Habi-35 Quest for partners in research on Multifunctional - Iiinstitute.nl

uild<strong>in</strong>gs, and there<strong>for</strong>e, to connect movement and activities not only <strong>in</strong> an efficient manner but, at the
same time, achieved by creat<strong>in</strong>g a sense of aesthetics <strong>in</strong> mak<strong>in</strong>g these connections. Architect Rocco
Yim describes this connective architecture as the 'Aesthetics of Connection', as seen <strong>in</strong> over 90
number of office build<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> the Central Bus<strong>in</strong>ess District, which are all connected <strong>in</strong> an efficient and
elegant manner. An <strong>in</strong>terview with the Senior Management Group by the author brought up the po<strong>in</strong>t
about the susta<strong>in</strong>ability of MILU on the changes <strong>in</strong> use over time. In the case of the Exchange Square,
there has been a cyclic act of overhaul<strong>in</strong>g to upgrade the <strong>in</strong>frastructure of the office towers <strong>in</strong> order to
handle new demands <strong>for</strong> technology to meet the present and the future needs of the tenants.
Conclusion
M.I.L.U. <strong>in</strong> Hong Kong presents a complimentary tool <strong>for</strong> optimiz<strong>in</strong>g land-use resources via compact
urban <strong>for</strong>m that is made possible by a high-density and high-rise approach, served by an efficient
public transportation system. For Hong Kong, the occurrence of a high-density and high-rise urban
<strong>for</strong>m was probably due to extreme pressure from a shortage of land supply versus the demand <strong>for</strong>
hous<strong>in</strong>g and other human activities. As po<strong>in</strong>ted out, urban density <strong>in</strong> Hong Kong today achieved a
world record. In retrospect, such ultra high urban density is caused by social and economic hardship
experienced <strong>in</strong> the early days of the mid-sixties of the last millennium that sparked off exodus of
refugees from Ma<strong>in</strong>land Ch<strong>in</strong>a <strong>in</strong>to Hong Kong. The Government then had no choice but to improvise
it with mass hous<strong>in</strong>g schemes by means of economical and land resources with<strong>in</strong> shortest possible
time. In the <strong>for</strong>ty years that followed, the mad-like rush was to meet the hous<strong>in</strong>g demand of a million
populations <strong>in</strong>creases every decade. Soon, it became apparent that low-cost public hous<strong>in</strong>g alone was
<strong>in</strong>sufficient to cope with the <strong>in</strong>cessant demand <strong>for</strong> hous<strong>in</strong>g, and the private sector soon began
construct<strong>in</strong>g speculative hous<strong>in</strong>g consisted of residential towers with saleable flats targeted <strong>for</strong> mid<strong>in</strong>come
families. The Government responded by a regulatory land sales policy that <strong>in</strong> no time became
an <strong>in</strong>expensive and effective tool to generate revenue <strong>for</strong> the Government.
If population-<strong>in</strong>crease was the <strong>in</strong>itial cause <strong>for</strong> the high-density urban <strong>for</strong>m model, it is undeniable that
economic consideration was a secondary but equally significant cause responsible <strong>for</strong> the high-density
urban model. For many decades that followed, land sales revenue account towards as big as 30% of
the Government’s annual budget (10), which facilitates Hong Kong to be one of the world’s lowest
taxation economy and a free capital market (11) that draws <strong>in</strong> huge amount of <strong>in</strong>ternational <strong>in</strong>vestment
funds.
The mak<strong>in</strong>g of high-density and high-rise urban <strong>for</strong>m <strong>in</strong> Hong Kong is attributed by three factors:
a. Substantiate growth <strong>in</strong> population.
b. Regulariated supply of land.
c. Economic benefits brought by a high land price policy (a low taxation and free capital market).
High-density, high-rise Urban Form and M.I.L.U.
The Paper presented four case studies to trace the development of a high-density and high-rise urban
<strong>for</strong>m from the seventies to the end of the last millennium. It is worthwhile to note that because of the
immense pressure from market demand, real estate developers and government planners adopted an
empirical approach towards the collective search <strong>for</strong> a socially and economically viable solution. These
case studies ended with experiments concluded dur<strong>in</strong>g the N<strong>in</strong>eties that resulted <strong>in</strong> an ultimate model
of an urban <strong>for</strong>m that <strong>in</strong> turn bled a livable city.
The Hong Kong case study reveals two yardsticks to measure and justify the success of a highdensity,
high-rise urban <strong>for</strong>m.
Firstly, the study attempts to quantify the per<strong>for</strong>mance of such urban <strong>for</strong>m and <strong>in</strong> turn the livability of
such city by <strong>in</strong>dicators such as economics, social, health, ecological footpr<strong>in</strong>t and land-use
compatibilities aga<strong>in</strong>st selected cities of developed nations. (Diagram 1,2,3)
Secondly, the study attempts to qualify the per<strong>for</strong>mance of a high-density and high-rise urban <strong>for</strong>m by
exam<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g how such urban <strong>for</strong>m operates by means of the M. I.L.U concept. The paper presents the
Hong Kong expression of M.I.L.U., which is translated <strong>in</strong>to the concept of “3C+P” (Connectivity,
Convenience, Com<strong>for</strong>t, and the Podium) (6)
Expert Meet<strong>in</strong>g page 51