A Few Square Meters: Blurring Boundaries and Designing for Urban Density in Hong Kong

Abstract

A few square meters. This is the amount of space most Hong Kong residents can call their own in one of the most densely populated cities in the world. This thesis will aim to re-imagine these ‘few square meters’, in the home, and in the city, by way of food. The occasion of coming together, cooking and dining will be used to challenge our ideas of program, dwelling, and urban conditions. This project will aim to push life into the city and the public realm, by using found space within the existing urban fabric—alleyways, and ‘between spaces’—to blur the boundaries between the public and private realms. Thus, exploring how to design spaces that are flexible and adaptable to make the most out of a few square meters, while forging new relationships with the residents, and the city itself in dense urban settings.