High density housing for low income groups, Hong Kong

Thesis (M.Arch.) --University of Melbourne, Faculty of Architecture Building and Planning, 1965.Hong Kong, owing to the rapidly increasing population and the influx of refugees suffers from an acute housing shortage. In spite of the intense building activity, the demand for accommodation shows little sign of abating. In view of this, the intention of this thesis is to give a thorough study of the existing local living standards and conditions, the social and economic background of the lower income groups and to discuss the following three types of high density domestic buildings in Hong Kong. These are the Chinese tenements; low cost housing; and resettlement housing. An analysis of the local climatic factors with their influences on building design and building materials is made, and based upon the above a design exercise of a low cost housing scheme incorporating the findings of this thesis is produced to provide the best environment possible under the prevailing economic conditions. Since this thesis is related to the intensity of land use, the density criteria on which the proposed design is based, will be at the same time discussed in brief. It is hoped that this thesis will serve as a reference for this important field of design, and help to produce architecture related to the need, of both the people and the climate