The Walled City of Kowloon

[MonkeyRonin]

Originally Posted by edale

Imagine what a disaster Covid would have been in the walled city of Kowloon.

Who knows, but considering the rest of Hong Kong - including it's many hyper-dense neighbourhoods - has come through this relatively unscathed, that may not necessarily have been the case.

[photoLith]

How would a postman even operate in KWC? How did people even have addresses since it was off the grid basically?

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by photoLith

How would a postman even operate in KWC? How did people even have addresses since it was off the grid basically?

I imagine some form of PO Boxes, at least traditionally?

NYC has a couple hundred thousand illegal housing units (mostly illegal basement accessory units in more suburban areas, and illegally chopped up apartments in more urban areas) and they can't be serviced by USPS but people are living there.

It's a huge problem for the Census, voting, and for delivery of city services. The city knows the units exist, but NIMBYs don't want to legalize the units. Usually the city lets it pass as long as there aren't blatant fire code issues.

It's so ingrained that when you buy a one-family home in far eastern Queens or much of Staten Island, it's usually mortgaged as a two-family unit, because they assume you'll rent out the basement, even if it hasn't already been converted.

[C.]

I just wanted to say I love this thread. One of the best in SSP history!

[photoLith]

^
Hmmm thats very interesting, does that mean I could get a cheap basement apartment in Queens?????

[drummer]

Originally Posted by photoLith

How would a postman even operate in KWC? How did people even have addresses since it was off the grid basically?

Originally Posted by Crawford

I imagine some form of PO Boxes, at least traditionally?

NYC has a couple hundred thousand illegal housing units (mostly illegal basement accessory units in more suburban areas, and illegally chopped up apartments in more urban areas) and they can't be serviced by USPS but people are living there.

It's a huge problem for the Census, voting, and for delivery of city services. The city knows the units exist, but NIMBYs don't want to legalize the units. Usually the city lets it pass as long as there aren't blatant fire code issues.

It's so ingrained that when you buy a one-family home in far eastern Queens or much of Staten Island, it's usually mortgaged as a two-family unit, because they assume you'll rent out the basement, even if it hasn't already been converted.

I lived in China for many years. Often times, complexes don't have mailboxes for individual units. Mail and packages are often delivered by a guy who just calls the number on the package and says, "It's here, come meet me at the gate." This is why we always had to have our cell numbers written in as a part of our address. If we weren't able to get it, it was dropped off at a convenient store (with shelves for packages, etc.), a guard house, or something similar and we could go and pay a small amount for their trouble...usually 1 or 2 kuai. KWC obviously preceded the cell phone days, but I would imagine it was something similar as opposed to a formal post office box.

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by photoLith

Hmmm thats very interesting, does that mean I could get a cheap basement apartment in Queens?????

Yes, absolutely. Go to any suburban part of Queens or SI and you'll see a second set of exterior doorways going to the basement.

Also, a lot of illegal units in public housing and rent controlled housing. I had a friend that lived for a few months in a Williamsburg housing project. A 80-year old granny was living alone in a four bedroom and she turned three of the bedrooms into rental units. I think at some point she moved to Jersey, and the whole apartment was turned into a hipster dorm.

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by drummer

If we weren't able to get it, it was dropped off at a convenient store (with shelves for packages, etc.), a guard house, or something similar and we could go and pay a small amount for their trouble...usually 1 or 2 kuai. KWC obviously preceded the cell phone days, but I would imagine it was something similar as opposed to a formal post office box.

Yeah, this all makes sense. Informal delivery using private business.

A lot of corner stores here hold packages, sometimes for a small fee, if you live in a building without a doorman, or where packages can't be securely delivered.

[muppet]

Originally Posted by edale

Imagine what a disaster Covid would have been in the walled city of Kowloon.

Asia's biggest slum, Dharavi in Mumbai -the world's densest place with 1 million people -managed to overcome C-19:

https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2...ovid-lockdown/

[SIGSEGV]

How come Mumbai has no street view

[MolsonExport]

Goodbye To Japan’s Homage To Hong Kong’s Kowloon Walled City

[MolsonExport]

Inside Kowloon Walled City: an artist offers a different perspective on life in the infamous enclave

When Fiona Hawthorne first visited the Kowloon Walled City
, in 1984, she immediately fell under its spell. The intrepid 21-year-old aspiring artist from Northern Ireland was captivated by the tightly packed block of buildings that, at the time, was the most densely populated place on Earth.

“When I first stepped into the Walled City, I suddenly felt I was in a different world,” Hawthorne says by phone from her home in London. “I was struck by the shafts of sunlight that pierced through the small gaps between the buildings.

“There were dripping pipes and bundles of cables, people making dim sum and noodles, woks frying, women folding laundry, children and rats running around, and all mixed among factories making plastic toys, a barbers shop, a dentist … I knew I was somewhere extraordinary.” She also knew she had to draw it.

...

[dchan]

Originally Posted by Crawford

Yes, absolutely. Go to any suburban part of Queens or SI and you'll see a second set of exterior doorways going to the basement.

The illegal apartments are in cellars, not basements. Basements have more than half of the story still above ground level, while cellars are the opposite. You can have legal living spaces (including full apartments) in basements, but not in cellars.

[MolsonExport]

Movie coming that is set in KWC, and is called Kowloon Walled City: https://www.todayonline.com/8days/sa...e-has-no-money

[MolsonExport]

The City of Darkness: Hong Kong’s anarchist society

Inside The Dark City: The History Of Hong Kong's Kowloon Walled City



some great photos on the above site, which unfortunately cannot be hotlinked.

[muppet]

Check it out, the Walled City rises again in Shenzhen.

05:00 and 07:00:

• Video Link

[muppet]

Another one, in Changsha (10:10) and (14:49) :

• Video Link

What it's like inside:

16:15

• Video Link

[MolsonExport]

I love the walledcitian vibe of those places. thanks for sharing.

Chunking Mansions (HK), in Kowloon, is known for having a distinctly walledcitian vibe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chungking_Mansions


wkikcommons


alzheimersdaughters



Chunking Mansions has an Ivory Factory!!

bidoun


wookie's pedia

More than once, Chunking Mansions has been compared to Mos Eisley. "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy."
It appears as though the Chunking Mansions are being renovated. I will miss it when it is gone, just as I lament the destruction of the singular Kowloon Walled City.

Nearby, this place exudes wallcitymanship: https://www.google.com/maps/@22.2966...7i16384!8i8192

[jigglysquishy]

Chungking Mansion was a wonderful place to stay.

Kowloon Walled City is featured in the video game Shenmue II, if anyone is interested. One of the better game series at representing urban life.

[MolsonExport]

anybody ever been to Chunking Mansions? It is at the top of my list of places to see when I can get over to Hong Kong.

The Complete Guide to Chungking Mansions