HIGH DENSITY COURTYARD HOUSES

by Man Kin Wong

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture (First Professional)

at Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova Sco tia

O Copyright by Man Kin Wong, 2001

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Abs tract ............... ... ....................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................... vi Thesis Question .............................. .. .............................................................................. 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 2

Growth in Population and the Development of Land ................................... 2 The Development of Super-high-density Housing ........................................ 2 Site and Location ................ .. .......................................................................... 5

Design ............................................................................................................................. 7 Transformations ..... .. ...................................................................................... 7 Thesis Design ................................................................................................... 10

Site Location .......................................................................................... 11 Transformation of the Courtyard House ........................................... 13 Habitation Module ............................................................................... 18 Programs and Reaqangement of Retail Units ................................... 30

..................................................... Public Vertical Circulation System 28 The Site Strategy ................................................................................... 30

Summary ........................... ... .................................................................................... 3 Restatement of the Thesis Question ............................................................... 34

................................................................................. Further Transformations 35 Arrangement of Habitation Modules ................................................. 36

........................... Arrangement of Rowhouses on the Ground Level 36 ....................................................................... . Appendix 1 Numerical Cornpanson 37

Appendix 2 . Structure ............................................................................................... 39 ................................................................................... Appendix 3 - Design Exercises 40

Rèferences ............... , ..................................................................................................... 45

The following thesis explores the possibility of a new

apartment type in Hong Kong, one which would provide a

better quality of living within apartment units, rearrange and

provide better usage of the semi-private space within the

apartment building, rearrange retail areas and other public

areas within the building to create the identity for each

building, and identify a more conscientious approach to the

use of the precious land.

The study investigates how traditional Chinese dwelling may

sugges t architectural stra tegies to develop the new apartmen t

type. Design studies of two different densities of living (low

density and medium density) examine the relationships

between residential unit, community space, and impacts on

the landscape as living density increases.

This thesis addresses the existing urban problem in Hong

Kong, and the design attempts to provide a physical and visual

connection (like a bridge) from the downtown area to the

inaccessible country park. Setting up an example for possible

future developments around the proposed site would act as a

relief zone for people who want to take a break from the city.

1 would like to thank my thesis supewisor, Grant Wanzel, and

my advisor, Terrance Galvin. My project would not have

developed as far as it has without their assistance and support.

1 would like to thank Stephen Parcell, Wai Lui and David Yuen,

for their patience in editing the report.

To what degree can the traditional, low density Chinese

dwelling improve and have an effect on the contemporary,

high density apartment typology in Hong Kong?

Growth in Population and the Development of Land As a fishing port, Hong Kong had only a few thousand people

before the British took control of the colony in 1841. After the

Second World War, the population of Hong Kong increased

rapidly at a rate of about a million people every decade due to

successive waves of legal and illegal immigrants. By the early

1970s, the growing economy of Hong Kong meant a greater

need to develop land for commercial use and the drarnatic

increase in population also called for an urgent development

of lands for housing and other social needs.

However, Hong Kong's

topography is largely

mountainous with limited

availability of flat land for

the settlement of large

population and rapid

developmen t. Topogra hy of ~ o n ~ Ü o n g (photo tJ' rom Chung, Contemyornry Architrctwr l n Hong Kong)

The Development of Super- high-density Housing High density housing in Hong Kong has a surpnsingly short

history, originating only in 1953. In the post-World War II

years, thousands of immigrants flooded into Hong Kong from

Mainland China. Living accommodation was already scarce

due to the considerable damage to property during the

Japanese invasion and occupation, and the influx of new

immigrants made an already unsatisfactory housing situation

even worse. Houses were filled to capacity and people again

overflowed into the streets. Flimsy wooden huts were hastily

put up on the hillsides on the urban periphery where large

squatter settlements soon appeared, in which essential seMces

were lacking and the fire risk was extremely high. On

Christmas Eve 1953, a f i e broke out in Shek Kip Mei, one of

the most heavily populated squatter areas. When the tïre was

eventually put out, four days later, close to 60,000 people were

left homeless. Rehousing 60,000 people was a mammoth task.

As there was a shortage of land, it would be necessary to

rehouse them in permanent, multi-story buildings.

Work began immediately at the fire site and

from the ashes, rows of six-story blocks

started to take shape only a few months

after the f ie . By the end of 1954, the first

high density apartment building was

erected in Hong Kong. The first public housing block (photo from Hong Kong Housing Authority)

These early blocks became the prototype of early public and

private housing in Hong Kong. Each building consisted of 384

rooms, each measuring just over 11 square meters, and every

floor had just two water standpipes and six communal flush

latrines. There was no partitioning inside the living

compartments and residents had to share communal facilities

which were located in a central area away from the living

quarters. But to the many people who used to live in

ramshackle squatter huts on the hillside, these concrete

structures meant permanent, safe and hygienic homes.

Between 1959 and 1961, a new type of standard block was

designed. The basic planning of these blocks differed only very

slightly from the earlier type but the

courtyards were endosed by hollow block

screen walls within which the staircases

were placed. This block type provided a

private balcony for each room and four

large ground fioor shops. The typical housin btock - earlier type (photo horn ~ o n ~ % o n g Housing Authonty)

In 1962, a new design was introduced to

replace the previous two. Self-contained

units and lifts were, however, not available

until the introduction of a newer type in

1963. A pnvate kitchen and bathroom were

then provided with each unit. The average

living area for the residents substantially

increased after 1970. Each Hat is now

completely self-contained with a kitchen,

a toilet, separate bedrooms and a balcony.

The typical housing block - later type (photo from Hong Kong Housing Authonty)

Although little had been done to upgrade the quality of the

extemal environment, the architectural applications aimed at

fostering community spirit among the residents were still

missing. With the increase in economic stability and the

introduction of new building technologies in Hong Kong, there

are now enough resources available to propose a new

prototype which would better suit Our needs.

As a citizen of Hong Kong. 1 believe that Our quality of living

can be irnproved by understanding the traditional Chinese

culture and extending it into the new apartment typology.

Studying traditional C hinese

dwellings and how people

react to architectural

elements would enable me to

understand the relationship

between architecture and

culture on different scales - city, building and individual

unit.

Site and Location

Hong Kong has a long

history of landfill

(moving earth from

nearby hills to the sea) to

achieve enough Bat land

for the rapid

development of the city.

Since each development

is at an incredibly large

--

~ ~ ~ i c a l chin= dwellings (photo from Knapp, The Cliinesr Hotcsr)

scale, it has detrimental effects on the limited natural

environment present in Hong Kong. Choosing the hillside as

the site for residential development would prevent further

degradation of the natural environment (no landfill) and allow

more commercial development in the current flatland areas.

In Hong Kong today, there are numerous and large amounts

of natural country park areas that are reserved for recreational

use. However, people in Hong Kong have not been able to

benefit from the facilitv because of the unclear access to the J

country park area.

The site location for the thesis design is situated

between the high-density downtown core and the

country park. The idea is to provide a basic

infrastructure, sustained by the population of the

apartment, to bridge the two areas. An escalator

system, which has already been used as a n

alternative vertical transporta tion sys tem in central

Hong Kong, would serve as the physical and more

importantly as the visual connection frcm the

intensive city area to the proposed area for instant

relief and vice-versa.

Courrr ry park

t ~ . C i t y : park f omed

, -- . -, - beween

ings

Down- / town area

i i New escalapor 'k proposed

-- -

Hillside escalator link ( hot0 from Cheung and Yeoh, A euide to Rrcent Architecture in Hong Kong)

system brikiges i \ r e s iden t i a l Urban strategy - connecting the green the two d e a s 'deve l ~ p m e n t and the dense

Transfomations The research done on the traditional Chinese courtyard houses

was condensed into a storyboard diagram. It was arranged to

show how the transformations of courtyard houses came

about. The transformations also show how changes in the

culture and the environment change the form of houses and

the way we live in them.

There are many lost linkages in the

transformation to the existing I

apartment type in Hong Kong. I t ..

stopped at the courtyard houses and

did not continue into the existing -

apartment typology. The thesis is hying

to fiU the links lost in the transformation

and predict how they might inform

super high density living environments. Hong Kong)

Thesis Design Early design exercises (refer to

Appendices) raised some basic

questions very important to the Chinese

culîure.

- the community space

- the individual unit

- the use of the Iand.

The use of land (photo from Knapp, The Chinese House)

n i e individualunit--- (photo from Knapp, The Chinese House)

~n i ty s ace from L a p p , The Chinrsr House)

Site Location:

Since the development is meant to connect the downtown area

to the country park area, it should be located between the two

areas and have major public transportation nearby.

Possible sites identified in Hong Kong, with the thesis site (Tsuen Wan) enlarged, and a photo of a hillside escalator link.

Mode1 - Site and its development

Transformation of the Courtyard House:

The basic arrangement of

functions and layout within

each individual unit was

transformed from the

second design exercise,

which in turn was

transformed from the first

design exercise (refer to

Appendices). The spatial

quality and arrangement of

space are kept and

transformed into the units in the highrise tower.

Model - Transformation within Exercise 2

Model - Transformation from Exercise 2 to the thesis design

--

Mode1 - Habitation module, showing the relationship between communal space and private unit

The unit also helps to reflect

light into the communal space. , The deck in the unit serves as the

connection between the public

and the private, the same

function as the courtyard

traditional dwellings.

Connection between the communal space and the deck

By cornparision, the plan of a

typical unit (show on the right)

contains considerable unusable

space. Al1 this space is now

condensed into a courtyard

space which links al1 the other

rooms together. The courtyard

now works as a puncture inside

a volume of the unit, which is

very important for the weather

of Southern China. Increasing

the surface area of the units for

air circulation helps lower the

humidity. Plan of a t ical a artment in

Hong K n g , sRowing the unusable s ace.

( h m Henderson Real &tate Agency Limited)

Section - private unit

Now that the private rooms are

oriented inwards to the

building, the window openings

can be made bigger and more

useful than in the conventional

building type. The relationships

of public, semi-private, and

private now exist not only in

building.

View from the deck, overseeing the activity in the

courtyard

View from the master bedroom, showing activities

in the courtyard

The stairwell connects the rooms of the unit

and the unit to the public. As weii, it serves as

an air chimney: when wind passes across the

top of the chimney, it will create lower air

pressure under it. Air in the rooms which are

connected to the stairwell will be circulated

and fresh air will corne in through the

windows.

The location and the design of the kitchen were

transformed from the traditional dwelling. It

is a good example to show how architecture

reflects culture and how traditional dwellings

can provide solutions to design. The Chinese

way of cooking is different from other

countries. In traditional Chinese houses the

kitchen used to be detached from the house.

In this design, to avoid the smoke coming into

the living room, the kitchen is designed to be

detachable.

Air chimney and stainvell

Detachable kitchen - ciosed

Detacfiabte kitchen - open

. . .. . ' . . . ,. -.m..&' t74.

Habitation module

residential units and one communal

ace.

Mode1 - Habitation module

- - - . - - .- ,r-.. *--,Y.? -,1 Six different kinds of

units, ranging from

bachelor units to four-

bedroom units, make up

the 22 residential units,

allowing different types

of people to inhabit the

building.

Plan of a typical a artment building in Hong Kong. (frorn f-fen&rson Real Estate Agency Limited) Proposed plan, showing communal space.

Again, in cornparison with the proposed module, the typical

Hong Kong apartment building (shown above) contains a

considerable amount of unused and dangerous space.

Adivities in the communal space

Model - Habitation module - The communal space

is situated in the

middle of the

habitation module,

and is surrounded by

individual units. This

space is viewed from

the dwellings which

surround it, thus

enhancing the sense of

community and

security.

&

Communal space, viewed from the dwellings

. Fr- _ - - , - .-- -

3 - C r -

. - -

m e -

Programs and Rearrangement of Retail Units:

Since different functions demand different qualities of space

and different parts of the building provide different qualities

of space, it is important to separate the location of those

programs according to the nature of their requirements and

allow the quality of the space to enhance their functions.

The rooftop garden

The proposed

offers extensive

building

access to

light, air and views, which

should be used for

recreation. A swirnming

pool, rooftop garden, gym

room and clubhouse are

located on the top of the

building.

The swimming pool

Direct access

children from

to the ground benefits

the daycare centre. -

the building

With equal access from both the upper

and lower floors, the middle level of

the building is the ideal location for

retail units and public services, such

as a convenience store and a private

tutonal school. Model showing the location of the retail and public

services

These programs will benefit from their new locations, and

allow more light and air to penetrate into the building, and

into the semi-private court and residential units underneath.

These services will have

distinct appearances and forms

and will provide a distinct

identity to the building.

Separating the active people

from the people who use the

land to relax will reduce the

congestion on the ground as

well as in the middle of the

building. . . TF-

Çection showing Iight and air in the building

Public Vertical Circulation System:

Traditionaily the elevator in a building was

considered semi-private, since only the

residents living in the units within the

building would have access to the elevator.

This design makes the vertical movement

completely public, acting as a major street

in the city, just like the communal space

within each module acts as the inner streets

of the city. With enough people "watching"

the communal space, residents gain a sense

of security and a safe place for children to

play. A gate is located at the entrance to the

communal space to further enhance this

feeling of semi-privateness.

The location of the public

vertical movement

9 '

The entrance to the communal space

When more buildings are developed in this

area, the middle levels of the buildings will

be supported by connecting al1 their public

retail areas together. Likewise, at the ground

level, more gardens will join together to form

a bigger garden and serve a greater function.

Mode1 showing connections between buildings

.

and public space

30

The Site Strategy:

In agricultural society, the Chinese have

always been very careful in selecting

the locations for buildings and making

very conscious uses of the land. Feng

Shui is an example that reflects such

concems. People who benefit from the

farm land not only take good care of it

but also contribute back to the land

from time to time.

In Hong Kong, land is very precious not

only in terms of its price but because of

its physical quality. In many developed

areas, the land is covered with concrete

and the natural greenery has been

removed. The original quality of the

land has been destroyed and artificial

landscapes have replaced the natural

land (e.g., podium garden, public

concrete garden - concrete forest).

~ h ë use of land - Çoft land (photo from Knapp, The Chi~rese Hotcse)

Podium garden - i-iard land ( hoto from Chung, Contrrnyorrrry Architucturri in i o n g Kong)

Fu tu re development

The design puts residentiat units on the ground site.iocation -\

\

to replace the heauy, solid footprint of retail /'r \ *\

units. More than 13% of the total units (in this _ A - - - _ -

\ i

--7-- - f example, 66 units out of 516 total units) will have i

f

/' direct ground access to the garden in front of

f

their unit. The residents who live on the ground Ll : #' - / ' :

L --,--,--,, --1

floor will revitalize the garden for the

cornmunity. Each individual will want to

beautify their own garden, hence making the

whole scene more inviting.

To what degree can the traditional, low density . ?.a . -

- . . - - : -- * *

Chinese dweiling improve and have an effect on the

conternporary, high density apartment typology in

Hong Kong? 1 believe architecture should provide not

only shelter, but also meaningful space, related to the

history and the culture of a particular place. The

building proposed in this thesis has closely followed

the form and content of traditional Chinese dwellings.

The work has incorporated ideas from this and other

sources. With the resultant transformation complete,

one can see dramatic irnprovements to the appearance

of the building, the quality of space, and most

importantly, the way we live in the apartment

buildings.

Model - Overall form of the new apartment type

Model - Typical apartment building in Hon Kong

(Photo hom Fienderson ~ e a f ~ s t a t e Agency Limited)

Further Transfomm tions The new typology is not a repetitive set of

floor plans but a more complex three-

dùnensional assembly of habitation modules

and public facilities. While this new typology

is an improvement on the conventional one,

it can only be considered as the first

prototype of a new typology. Further

transformations are needed in order to

improve the design. A few critical points

were not covered in the thesis design, but

they should be focused on in the next

transformation.

Model and drawing - Overall form of the prototype

Arrangement of Habitation Modules:

In the thesis, the habitation modules are stacked

vertically. A wider variety of arrangements should

be explored. Their placement should follow the

contour of the landscape to capture the sun and the

wind, further improving the quality of the communal

space in the module and the relationship between the

tower (or no longer a tower) and the ground.

Arrangement of Rowhouses on the Ground Level:

Allowing people to live on the ground level not only

helps to preserve the natural environment but also

provides a sense of security. However, in the thesis,

row houses were only arranged in a straight line. In

the next transformation, the arrangement of the row

houses can be more free to follow the flow of the

landscape, to define public space or gardening space

more stra tegically.

The thesis design was closely compared to a typical apartment

building complex in Hong Kong: Serenade Cove, Tsuen Wan.

The following is a detailed comparison of the physical

characteristics of the two buildings.

I 1 Serenade Cove 1 New apartment 1 Site area Height

Floor area ratio

Units Densitv

1 Recreational proportion 1 7 % 1 17% 1

6 0 6 sq. m (1 -482 acre) 107 m, 37 stories including retail and

Detailed calculations (Serenade Cove):

1 Floor area ratio 1 68938.8 sq. m total floor area / 6000 sq. m. site area =

4928 sq. m (1 -2 18 acre) 115 m, 9 modules (4 floors within each module) + retail and

public services 1 1 Sm, 800 units 550 unitdacre

public services 5 16 units 424 unitslacre

Recreational proportion 11.5 5000 sq meter / 68938.3 sq meter = 7%

Detailed calculations (new apartment type):

Floor area ratio

Recreational proportion

Apartment un&: Bach. 38.5 sq. m. x 2 2BR I l 1 sq. m. x 2 Bach. 30 sq. m. x 3 2BR 67.5 sq. m. x 5 Bach. with office 50 sq. m. 3BR 12 1 sq. m. x 6 Bach. with office 53.5 sq. m 4BR 161 -5 sq. m x 2

Total area: 1879 sq. m. x 18 floon = 33822 sq. m.

Row houses: 2BR 80 sq. m. x 2 3BR 90 sq. m. Total area: 250 sq. m. x 22 rows = 5500 sq. m.

Communal sDaces 216 sq. m. x 18 = 3888 sq. m.

Green area on t o ~ of row house 180 sq. m. x 6 + 180 x 2 / 3 = 1200 sq. m.

Public area Includes retails and programs Convenience store = 733 sq. m. Tutorial school = 1940 sq. m. Single family houses (27 units) = 2352.75 sq. m. Gym. = 1204 sq. m. Rooftop garden = 635 sq. m. Clubhouse = 1349 sq. m. Swimming facility = 1060 sq. m. Total area: 9754 sq. m.

Total floor area: =54 164 sq. m. Floor area ratio: =54 l64/4928 = I 1 Communal spaces = 3888 sq. m Gardens for rowhouses = 1200 sq. m. Clubhouse = 13 16 sq. m. Gym = 1204 sq. m. Rooftop garden = 635 sq. m. Swimming facility = 1060 sq. m.

Total = 9303 sq. m.

Mode1 showing structure, with the columns and trusses also serving as unit dividers.

Design Exercise 1 The purpose of this exercise was to

extend the understandings of

traditional Chinese courtyard houses

into a contemporary house design,

located in Hong Kong. This design

examines what will be changed when

the setting changes fkom China to Hong

Kong.

Orientation:

The design is meant to

capture more sunlight

into the courtyard and

to use t h e mountain

beyond to protect from

cold north winds.

Courtyard:

The courtyard serves as Mode1 - Exercise 1

a gathering space for friends and family members as well as a working

space. It works as the intemal focus for the dining room and the living

room and serves as a connecting space to the surrounding rooms, but

yet itself is a usable space. The kitchen is almost entirely detached

from the rest of the house because of the way people cook in Hong

Kong and China.

Model - Exercise 1 Upper Floor:

The focus is towards the outside instead of inside the court.

The deck serves as the secondary gathering space for famüy

members.

Model - Exercise 1

Spatial Quality:

Each room has different ceiling heights according to the nature

of the room. The living room has a higher ceiling than the

bedrooms. This is possible by making use of the slope of the

land.

Design Exercise 2

The purposes of this exercise were: to

consider transformations when the

density of dwellings increases to 19

units per acre; to consider the qualities

of community space and individual

units; and to see how many of the

original qualities a n d ideas of the

courtyard house from Exercise 1 could

be retained or developed.

Individual Units:

The courtyard house was transformed into the individual units

in Exercise 2, with small modifications to their size and their

arrangements of interior space. The courtyard was separated

into a public one and a pnvate one.

Small Comrnunity Scale:

Community services and facilities are needed when the

population increases. Architecturally, those services and

facilities should help to connect al1 units, to unite them into

one. Communal space is required for community gathering.

--

Mode1 - Exercise 2, showing a view from the top of the hiIl

Severai ideas were retained from Exercise 1:

- spatial relationship of individual units

- orientation concerns

- making use of the landscape.

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