Neo Hong Kong Island in Uniform?
A Narrative of governmental Possibility under Political Zoning
Fu Yat Him, Horta UID: 3035422374 Ho Jun Yin, Bosco UID: 2012553334 Kwan Long Yin, Tom UID: 3035060580
ARCH7072 Architecture and Urban Design 2 The University of Hong Kong, Department of Architecture Instructor: Dr. Zhu Tao Semester 2, 2017-2018
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Abstract & Background -Project Abstract -the Island And Hong Kong -Hong Kong And Bay area
Neo Hong Kong Island in Uniform?
A Narrative of governmental Possibility under Political Zoning
The end of World history proposed since the end of Cold War has been challenged as human conflicts in arts of problem solving- politic, did not dissolve. With continuous political conflicts in Hong Kong and the possibility of political conjunction in the Greater Bay Area when it become a prosperous society, the region is also in challenge of further progression. Noticed that the urban planning has the intension to resolve conflicts of economic utilities, can it also play a part in resolving the political conflicts? By applying the diversity of political beliefs in Hong Kong and the capability of autonomous experiment in an exclave island, a new urban zoning strategy- political zoning is proposed in an reclaimed island of Dongguan. Can it result an ultimate form of government? A narrative of governmental possibility by political zoning is generated to provoke an imagination of new ways of ending history.
Hong Kong Exclave
BINHAIWAN New Development An Exclave Island of Hong Kong
Dongguan government has reclaimed back the new district area of Changan to integrate with Fumen for a new development project, Binhaiwan New District. It is aimed to collaborate with the Great Bay Area development of the Guangdong province. In order to enhance the collaboration of the area, two islands are designed for collaborating with Hong Kong and Taiwan as a platform for different parties to collaborate. Thus the Hong Kong government will have a exclave outside its borders with an autonomy to develop. The initial question is raised as follow (1) Why Hong Kong would valued the development opportunities in the exclave island? (2) What is the unique value of Hong Kong which helps the further progression of Dungguan?
48minutes TO Guangzhou
14Minutes TO Shenzhen
45Minutes TO Zhuhai
[HONG KONG TERRITORY AT ADVANCED LOCATION]
Quality of The Exclave Island to HK Full Autonomy from any vast-interests
What is Hong Kong lacked of? Some claimed it is the land resources. Yet, it is noted that only about 20% of land in Hong Kong territory is developed. The development is constrainted by vast-interests ranging from environmental protection, infrastructure provision and economic system. Any experimental developments are debated for times and never reached a consent. Furthermore, as Hong Kong is already located at advanced position in the Bay Area as noted in the map, any form of economic cooperation with the Bay Area could make possible within its territory with less logistic problems. Therefore, capacity for experimental system is the true value of the 1.5 square km island in Dongguan, as the island is free from any development constraints from interests holder, and offers flexibility to reform the regulation at HK territory.
[GREATER BAY AREA IN PROSEPRITY]
Greater Bay Area in Conjunction Diverse Social Discourses in prosperous Society
“New Era, New Journey� suggested by Chairman Xi Jinping, China will moved into a moderately prosperous society by 2020. As the needs of basic need in China will be generally fulfill, the thought and demand of its citizens will likely be fragmented according to Maslow Pyramid. It is expected more social discourses will be raised beyond economic growth. Maintaining harmony between different thoughts would be a challenge. In Changan particularly, propaganda of beautiful future is always featured. When the basic pollution is resolved and citizen life are advanced, what will be the role of the future government? What and how the problem the government should resolve?
Hong Kong in Urgency of Political Conflicts
The Fundamental obstacles to Any other problem Solving Politic is the art of problem solving. To Hong Kong, there are lots of problems about the current citizen life and the city’s future. Solutions are proposed yet never carry out as those solution are always put into debate in its rationale and possible consequences, it resulted in political confliects. Everyone is holding different views on how to resolve a problem, and put into protests like Umberlla Movement. Division of society by polarized acts there is no way reach any consent for further action. The city is risks of no progression.
Political Testing Ground of China The Unique role and contribution of Hong Kong
Hong Kong is situated in the East-West interface in history. Citizens have experienced diverse political thoughts, education and systems. On the one hand, they are rooted by the Asian tradition such as confucianism. On the otherhand, they are having prosperous life open to international exchange. It is always predicted that Hong Kong can be a future projection of mainland since the Reform and Opening Up policy in 1978. Perhaps, “50 Years Unchanged” suggested by Deng Xiaoping, is one of the explanation of role of Hong Kong to Mainland China. It means one country two systems would be applied to Hong Kong from 1997-2047. However, this do not necessary mean Hong Kong will be forced to change. Deng’s theory expected both Hong Kong and China will naturally evolve socially and economically. China would started to reform the social system when the experiment in Hong Kong is successful and both would naturally move to the same system by 2047. Now that the political experiment from 1997-2018 has been questioned as problematic, China is in needed of new political experiment with the engagment of the Hong Kong citizens.
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Default of Planning -Concept of Political Compass -Transformation in Spatial Zoning -Island Default Setup
[POLARIZED IDEOLOGIES IN HONG KONG]
Political Compass
Locating and Structuring the Discourse of Hong Kong Perception of Economic and Social System is the fundamental arguments of each social ideology. Hong Kong is currently under tension between different arguments not only Pro-government or not, but also the split between Anti-government campaign. Systematically located their fundamental thinking would be a starting point for further ideas generation. The political compass is a two axis graph explaining the discourses questioning two fundamental human questions. 1. Whether human are self-conscious that they can live collectively naturally or they are selfish that need control? 2. Whether everyone have the right to enjoy the same resources or they should be distributed through competition? The two questions has generated four polarized political ideology which are quite reflects to the conjunction of Hong Kong currently. Authoritarian Left Authoritarian Right Anarchist Left Anarchist Right
[HONG KONG PLANNING BY ECONOMIC UTILITIES]
[TIANJIN IN ZONING BY COLONLIALISTS CONCESSION]
Role of Planning
Can Planning resolve political Conflict The current planning system in Hong Kong, outline zoning plan, is used to resolve land use conflicts of economic utitlity. We are at the post industrial age, the conflicts, pollutions caused by production has been eliminated. Yet, conflicts from ideology, from gender, from culture , from race has been arises. In particular, Hong Kong conflicts in ideology is severe. We see the conflicts of ideology as extended to couples, friends zone, and family during the occupation movement. So, if planning is used to solve conflicts, can it also solve ideology conflicts? This begins our exploration and imagination of political zoning.
SEPARATION The four polarized ideologies are separated into four individual islands to avoid intense conflicts.
INTEGRATION Central ground is provided as a neutral ground for both incidental integration and also intentional negotiation.
Default of the Island
Neutral Ground connecting with 4 seperated sectors To carry out this zoning, the government will act as as neutral figure that do not interrupt the actualization of ideology. What it is built in the middle is just a neutral ground for arrival and departure of the island, and space for their possible interaction in the future. It linked with the four separated sector with empty land of polarized ideologies to allow them to realize the dream on the one hand , and avoid direct conflicts on the other hand. It shall be noted that, in the distribution of the ideogist by the two axis compass, they would actually share part of the common value despite there is strong split on the other hand. It avoid a situation where one is located opposite to the other extreme which meditation is hard to be happened.
If the urban planning has the intension to resolve conflicts of economic utilities, can it also play a part in resolving the political conflicts?
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Departure for Dreams -Decision for a new Identity -The Theoretic Urban Ideal for Ideologies -Island in Competition
Which Ideology do you want to Enter? Heading to a new identity
Politician, or people who don’t believe the ideologies they are living today will depart for their exploration right after arrive the transport hub. Here is the time for them to make a decision where to go, for some ideology, particular the authoritarians who are afraid of someone is destroying their utopia building plan, admission interview and security check is required.
Incubator of Uniform
Incidential Interaction + Intentional Exchange Though the HKSAR provide a uninterupted experimental ground for the ideologist and take no perference towards any of them, the design intent of island is to unify all ideologist and reduce the political conflicts in current Hong Kong by satisfying the demand of all ideologist. Therefore, in spite of the transport function in the lower levels which would generate incidental interaction, space for intentional exchange is reserved for future uses.
Authoritarian Left
Centralized production and resource distribution by Monitoring and Organizing Citizens’ life The authoritarians are rather planned in development by referencing the precedents. Like the authoritarian left, they are centralizing the production and resources distribution by re trial of People’s Commune concept again, but a more advanced version of increasing surveillance. They believe the past failure is not the ideology itself, it is the level of authority is not high enough to manage the behavior of people. To avoid lazy worker in building a community with equal resources distributed, they are monitored by more spot tower. Collective living is actualized again by the planned structure according a standard of equal life. Everyone will enjoy the same canteen foods.
Authoritarian Right
Sustaining Market Competition by maintaining the Efficiency of market activities The authoritarian right are sustaining the market competition by maintaining the market efficiency. Building are built strictly according to building code that ensure the minimum safety and health standard. Traffic is highly separated to avoid accident that slower the economic activities. Land plot are well governance by government planning to achieve its economic plan. In turnout, all citizens are acted as the contributor to the market.
Anarchist Left Volutary collective Living with individual freedom
In contrast, the anarchists are less reference to any plan in the past. The anarchist left are afraid of being ruled over by other power and people, the first step they do is to build a self sustained community. At early stage, everyone are believing they are morally good in helping each other to progress, voluntary service and facilities are built and shared by individual household. When they agree on the same principles, they will collectively build by their own efforts. Or not, they simply not joining the building activities.
Anarchist Right Free Market Mechanism in achieve optimization
The anarchist right simply believe market has the power to achieve optimization. They build by the capital ability with no regulation. As they believe, what is built will be worthed by market. At the early stage, they speculate the properties as they believe more people are egar to move in. Density is therefore very high and they are even taking the air right when they have enough money.
The Island of Four Dreams Vision are no longer described in Papers
As time passed, the Ideologists have build their urban vision in their own way. They can now experience, reflect and progressed from their theories in an actual urban form. With 400m x 400m sized sectors, they would build their system from economic activities to living accomondation. Some would particularly close with Dongguan and having economic cooperation directly, while other may create a closed self-contained community.
How long can this dream go on?
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Nightmare -Dilemmas of Dream and reality -Seek for Alternative Experiments -Island in Hostility
Stricter than expected
Uncomfort of being surveillance in every seconds Even though the citizens knew that they would be living within an ideology being constantly watched, they did not understand the constraints and gravity of the monetarization before actually living there. The Surveillance was very strict that their there is no freedom to speak; their free wills seems as though as it has been stripped away and that they are living within a system that repeats itself daily. Moreover citizens are scared of breaking the numerous of laws that has been established as the violation of them are severe. Therefore people are living in fear of being caught doing what they are not supposed to do according to the laws.
Plan goes wrong
White Elephant built for unexpected downturns While Regulations are set out to prioritize efficiency, the picture in reality turns out just to be a living mechanism with only the shell. While a large scale of the similar structures and facilities was built, it was mostly vacant; thus, the cogs of the machine that does not exist cannot operate. Furthermore leading to the fall of the whole ideology as citizens did not believe in the work ethics of the ideology.
Messy Urbanism
Unable to manage the collective responsibilities A poorly formed community with selfish individuals turned the picturesque farmlands to an urban sprawl of concrete jungle. Within such organic growth of network, there was no official maps as the people claim their part of space without the need of official documents; permission to build more or less was not necessary. What started out with peaceful communities, later become the conflicts between the occupied spaces.
Expendable City
Unable to Survive in competition for Majority The most stressful ideology of all as competition is the means of living here. The moment one stops thinking about winning over another, they may even loose their job or even the building they own. Torn down to build for a taller skyscraper built by the giant cooperation and further pushing away the weaker ones to the edge. Not many people can handle the pressure thus some chose to leave the island or even the world
ORGANIC GROWTH Organic growth will gives full autonomy the ideology to test out the alternative, intervention is avoided.
INSERTION Experts introducing new ideology into the in between zone that would expect both extreme could be mediate by a win-win thought.
HARD BORDEDR Hard border is introduced to avoid direct conflict and competition between each ideologies before a fulfilling mediation is developed.
SOFT BORDER Soft border offers a buffer of retreat when new ideologies are totally in violence to the principles of belief
Call For Alternative Experiments A Debate on reclaiming the Island Residual
To seek for alternative improvement, they start to come back to the forum of central hub on negotiating their alterations. They considered various option including cooperation for a mediated urban form but they are still holding a strong thought to their ideology. Finally, they seek for organic reclamation on the residual space in the default of the island, which is in principle not to be controlled by HK government.
Hostility In Organic Expansion Racing for more land for new experiments
In order to gain more chance for visualize the alternative form as per their ideology, they try to reclaim and reserve as much as more land as possible. But once an ideology take action, the other also race for reclaiming fast, and finally hostility occurs in various form. The authoritarian left and right have their own armed force to protect their interests thus they send their army to secure their borders and an armed conflict is aroused. Both right of authoritarian and anarchist are pursuing of the greatest profit from the market and are reclaiming as much land for container ports therefore the canal is being narrowed and difficult to maintain normal navigation.The anarchist left and right are competing for more land with their own reclaiming method while the later one with the quickest reclamation method is polluting the border and causing deterioration of the fish pond of the former. Protest is found between the left of authoritarian and anarchist while armed force is sent by the former to protect the border and individuals are forming people power for the later. Hong Kong government aware the unsuccessful in achieving harmony by allowing the organic interaction and finally step in to stop the hostility.
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New Departure -A Manisfesto of Mediation -New Mediated Urbanism -Island In Uniform
HOSTILITY It is interrupted by the HK government after noting the political experiment of full freedom encounter violence, which deviated from its expected result.
AUTONOMY Grids are drawn on the in between reclamation to regulate the expansion of both ideologies. Yet this would still result in competition.
MANIFESTO Rules is introduced of using the in between land by the government. A manifesto is required to be developed by both ideologies when developing the land.
IDEOLOGY Directly propose a new mediated ideology’s urbanism for extremist consideration.
A Manisfesto Approach on Development From compromise to new ideology
In the step in of HKSAR government as hostility began, all development in the newly reclaimed zone are prohibited. Rather, SAR tabled a few option for the ideologies to achieve consent. The first one is equally distributed the plot to ideologies at both side. The second one is to insert some new urbanism proposed by specialist by observe and research on the common needs of ideologist, and the third one, is to sign a manifesto on the development of in between sector.
COMPROMISE Building is built with function serving the original ideologies and its revision. A little compromise was given to its opposite in order to gain consent in development.
MEDIATION Through experiencing the thoughts, knowing own disadvantage and the adjacent advantage, a mediated ideology will be naturally generated.
A Manisfesto Approach on Development From compromise to new ideology
Manifesto is preferred by all ideologies as this allow them to spread their influence to others, and it is open to more possibility. In this manifesto, the land is divided into grid, both ideologies can propose on what to build in one plot every year, but the proposal has to be agreed by the opposite ideology. As a result, the early building erected in the manifesto are more compromise approach, in order to seek their opposite approval. But as time pass, they start to aware their own weakness and other advantage, they would rather accept the opposite the idea. Finally , a mediated idea is developed which both of the parties are happy with.
Defining Common Dream
Aspiration for the good future leaded by authorities To legitimize the ruling authority, either achieving social equality or economic efficiency are not grounded as it do not mean the authority is serving for the people. Thus, by inventing a common desire for all the people, the government authority towards such common desire will be legitmated. Architecturally, the best way to invent such common desire is (1) to trigger the unsatisfactory of the past by invention of history (2) to display the authority has work to resolve such unsatisfaction and (3) to render an "invented good" future. Such expression should avoid over abstract or exaggerated to avoid the sense of misunderstanding of brianwashing.
Museum of China Fuxing ( Chinese renaissance) Legitimize the Authority
"Improvement" leaded by state
Invented Future Aspiration
Authority Achievements
Unsatisfactory past
CUBOID OF FUTURE GOOD
Promote the government vision as public vision
MUSEUM OF THE ADVANCED TECH Establish the confidence to present authority
INVENTION OF TRADITION
Chinese vernacular expression to boost the sense of nationalism
BAUHINIA PLAZA
FORTRESS FACADE
To reinforce the sense of belonging to the authority
To imitate the fortress monuments in Fumen
OPIUM WAR MONUMENT
To trigger the disatisfaction of a weak authority in the past
Defining A Common Dream Mediation of Authoritarian Governments
The authorities figure out it can only be legitimize only when people believe it is working for their public goods. Yet public goods may not be equality and market sustainability, it can invented by building up a common aspiration. Museum highlighting the past to the projection of future may be built to legitimize the effort of authority. And create a standard good of future that the authority is working for. As a result, what the authority are working in, is what is the people believing in.
Crowd-funding Urbanism
Realizing public dream through market machanism
To the liberal left, individuals' desires are often unique and new since there is no frameworks of thought limited by the authority or market. Yet, such desires are hard to be realized as individual or small selfcontained community are in capabable to organize larger scale urban projects. The crowd-funding urbanism gives good opportunity to organize the market power at the sum of all individual dreams. The market power is no longer simply aimed at profit maximization but also aimed at make cost of dream sharable. Hence, the defined "rationlale" in the neoliberal economy will no longer existed.
Proposal / Public needs
Realizing/ Returns
Funding/ Collective Ownership
SKYPOOL
Realized by raising $15,000,000 HKD from 1000 liberal left investor
INVESTOR CONFERENCE HALL For proposing new projects and call for fund
FERRIS WHEEL BUILDING
Realized by raising $45,000,000 HKD from 2000 liberal left investor
TYPICAL OFFICE FLOORS
Demanded to cover the operation cost by liberal right investor
Skyfarm
Realizaed by raising $150,000 HKD from liberal left investor for monthly rentle
INVESTOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Who ever participate in funding support would be recognized
SLIDE EXIT
Realizaed by raising $700,000 HKD from 500 liberal left investor
Crowd Funding Urbanism Mediation of Anarchist Communities
The anarchist Left and right are commonly believe in freedom. Yet, anarchist left aware by their principles of not forcing other to accept an idea is hard to actualized a large scale urban projects. A crowdfunding urbanism is proposed to raise fund by market mechanism. Non market rationale ideas can be possible if they are welcomed by many people, everyone can invest a small part to achieve what they needed. The resultant building will be atypical in form, it contains of some entertainment facilities that many individuals want, and perhaps a conference centre for them to discuss the possibility of further funding. On the other hand, rational revenue return facilities may be included to operate the building. But profit maximization is no longer a must to anarchist right.
Open source Framework Shared economy in guided basic
A anarchist community looking for equal growth is not an easy achieve goal as properties and social resources is not properly protected. However, when heavy regulation is implied, the distribution of resources is also not efficient as the desire of people varies. Therefore, limit framework in sustaining the accessibility of resource production and distribution would balance the roles of leftist ideologies. Everyone is given a parameter for their freedom of input at a fair starting point. Basic Parameter
Production of Space
Imagination freedom FRAMEWORK FOR PLUGIN
Minimum control to individuals expression
EXPANSION SEPARATOR
To retain open spaces to avoid over-dense expansion
INVENTION OF TRADITION
Chinese vernacular expression to boost the sense of nationalism
SHARED AMENITIES
Voluntary operated amenities to the community
SHARED BIKE PARKING
For better protection of shared properties
BASIC BUILDING SERVICES
Provision of electricity and sanitary facilities
Open Source Framework Mediation of Leftist Beliefs
The leftist would rather strike a balance in control of equality. Rather than absolute equal living or absolute free living, it will provide a framework to allow open source addition by the people at a fair start. As a result, messy urbanism can be controlled to sustain a more diversify of life in equal chance.
LIFTING INFRASTRUCTURE
To encourage greater scale of renovation and sign or new occupation contracts to generate more development profits
SERVICE APARTMENT
Built in 2027 when the sectors is full of new experiement participants
TYPICAL OFFICE (DEMOLISHING)
Converting to Co-Office as traditional banking decline
Metabolism of money Sustaining demand and supply generator
Market Flexibility Up-to-date
Speculation of properties is actually not a preferable models to capitalist and developer, as such value created is virtual and highly subject to the risk of external environment. To developer, they may actually prefer more chance of conducting a projects, and directly earn the value added / organizational service charge to a vacant land. To the government, the over involvement of economic plan may lead to failure as the response to the external market is less sensitive by its rigid planned infrastructure. As a result, if the building is more flexible and shorter in lease terms, it will allow infrastructural program to match with market, and generate more demand on redevelopment. Occupy
Renovate PARALLEL TRADE MALL
To be demolished in 2030 as Mainland as open to import goods
Lease expire
MATERIAL RECYCLE CENTRE
For disposal of construction waste and regenerate recycle materials
Metabolism of Money Mediation of Rightist Beliefs
The rightist believes in a continue market mechanism in generating new wealth. Yet land is limit, the new wealth is not able to generate any more when speculation lead to the bubble economy. To create more new money, the way is to expand the fiscal spending. So land metabolism is introduced to shorten the land usage, and create more development opportunities and value adding process. The building will be more flexible in nature to allow re-development easily.
Infiltration and Revitalization
Mediated ideology penetrated to the Polarized Communities Sooner or later, the mediation urbanism will be more open and accepted by the extremist through the participation in the mediation process. They will bring it back to their origins and revitalize their urban form, either addition, subtraction, or just change in program interiorly.
Island In Uniform
Respect and understanding others thought The resulting island will therefore become less polarized in ideology and conflicts is reduced. Through the years long process of experiments, respect and sincere of understanding of each other will bring back to society. The island is in uniform. The island is projected back to Hong Kong. And Hong Kong is in uniform again.
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End Of History/ Alternative History -The Utopia Governance? -Dystopia or Alternative Hong Kong?
Utopia or Dystopia?
The end of Hong Kong history, or the alternative history? Through continuous understanding and negotiations between ideologies by the opportunities of vision realisation, can an ultimate form of goverment be developed for all Hong Kong people, and project back to Hong Kong territory and future China? Even not, will particular ideology become more advanced in solving the problems and visualized a better Hong Kong that majority want? By taking over the other ideologies when one become popular, will it give a tempo to Hong Kong history, and achieve harmony in making progression in short? The worst scenario is not terrible. The split of ideologies may still be existed. Yet, that will just be a replica of today’s Hong Kong. Some particular ideologies will keen on cooperating with mainland directly while other may indirectly contributed. To Dongguan, the connection with Hong Kong is no longer seperated by Shenzhen, meaning more interaction is inevitable whatever the island is developed. Moreover, by contextualizing the ideology in a given place, true competition is possible to lead to an overall progression, which is great step move on from the current paper debates.
What can be the alternative History in the island?
Tom, Bosco, Horta Photo from Final Review 23/5/2018