Public Estate Spaces make for Wonderful Playgrounds

Public Estate Spaces
make for Wonderful Playgrounds

Daniel Ma / One of the first residents of Ming Wah Dai Ha

For the first time since moving away 20 years ago, 60-year-old Daniel once again set foot in Ming Wah Dai Ha, where everything he sees conjures up a vivid memory from a distant past. “We had a lot of fun in this corridor, especially in the empty spaces in front of the stairwell. Everyone would hang out here; the adults would chat, dry clothes and play mahjong; the kids would gather and do all sorts of fun things: folk games, Statues, jump rope, football, you name it,” Daniel recalled. “We would play football on the terrace between two blocks; the ball would often fly off into someone’s balcony when we kicked it a bit too hard.” Daniel had been living in Ming Wah Dai Ha for nearly four decades, during which time he grew up and attended school before building a career in architectural engineering. However, the best memories he had were playing in various open spaces in the estate, which were treated like playgrounds by children.

Moving into Ming Wah was “better than winning the lottery”

“It was around 1962 or 1963, I can’t remember the exact year, when our family of four moved into Ming Wah Dai Ha Block J. I was 7 or 8 at the time.” Daniel was the eldest child of the family; he was living with his parents and younger brother in a cubicle in Shau Kei Wan. The family was over the moon when they learnt that their application for a public rental unit in Ming Wah Dai Ha had been approved. “The new flat was so big, and there’s a private bathroom and kitchen. It was so much better than the cubicle.”

Ming Wah Dai Ha were completed in phases starting from 1962. Daniel and his family were the first batch of residents to move into the estate. They moved into the 7th floor of Block J, which was the fourth building to be completed. Back then, A Kung Ngam Road, which is situated next to the buildings, was still being constructed. “Every afternoon we would hear the sound of gongs and drums as a warning of rock blasting.” The daily rock blasting went on for years. Since there was no MTR, residents would go downhill on foot to Kam Wa Street to buy groceries and take the tram. Daniel recalled that there were two dai pai dongs selling porridge and noodles near the end of the street; they were crowded with customers every day. Daniel, who was studying in Salesian School, loved going home by taking A Kung Ngam Road. As Ming Wah Dai Ha was built along a hillside, the building sat on a slope and A Kung Ngam Road was accessible from the exit on the third floor, which means fewer stairs to climb when going up. 

Old Estates Space designed to build neighbour relationships

“The corridor at Ming Wah Dai Ha was a special design feature, with an impluvium (air well) at either end. It was great for ventilation, you could even talk to people upstairs.” When Daniel was young, he was oblivious to what an impluvium could do. With a career in architectural conservation under his belt, he now has a more profound understanding of Hong Kong’s building and construction industry. 

Daniel believes that, while public housing in the 60s was built in the cheapest and fastest way as a “quick fix” for the looming housing crisis, a lot of public and social spaces were masterfully integrated into these estates. The clothes drying rooms on every floor, stone-carved ping-pong table on the ground floor, stairs and terraces between two blocks – these are the places where neighbours met and children played. The corridor on each floor, lying at the heart of the neighbourhood, brought people closer together. “Every night after dinner, at around 8 or 9, people would hang out in the common area at either end of the corridor.” Some would sit and chat, some would play mahjong if there were enough players, and young boys like little Daniel would play football with his neighbours.“Children from floors above and below would come and play matches. There could be 20 of us on some nights.”

Daniel found the spirit of neighbourliness at Ming Wah most impressive–neighbours would often borrow rice or cooking oil from each other; adults would leave kids in their neighbours’ care when they need to go out; people would happily share with their neighbours a hearty bowl of freshly-made soup; they would even offer to help buy groceries when the mother was too busy to do so. Daniel still remembers his neighbours’ names to this day; walking past his old flat on the 7th floor, he recited their names:“The family who lived opposite us were the Tsui’s, the ones next door were the Kwok’s, this was the Chan family…”When I asked Daniel if coming back has brought back a lot of memories, he replied, “No, they need not be brought back, they were never gone.”

細説​明華

Ming Wah Dai Ha
Documentary Project

​CopyrightDisclaimer | Contact us
OrganiserHong Kong Housing Society
CollaboratorDragon Foundation、Lion Head Culture、Hide and Seek Tour
Copyright © 2024 Hong Kong Housing Society. All Rights Reserved.

細説​明華

Ming Wah Dai Ha
Documentary Project

​CopyrightDisclaimer | Contact us
OrganiserHong Kong Housing Society
CollaboratorDragon Foundation、Lion Head Culture、Hide and Seek Tour
Copyright © 2024 Hong Kong Housing Society. All Rights Reserved.