City without ground

Fig 17. Cities without ground (Frampton et al., 2012)

CITY WITHOUT

GROUND

MULTI-LEVEL CONNECTIVITY AND PUBLIC ACCESS

Hong Kong is a city without ground. This is the case both spatially (built on steep slopes, the city has no ground plane) and culturally (there is no concept of ground). Density erases the ground in the city and redefines public-private relationships. Distance and time are distorted through compact networks of pedestrian infrastructure, public transport and natural topography in the urban landscape.

These networks, though built independently and owned by different public and private actors, connecting to different functions and land uses, form a continuous space of diverse environments that serve as a fundamental public resource for the city.

Fig 18. Cities without ground (Frampton et al., 2012)

Aerial perspective highlighting the connection between different urban blocks

KEY LESSONS AND PRINCIPLES

• Segregated pedestrian routes, separating the movement of vehicular traffic from pedestrians. It meant that higher rent could be charged on the second-floor retail units, so developers began to do this on all of their projects.

• A vast system of connected lobbys, walkways, and tunnels that rise and fall without any apparent relationship to ground level.= How to create a link with ground level so that both are used efficienlty?

• The fluctuating size and mixed public/private nature of this infrastructure create a totally different atmosphere with different lighting, temperature, humidity, noise and smell that form unseen boundaries.

• .Improved human comfort in public spaces as it is possible to cross the city without ever leaving its air-conditioned environs.

However, how can we use it with other strategies to create a more naturally controlled environment, in which people can walk and enjoy.

• Debates on the ownership of these spaces - neoliberal policies have led to the multiplication of privately owned public spaces raising questions in trm of inclusivity.