Kowloon walled city memorialt o c o l l e c t a n d r e b u i l d t h e l o s t m e m o r y

Y u , Y i n g H o Z e n o / M A C I G 2 0 1 0 - 1 1 / 1 3 0 5 0 4 2 1

t h e s i s f i n a l d e s i g n d r a w i n g s

S Y N O P S I SK O W L O O N W A L L E D C I T Y M E M O R I A LKowloon Walled City occupied a relatively small patch in Hong Kong and was never officially under British ownership, nor de facto controlled by the Chinese. In some ways, it can be called a ‘country’ within the former British Colony. As a territory in limbo, it finally became an incredibly dense city with only 0.026 km² area offering homes to 50,000 people. However, due to its embarrassing political position and its image as a sinister place, it was demolished in 1993 and replaced by a park. To most foreigners, Kowloon Walled City is always the first reference when thinking of the congestion and chaos of Hong Kong. However, this thesis asserts that the walled city should have been valued as a remarkable part of Hong Kong’s cultural heritage.

Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to investigate and explore the relationship between memory and cultural identity through the (re-)construction of Kowloon Walled City. On one level, it formulates the design concept by linking cultural theories about memory to the act of memorialisation and explains why such a process is important to Hong Kong’s cultural identity. Memory is fragmented and individual in nature and how memory is “collected” in the public places of the city shapes public discourse. The project explores how memory fragments of the destroyed City can be ‘re-collected’ and developed into the design of the memorial to the City. It thus ‘collects’ memory fragments from different sources and then abstracts, juxtaposes and encodes them into new architectural languages for the memorialisation of the destroyed Walled City of Kowloon. This design creates a sequence of overlapping participatory spaces for the people to remember and rethink their identity. Moreover, it also aims to develop an architectural design as an antidote to the mundane and formulaic nature of contemporary residential architecture in Hong Kong.

James Young reminded us that societies cannot remember in any other way than through their constituents’ memories. He suggested therefore that we speak of ‘collected memory’ rather than ‘collective memory’. how memory is “collected” in the public places of the city shapes public discourses. IT suggests that memory is a process, an action—it is never a noun, fixed and permanent, but more rightly “memory-work,” a continuous remaking of the past for present needs and purposes, and to project our future. most importantly, “collected memory” implies that individuals and groups are doing the “collecting.”

Memory fragment [01]

A maze of dark routes pierces the city’s mass from one side to the other, virtually no sunlight reaches them. Looped electric cables festoon their ceilings, dripping alarmingly with moisture. Sometimes you are alone, with every door locked around you. Sometimes lanes are suddenly bright with the lights of a laundry or a sweetshop factory, and with loud Chinese music providing a sound track to daily activities. This memory fragment is to form the basis grid of the site of the memorial. The main streets are taken from the map and abstracted to form the new path for the landscape park.

l a b y r i t h i n e s t r e e t s c a p e

Memory fragment [02]A maze of dark routes pierces the city’s mass from one side to the other, virtual ly no sunl ight reaches them. Looped electr ic cables festoon their cei l ings, dr ipping alarmingly with moisture. Sometimes you are alone, with every door locked around you. Sometimes lanes are suddenly br ight with the l ights of a laundry or a sweetshop factory, and with loud Chinese music providing a sound track to dai ly activit ies. This memory fragment is to form the basis gr id of the site of the memorial. The main streets are taken from the map and abstracted to form the new path for the landscape park.

K W C h i s t o r i c a l l a n d m a r k s

K W C p l a n 1 8 4 7

r e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n

o l d p r o g r a m m e

[ 0 1 ] m i l i ta r y o f f i c e r ’ s ya m e n [ 0 2 ] S o u t h g at e [ 0 3 ] N o r t h g at e [ 0 4 ] a r m o u r y

[ 0 5 ] B A R R A C K [ 0 6 ] p a r a d e g r o u n d [ 0 7 ] e r s h e n g t e m p l e [ 0 8 ] O l d w e l l

[ 0 9 ] C a n n o n [ 1 0 ] H i l l t o p p av i l i o n [ 1 1 ] m a j o r g e n e r a l m a n s i o n [ 1 2 ] m u r a l w a l l

[ 1 3 ] P a r a d e p av i l i o n [ 1 4 ] g u n p o w d e r f a c t o r y [ 1 5 ] e a s t g at e [ 1 6 ] w a r e h o u s e

The l o ca t i on o f ma i n m i l i t a r y bu i l d i ngs i s ma r ked on t he s i t e w i t h a new i con wh i ch i s des i gned i n a cco rdance w i t h t he f unc t i on i n t he o l d t ime w i t h a new i n t e r p r e t a t i on . The i con may ca r r y f unc t i on l i k e pav i l i o n , t i c ke t i ng boo th , en t r ance ga t eway , pa r ade g r ound o r me re l y a s cu l p t u r e po r t r ay i ng i t s o r i g i n a l f unc t i on . On t op o f t ha t , e ach i con i s a l s o des i gned a s t he en t r ance f o r t he unde rg round pa thway t o t he memor i a l and l i n k up t he F r agmen t 03 . I t s ymbo l i s e t he mean i ng t ha t t he v i s i t o r s shou l d r e - r e ad t he memory f r om the o l d days ( t he i cons ) t o t he heyday ( t he pa thway ) be fo r e en t e r i ng t he memor i a l bu i l d i ng .

Memory fragment [02]

M e m o r y f r a g m e n t [ 0 3 ]

The memory trace of one’s dai ly journey back home is a very individual ised experience, and everyone should have in KWC had one mind, ut i l is ing secret pathways and negotiat ing labyrinthine streets. This project accommodates different routes to access the memorial and the result ing individual ised experience. The pathways are designed to carve out from underground to symbol ize that the existence of the City was quite invisible to the major ity and the l i fe inside the shantytown was misunderstood as myster ious yet dangerous by the general publ ic. The city was also portrayed as an i l legal heaven where many activit ies should go ‘underground’.

T R A C I N G W A Y B A C K H O M E

m e m o r y f r a g m e n t [ 0 4 ]C h a o s , d e n s i t y & r h i z o n eH ive o f d r eams . Those m i sma tched , unca l cu l a t ed w indows . They seem to abso rb a l l t h e f r an t i c a c t i v i t y o f Ka i Tak a i r po r t , s uck i ng i n ene rgy l i k e a b l a ck ho l e . A l l a r e bu i l t w i t hou t con t r o l and i n t e r ven t i on bu t based on t he memory co l l e c t ed f r om f r agmen t s o f l i v e s i n KWC.

M e m o r y f r a g m e n t [ 0 5 ]Y a m e n a n d t h e v o i d The vo i d ove r Yamen o f f e r s a pa r t i c u l a r qua l i t y i n t he C i t y whe r e sun l i gh t and a i r c an r e ach g round l e ve l d i r e c t l y . The pe r cep t i on and r ea l i t y o f Yamen va r i ed t h r ough i t s h i s t o r y , f r om so l i d mass t o nega t i v e vo i d .

M e m o r y f r a g m e n t [ 0 6 ]Con tempo ra r y Hong Kong a r ch i t e c tu r e i s du l l and sou l l e s s . Hab i t ab l e spaces , p r i v a t e o r pub l i c , a r e s im i l a r i n des i gn , bo th spa t i a l l y and aes the t i c a l l y . Th i s r e su l t s i n a s an i t i z ed and va r i ous f o rms o f c r ea t i v i t y - i n c l ud i ng t he way i n wh i ch t he pas t i s v a l ued , i n t e r p r e t ed , d r awn upon - i s i n ex t r eme l y sho r t supp l y .

H K C O N T E M P O R A R Y S P A C E S

e a s t e l e v a t i o n

T H E m e m o r I A LR e - C O L L E C T I O N O F M E M O R YTh i s p r o j e c t i s no t i n t ended t o cons t r uc t a r ep l i c a o f t he l o s t c i t y f ab r i c , bu t t o r e - co l l e c t memo r i e s o f t he c i t y and r e t h i nk t he way i n wh i ch cu l t u r a l memo ry i s r e ca l l e d o r r e cons t i t u t ed i n bu i l t f o rm . I n and o f i t s e l f , memo r i a l r ema i n s i n e r t , and i s who l l y dependen t on v i s i t o r s f o r wha teve r memo r i e s t hey f i n a l l y r e ca l l o f p r oduce .

F L O O R P L A NI n d e t e r m i n a c y

Memory i s a phenomenon t ha t i s d i r e c t l y r e l a t ed t o t he p r e sen t ; ou r pe r cep t i on o f t he pas t i s a lways i n f l u enced by t he p r e sen t , wh i ch means t ha t i t i s a lways chang i ng . The spa t i a l a r r angemen t i n t he memor i a l i s t o c r ea t e an a r ch i t e c tu r a l i nde t e rm inacy , wh i ch i s h i gh l y f l e x i b l e and eve r - chang i ng . Con t r a s t i ng f unc t i ons a r e p l a ced s i d e by s i d e w i t hou t any r u l e o r s y s t em, bu t t o gene r a t e t he con t e s t a t i on and i n t e r r oga t i on .

S E C T I O NI m a g i n a t i v e r e c o n s t r u c t i o nThe p rope r t i e s o f t he C i t y can on l y be unde r s t ood a s a dynam ic con t ex t ; i n t e rms o f movemen t , i n t e r ac t i on and t r ans fo rma t i on . The memor i a l i s an imag i na t i v e r e cons t r uc t i on , o r cons t r uc t i on , bu i l t ou t o f t he r e l a t i on o f ou r a t t i t ude t owa rds a who l e ac t i v e mass o f o r gan i z ed pas t r e ac t i ons o r expe r i ence .

M A P P I N G [ 0 1 ]R A C I N G P I G E O N B r e e d e r The r oo f l e ve l o f kow loon Wa l l ed C i t y ac t ed a s t he l ung o f t he chaos . I t was whe r e peop l e cou l d b r ea th t he a i r and f ee l t he f r e edom. One cou l d expe r i ence t he c i t y a t t he l im i t o f a e r i a l l i n e w i t h i t s un i que pe r spec i t ve t o t he vo i d and yamen .

M A P P I N G [ 0 2 ]H o u s e w i f e i n s i d e t he w indow les s r oom somewhe re o r nowhe re i n t he c i t y , one cou l d expe r i ence t he maze w i t h d i f f e r en t sound , wa rm , l i g h t , t ouch , d i r t and sme l l . Eve r y s t r i p o f t he pa th i s t empo ra l l y and spa t i a l l y un i que t ha t p r ov i de a d i f f e r en t way back home expe r i ence .

M e m o r y P A T H W A YThe memor i a l i s de s i gned w i t h nume rous unde rg round pa thways w i t h en t r ances ma rked by t he f o l l i e s des i gned i n F r agmen t 02 . Each pa thway r ep r e sen t s a d i f f e r en t expe r i ence o r memo ry go i ng back home based on d i f f e r en t spa t i a l - t empo ra l n a r r a t i v e s a s co l l e c t ed f r om the r e s i den t s . I t a ims t o c r ea t e a pa r t i c i p a to r y f unc t i on and des i gned w i t h t he qua l i t i e s f ound f r om the s t r e e t scape i n s i de t he C i t y so t ha t t he v i s i t o r c an f ee l how the peop l e i n t he Wa l l ed C i t y moved a r ound a s a da i l y cu l t u r a l p r ac t i c e

S p a t i a l - t e m p o r a l n a r r a t i v e s

M e m o r y P A T H W A YVa r i ous p r i n c i p l e s o f p l o t cons t r uc t i on g r ound ou r o r d i na r y memory p r ac t i c e s : we a s sume , f o r examp l e , t ha t t he r emembe red I h a s t r a ced ‘ a con t i nuous spa t i o - t empo ra l r ou t e t h r ough a l l t h e na r r a t i v e s o f memo ry , a r ou t e con t i nuous w i t h t he p r e sen t and f u tu r e l o ca t i on o f t he r emembe r i ng sub j e c t ’ (Campbe l l 1997 , p .110 ) .

T e x t u r e A N D S c e n t o f K W C

M e m o r y P A T H W A YThe pa thway i s an abs t r ac t i on o f t he d i f f e r en t qua l i t i e s and expe r i ence i n s i d e t he C i t y de r i v ed f r om memory . . . i n c l ud i ng l i gh t and shadow, dampness , sme l l , no i s e , co l ou r , openness and enc l o su r e . They a r e a l l f r agmen ted e l emen t s u sed t o r e -p r e sen t co l l e c t ed memory .

F r a g m e n t e d a b s t r a c t i o n

The l o ca t i on o f ma i n m i l i t a r y bu i l d i ngs i s ma rked on t he s i t e w i t h a new i con wh i ch i s des i gned i n a cco rdance w i t h t he f unc t i on i n t he o l d t ime w i t h a new i n t e r p r e t a t i on . The i con may ca r r y f unc t i on l i k e pav i l i o n , t i c ke t i ng boo th , en t r ance ga t eway , pa r ade g r ound o r me re l y a s cu l p t u r e po r t r ay i ng i t s o r i g i n a l f unc t i on . On t op o f t ha t , e ach i con i s a l s o des i gned a s t he en t r ance f o r t he unde rg round pa thway t o t he memor i a l and l i n k up t he F r agmen t 03 . I t s ymbo l i s e t he mean i ng t ha t t he v i s i t o r s shou l d r e - r e ad t he memory f r om the o l d days ( t he i cons ) t o t he heyday ( t he pa thway ) be fo r e en t e r i ng t he memor i a l bu i l d i ng .

Memory fragment [02]

M A C I G 2 0 1 0 / 1 1 T H E S I S e x h i b i t i o n1 6 - 2 0 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 1 , I n 4 / F A r c h i t e c t u r e S t u d i o sU n i v e r s i t y o f W e s t m i n s t e r , 3 5 M a r y l e b o n e R o a d , L o n d o n , N W 1 5 L S

The overarching objective of the course is to produce graduates who are culturally sensitive designers. It does this through promoting design as the primary method for theoretical investigations into the links between architecture, urbanism and cultural identity within the dynamic context of globalisation. Design and text-based projects sited in London this year explored themes such as empowerment and exclusion, architecture and material culture, cosmopolitan cultures, place attachment, land and commerce, and the appropriation of urban space by diasporic communities. International sites were explored through this year’s field trips, which were conducted through Palestine (West Bank) with the theme of ‘Contested Ground’.

u n i v e r s i t y o f w e s t m i n s t e rM A i n a r c h i t e c t u r e , c u l t u r a l i d e n t i t y & g l o b a l i s a t i o n