. \u00a0Complementing the superb photographs of Michael Wolf,\u00a0\u201cHong Kong Corner Houses\u201d\u00a0features an essay and extended captions by two of Hong Kong\u2019s best-known academics in the field of architectural conservation, Drs. Lynne DiStefano and Lee Ho Yin.

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\u2014\u00a0Hong Kong Corner Houses

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Michael Wolf\u00a0is best known for his \u2018Architecture of Density\u2019 work in Hong Kong, but another collection from HK University Press showcases some of the city\u2019s more classic heritage. \u00a0\u2018Progress is often equated with destroying the old and bringing in the new,\u2019\u00a0says the German-born photographer\u2026

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\u2026They were mostly constructed in the 1950/60s\u2026

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\u2026Whilst some of the structures featured below are barely three decades old, the pace of development means such architectural curiosities are becoming an increasingly rare sight\u2026

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\u2026This style of building is more common in older areas of Kowloon\u2026

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..Illegal structures remain an issue with these low-rise buildings, but many have been destroyed since a clean-up began in the 1990s\u2026

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\u2026Most are under 10-floors tall. This was because the law required an elevator to be installed if a building was over 10 storeys, and also due to the presence of the old Kai Tak airport\u2026

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\u2026The style is reminiscent of early American modernist skyscrapers \u2013 curved facades with strong vertical and horizontal detail\u2026

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..The 2008 collection pays homage to this overlooked and underappreciated urban phenomena and photos were once displayed around the MTR system\u2026

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\u2014\u00a0Michael Wolf\u2019s Hong Kong Cornerhouses

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I think I belong in Hong Kong. In 1970.

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