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2025

Choi Hung Estate: Beyond the Iconic Instagram Spot

by aikooosan 2025 年 4 月 17 日

To be honest, my impression of Choi Hung Estate in Ngau Chi Wan used to be rather shallow and ordinary. In recent years, when people talk about Choi Hung Estate, many immediately think of it as a “photo hotspot.” Its vibrantly coloured façades have become its signature—an iconic backdrop captured by countless visitors, from tourists and photographers to celebrities. With such global fame, I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to call it world-renowned.

It wasn’t until my third visit that I finally took a photo at the famous spot.

Because this “Instagram image” is so deeply ingrained in the public’s mind, I was actually hesitant to feature Choi Hung Estate in my early housing estate explorations. It felt like too many had already covered it—searching online, you’d find an abundance of historical details, personal stories, and oral histories from residents. With so much material already out there, I wasn’t sure where to begin, and I even felt a little pressure not to pale in comparison.

Across from the iconic photo spot lies this lesser-known view.

Still, I thought—why not? I’d give it a go. I decided to write something from my own perspective, combining my visits with what I’d learned, and just let the words flow.

I tried to find other interesting photo spots beyond the usual angles—though I didn’t come across that many.

The Story Behind My Three Visits to Choi Hung Estate

Unexpectedly, I ended up visiting the estate three times in total, just to get a more in-depth experience (one of those visits was indeed to take the classic photo—guilty as charged!). But I must admit, there’s more to Choi Hung Estate than its famous Instagram backdrop. It has its own unique appeal that made me want to understand it better.

The site of Choi Hung Estate was formerly Sha Tei Wai, one of the original “Thirteen Villages of Kowloon.” According to the Overseas Chinese Daily News, the area was once home to squatter huts and farmland. “In fact, much of it was used as a dumping ground for waste.” It wasn’t until 1960 that the land was cleared and redeveloped.

As for the estate’s development, it was built in phases between 1962 and 1964, making it one of the oldest surviving public housing estates in Hong Kong today—following only Model Housing Estate and Sai Wan Estate. (Fuk Loi Estate and Ma Tau Wai Estate were also completed in the same year.)

On 18 December 1963, Sir Robert Brown Black, then Governor of Hong Kong, officiated at the estate’s opening ceremony. The commemorative plaque from that event is still displayed at the entrance of the estate.

Historical reports make it clear that Choi Hung Estate was a major undertaking. According to Overseas Chinese Daily News and The Kung Sheung Daily News, it was the seventh estate built by the Housing Authority and, at the time, their largest housing project, costing HKD 50 million. In recognition of its significance, Sir Robert Brown Black was invited to unveil the estate himself.

The estate comprises 11 blocks, ranging from 7 to 20 storeys high, creating a visually dynamic skyline. Fittingly, the names of the buildings are also colour-themed, reflecting the name “Choi Hung” (Rainbow).

From History to Experience: Walking Through the Estate

Walking through Choi Hung Estate, I realised it was far larger than I had imagined. The layout is spacious rather than cramped, and its quiet surroundings provide a stark contrast to the noisy, crowded streets outside. It’s a surprisingly calming and comfortable space to explore.

While today the estate may seem fairly standard—featuring a market, shops, post office, playgrounds, schools, and a community centre—such comprehensive planning was considered cutting-edge at the time. The estate incorporated elements of Modernist design, with a focus on functionality, openness, and simplicity. Each flat was equipped with a living and dining room, balcony, kitchen, and a combined toilet and bathroom—considered a high standard of living in the 1960s.

It’s no wonder Choi Hung Estate won the prestigious Silver Medal from the Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA) in 1965. Over the years, it has also attracted high-profile visitors, including then US Vice President Richard Nixon, Princess Margaret, Princess Alexandra and her husband, and Governor MacLehose.

A Treasure Trove of Old Shops and Local Charm

One of the estate’s most delightful features is the absence of a shopping mall. Instead, the ground floors of several blocks are lined with old-style arcades filled with long-standing local shops—some of which look as though time has stood still since the 1960s. These include the rare “Kee Cheung Flag Shop,” the old-school “Kam Pik Restaurant” and “Lee Ying Kee Watch Shop,” the nostalgic “Oi Kwan Fast Food,” and the traditional “Wah Lai Barber Shop,” which even appeared in the music video for MIRROR’s first English single, Rumours, as well as in local films.

Ironically, despite multiple visits, I still haven’t eaten at Oi Kwan Fast Food.

And stumbled upon a truly retro sportswear shop.

There’s even a classic old-fashioned provisions store still operating.

Other hidden gems include the almost extinct “Comic World” manga rental shop and the traditional butcher “Choi Hung Meat Company”—both underappreciated treasures.

If you pay attention to the menu, you’ll realise how affordably priced the food is. A true throwback.

And I nearly forgot—on my first visit, I stopped by a snack shop where the prices felt like something out of my school days. HKD 5 for three deep-fried scallops—what a bargain!

The butcher’s name, “Choi Hung,” echoes that of the estate.

Thoughtful Design and Rainbow Identity

As mentioned earlier, Choi Hung Estate’s most distinctive feature is its rainbow-painted exterior. Even the names of the seven streets within the estate reflect the colours of the rainbow—Red Plum Road, Orange Blossom Road, Yellow Chrysanthemum Road, Green Willow Road, and so on—showcasing the Housing Authority’s creative thoughtfulness during planning. Though the estate is now over 60 years old, a major renovation in recent years has helped it retain its charm.

To capture the famous rainbow façade, you’ll need to head up to the rooftop of the car park. I didn’t expect it to be so lively—it doubles as a garden, basketball court, and badminton court. People gather there to relax or play, creating a vibrant everyday scene full of life.

The basketball court is still buzzing with activity at sunset.

Search online and you’ll find countless stories of residents sharing what it’s like to live in Choi Hung Estate. (For example, actor Tse Kwan-ho once appeared on the public housing series Show You Where I Lived, linked here.) Many residents express a strong sense of belonging and consider the estate a place to truly settle down. For them, Choi Hung Estate is full of fond memories and continues to be a warm and liveable home.

Here’s a rare photo of my camera-shy travel companion at the estate.

PS:Somehow this turned into quite a lengthy article—and I spent over an hour writing it (oops!). If you’ve read this far, thank you so much for your support.

Estate Information

Location: 5–19 Tsz Wan Road; 2 Wong Kuk Road; 2–8 Luk Lau Road; 2 & 11 Tsing Yeung Road; 1–5 Hung Mui Road, Ngau Chi Wan
Year of Occupation: 1962–1964
Number of Blocks: 11
Building Type: Old Slab Blocks
Building Names: Tsui King House, Chi Mei House, Hung Ngok House, Kam Hon House, Kam Wan House, Kam Pik House, Kam Wah House, Luk Ching House, Pik Hoi House, Pak Suet House, Tan Fung House

Sources: Hong Kong Housing Authority, Wikipedia

2025 年 4 月 17 日

Features Conversations

Recording, So We Don’t Forget: A Conversation with Professor Miles Glendinning on the Memory and Preservation of Hong Kong Public Housing

by aikooosan 2025 年 4 月 14 日

“Public housing plays a major role in the collective memory and spirit of Hong Kong. If we’re talking about the ‘Lion Rock Spirit’, then public housing must be part of it.” ——— Professor Miles Glendinning

If you’ve read any of my previous articles on Exploring Hong Kong Public Housing, you’ll know that I grew up in a Hong Kong public housing estate. As a child, I would often wander around the shopping arcade or play in the estate playgrounds, ride my bicycle, and slowly walk home along those long, straight corridors. Back then, I never imagined that these fragments of daily life might one day be documented by someone from abroad, treated as history, or even archived for academic research.

But what if I told you that a Scottish professor had already visited over 90% of Hong Kong’s public housing estates more than a decade ago, capturing their architecture through photographs and eventually compiling them into a monumental book: Hong Kong Public Housing: An Architectural and Policy History? Would you be curious as to why he began documenting this collective experience long before most of us ever thought to?

《Hong Kong Public Housing: An Architectural and Policy History》

This time, let us take a moment to pause and reflect—through the lens of a foreign scholar—on how the value and meaning of Hong Kong’s public housing can be rediscovered.

Why Would a Scottish Scholar Enter the World of Hong Kong Public Housing?

During a recent visit to London, I was fortunate to have a rare and meaningful conversation with Professor Miles Glendinning, author of Hong Kong Public Housing: An Architectural and Policy History.

You may wonder why a Scottish academic would take such a deep interest in Hong Kong’s public housing—to the extent that he spent more than a decade writing a book devoted entirely to the subject. Before exploring his reasons, allow me to first introduce his academic background.

Professor Miles Glendinning holds the Personal Chair of Architectural Conservation at the Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture and serves as Director of the Scottish Centre for Conservation Studies. He is a long-time specialist in the study and preservation of large-scale public housing and modernist architecture. A prominent figure in the global heritage field, he has collaborated closely with international organisations such as DOCOMOMO.

Why Hong Kong? A Cross-Border Research Journey

How did a Scottish professor become so deeply involved in Hong Kong’s housing history?

The journey began in 2009, when he was working on a global study of mass public housing systems. His aim was to understand how different countries shaped large-scale housing through varying policy and architectural frameworks. Hong Kong quickly stood out as a uniquely complex case: one of the densest and most extensive public housing systems in the world, yet rarely mentioned in global academic discourse.

“Public housing in Hong Kong is often overlooked in international discussions, but it is in fact one of the most extensive and complex systems in the world.”

Recognising this gap, he chose Hong Kong as a key case study—one that he would continue to follow for over a decade.

From Visiting 90% of Estates to Writing a Decade-Long Book

In 2013, Professor Glendinning arrived in Hong Kong for fieldwork. He visited nearly every public housing estate in the city, photographing the buildings and compiling archival documents. These materials formed the foundation of what would become his informal but rich visual archive of Hong Kong public housing.

Although the project began as a preliminary investigation, his deepening understanding of Hong Kong’s socio-political history led him to see public housing not merely as a policy product but as a reflection of identity, memory, and cultural change.

“It’s not just about housing policy—it’s about memory, identity, and how a society understands itself.”

Over the next ten years, he pored over government records, conducted interviews, and explored estate histories. His final publication blends rigorous academic analysis with cultural insight. To him, the book is more than just a scholarly output—it is an international act of historical preservation.

“Public housing is a cultural treasure of Hong Kong. If we don’t record it now, we risk forgetting it entirely.”

The Greatest Challenge: Language

One of the key challenges Professor Glendinning faced in his research was the language barrier. While most colonial-era government records were written in English, many local newspaper reports, community stories, and estate histories were in Chinese. Although he relied on English-language sources like the South China Morning Post, he acknowledged that the inability to access Chinese-language material limited the depth of his research in certain areas.

“Every Estate Represents an Era” — A Question Too Difficult to Answer

I couldn’t help but ask: “Which estate do you feel best represents Hong Kong’s public housing?”

His answer was unexpectedly humble:

“That’s a very difficult question. Many estates are meaningful for different reasons. Some are linked to key historical figures or policy shifts—like Wah Fu Estate, designed under the leadership of Donald Liao. Even though many of these estates are being demolished, their cultural and social impact remains. Others stand out for their distinctive architecture or because of the time in which they were built. In truth, each estate reflects the values and aspirations of its era. It’s hard to choose just one.”

Beyond Architecture: Identity and Belonging

What stood out most to me in this conversation was how Professor Glendinning’s work differs from that of many local housing scholars. Though trained as an architectural historian, he didn’t focus on form or planning. Instead, his emphasis was on how estates create identity—how they foster belonging, community, and meaning.

This was also the central message of the book’s conclusion:

“Public housing plays a vital role in Hong Kong’s collective memory and urban spirit. If we talk about the ‘Lion Rock Spirit’, public housing must be part of it. It transcends economic or political categorisation. Built by and for Hongkongers, whether or not it fits into a national narrative, it is undeniably a cultural asset.”

From Vision to Provisional Shelter — What Public Housing Has Become

We also spoke about the public housing of today. Professor Glendinning observed that the golden era of public housing was defined by a strong sense of community.

“Residents had a shared identity and a clear collective purpose. That cohesion has largely been lost.”

He noted that today’s housing appears increasingly transitional:

“We seem to be back at the most basic level—housing as a shelter, and little more. The broader vision has faded. In the past, there was a clear ambition not just to provide accommodation, but to improve quality of life. This wasn’t just benevolence—it was about political legitimacy. The colonial administration wanted to leave something tangible before the handover. Nowadays, transitional housing often resembles temporary site offices, with little long-term thinking. By contrast, the old Mark I blocks had both physical integrity and social significance.”

Public Housing Estates in East Kowloon District.

If We Don’t Record, the History Will Be Lost

At the close of our conversation, Professor Glendinning emphasised once more the importance of archiving:“Archiving becomes crucial. If people like you don’t create and preserve this record, it could disappear altogether.”

Indeed, public housing in Hong Kong is more than a collection of buildings. It is a social institution—a vessel of memory. Every block, every walkway, every concrete corridor is a witness to everyday life, and a carrier of community identity.

Perhaps because we have always lived within these spaces, we forget just how extraordinary they are. But what seems ordinary today may be gone tomorrow. And if we don’t start recording now, it may be impossible to explain to future generations why these places once mattered so deeply.

“To record is not merely to commemorate the past, but to understand the present and carry memory into the future. Preserving the story of one estate is preserving a chapter of Hong Kong’s history. Documenting the evolution of a living space is uncovering the collective experience of a generation.”

Leave Your Mark — Keep the Memory Alive

What are your own memories of public housing in Hong Kong? Which estate do you feel best represents the “Lion Rock Spirit” of your generation?

Whether you lived in one, passed through one, or still call one home—I invite you to share your stories, images, or reflections. Each memory adds to the archive. Each voice keeps the history alive.

Let’s record together. Let’s preserve together. Let’s ensure that Hong Kong’s public housing legacy is never forgotten.

**“Public housing plays a major role in the collective memory and spirit of Hong Kong. If we’re talking about the ‘Lion Rock Spirit’, then public housing must be part of it.”**

If you want to support Professor Miles Glendinning’s work:

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2025 年 4 月 14 日

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