Between the former manufacturing powerhouse Kwun Tong (觀塘) and the old Kai Tak Airport (啟德機場) lies a vast piece of reclaimed land that is neither bustling nor world famous like its neighbours. Yet, without this piece of in-between place where the MTR established its headquarters and Kowloon Motor Bus built its largest depot, and where dozens of industrial complexes, cargo centres and godowns called it home, Kai Tak could hardly become the world’s busiest cargo airport, and Hong Kong would lack its essential heart to keep things running. Reclaimed from the waters of Kowloon Bay in the 1970’s, the district of Kowloon Bay had served as an industrial and logistic centre packed with airplane hangars and cargo storage to support the neighboring airport. On 6th of July 1998, after Kai Tak Airport closed for good, the destiny of Kowloon Bay fell into the unknown. In 2001, signals for a new direction for Kowloon Bay began as the district’s designated zoning changed from industrial to business. A bold statement of the new urban vision emerged in 2007 when the eye-catching MegaBox opened its doors. Capturing the eye from far and near, the red structure instantly became the district’s new icon. With the city’s first IMAX theatre and largest skating rink, MegaBox is probably Hong Kong’s largest shopping mall. Since then, industrial complexes and cargo centres were gradually replaced by commercial towers around MegaBox, turning the heart of Kowloon Bay into a mixed-use neighborhood. Zero Carbon Building opened its door in 2012 across Mega Box as Hong Kong’s first ever carbon neutral architecture. The ZCB signifies another new vision for Kowloon Bay towards a sustainable future. But the story of revitalizing Kowloon Bay is much more complicated than erecting new structures. Urban redevelopment is not a simple matter of replacing concrete buildings with glassy structures, or overriding an old dream with a new vision. Whether the new developments can attract enough business demands or sustain economic downturns is yet to be seen. And in what way can the creative and efficient spirits of the industrial past perpetuate in the reinvented Kowloon Bay, creating a unique identity for this ever-changing neighborhood?
Thanks to work projects and a good friend who works in the area, we visit Kowloon Bay regularly in the past few years, and have witnessed its evolution like a time-lapse video. Today, depending on who you ask, some may say that Kowloon Bay is still an industrial hub of Hong Kong, while others may say it is a core business centre of Kowloon East. Among the cluster of sleek commercial towers, dozens of old industrial blocks packed with small companies and startup businesses are still going strong. The oddity of seeing multi-level drum ramps of cargo centre standing side by side to glassy office towers, or walking from a wide arterial road designed for trucks and trailers into a network of lush green pedestrian paths catered for healthy jogging often intrigue us. These somewhat contradicting experience in a changing neighborhood offers an interesting urban scenery and a transient beauty. It is a picture that celebrates the convergence of distinct planning visions, contrasting ambiences, and conflicting visual identities that may seem odd at the first glance. Yet, the beauty of finding diversity, ambiguity, equilibrium and even contradictions would eventually creep in, especially when seeing the juxtaposition and layering of distinct architecture somehow complementing each other, or the mingling of people in different professions at the same public square. Singular and segregated zoning was largely a product of industrialization when polluting and noisy industries were separated from residential and commercial centres. In many cities, especially in North America, highways and railways were often used to demarcate the boundaries of different zones. As heavy industries shifted away from city centres in recent decades just like the case of Kowloon Bay, many former industrial buildings have become a venue of opportunities for young startups. Together with financial institutions, restaurants, retail, and other small businesses, these small entrepreneurs would form a diverse urban ecosystem and a multifaceted community. Would there be room in the revitalization of Kowloon Bay that some industrial components can be retained and reach a harmonic relationship with the new commercial establishments? There is still much more to be seen in the coming years.
Kowloon Bay was once a natural bay in Victoria Harbour stretches between Hung Hom (紅磡) and Kwun Tong (觀塘). Today, the name mainly refers to the mixed-use district of Kowloon Bay between Kai Tak and Kwun Tong, and its MTR station.Opened in 1979, the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) is the major public transportation system in Hong Kong. With 10 lines, 167 stations, over five million trips per workday and a 99.9% on-time rate, the MTR is an essential piece of jigsaw of the Hong Kong story. Home to MTR’s headquarters and largest train depot, Kowloon Bay has always played behind the scenes for the city’s operations. [2022]Completed in 1983 on top of the MTR train depot and station, Telford Gardens (德福花園) contains 41 towers and 4,992 apartments units. This combination of public transportation and housing estate has become an essential and common development model in Hong Kong that also help to fund the expansion of the MTR. [2022]Linking Kwun Tong with Kai Tak and passing by Kowloon Bay along the way, Wai Yip Street (偉業街) played a pivotal role in connecting the industrial areas of Kowloon East and the former Kai Tak Aiport. [2022]Established in 1986, the largest bus depot of Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) maintained buses that operating in Kowloon East and Sai Kung, and also all airport buses during the years of Kai Tak Airport. [2022]A quiet pedestrian street leading towards the bus depot of KMB. [2022]It’s hard to imagine that some of these sleepy buildings are so crucial for maintaining the dynamic pulse of Hong Kong. [2022]It is not uncommon for an utilitarian industrial block in Kowloon Bay, such as Hope Sea Industrial Centre (富洋工業中心), to use vivid colours to distinct itself from surrounding buildings, whose height are similar due to planning restricts dated back to the Kai Tak Airport years. [2022]Home to exhibition halls, conference facilities, sport facilities, retail, cinema, and headquarters of a local TV station, Kowloonbay International Trade & Exhibition Centre (九龍灣國際展貿中心) is another remnant from the twilight years of Kai Tak Airport. [2021]Many industrial buildings in Kowloon Bay, such as Pacific Trade Centre (太平洋貿易中心), has become a mixed-use building for office and industrial uses. [2022]With less windows and sturdy walls, many industrial blocks in Kowloon Bay stand like a small fort structure occupying entire street block, including Po Lung Centre (寳隆中心). [2022] Built in 1983, Sunshine Kowloon Bay Cargo Centre (三湘九龍灣貨運中心) was erected in the heydays of Kai Tak Airport. [2022]With a prominent drum ramp, cargo trucks can go all the way up to the roof of Sunshine Kowloon Bay Cargo Centre. [2022]The curved building form of Sunshine Kowloon Bay Cargo Centre 三湘九龍灣貨運中心 (1983), Water Supplies Department Kowloon East Regional Building 水務署九龍東區大樓 (2000), and the Quayside 海濱匯 (2019) echo each other despite their distinct functions and construction time. [2022]Nicknamed the “cake”, the 1984 constructed Dah Chong Hong (大昌行), a conglomerate with a wide range of businesses from car sales to cosmetic, food, logistics, etc, appears in contrast to the lush green podium facade of China Construction Bank Centre (2011). [2022]Probably constructed in late 1970’s, the airplane-like Footbridge KF38 belongs to the original phase of Kowloon Bay development, when the primary goal was to construct an efficient industrial and logistic hub. Today, commercial towers and the red MegaBox have gradually replaced the original industrial skyline and dominate the view from the bridge. [2015]Hardly anyone would refer to the footbridge as KF38. Since 2007, the bridge has appeared in multiple MTVs and movies, including the 2010 popular romantic comedy Love in a Puff (志明與春嬌). Today, the bridge is commonly called Jimmy Bridge (志明橋), named after the main character in the movie. Today, Jimmy Bridge remains as the most popular and Instagrammable attraction in Kowloon Bay. [2020]Today, the skyline of Kowloon Bay is dominated by glassy towers and the red MegaBox, one of the largest shopping centre in Hong Kong. [2015]With its vivid colour, MegaBox has been the icon of Kowloon Bay since 2007. [2022]Across the street from MegaBox, the Zero Carbon Park and its Zero Carbon Building has become the heart of Kowloon Bay in recent years. [2022]The ZCP offers a leisure public space for both the office and industrial workers of Kowloon Bay. [2022]Godowns, cargo centres and hazard storage once dominated the southeastern end of Kowloon Bay where it meets Ngau Tau Kok (牛頭角) and Kwun Tong Typhoon Shelter (觀塘避風塘). [2015]Beyond Kwun Tong Promenade and Kwun Tong Bypass stand the interconnected towers of The Quayside (海濱匯), a recently built office and retail complex in Kowloon Bay. [2019]The extensive use of shading fins on the curtain wall of the Quayside greatly contribute to the building’s sustainable design standards, interior comfort and long term energy saving. [2019]Apart from offices for industrial and commercial companies, cultural exhibitions have been introduced to Kowloon Bay, including a Banksy exhibition in 2019 held at FTLife Tower (富通中心). [2019]The Brahma Shrine (四面佛) at Goldin Financial Global Centre (高銀金融國際中心) signifies the arrival of spiritual elements in Kowloon Bay. [2022]In the shadow of Kowloon Bay’s commercial towers, Yip On Factory Estate (業安工廠大廈) stand stubbornly against the change of time for four decades. [2022]Despite fully packed with tenants, Yip On Factory Estate have been scheduled for demolition by the end of 2022. [2020]News emerged that the two blocks of Yip On Factory Estate would be replaced by new public housing. Given there aren’t much supporting facilities such as grocery shops in central Kowloon Bay, introducing housing development at the heart of the formal industrial district could be a challenge. [2022]The utilitarian and honest appearance of the old industrial buildings contrasts to the sleek and glassy commercial towers of Kowloon Bay. [2022]We would likely miss the boldness and horizontality of old industrial buildings in Kowloon Bay. [2022]
Apartment blocks mushroom in clusters north of Kwun Tong’s MTR viaduct all the way to the slopes of Sau Mau Ping and Lam Tin, where stone quarries once dominated the skyline of Kowloon East. With 59,000 persons per square kilometre (2016), Kwun Tong is the most densely populated district in Hong Kong. Since the first public housing was erected in late 1950’s, Kwun Tong has become home to many public housing estates: Ngau Tau Kok (牛頭角邨), Lam Tin (藍田邨), Sau Mau Ping (秀茂坪邨), just to name a few. At the neighborhood centre lies Yue Man Square (裕民坊), the former commercial heart, and Shui Wo Street Market (瑞和街街市), the bustling street market that fascinates me every time I walk by the area. While Shui Wo Street Market remains as busy as decades ago, the original Yue Man Square is all but gone, giving way to new shopping malls and glassy towers. Beyond the vibrancy, noises, and dust, I was surprised to find pockets of breathing spaces beyond the crowded streets of Kwun Tong while exploring the area. Be it a decades old temple that was left untouched and hidden from plain sight throughout all these years of urban transformations, or forgotten reservoir structures that were left for decay in a lush green ravine, these peaceful corners have been serving as peaceful “backyards” for local residents, and any curious outsider who chooses to explore Kwun Tong beyond its shopping malls.
Surrounded by apartment blocks of Tsui Ping Estate (翠屏邨) and several school compounds, traditional Tai Wong Yeh Temple (大王爺廟) sits on a slope that is invisible from the streets below. Meandering between groups of school kids and elderly at the covered plazas of Tsui Ping Estate just minutes ago, entering the tranquil temple complex felt like going into an hidden retreat. During my brief visit, I was the only visitor and was free to wander around the temple complex all by myself. Clustered over a slope on three terraces, the complex was erected in 1958 as a replacement of an earlier temple in Lok Fu. I took my time to check out the colouful wall reliefs around the temple. Reliefs of a tiger and dragon particularly captured my attention. They may not be the most exquisite artworks found in galleries, but nevertheless they are valuable relics of the old Kwun Tong, from a time when skillful mural artisans were much more common.
North of Lok Wah Estate (樂華邨), lush green Jordan Valley (佐敦谷) wraps along the northern boundary of Kwun Tung. It is at Jordan Valley that the 648,541 (2016) Kwun Tong residents can cool themselves off at a 1.7 hectare swimming compound, hike in forested trails, picnic on park lawns, exercise in public playgrounds and ball courts, under the shadow of the majestic Kowloon Peak (飛鵝山). What fascinates me is that much of these pleasant green spaces and recreational facilities were once occupied by 16 blocks of social housing apartments known as Jordan Valley Estate (佐敦谷邨). In 1990’s, the former colonial government decided to tear down the housing estate and replace it with the much needed public recreational facilities of Kwun Tong. This was the only time in Hong Kong where a public housing estate was torn down and not replaced by taller apartment blocks. Perched above Jordan Valley, a red running track awaits anyone who is willing to hike up to the secret getaway of Kwun Tong High Level Service Reservoir Playground (觀塘上配水庫遊樂場). Attracted by photos of the running track against the dramatic backdrop of a ruined reservoir wall and Kowloon Peak, I braved the summer heat to climb up the hill for the relatively little-known scenery. On the way up, I passed by the main dam of the former Jordan Valley Reservoir, a decommissioned facility that once supplied Kwun Tong with seawater for flushing. Completed in 1960, the reservoir ceased operations in early 1980’s and was subsequently filled up. Today, apart from elderly residents or the few who come to exercise at the dam or running track, hardly anyone knows about the reservoir remnants. Without much documentation about its history, memories of the former Jordan Valley Reservoir are actually fading fast.
From Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, the skyline of Kwun Tong and Lam Tin is dominated by layers of highrise buildings. [2015]Visible from Kwun Tong MTR Station, the decades old Garden Estate (花園大廈) awaits for its turn of urban renewal. [2022]First completed in late 1950’s, Garden Estate (花園大廈) was the first public housing in Kwun Tong. [2022]Garden Estate (花園大廈) was built to house industrial workers of Kwun Tong, which was Hong Kong’s first planned satellite town in 1950’s and 1960’s. [2022]The main street market, Shui Wo Street Market (瑞和街街市), remains as lively as ever. [2022]Apart from the shopping malls, commercial and industrial areas, Shui Wo Street Market is the place in Kwun Tong to experience its crowds. [2022]From traditional cooking ingredients to paper lanterns for Mid Autumn Festival, Shui Wo Street Market offers a wide range of traditional merchandises for the community. [2022]Decades old stationery shop and toy stores at Shui Wo Street Market are children’s favorites. [2022]From Shui Wo Street Market, the newly completed curtain wall apartments can be seen as prominent replacements of the former commercial centre of Yue Man Square (裕民坊). [2022]
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It is such a contrasting experience to step into the complex of Tai Wong Yeh Temple (大王爺廟) from the busy streets of Kwun Tong. [2021]The complex was built upon three main terraces. [2021]Tai Wong Yeh Temple (大王爺廟) is quite well maintained. [2021]I was particularly interested on the wall reliefs at Tai Wong Yeh Temple (大王爺廟). [2021]With the fine details and beautiful shadows, the dragon is perhaps the most eye-catching relief of them all. [2021]Built on the site of the former Jordan Valley Estate (佐敦谷邨), the 1.7 hectare swimming compound at Jordan Valley has become an essential public facility in Kwun Tong. [2022]From the main dam of the former Jordan Valley Reservoir, the lush Jordan Valley appears like a green lung for Kwun Tong. [2022]A part of the former reservoir is still used for water filtration and distribution. [2022]The main dam of the former Jordan Valley Reservoir has become an exercise spot for the community. [2022]Traces of the former reservoir is still visible at the former main dam. [2022]Further uphill from the main dam brought me to Kwun Tong High Level Service Reservoir Playground, where remnants of the former water facilities can still be found. [2022]Remnant of the former reservoir includes a dramatic ruined stone wall behind the running track. [2022]Perched high above the surrounding residential developments, the running track is a secret getaway for Kwun Tong residents. [2022]It is not an easy climb in summer to reach the running track from the adjacent neighborhoods. [2022]But views of the majestic Kowloon Peak (飛鵝山) is more than rewarding for the sweaty climb. [2022]
We weren’t that familiar with Kwun Tong (觀塘), a major industrial district and former satellite town in East Kowloon, until recent years when work brought me to the district a couple of times. Witnessing the dramatic makeover of Kowloon East into the Hong Kong’s newest business district was like watching a time-lapse video of factory blocks being torn down and replaced by glassy towers. Work has also gave me the opportunity to learn about the new master plan of Kowloon East, which encompasses the former industrial districts of Kwun Tong, Kowloon Bay, and Kai Tak, including the land strip point out into Victoria Harbour that once served as the runway of Kai Tak Airport. Referred as CBD 2.0 (Central Business District 2) by Energizing Kowloon East Office (EKEO), the government has high hopes in reshaping Kowloon East and its waterfront into a vibrant and highly livable neighborhood that serves as an alternative to Central, Wan Chai and Quarry Bay. Inaugurated in 2012, EKEO is the government body that oversees urban revitalization of Kowloon East with the new master plan and various different pedestrian enhancement projects. One of the first major projects by EKEO is Kwun Tong Promenade (觀塘海濱花園), a narrow strip of land between the elevated Kwun Tong Bypass and the waterfront along Kwun Tong Typhoon Shelter (觀塘避風塘). Formerly a cargo working area, the promenade was completed and opened in two stages, first in 2010 and then 2015, and has soon become the most popular public space in Kwun Tong.
Further inland from Kwun Tong Promenade lies the industrial area. From government salt ponds centuries ago to a designed landfill in 1925 and later oil depot of Shell Company, Kwun Tong was considered a back-of-house area until 1954, when massive land reclamation took place to construct the city’s first industrial estates, whereas hilly areas further inland were designated for residential developments. Centered around the commercial complex Yue Man Square (裕民坊), Kwun Tong soon became one of the two first satellite towns and industrial hubs in Hong Kong along with Tsuen Wan (荃灣) in Kowloon West. Since then, Kwun Tong flourished along with the boom of manufacturing industries, including textiles, clothing, toys, watches, plastics, etc. As costs of labour and rents grew exponentially in 1980’s and 1990’s, many factories were relocated to other parts of Asia and China. With the decline of industries, Kwun Tong was in need to reinvent itself with a new vision and identity. In recent two decades, urban revitalization has come in various forms, from replacing old factories with new commercial buildings, to retrofitting the old industrial blocks into mixed use complexes, offering affordable spaces for all sorts of small businesses, from restaurants to offices, gyms to recreational venues, retail to workshops. Despite the major makeover, traces and memories of its industrial past remain as a crucial component for the identity of Kwun Tong.
The elevated MTR metro line bisects Kwun Tong into two halves: the residential area on the hills to the north and the industrial and commercial area to the south. As the former town centre of Kwun Tong, known as the Yue Man Square (裕民坊) area, began demolition in the past decade, Hong Kong’s largest urban redevelopment officially began. [2022]Kwun Tong MTR Station serves as the main transportation hub of the district. Kwun Tong Station was the terminus of the original Kwun Tong Line which began operations in 1979. [2022]In central Kwun Tong, decades old industrial blocks still make up a large part of the district’s skyline. [2021]Before emergence of the MTR in 1979, bus loads of workers arrived in Kwun Tong every morning to work at the factories. [2021]Many industrial blocks in Kwun Tong have been converted into other uses. The multi-block Camel Paint Building (駱駝漆大廈) has become a huge outlet shopping centre. [2021]It is impossible to tell from outside that the Camel Paint Building is a popular shopping destination for discounted cosmetics, clothing, wine, crafted beer, restaurants, etc. [2021]Hidden on the 11th floor of an industrial building, Twenty One From Eight (廿一由八) is one of many hidden gems in Kwun Tong. The shop is a custom wood furniture maker. [2021]Apart from custom wood furniture, Twenty One From Eight (廿一由八) also doubles as a popular cafe. [2021]Down on street level, street art was brought into the alleys between industrial blocks. Once crowded with factory workers, these lanes are now popular with young people taking selfies. [2021]Alley street art in Kwun Tong. [2021]At Kwun Tong waterfront, the ferry pier was once an important transportation hub along Victoria Harbour. Beyond the pier, the apartment blocks of Laguna City (麗港城) occupied the former oil depot of the Shell Company. [2015]While the pier receives ferry passengers from Hong Kong Island, the elevated highway Kwun Tong Bypass serves as the major vehicular route in Kowloon East. [2020]Just like other piers along Victoria Harbour, Kwun Tong Pier also offers a sense of peace for the city dwellers. [2020]From Kwun Tong Pier, Kai Tak Cruise Terminal (啟德郵輪碼頭) at the tip of former Kai Tak Airport runway is just a stone’s throw away. [2020]Occupying the former cargo loading waterfront, the promenade along Kwun Tong Typhoon Shelter is teem with life. [2019]The elevated Kwun Tong Bypass provides shelter for a portion of the promenade space below. [2020]Running is probably the most popular activity at Kwun Tong Promenade. [2020]People love to chill out by the Kwun Tong Typhoon Shelter at sunset. [2019]From skateboard parks to outdoor eateries and cafes, how to utilize the space below an elevated highway is a common challenge for many cities around the world. [2020]Kowloon Flour Mills (九龍麵粉廠) is probably the most iconic building along Kwun Tong waterfront. [2020]Opened in 1966 and still in operations today, Kowloon Flour Mills is the last surviving flour mill in Hong Kong. [2020]The vertical signage written in Chinese calligraphy was a work by Au Kin Kung 區建公 (1887 – 1971), a renowned calligrapher who pioneered the use of Beiwei Calligraphy Style (北魏體) for Chinese signage around the city. [2020]As more commercial buildings emerged in Kwun Tong’s skyline, preserving the iconic Kowloon Flour Mills is an essential gesture to maintain connections with the collective memories of the neighborhood. [2015]
Blue Lapis Road 