Housing Equity Projects
The Housing Equity Projects initiative is dedicated to addressing the issue of housing injustice in Hong Kong through innovative architectural design and artistic interventions. This project encompasses three primary phases: In the first phase (S1), the focus was on examining the oppressive experiences associated with unjust housing in Hong Kong. Through interactive installations, the project highlighted the significant psychological and social impacts of high-density urban living on residents. These installations, combined with in-depth research, aimed to enhance public understanding and concern about these complex issues.
In the second phase (S2), the research delved into the root causes of housing injustice and proposed both long-term and short-term intervention strategies. The long-term strategy, named "Pickled HK Olympic Games," aims to engage the public in organized activities to build a consensus on improving living conditions. The short-term strategy, "Urban Nomadism," seeks to improve the quality of life for low-income earners without increasing their rent, by creatively utilizing and occupying existing urban spaces.
The third phase (S3) involved further development and visualization of these strategies through detailed architectural drawings. These drawings serve as a communicative tool to simulate and envisage the operational processes and outcomes of the proposed interventions, thus maximizing the impact of fictional narratives and assessing their feasibility in practical applications. This phase also explores the role of architecture in addressing social issues, shifting the focus from technical design details to the stories and societal impacts they represent.
The overarching goal of the Housing Equity Projects is to use creative and strategic design to effectively address and challenge the phenomenon of urban inequity. By employing architectural approaches as tools for social intervention, the project seeks to redefine the use of public spaces and the role of architecture in societal events. This research underscores the potential of architectural design not only to meet physical needs but also to act as a powerful means of fostering social justice. Future studies could explore the broader application of these strategies within diverse social contexts to further promote societal equity.
