Land+Living: Portrait of Density

Architecture, Art, Urban — December 20, 2005 Posted by Deborah

Michael Wolf on Hong Kong

Michael Wolf is a photographer who captures the residential condition of Hong Kong as a portrait of both density and abandonment. The repetitive patterns of apartment buildings showcases order at its most extreme producing a visual lull that is both attractive and arresting. The majority of images were captured at unknown heights creating a boundlessness that is uncomfortable, but outweighed by the intrigue. Michael Wolf's truly engaging study can be found in Kenneth Baker and Douglas Young's Hong Kong: Front Door / Back Door.

Link: Polar Inertia
Link: Hong Kong: Front Door/ Back Door

5 comments

Comments (5)

Geoff Manaugh — December 20, 2005
See also...

These were also up on BLDGBLOG a while back, at http://bldgblog.blogspot.com/2005/09/space-in-hong-kong.html They're insane images. Any sense of how many people live in each building...? Or what they would do if the elevator breaks?

Deborah — December 20, 2005
Panic?

Thanks for the link Geoff. I have no idea how many people live in each building, but it must be hard to get to know the neighbours. As for the elevator, I'm having an anxiety attack just thinking about it. If anyone out there has more information please let us know.

Adriean — December 21, 2005
wow

These images are fantastic and sad at the same time. Absolutely amazing shots.

Alexander Trevi — December 22, 2005
Wolf in Micro

Some uncanny resemblance to <a href="http://pruned.blogspot.com/2005/10/microscopic-wood-anatomy.html">microscopic wood anatomy</a>. I imagine capillary elevators would work via evapotranspirational pull.

Shenzhen Whitey — December 22, 2005
Great photos

I too had seen these a while ago and actually tried to e-mail the guy or the gallery that was dealing in his stuff. Never got an answer. As far as the elevators, it is just like any high-rise apartment. A bank of three elevators will usually serve about 4-12 apartments per floor. Buildings like these are popping up in Shenzhen and across China as well. In Hong Kong and mainland China the governments peiodically auction off chunks of land for leases (60-99 years)--so that the developments end up being multi-building deals. The articulation on the building is because it is usual for pipes to run along the outside of buildings and because of service balcony that are used for hanging clothes.