Kwun Tong Garden Estate was built along the hillside, and its layout and design demonstrate great thoughtfulness given the technology available at the time, making good use of the site area and adapting to the terrain, all while putting the residents’ quality of life into the equation. The Kwun Tong Garden Estate Documentary Project has invited young students in architectural studies to document the buildings of Kwun Tong Garden Estate through their drawings.
Wong Ying (黃瀅)
Member of the HS Academy Alumni Club
CUHK Bachelor of Social Science in Architectural Studies
Wong Hei Yi (王禧兒)
Member of the HS Academy Alumni Club
CUHK Bachelor of Social Science in Architectural Studies
The overall layout of the Kwun Tong Garden Estate Phase II project consists of five buildings formed by 11 linear structures. The northeast side is situated by the hillside near Kung Lok Road, while the southwest side is connected to Ngau Tau Kok Road, facing Kwun Tong Town Centre. As several of these buildings are on slopes, the architects designed stairs and ramps along the hill to overcome the elevation differences within the estate. This design has enhanced residents’ mobility and interaction throughout the entire estate, encouraging them to explore and use the public facilities in the estate.
The ground floors of Hung Cheuk Lau and Hay Cheuk Lau, facing Ngau Tau Kok Road, feature various shops catering to the daily needs of the residents. Some of the ground-level spaces have also been designated as garden plots, allowing residents to grow potted plants and crops that require more space, creating many “secret gardens”. Most of the 11 buildings adopt a linear central corridor design. The overall layout of the estate and exterior design of the buildings make the most of the larger facades facing north/south and the terrain, reflecting the government’s consideration of residents’ quality of life while addressing housing issues at the time.
Hay Cheuk Lau is an 8-storey building designed in the “slab block” style, which is characteristic of older public housing estates. This drawing shows its southwest-facing elevation overlooking Ngau Tau Kok Road. On its northwest, the building is next to On Shin Road, while Pak Ling Lau is to its southeast. Given Hong Kong’s subtropical climate, this design helps mitigate the impact of the strong afternoon sun from the west while allowing more natural light to come in, thereby further reducing the energy consumption required for living spaces.
In terms of the interior design, the living rooms do not have windows but come with balconies. Combined with the louvered ventilation windows, they have provided the solution for natural lighting and ventilation. The drawing documents that the residents of Hay Cheuk Lau would use the balcony to hang clothes on drying racks, and hang bed sheets over the balcony railings. They would also place potted plants on their balconies, adding personal touch to the otherwise standardised building facade. For similar reasons, the architects intentionally included metal railings, patterned bricks, and other architectural elements in corridors and stairway corners to create a ventilation corridor effect, providing comfortable social spaces for residents.
This drawing depicts Hay Cheuk Lau’s short side elevation facing northwest, overlooking On Shin Road. Different from the parks and pavilions in other public housing estates where residents would gather, the spacious staircases at both ends of the corridors in Hay Cheuk Lau have unintentionally become community corners for residents to take rest and chitchat.
The open design, intended to allow more natural light and fresh air for better natural lighting and ventilation, has drawn residents together with the comfort it provides. They bring their own stools to relax and enjoy the cool breeze and the scenic view. These unintended uses have given Hay Cheuk Lau’s public spaces new personalised meanings and increased the residents’ sense of belonging.
The public corridors of Hay Cheuk Lau are at the centre of the building, extending along its southeast-northwest axis. The units are along both sides (northeast and southwest) of the corridors, all equipped with balconies and independent kitchens and bathrooms. The louvered windows of the balconies serve as the main sources of ventilation and natural lighting of the units. Furthermore, the residents have also extended their living spaces to the balconies, using them for planting, drying clothes, and storage. The units have no room divisions upon moving in, allowing residents to add partition freely according to their household needs. As a result, each unit has a different layout.
In addition to the staircases at both ends of the corridors on each floor, there is a fire escape staircase in the centre of the corridors in compliance with the hygiene and fire safety requirements of the prevailing Buildings Ordinance. All staircases are semi-open, allowing for natural lighting and ventilation for the corridors, while also attracting residents to gather and walk around the spacious staircases and the indoor atrium space. The building’s two main entrances are located on Ngau Tau Kok Road and at its intersection with On Shin Road, facilitating residents’ access to other facilities in the district and public transportation.
Kwun Tong Garden Estate
Documentary Project
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