Wah Ming Estate,Fanling – A Very Chinese-Style Shopping Center

by aikooosan
7 minutes read

Seeing the bad weather today, every place looks like a fairyland covered with thick fog. This reminds me of my visit to Wah Ming Estate in Fanling earlier, where the weather was almost the same: covered in thick fog and later drizzled with rain, making it difficult to walk and take photos.

The bus stop at Wah Ming Estate, Fanling.
The bus stop at Wah Ming Estate, Fanling.

My First Impression of Wah Ming Estate

But it’s okay, let me share with you my experience of visiting and exploring Wah Ming Estate in Fanling.

To be honest, if it weren’t for work, I think the number of times I would have visited Fanling and even the North District in my life could be counted on one hand. In the past, my impression of public housing estates in Fanling was almost zero, and my impression still lingered on the childhood understanding of Fanling: the overlap of old districts and new towns, nothing particularly special.

Wah Ming Estate Shopping Center, Fanling.
Wah Ming Estate Shopping Center, Fanling.

Going back to my experience of exploring Wah Ming Estate. My first impression of Wah Ming Estate was when the bus parked at the bus stop near Wah Ming Shopping Centre – wow, there is such a unique public housing estate in Fanling.

Wah Ming Estate, outside the shopping center.
Wah Ming Estate, outside the shopping center.

Shopping Center with classy and Chinese style design

To say that it has character is to refer to the public housing estate mall in Wah Ming Estate: using traditional red brick tiles to cover the roof, with a design resembling a Chinese-style bell tower, and the addition of pavilions and water features next to the mall, which add a touch of uniqueness to Wah Ming Estate. This old-fashioned design is only found in Wah Ming Estate and is different from the more Western-style Sha Tin Broadview Estate, which also uses red bricks.

Shopping center in Wah Ming Estate, Fanling.
Shopping center in Wah Ming Estate, Fanling.

Walking through the Wah Ming Estate shopping center, which has now been acquired by large corporations, one can still see the original character of the mall, such as its division into north and south wings. Although chain stores are present, there are still some small shops, and the mall continues to use red brick flooring, rather than the standard white flooring, which is somehow comforting.

Wah Ming Night Market
Wah Ming Night Market

Chinese New Year Decoration in Wah Ming Estate

During the visit on the eve of the Lunar New Year, the estate was decorated with many festive themes, such as large red lanterns, which complement the estate’s Chinese-style architecture, creating a harmonious and comfortable atmosphere.

The decoration for celebrating Chinese New Year in Wah Ming Estate.
The decoration for celebrating Chinese New Year in Wah Ming Estate.

Exploring other parts of Wah Ming Estate, it was built in 1990, with seven buildings, all of which feature the Y-shape design that was popular at the time, except for Y3 and Y4. The more one walks around Wah Ming Estate, the more one realizes the advantages of the Y-shape design, which also provides wider public spaces on the ground floor. In the 1990s, public plazas, playgrounds, soccer and basketball courts were common in public housing estates, providing daily leisure and entertainment for residents.

The public plaza in Wah Ming Estate, Fanling.
The public plaza in Wah Ming Estate, Fanling.
The public plaza in Wah Ming Estate, Fanling.
The public plaza in Wah Ming Estate, Fanling.

In addition, it was surprising to find old-fashioned playground equipment in Wah Ming Estate, such as wooden slides and climbing structures, which brought a sense of nostalgia and emotion.


Information

Location:21 Wah Ming Road, Wo Hop Shek
Year of Intake: 1990
Types of Blocks: Trident 3, Trident 4
Name of Blocks: Chung Ming House, Fu Ming House, Hong Ming House, Lai Ming House,Shun Ming House, Tim Ming House, Yiu Ming House

Sources: Housing Authority, Wikipedia


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