A new definition of the urban alley and infill space in central hong kong

Document Type:Thesis

Subject Area:Architecture

Document 1

Hong Kong has more than 1,400 such alleys with a total length of about 76 km, making them an essential part of the urban fabric and the link between busy main streets and residential buildings. The alleys provide the required service lanes for buildings and their ventilation, sanitation, and escape. However, today, most alleys lack proper management and have become spaces with waste and illegal temporary constructions. This dissertation explores the possibilities of alleys and the new definition of rear lanes in Central, Hong Kong to verify whether this type of alley can change the way of life in the city. Or Man Lai UPIAD18-008 920707 Instructor’s Name: Louis Poon Table of Contents Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………. 4 Current and proposed lang use…………………………………………………. 5 Vehicle and Pedestrian Circulation…………………………………………….

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6 Types of Back Lanes……………………………………………………………. 21 A Shopping purpose alleys……………………………………………………. 23 B Uphill connection purpose alleys……………………………………………24 C Public walking space purpose alleys…………………………………. …21 Figure 6: Shopping purpose alleys in Hong Kong………………………………………………………24 Figure 7: Uphill connection purpose alley Hong Kong…………………………. ………………26 Figure 8: Public walking space purpose alleys in Hong Kong…………. ……………………28 Figure 9: Back lane with a local street food business from Central, Hong Kong………………. 32 Figure 10: The different types of Alleys………………………………………………………. 33 Figure 11: Lan Kwai Fong from Central, Hong Kong…………………………………………. 1 Defining Alley Spaces Alley spaces within Hong Kong are specifically described as linear paths that are always very narrow in size, usually three to seven meters, and enclosed by the facades of buildings on one or both sides. The creation of alley spaces began when the government required a sufficient service lane between buildings.

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The country's building ordinance, section 123 of the building planning regulations (Access Roads and Private Streets), and regulation 28 all state that every domestic building must have a service lane along its whole side or rear (Chong & Eun, 1992). Regulation 31 even has requirements regarding the width of the lane if domestic households are found within the actual lane. Section 123 of the building planning regulations also have other associated requirements for the width of private streets, cul-de-sacs, and access roads. These areas have been considered as specific places for darkness, crime, waste, and exhaust. Even though back alleys do not normally form continuations of streets or main roads, they comprise a specific layer of secondary arteries in the overall urban network. The alleys form a kind of hierarchical network that has a vital function in the general flow of pedestrian traffic (Huang, 2005).

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A city that has some unique characteristics has to be experienced via movement. People walk more than they realize, because their walking experiences are usually forgettable. This can be attributed partly to the general notion that people usually only take in the poor conditions of alleys and strongly believe that it is not worth expending more effort on them (Imai, 2016). The inherent value of alleys to the city is not given consideration. Based on this, the general appearance of the majority of alleys is not pleasing at all and does not invite any possible users. Instead, these alleys are perceived to be sources of crime. The enclosed and narrow linear spaces (especially when they have waste materials) tend to promote opportunities for concealment, and the absence of escape routes prevent people from using such alleys, especially during the hours of darkness (Imai, 2016).

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However, the lanes revert to their former nuisance state within a very minimal period, which demonstrates that there are no proper policies and designs to address the problems of back lanes permanently. The government has yet to put in place adequate measures to ensure the proper safety and security of these rear lanes (Imai, 2016). This indicates that there is an inadequate number of relevant policies that could assist in the achievement of a long-term goal to make the lanes more useful to the general population. While the government in Hong Kong has admitted to the existence of the situation, it has yet to provide a long-lasting solution to the problem that is facing communities around Hong Kong. The number of individuals who are interested in walking through the back lanes is dropping day by day as the condition of these lanes continues to become worse and worse (Imai, 2016).

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To define how to renovate and add value to existing alleys with different cultures and shops in central downtown Hong Kong. 0 Alleys in Central Hong Kong The term “back alleys” is common in many cities which represents places where “drug deals are done, muggings, and rat infestations” (Gehl, 2011). Central Hong Kong was a great place having significant alleys that were worth investigating. Hong Kong has a large population density as well as low crime rate, and most “working class citizens commonly use back alleys as a sort of extended living space” (Gehl, 2011). The study selects central Hong Kong since it effectively highlights the best components that have been effectively outlined and undertaken. This site extends from the district of central Hong Kong to Sai Ying Pun.

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The area is a residential area that has mixed usage of land and is one of the oldest regions within Hong Kong. The general peacefulness of the central community stands in very strong contrast to the overall dynamic pace of the financial center. It is surprising to notice that only a few turns from the concentrated commercial building area, a kind of serene community might be established. As one continues walking through the beautiful front doors of the very modern buildings that have been erected around the town, the vicinity makes it possible for one to see them from different points of view, within the back of the facades (Imai, 2016). In other words, most parts of the CBD of Hong Kong tend to favor pedestrian movement.

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The length of the chosen site is within a distance that one can easily walk. It is about two kilometers, around a 45-minute walk from the northern end to the southern end. Through observation, residents and commuters always walk through major parts of the site. The available open space, as well as the nodal points, disperse within a very satisfactory distance, as presented in the later analysis so that trying to move from any origin to another becomes possible in this case. The overall difference within public images might result in serious doubts that the selection of a site is not good enough to pinpoint a considerate community (DiStefano & Lee, 2016). The relevant images of the site are simply diverse in their ways.

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The study area, in this case, has seen a series of great transformations regarding both the temporal as well as spatial perspectives. Right from the uplands to the coastline, it tends to transform from a kind of dynamic market as well as the shopping area to a highly peaceful residential area. Activities undertaken by people seem to decline with altitude. He found that the high-rise, as well as low-rise buildings, have an extensive range of housing types for people who come from various backgrounds, along with numerous modern buildings that were built during the 1950s and the 1960s, including the central police married quarters as well as the street markets. The same literature also reported that there were some buildings designed specifically to respond to the changes in the topography (Jiang et al.

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A large group of pedestrian paths forming a dynamic system that links open spaces with urban voids was also reported. A kind of integrated place for working and living with very upmarket establishments like a printing shop, gallery, and silversmith shop have so far been reported in the literature. Not many people realize the unique urban landscape in Hong Kong. A subtropical climate that is combined with very tall buildings of high density together with warming particles from their air-conditioning systems, as well as pollutants, lead to a relatively hazy summer as well as warm winter. Summer is considered the wet season, while winter is the dry season, and the average climatic rainfall is approximately 2800 mm. The overall topographical difference between Mid-Levels and the coast is considerable.

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Urban settlements are all centered within the CBD and subsequently spread uphill. The major wind direction within Central Hong Kong is southeast in summer and northeast in winter. However, the wind that is within the sub-network appears to be very weak, as its orientation is not in any way accommodating to the wind directions. Even when the orientation does match the wind direction, the majority of the alleys and lanes are very short in length and are often blocked by some other structure that tends to prevent the turbulences’ acquisition of an adequate amount of energy. Noise within areas exhibits characteristics that are similar to the wind, which provides for a peaceful environment within the sub-network. 3 Topography Topography is an essential element in trying to reinforce the real strength of the urban elements.

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Central Hong Kong specifically has a dramatic topographical profile. Figure 4: Alley with mixed small businesses and shops in Central 2. 4 Current and Proposed Land Use As per the Outline Zoning Plan, the majority of the areas, in this case, are specifically planned as residential and also commercial areas, which gives room for mixed usage of land within the CBD of Hong Kong. The roads are properly separated, with some small business and residential activities taking place along the roads. Literature reports that very few redevelopment projects have been carried out or proposed by the leadership responsible for urban renewal. 5 Vehicle and Pedestrian Circulation Central Hong Kong is crossed by four major roads running from west to east. Hong Kong equally has a great number of alleys ranging from the side of hidden bars among others.

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The Central-Mid-Levels escalator and walkway system found in the CBD of Hong Kong is the longest outdoor covered escalator system globally. The system in this case specifically covers a distance of more than 800 meters and subsequently traverses an elevation of more than 135 meters from the bottom to the top. It was officially opened in 1993 to offer an improved link between Mid-Levels and Central district. Other than serving as a mode of transport, the system is also viewed as a tourist attraction and is lined with shops, bars, and restaurants. These consist of the HK Walls murals, House of Siren, and old school barbershop. The figure below specifically illustrates an example of House of Siren, found in the CBD of Hong Kong.

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2 Typology & open space Typology is generally concerned with the general basic structure that is considered to have a strong image. A street, settlement, village, house, or even space can easily become a strong image due to the general spatial totalities (Monika, 2012). In changing the alley into a new form of typology within the central business district of Hong Kong, it is essential to note that the main components of typology comprise the type, activity patterns, and circulation patterns. The alleys within the central business district of Hong Kong can be turned into public/central parks, downtown parks, neighborhood parks, and mini/vest-pocket parks among other things. The literature identifies that publicly managed and developed open space as a specific part of a zoned space system of the city is usually located within the city center and tend to be larger than the parks found in the neighborhood of the city.

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Other than turning the alleys into parks, the alleys within the central business district of Hong Kong can equally be developed into well-maintained streets like pedestrian sidewalks, pedestrian malls, and transit malls among others. The pedestrian sidewalks, in this case, comprise a section of the cities in which people get to move on foot, more specifically along the paths and sidewalks, found or planned which tend to connect one destination with another. On the other hand, pedestrian malls might include all the prosaic conveniences such as plants and benches that are usually located within the main street in downtown areas. Putting aside the actual condition of the alleys that need to be further improved, the micro-climate within the CBD is not very encouraging.

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As has been identified, the sunlight is never enough throughout the day, and the high noise within the town never allows peace. The majority of the alleys and lanes are somehow hidden within the building blocks. Numerous changes are occurring within the area, with the population appearing to be increasingly aging. As the spatial relationship is likely to change within the near future, the proposed improvements need to be strong and prevent landscape elements from being buried under new structures. By first studying the kinds of experience and innovation put in place by others, it is presumed that relevant indications could be discovered to come up with programs that suit the situation in Hong Kong. Figure 10: The different types of Alleys The various types of alleys in Central itself have provided excellent flow, buffering and selection for the region.

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These networks are already part of the natural ecological evolution of the city. Small businesses in the alleys fulfill the needs of office workers in Central, and the alleys can be the traffic network of Mid-level residents. The use of back lanes is a haven in the bustling and crowded city. They can also be used as very peaceful areas for individual workers to break away from the hectic and chaotic life within the city. Mops are in this case balanced intricately so that they are all upright. Steel doors are at times used to hold brooms whose handles are then made use of to hang the gloves that have been used. The utility pipes are equally versatile. They are rendered as places where plastic bags are stored as well as makeshift drying racks for bottles, bowls, and subsequently seafood (Clark, 2018).

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A single type of shop can be classified into a street to concentrate the flow of people and achieve the effect of classification planning. The same plan can be applied to the alley space to expand the scope of use and classify it as a tourist attraction. 0 Conclusion Alleys are critical elements of the whole ecosystem of a city. As the great need for cities to depend on highly sustainable approaches has become a highly pressing issue, the general proliferation of trash, as well as the flooding of alleyways, has come to be considered not only as an aesthetic blight but as an environmental issue of equal measure. There is a great deal of crossover between having sound environmental practices and general livability.

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The back lanes within the central business district of Hong Kong, therefore, need to be turned into a new form of typology. 1 Design possibility of the alley space in Central As mentioned above, the unique urban ecology provides the basis for the diversity of the central rear lanes and establishes a new definition beyond the single function of wide rear lanes, providing indispensable convenience for Central staff and residents. Further deepening of the application of the back-lane space in Central, based on the existing location function and distribution, can provide "characterized alleys" (Gehl, 2011). Reinforcing the alleys and the existing needs of the existing buildings and humanities can be used as a new power and attraction of the city and are convenient for the space and pedestrian planning in Central in the future.

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Figure 13: Types of alleys An example of how characteristic alleys work in the Central city layout. Even though is anticipated that about 46 percent of the household have applied for appropriate housing from the state, they have not been able to receive the units requested. Due to lack of adequate land for new construction, Hong Kong has become a renowned city with back lanes and alleys which is always crowded. According to (Atkinson, 2000), only 24 percent of Hong Kong land has been developed and the rest 76 percent has been left free. The residential suburbs should be developed in a manner that considers important structures which provides space for back lanes and alleys. Experts claim that the dense population in the City is as a result of the limited spaces at the back lanes and alleys.

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Consumer demand for green stormwater management technology in an urban setting: The case of Chicago rain barrels. Water Resources Research, 47(12), 1-11. Atkinson, G. A. Mass housing in rapidly developing tropical areas. 40-54) B. -H. Chua and N. Edwards. Singapore, Singapore, Singapore University. edu/bitstream/handle/10429/1690/2018_clark_altered. pdf?sequence=1 Coseo, P. , & Larsen, L. Cooling the heat island in compact urban environments: the effectiveness of Chicago's green alley program. Procedia Engineering, 118, 691-710. Y. Mutual gazing and self-writing: Revisiting the tale of Hong Kong and Shanghai as global city-regions. Concentric: Literary and Cultural Studies, 31(1), 71-93. Imai, H. Sensing Tokyo’s Alleyways: Everyday life and sensory encounters in the alleyways of a City in Transition. Minimizing the gender difference in perceived safety: Comparing the effects of urban back alley interventions.

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