2021

Vertical Commons: Reimagined Market Centres

Vinnie Law

With a growing population and limited buildable land, Hong Kong lacks common public spaces. The existing public spaces in the central city are not only sparse and small in size, but are also under-utilised or under-developed. This is a growing issue where locals value public space as the centre of their community activities and as a place of social encounter that is a vital part of their daily life.

This thesis examines the Sai Ying Pun area, a historic district on Hong Kong Island that is undergoing gentrification. The district’s public space has been affected by rapid urbanisation and is often poorly integrated or ignored in planning and urban development. Despite the transformations, the market remains a key public space which is examined in this thesis for an architectural intervention.

This thesis will introduce the concept of urban commons, as well as the elements of collective participation and hands-on engagement that are associated with it, to repurpose the underutilised market complexes as a resource for community development. Through reimagining this district’s central public space, the thesis aims to create a social machine with appropriate and sufficient facilities and infrastructure that foster a sense of community and cohesion among the locals.