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Transforming Hong Kong’s Skyline: The Impact of Vertical Apartments

Lauren Newman03 mins

Innovative Housing Designs from Hong Kong Pixel Homes Competition

Winners of the Competition

“Towers Within a Tower” by Lap Chi Kwong, Alison Von Glinow, and Kevin Lamyuktseung —

Winner of the Hong Kong Pixel Homes competition, “Towers Within a Tower” offers a bold new vision of a high rise. Its “stacked” apartments aim to do more with limited space.

Using the same total floor space as typical a small apartment -- from 344 to 452 square feet -- the architects spread their homes over four stories.
Using the same total floor space as typical a small apartment — from 344 to 452 square feet — the architects spread their homes over four stories.
As the tower is comprised of stacked 'boxes', the designers say it can be adapted to suit different landscapes across Hong Kong.
As the tower is comprised of stacked ‘boxes’, the designers say it can be adapted to suit different landscapes across Hong Kong.
The proposed building's pink and orange frames match the pastel colors found across the city's residential areas.
The proposed building’s pink and orange frames match the pastel colors found across the city’s residential areas.
By removing the need for corridors, the plan makes the most of small spaces.
By removing the need for corridors, the plan makes the most of small spaces.
'In Hong Kong, everyone's apartment is horizontal -- you don't really experience a vertical spatial quality within (people's) houses,' says project co-designer Lap Chi Kwong. 'So we thought about making a tower out of each apartment unit, and then stacking them.'
‘In Hong Kong, everyone’s apartment is horizontal — you don’t really experience a vertical spatial quality within (people’s) houses,’ says project co-designer Lap Chi Kwong. ‘So we thought about making a tower out of each apartment unit, and then stacking them.’
Here, the designers have envisaged their project on one of Hong Kong's smaller, low-rise islands.
Here, the designers have envisaged their project on one of Hong Kong’s smaller, low-rise islands.
By creating public spaces, the designers hoped to address the psychological isolation that can arise from living in horizontal 'slices'.
By creating public spaces, the designers hoped to address the psychological isolation that can arise from living in horizontal ‘slices’.
Competition entrants were asked to design an innovative high rise with a footprint of just over 1,000 square feet. A total prize fund of $6,000 went to the three winning entries.
Competition entrants were asked to design an innovative high rise with a footprint of just over 1,000 square feet. A total prize fund of $6,000 went to the three winning entries.
The competition's runners up, Maria Fernandez and François Chantier, envisaged multi-story homes with internal roofs.
The competition’s runners up, Maria Fernandez and François Chantier, envisaged multi-story homes with internal roofs.
'Sometimes (in Hong Kong) you find very tiny apartments where the toilet and kitchen are in the same place,' says architect Maria Fernandez. 'It can be better to live vertically.'
‘Sometimes (in Hong Kong) you find very tiny apartments where the toilet and kitchen are in the same place,’ says architect Maria Fernandez. ‘It can be better to live vertically.’
While the brief focused on Hong Kong, competition organizers received entries from countries as far afield as Jordan and Canada.
While the brief focused on Hong Kong, competition organizers received entries from countries as far afield as Jordan and Canada.
Making the most of limited space is an ongoing challenge for Hong Kong architects. The Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey has named the city's housing market as the world's most unaffordable seven years running.
Making the most of limited space is an ongoing challenge for Hong Kong architects. The Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey has named the city’s housing market as the world’s most unaffordable seven years running.


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