Learning from Hong Kong: A Tale of the Mall City

Learning from Hong Kong A Tale of the Mall City

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Studio Pencil made possible through

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Learning from Hong Kong A Tale of the Mall City by Studio Pencil Studio Pencil is a group of three designers with a collective interest in the uniquely critical role of retail in the civic experience of Hong Kong.

Thanks to a Seed Grant from Hong Kong Design Trust, we were able to produce “Learning from Hong Kong: A Tale of the Mall City,” a multi dimensional approach at examining the significance of the mall as the city’s major public space typology.

Through a combination of architectural and ethnographic research, “Learning from Hong Kong” attempts to illuminate the impressive relevance of this type of public space and describe its intangible influence on the public psyche.

Who Are the Pencils?

Peta Zhiping Feng

Born in Guangzhou, and raised in Canada and the U.S., Peta Feng’s primarily interest is the integration of design in a commercial environment. Having studied both design, real estate, and business, Peta has gained exposure to the complex and intriguing nature of urban development and architecture. His professional experience spans from recycling manufacturing to business to architecture, and now as the general manager assistant in MCB Equipment Co., Ltd. Guangzhou.

Peta has collaborated with renowned professionals in recycling industry as well as architecture academics. The culmination of these experiences add to an understanding of the different driving forces, stakeholders, and networks that constitute the design of particular urban condition.

Lisa Zhu

Lisa is a designer and educator from Pasadena, California. After graduating with a Bachelors of Architecture degree from Cornell University, she pursued a career at Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill, where she participated in the design of malls in China and worked alongside developers and engineers to optimize retail consumption. Since, she’s been at the intersection of physical and digital experiences and touchpoints, particularly in the context of brick and mortar retail. At Eight Inc, She collaborated with interaction designers and strategists to develop concept stores for omni channel businesses. She also previously taught at the Art Center College of Design’s Public Programs and Cornell University. Lisa hopes to continue her journey as a teacher and will be attending Harvard University for her Master’s in Design Engineering.

Nils Axen

Originating from New York City, Nils received his Bachelors of Architecture from Cornell University.

After working at Office for Metropolitan Architecture in New York, he moved to the Hong Kong Office where he has been for the past year. Here he has worked on ambitious high end retail interiors in Asia for prestigious clients. His fascination with the collision between the scenographic and commercial functions of architecture guides his design and understanding of successful retail.

In addition to practical design experience, he is a talented illustrator and artist with experience producing experientially sensational yet highly informational drawings.

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Learning from Hong Kong A Tale of the Mall City Introduction Why the Mall?

Hong Kong’s Emblematic Public Space: the Mall Constellation of Malls Footfall - Value - Income - Footfall - Value...

The Role of Ownership Project Methodology

Architectural Site Research Four Malls Four Malls Chosen Harbour City 海港城 Festival Walk 又一城 Pacific Place 太古广场 Hysan Place 希慎广场

Ethnographic Research Questionnaires and Workshops Ethnographic Research Methods Questionnaire Midterm Workshop with Lead8 Design Workshop with OMA

Civic Significance of Mall Spaces What’s Next?

Impact of Protests on Malls Hong Kong’s Political Public Space: the Mall

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Introduction

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Why the Mall?

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Hong Kong’s Emblematic Public Space: the Mall Hong Kong is culturally a hybrid city, developed with a blend of western and Chinese urban principles, and further specified by its unique geographical and economic situations.

Thus understanding its public spaces is equally complex. In “Learning from Hong Kong” we chose to examine the most prevalent typology of public space in the city, the shopping mall. Not every neighborhood in Hong Kong has a park, nor an outdoor square, but every neighborhood does have a shopping mall with embedded public space. It is this constellation of large interior congregatory spaces that exemplifies Hong Kong’s attributes as a connected city, a hybrid city, and most importantly a shopping city.

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Shopping is inextricably linked to the urban condition of Hong Kong. As a port city with no tax on goods, it is a haven for tourists from across Southeast and East Asia to come and purchase luxury items. At the scale of the everyday inhabitant shopping is also inescapable; any trip taken with the MTR leads you unwillingly through commercialized interior spaces, any shortcut through the streets will pull you into alleys crammed with market stalls. Wherever there is space in the city, there is retail.

This ubiquity of retail makes sense in a city with such exorbitant real estate prices like Hong Kong. Every square meter must be economically viable for it to persist. It is perhaps unsurprising then that in the absence of large outdoor public spaces, interior public spaces embedded in retail developments pick up the slack and offer Hong Kongers space for leisure outside their homes.

“Learning from Hong Kong, A Tale of the Mall City� examines four emblematic interior public spaces in the city. Through a combination of architectural and ethnographic research, we attempt to question and critique the role these spaces play in the city and the psyche of its residents.

Can these spaces be considered public? Are they sufficient in providing possibilities for leisure and entertainment? Are they successful in promoting retail in the city?

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Constellation of Malls In the slivers of land situated between the bay and the mountains lies Hong Kong, a place defined by its infamously dense urbanization.

Profit rules when it comes to land use, and the public realm, or whatever cannot be financially profitized, is condemned to residual urban spaces.

It is in this context that malls take on urban significance.

HONG KONG: MALLS AND MTR MTR STATION MTR LINE MALL CONNECTED TO MTR STATION MALL INDEPENDENT FROM MTR STATION

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Intertwined with Hong Kong’s robust transit infrastructure exists a constellation of large indoor retail spaces.

These commercial developments not only offer shopping and recreational activities, but also sizable civic spaces where urban encounters and experiences can take place daily outside of the domestic realm.

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Within this hyper-dense city, indoor malls play a critical role for the public, offering civic spaces to hang out and congregate when apartments are too small and the tropical climate makes it too hot to stay outside for long.

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Because of high property values, only large stores can afford to lease shop frontage within shopping malls. This means that you will often find very little diversity in store options among the prominent malls in the city.

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In order to offset the repetitive ubiquity of store offerings, malls attempt to distinguish their designs in the non-retail spaces where the developer has the control and not the retail tenants. As a result the mall’s most iconic spaces play an ambiguous role by offering “public” space in a retail - adjacent setting.

More significant to survival, however, is the individual mall’s ability to position itself as a destination for a specific clientele...

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Some malls attract tourists visiting the city for tax-free shopping...

Others present themselves as luxury havens for the urban elite...

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Other malls offer a safe and fun-filled destination for families and children...

And still others advertize as a hip location for teens to socialize...

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Footfall - Value - Income - Footfall - Value...

The success and survival of commercial developments is predicated on their integration with the city’s transportation infrastructure, the MTR, where foot traffic naturally drives the value of urban land.

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The Role of Ownership Hong Kong malls follow a historically Japanese model of urban retail ownership, where transportation companies, the government, and commercial developers share ownership of retail properties, creating a financially symbiotic relationship between transport and shopping.

However, if these spaces are controlled by ownerships comprising public and private entities, can they be considered PUBLIC or even CIVIC spaces?

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In “Understanding the Chinese City,” author Li Shiqiao explains how historically the Chinese city has been preoccupied with a commitment to “prudence,” striving to foster secure environments where societal peace and economic growth could persist. In western society, prudence exists as a condition between rashness and cowardice, and accordingly the western city responds by offering public spaces where controlled and uncontrolled urban occupations can take place. Public space in the western city is open to the public, managed by the government, and flexible to be a stage for uncertain activities.

Alternatively, in the Chinese city where prudence is considered an absolute ambition, public space is always considered in the framework of control. It is preferable for the omnipresence of ownership to be felt, so that users understand that ultimately someone is taking responsibility and care of the space, and prudent security is ensured.

Hong Kong malls thus seem to follow more the Chinese urban definition of a public space.

Ultimately it is the sense of care, and thereby control, that can act either as an attractor or a deterrent for potential mall visitors.

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Project Methodology Learning from Hong Kong investigates these civic spaces contained in commercial developments in order to better understand their role in the public life of the city and their position in the psyche of residents.

Architectural Site Research

- spatial, commercial, programmatic, material, infrastructural qualities

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Civic Sig of Mall

Through a dual approach of architectural site research and ethnographic research, this project approaches the subject from opposing sides to articulate the intangible significance of interior mall spaces.

gnificance Spaces

Ethnographic Research

- behavioral observations, - interviews with visitors - design workshop discussions

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Architectural Site Research

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Four Malls

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Four Malls Chosen In order to take an effective representative sampling, we looked at four popular malls, each with a different strategy for attracting clients, and each with a different iconic public space associated with it.

1. Harbour City 海港城 Location ................................................................................................................. in Tsim Tsa Shui Targets .................................................................................................... Mainland Chinese tourists Iconic Public Space .................................................“Harbour City Promenade” with pop-up events

2. Festival Walk 又一城 Location ..................................................................................................................... Kowloon Tong Targets ............................................................................................................. Hong Kong Families Iconic Public Space ......................................................................................Glacier Iceskating Rink

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We examined their ownership information, diagrammed their spatial and programmatic qualities, observed their material and environmental characteristics, and along with behavioral observations, synthesized these levels of information into a multiperspectival snapshot for each public space.

3. Pacific Place 太古广场 Location ........................................................................................................................ in Admiralty Targets ....................................................................................................... Affluent Businesspeople Iconic Public Space .........................................................................................................Park Court

4. Hysan Place 希慎广场 Location ....................................................................................................................Causeway Bay Targets ................................................................................................................. Hong Kong Teens Iconic Public Space .....................................................................................................Hysan Atrium

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1 - Harbour City

Tsim Sha Tsui

海港城 Developer: Wharf (Holdings) Limited Architect: Multiple Architects latest extension by Foster & Partners Year Opened: 1989 renovated through 2001-2003, 2012-2015 Retail Space GFA: 190,000m2

Turnover(June 2019)...........................................................HK$3,529Million Retail Occupancies(June 2019).............................................................96% Area of Focus..........................................................Harbour City Promenade

Tourist and Local Buses

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The Wharf (Holdings) Limited is also the owner of Star Ferry, Hong Kong’s iconic commuter boats.

“Harbour City has become a must-visit “retailtainment” destination for locals and tourists. It is also the preferred location of showcase to Mainland China market for the world’s best-in-class brands.”

- Wharf (Holdings) Limited

In 1987, Harbor City was a re-branding of a series of malls converted from warehouses by the wharf of the Victoria bay. the largest and most diverse shopping mall in Hong Kong renovated from a bayside dock. The mall attracts shoppers and consumers beyond the border of Hong Kong.g.

Located at the heart of the city alongside the beautiful Victoria Harbour, Harbour City offers a wide range of shopping, dining, entertainment and sightseeing options.

The front entrance plaza features a connection to Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Terminal as well as the Canton Road. The plaza features one of Hong Kong’s most prominent pop-up sets for locals and tourists.

An iconic mall to many mainland China tourists. It served as an instant destination for Chinese consumers to Hong Kong. Shoppers from China would travel to harbor city with suitcases to make exuberant amount of purchases.

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1 - Harbour City

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1 - Harbour City

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海港城

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2 - Festival Walk

又一城 Developer: CITIC Pacific & Swire Properties, now owned by Mapletree Architect: Arquitectonica Year Opened: 1998 Retail Space GFA: 91,000m2

Kowloon Tong

Turnover(June 2019)...........................................................HK$3,948Million Retail Occupancies(June 2019)............................................................100% Area of Focus.....................................................Glacier Ice Skating Rink

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Festival walk was a joint development by CITIC Pacific and Swire Properties, which was then sold to Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd, a leading Asia- Focused Real Estate Company for HK$18.8billion dollars. This was the world’s largest retail real estate deal in 2011.

“With the special design of combining natural light and open space, Festival Walk offers opportunities for business and pleasure, including over 200 retail stores and restaurants, a multi-screen cinema, one of Hong Kong’s largest ice rinks, over 220,000 sq” -Festival Walk Website

Couched at the junction of a major subway interchange station and an important Hong Kong university, Festival Walk is a distinct mall in the Kowloon Area. The multiple storied mall caters to many audiences from mainland tourists to commuter to local residents.

Positioned as a “comfortable” middle-market mall with the emphasis on service rather than price, festival walk is a go-to location for upper and middle class resident in the Kowloon Tung area and beyond. Spacious anchors such as Agnes B were paired with bakeries and bistros to serve commuters as well as shoppers.

The mall integrate a dramatic difference in topography, resulting in multiple entrances and exits along its structure, some of which leads to the MTR line. There is also a six-story atrium as well as an indoor ice skating rink, which includes a large area of free seating for visitors, a rare sight in Hong Kong.

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2 - Festival Walk

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又一城

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3 - Pacific Place

太古广场 Developer: Swire Properties Architect: original building Wong and Ouyang, renovation by Thomas Heatherwick Year Opened: 1991 Retail Space Square Footage: 66,000m2

Admiralty

Turnover(June 2019)...........................................................HK$7,510Million Retail Occupancies(June 2019)..............................................................99% Area of Focus.............................................................................Park Court

Pedestrian Footbridges connecting all of Central

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Swire Properties is a subsidiary of the Swire Group, which is a conglomerate. It owns development across, US, Singapore Hong Kong and Mainland China. Swire group also operates Taikoo Sugar, one of the most popular sugar brands in Hong Kong and Cathay Pacific, a leading airline in Hong Kong.

“The mixed-use development has transformed the area, making it one of Hong Kong’s most desired business addresses and shopping and dining destinations. The development is adjacent to the Starstreet Precinct, which provides a stylish shopping and dining experience.”

-Swire Properties Website

In the heart of the central district of Hong Kong, Pacific Place is a shopping mall at the base of four mixed-use towers with hotel, offices and serviced apartments. Constructed from the former Victoria Barracks, the shopping mall is defined by its luxury status by servicing the five star hotels above.

Contemporization has made Pacific Place one of the most iconic upscale spaces on Hong Kong Island. The grandiose atrium lends a sense of power and luxury as it occupies one of the most expensive pieces of land in Hong Kong.

This atrium creates a multi-tier public infrastructure. Part of the space was constructed into a network of pedestrian walkway system weaving through Admiralty and Central districts in Hong Kong. Professionals commute through the walkways of Pacific Place from and to work on a daily basis. The ground floor were mostly food and beverage stalls targeted to upper-middle class professionals, while the top malls cater to hotel guests.

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4 - Hysan Place 希慎广场

Causeway Bay

Developer: Hysan Development Co. Ltd. Architect: Dennis Lau & Ng Chun Man Architects& Engineers (HK) Ltd. (DLN); Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates Year Opened: 2012 Retail Space Square Footage: 42,000m2

Turnover(June 2019)...........................................................HK$2,086Million Retail Occupancies(June 2019)..............................................................96% Area of Focus.............................................................................Hysan Atrium

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Hysan Development is the biggest landlord in Causeway Bay, with a history tracing back to the turn of the century. Lee Hysan an heir of the Opium Trade business. The site for Hysan place was originally bought from The Jardines for 3.9 million. This site was intended to be an opium refinery.

However, due to the global anti-opium movement, the site was converted to the Lee Garden.

“Placemaking breathes life into our office and retail spaces that were not fully utilised in the past. A lobby area at Hysan Place has now been turned into a hotspot which provides regular arts and cultural events. Another part of the same lobby now houses a trendy food and drinks outlet that complements the artistic hub. We also utilise unused spaces throughout our portfolio to strategically showcase new concepts or to host activities such as children’s events. ” -Hysan Group Annual Report

The integration of public infrastructure in Hysan Place emphasizes Hysan Development Co.’s ambition to create a continuous urban experience within the complex.

The mall is targeted towards young people such as high school students and young professionals looking for a site with abundant supply food, hosting tenants such as Heytea (virally popular tea shop from Mainland China), and Eslite (Lifestyle & Bookshop from Taiwan).

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Ethnographic Research

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Questionnaires and Workshops

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Ethnographic Research Methods In order to better understand the human component of these retail public spaces, we employed a variety of research methods, including....

Observational Research in Retail Spaces

In-Person Interviews and Questionnaires

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Small Group Discussions with Hong Kong Residents

Internal Sketching and Discussions

Workshops with Design Agencies in Hong Kong

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Questionnaire Within the research, we attempted to survey as wide a population as possible, interviewing people of the Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X and Baby Boomer generations.

All those interviewed were within the four malls selected for their unique positioning strategies.

) Questionnaires n the research, specific locations are investigated. We would love to have more details on the emographics of the 100 questionnaires and location of the questionnaires taken. Please kindly share he questionnaires and a survey summary.

Total Participants

n the research, we interviewed GenZ, Millennials, and Gen X participants, and some Baby Boomer articipants. In total, We interviewed 40 GenZ, 30 Millennials, 20 Gen X, and 10 Baby Boomers.

Our interviewees were all interviewed on site in respective shopping malls. Those malls were the same pecific locations being investigated – Harbour City, Pacific Place, Festival Walk, and Hysan Place.

Harbour City

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Our interviewees were all interviewed on site in respective shopping malls. Those malls were the same specific locations being investigated – Harbour City, Pacific Place, Festival Walk, and Hysan Place.

Harbour HarbourCity City

Pacific Place

Festival Walk Festival Walk

Festival Walk

Pacific Place Pacific Place

Hysan Place

Hysan Place Hysan Place

Festival Walk

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Questionnaire In addition to our architectural site analysis, we also interviewed mall visitors and other Hong Kong residents using this questionnaire to mine their opinions of the spaces they use.

What do you usually do at a mall, and which one?

Favorite memory at a mall?

Least favorite memory at a mall?

Thinking back to last Friday, mark what activities you did on the timeline below.

Indicate which took place in a mall, and mark which were enjoyable and which were less pleasurable.

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Do you have an opinion of malls?

What do you wish you could do inside of a mall?

What activities do you do for free at a mall?

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Questionnaire Here are some of the answers we recorded from a sampling of 100 people: What do you usually do at a mall, and which one?

“Meeting up with friends at Hysan Atrium”

“Gym after work at IFC”

“Pick up something already bought online at Eslite” “Strolling around Harbour City near water during non-peak hours” “Stroll the dog at night around The Avenue” “Business meeting at Pacific Place via phone late afternoon in a cafe” “Seeing Chinese New Year Festivities at Festival Walk” “Seeing Protests at ShaTin while having dinner with friends on the 4th floor” “Looking at Sculptures at Pacific Place”

Favorite memory at a mall?

“The moment you walk into a mall it feels like heaven because of AC” “Chatting with friends and family while shopping” “Free Food Tasting”

“Browse around Eslite Bookstore at Hysan Place at Night”

“Checking out the latest sneaker releases”

“Playing near mall fountains as a kid” “Going to the supermarket with grandkids”

“Joyful, fun relaxing atmosphere at the Avenue” “Pop-up event of favorite brans with a friend at Hysan Place”

Least favorite memory at a mall?

“Hearing annoying performances”

“Hard to find a place to sit”

“Too many people at Harbour City while enjoying time with girlfriend”

“Poor customer service” 60

“Too noisy”

Do you have an opinion of malls?

“Not super comfortable for locals because malls cater towards Mainlanders” “Be special. Nowadays many shopping malls are the same” “Very convenient”

“Very materialistic and sad that people hangout by going shopping” “AC is really nice”

“Variety of goods with suitable prices”

“Herds of Mainland Tourists”

“Want more local brands”

“Wish malls were less monotonous”

What do you wish you could do inside of a mall?

“Access any size/type of product I want” “Creative Handicraft Stores”

“Free unlimited wifi” “Different types of places to rest”

“More local brands. A lot of malls with big brands cater towards Mainlanders” “Clearer wayfinding”

“More seats”

“Free live music during lunch for 30 minutes”

“Customized products”

“Open 24/7”

What activities do you do for free at a mall?

“Walking through mall on way to work in the morning” “Watching movie on Phone while waiting” “Resting at Eslite” “Strolling around the mall after dinner to digest” “Going to Sogo to get makeup samples”

“Window shopping at Landmark” 61

Questionnaire With the information obtained from the timeline, we mapped the users’ experience on these two charts showing activity throughout the time frame. Here you can see generational information as well.

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Enjoyable Activities in a Mall

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Gen Boomers X GenX

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Conclusions - Most activities took place in the late afternoon, 3pm to 5pm - Younger participants (GenZ) had more complaints than Millenials or GenX participants - Overall people had more positive experiences in malls than negative

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Unenjoyable Activities in a Mall

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Retail Workshop with Lead8 Halfway through our process, we presented our studies to Lead8, an international architecture and design firm based in Hong Kong. We spoke directly with two of the company’s esteemed retail design leaders, Lead8 Co-Founder & Executive Director Simon Chua and Project Leader Kenji Wong, about the role of architects and developers in building large retail spaces in China.

Simon Chua, Co-Founder of Lead8

Kenji Wong, Project Leader at Lead8

“Physical needs of humans will never change” - SC

“China is increasing services at a trememndous rate” - KW

“Seasonality in Hong Kong means more turnover of clothing collections, and is critical to the mall’s capital in society” - SC

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“It is because of the mixed zoning practice in Asia that cities promote an overlap of shopping, living and working.” - SC “Malls employ air conditioning to set visitors at ease - once you’re comfotable then you can be enticed to spend money on other things” - SC

Benjamin Li, Hong Kong Design Trust

“10 years ago malls were engineered to sell... Today malls focus more on the comfort of customers, much more focus on high quality experience.” - SC

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Design Workshop with OMA Further along in our process, we hosted a design workshop at the OMA Office in Hong Kong. We began by recreating the same survey given to strangers in mall spaces, and then opened up the floor for discussion. Drawing in 15 architectural designers from around the world, the event produced a dynamic discussion exposing their professional and personal opinions and experiences regarding retail public spaces in Hong Kong.

“I never look forward to being in a mall space here” - Connor Sullivan, USA

“Government ownership doesn’t equate public” - Yuan Zhang, China

“Can these spaces be considered public? A 24h passage doesn’t make something a public space” - John Thurtle, USA

“There’s a tradeoff between maintenance and control” - Paloma Bule, Spain “In HK there’s also the commodification of outdoor spaces, every week Victoria Park has another paid event” - John Thurtle 66

“In Europe the mall is actually just the city streets, it’s not contained” - Xaveer Roodbeen, Netherlands

“We have malls in Italy, but they are day trips, outside of the city” - Giuseppe Bandieramonte, Italy “In Indonesia the government is unreliable, so there is safety within the mall” - Felicia Gambino, Indonesia

“Malls in China reflect the Chinese desire for security in public spaces” - Meng Huang, China “Malls project different class structures, even with protests, for instance police never entered Pacific Place” - Adrian Wong, Hong Kong “When designing malls you want to put the cultural activities in the middle to draw people in” - Patrizia Zobernig, Austria

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Civic Significance of Mall Spaces

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What’s Next?

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Impact of Protests on Malls Hong Kong is marked by political turmoil in the year 2019 after an extradition bill caused an uproar of anti-Chinese protests. The escalating scale of demonstrations has pushed the usage of malls beyond commercial and infrastructural, and they have become the backdrop for gathering, rallying and sometimes even brutal violence.

Here are some critical moments for the four malls we studied over the past months of unrest:

1. Harbour City 海港城 After the Chinese national flag was torn off the flagpole in front of Harbour City in August, five separate pro-nationalist groups came together to resurrect the flag. According to a spokesperson, these groups “are very angry at the Hong Kong independence mobs who openly challenge the country’s (China’s) sovereignty and the bottom line. We will doe everything to protect Hong Kong’s homeland.”

2. Festival Walk 又一城 On September 26th, over 300 students from 22 secondary schools gathered in the atrium at Festival Walk to host a musical protest against the extradition bill. Chanting slogans such as “Freedom Hong Kong” and “Five Demands, Not One Less,” the students were subjected to jeering, profanities and spitting from some onlookers from the upper balconies. Following the staged musical protest, the crowd moved to join a larger rally going on that evening.

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Mall spaces, developed with profit-driven incentive, were once financially successful by gathering people of diverse interests under the universal umbrella of shopping. They have since become reformed as critical political sites for citizens to demonstrate their personal beliefs.

3. Pacific Place 太古广场 Pacific Place was a very early stage for protest congregation since the early days of the 2019 movement. Its iconicity was cemented when a protestor committed suicide for the cause by jumping off from the roof of the mall. The mall was also a space of refuge for protestors in early June, when they congregated inside to escape tear gas. Unlike malls in other parts of the city, Pacific Place was not infiltrated by the police.

4. Hysan Place 希慎广场 Causeway Bay has continued to be an epicenter of protest demonstration during 2019, thanks to its high visibility, large park, and its pre-existing role as a popular weekend neighborhood to hang out in.

The increased activity has had negative consequences for the fleet of malls in the district. Hysan Development has undertaken measurements to compensate for the low retail sales, enticing tenants to stay with increased promotional activities, cutting rent prices, and postponing rental payments.

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Hong Kong’s Political Public Space: the Mall

The mall has always been seen as a symbol of the certitude of Hong Kong’s financial glory.

Because of its innovative and successful attributes, including its prolific integration with the city’s transportation infrastructure and its wide featuring of international brands, the Hong Kong mall typology has been a source to emulate in more recent mainland Chinese commercial developments. It is therefore ironic that such a symbol of financial prosperity has become an urban icon for civic unrest.

During this time of unrest, the symbiotic role between the mall and the city has been tested.

In light of protests, mall management will close properties to stem property damage, shutting down its capacity as a public circulatory vessel for the city.

Nevertheless, perhaps the mall’s insertion into the spotlight signals its qualities as a public space. Despite being developed by private enterprises, the malls in Hong Kong must navigate a delicate line, balancing between the interests of the corporate, the government and the everyday citizen. It seems that its popularity as a platform for civic congregation and disobedience betrays its role as a “public forum” in the psyche of the residents of the city.

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With changes in the political and financial climate, the future of the mall typology in Hong Kong is still difficult to forecast. While our research in “Learning from Hong Kong, A Tale of the Mall City” has demonstrated that residents have a wide opinion of malls, from enjoyment to loathing, it is clear that they are critically cemented as an inevitable fixture of urban life. The friction between their complex ownerships and userships keeps them at the forefront of political activity.

This condition, mixed with the mall’s convenient ubiquity and strategic marketing, means they are bound to remain relevant public spaces to watch.

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