The kowloon walled city panorama with english annotations. Kowloon walled city all truth exposed freemasonry to. Kowloon walled city, located not far from the former kai tak airport, was a remarkable highrise squatter camp that by the 1980s had 50,000 residents. Kowloon walled city rthk cantonese documentary english. Are there documentary books talking about the kowloon. A very good look from the inside of the walled city check it out and. But whenever i got them fixed there they would fall out soon after. Was really interesting to learn about its history, once being a self governed high rise shanty town houisng over 41,000 people, before its demolition in 1993. Originally a military fort, the walled city saw its. When hong kongs kowloon walled city was razed in the late 1980s, it was an infamously untouchable haven for drugs, crime, and prostitutiona place few locals would dare to visit. Greg girard on revisiting kowloon walled city imprint lab. A photographic record of kowloon walled city a city within a city, now demolished and its 35,000 inhabitants rehoused. The images and pictures behind kowloon are as fascinating as they are heartbreaking and really shows the adaptability of humanity. Hong kongs kowloon walled city 119 times as dense as nyc.
Both the chinese government and former british government found this gigantic, anarchic city to be intolerable it was the most densely populated district and a haven for drugs, crime and. Kowloon walled city was a largely ungoverned, densely populated settlement in kowloon city in hong kong. Kowloon walled city by japanese illustrator hrfm with. The kowloon walled city in hong kong was once the most densely populated place on earth, a teeming hive of interlinking highrises that few dared to enter but 33,000 people called home. In 1980, the city had about 35,000 people on about 20,000 m. An illustrated cross section of hong kongs infamous kowloon. City of darkness life in kowloon walled city photo book. City of darkness life in kowloon walled city photo book in japanese. This documentary tracks its colorful legacy and brings the place alive 20 years later. A longer version of this article, written by current archdaily intern sharon lam. Life in kowloon walled city remained in print for almost 20 years, an extraordinary record for book of this kind. Over the course of the last 20 years, japanese manga has looped kowloon walled city into the anime ova and tv series that feature vampires.
Under the agreement between the hong kong government and the prc, the kowloon walled city was demolished in the 1990s while the indigenous buildings and features were preserved for incorporation in the new park. Kowloon walled city was a tiny chinese enclave in hong kong it was a military fort for hundreds of years, but later became a very dense settlement. Life in kowloon walled city city of darkness revisited. A rare video, not only faithfully recorded the true face of the kowloon walled city, its narrated by lo hoipang in cantonese, and retains many authentic ca.
While the japanese book may be hard to get a hold of, city of darkness by lambot and girard is a fantastic resource. The walled city was located in what became known as the kowloon city area of kowloon. In 1841, when hong kong island was ceded to britain, kowloon walled city. At its peak, kowloon walled city had a population density of 3,300,000 people per square mile. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. It was torn down in 1993, and a park called kowloon walled city park was built in 1994. Kowloon walled city documentation japanese researchers.
In april 1994, demolition of the taxless, unregulated, autonomous capitalist enclave known as the walled city of kowloon was completed, ending nine decades of an unparalleled experiment in utter statelessness. I grew up in the cyberpunkesque dystopia called kowloon. This roundtable session, which includes a former kowloon walled city resident as well as authors of some of the foremost architectural analyses of the site, will focus on the walled city s history, its unique spatial development, and its legacy for people today. Originally a chinese military fort, the walled city became part of a territory after the new territories was leased to the uk by china in 1898 after japans surrender in 1945, china announced its intent to reclaim the walled city. A book was published entitled city of darkness, life in kowloon walled city. Chinas kowloon walled city altered dimensions paranormal. The canadian photographers spent 5 years shooting in the kowloon walled city before it was demolished in the early nineties 33,000 people living in over 300 interconnected highrise buildings, built without. The kowloon walled city in hong kong was once the densest place on earth, a virtually lawless labyrinth of crime, grime, commerce and hope. The kowloon walled city is famous for having been one of the few structures that defied any sense of reality and survived outside the rule of law. Kowloon walled city was an ungoverned, densely populated settlement in kowloon city, hong kong. Though demolished 20 years ago, fascination in kowloon walled city just continues to grow, fired in part by the many urban legends that forever swirl around this extraordinary community.
Kawasaki warehouse kowloon walled city rebuilt in japan. Shots of what was once the most densely populated area on earth. Where can i visit something similar to kowloon walled city. Between the 1950s and mid90s, tens of thousands of immigrants constructed a towering community 12 stories high across a 6. Designed and edited by greg girard and ian lambot the team behind city of darkness. As the need to accommodate the ever growing residential and commercial populations forced it to in the 1960s, the building typology of the walled city made the leap from two to threestory residential structures to taller, six to sevenstory ones. Kowloon walled city was a largely ungoverned, densely populated settlement in kowloon city, hong kong. The canadian photographers spent 5 years shooting in the kowloon walled city before it was demolished in the early nineties. There are also a variety of documentaries on youtube, including a german one which i cannot find in good quality. A unique record of life in kowloon walled city, before its demolition in 1993 the most densely populated place on the planet. Before demolition, a group of japanese researchers scoured the city, documenting every inch of the cramped settlement, resulting in a book full of dense drawings of the c.
My dad grew up in kowloon and i just asked him about the walled city. Originally a chinese military fort, the walled city became an enclave after the new territories were leased to the uk by china in 1898. Overseen and designed by its residents until its destruction by the hong kong government in 1993, kowloon walled city was once the most densely populated place on earth. This is a new comment and im not totally sure that this is the correct way to do this but oh well. May 07, 2012 click here for a brief visual history of kowloon walled city. The strange saga of kowloon walled city atlas obscura. Oct 03, 2016 kowloon walled city kowloon served as a great source of inspiration for the megalopolis of lovat when i was working on stars. The walled city was documented before it was torn down. City of darkness life in kowloon walled city photo book in. Click here for a brief visual history of kowloon walled city. In spite of its transformation from a fort into an urban enclave, the walled city retained the same basic layout.
The kowloon walled city was like a glitch in the urban fabric of hong kong. There were no regulations or jurisdictions, so it became insanely densely populated. How the dark legacy of the kowloon walled city lives on in. Kowloon walled city was named after a denselypopulated, autonomous region of hong kong known for its brothels, casinos and opium dens. For many, kowloon walled city torn down in the 90s by the colonial government evoked many of these themes and thus, it has inspired many artists.
Oct 28, 2014 the kowloon walled city in hong kong was once the most densely populated place on earth. I needed this for my degree as i am producing an animation based on the walled city. A wall street journal documentary tracks its colorful. Sometime around 2000, i met greg girard the oldfashioned way. Mar 31, 2020 the lost chinese city police feared to enter. Kowloon walled city rebuilt in japan david 15th june 20 1st august 2015 comments 50 3 min read if you dont know anything about kowloon walled city. Kowloon walled city in hong kong, known as the toyo daimon, was dismantled in the schedule of return from the uk to china, but in the building which grew like a maze, 50 thousand people lived there. Without a single architect, the ungoverned and most densely populated district became a haven for drugs, crime and prostitution until it was demolished in 1993. Twentyfive years ago, the most successful 20thcentury experiment in liberty begun inadvertently, as always came to an end. Images of kowloon walled city from outside and above.
The lawless city a pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity. A temple within the walled city, with grates above to protect. The book is in great condition and is exactly what i had hoped it would be. In the park there is a small museum in honor of kowloon walled city. There are lots of unseen photos in the book that you cant find online. Originally a chinese military fort, the walled city became an enclave after the new territories were leased to britain in 1898. Today, visitors to the site of the old walled city will find a placid garden with swaying trees and cloudy ponds. Its population increased dramatically following the japanese occupation of hong kong during world war ii. Saw yesterdays submission about that japanese arcade and remembered i had this. Nov 04, 2014 the kowloon walled city in hong kong was built graduallybuilding on top of buildingover time.
Feb 05, 2018 from the 1950s until 1994, over 33,000 people lived and worked in kowloon walled city, a massive complex of 300 interconnected buildings that took up a city block. Kowloon walled city simple english wikipedia, the free. Diana jou and lara day of the wall street journal have produced a new 15minute documentary about the kowloon walled city once the densest place on earth, the colourful, mazelike hotbed of of crime, grime, commerce and hope was torn down 20 years ago. And without a single architect or any oversight whatsoever, the ungoverned hive of interlinking buildings became a haven for drugs, crime and prostitution. Kowloon walled city was an autonomous area just outside central hong kong. The book drop service of the hong kong public libraries including service at mtr central, kowloon tong and nam cheong stations and the selfservice library stations located at island east sports centre sittingout area, the hong kong cultural centre and tsuen nam road, tai wai will resume on the same day. City of darkness revisited is a photo book and cultural history of kowloon walled city, a largely ungoverned, densely populated enclave within hong kong.
Detailed crosssection of the kowloon walled city created by. Kowloon walled city was a densely populated, largely ungoverned settlement in kowloon, hong kong. I sent a letter to the publisher of city of darkness, a brick of a photo book about kowloon walled city that greg made with his friend ian lambot. Its population increased dramatically following the japanese.
When the death knell sounded for kowloon walled city. Kowloon walled city kowloon, hong kong, demolished 1993 kowloon walled city, a chinese settlement in hong kong was at one time thought to be the most dense place on the planet. Are there documentary books talking about the kowloon walled. Dec 06, 2014 ian lambot and greg girard is raising funds for city of darkness revisited on kickstarter.
Containing interviews and commentary, the book tells the city s history, and how the selfsufficient community lived and worked in so little space in such apparent harmony. Girard and lambot spent four years exploring the notorious walled city of kowloon hong kong, before its final clearance in 1992. And so it might have remained but in 20, with interest in the walled city continuing to grow, another reprint seemed inappropriate. Kowloon walled city, an island of illrepute in hong kong that grew out of a technicality in a treaty between two empires was lost forever in 1994. Life in kowloon walled city by lambot, ian, lambot, ian, girard, greg isbn.
Inside hong kongs lawless walled city the most crowded. Aug 31, 1993 a lavish photojournalistic record of the last four years or so of the walled city of kowloon before it was demolished, city of darkness is a mesmerizing glimpse into a world that only existed for the briefest of moments in reality. City of darkness life in kowloon walled city photo book in japanese on. Based on the materials of the group of architects who entered the survey before dismantling, it is the first large picture book to reproduce the. By 1990, the walled city contained 50,000 residents. May 6, 2014 kowloon walled city by japanese illustrator hrfm. Were playing most or all of our off days, including three uk shows with town portal and wren. If you enlarge the walled city, it is almost like what hong kong is today, kong said, noting that the dark legacy of the kowloon walled city packed buildings and a difficult way of life. Since he never heard of the english name i showed him a picture and his first response was thats where i used to get my teeth fixed. An incredibly detailed crosssection illustration of kowloon. Jan 30, 2020 i just returned from hong kong i didnt get to the park as i just finished a good book about a ladies life as she lived in the walled city her name is jackie pullinger she lived there in the walled city, her book is called chasing the dragon, i am not trying to sell her book as i also met her and she is a christian as am i. Kowloon walled city park sits on the very site of the former kowloon walled city, remembered today as a haven of crime and debauchery. Originally a chinese military fort, the walled city became an enclave after the new territories were leased to britain by china in 1898.
Mar 18, 2014 20 years ago, greg girard and ian lambot published city of darkness, a book which documented life inside the notorious kowloon walled city in hong kong during its peak in the late 1980s. Heres what western accounts of the kowloon walled city dont. See more ideas about kowloon walled city, walled city and city. Hong kongs infamous kowloon walled city rebuilt as. Occupying every inch of hundreds of midrise buildings, kowloon was such a lawless maze of alleyways and secret staircases, that police from the outside world would rarely venture in without a sizable group.
Darkness and life stories from the kowloon walled city. Kowloon walled city doomed read one of a flurry of headlines in the south china morning post on january 15, 1987, on news that the way had been opened for. Hong kong public libraries kowloon city public library. The kowloon walled city was a singular hong kong phenomenon. Kowloon walled city park hong kong 2020 all you need. The kowloon that greg girard knew was only one of many walled cities that stood in that spot. In addition parts of the films long arm of the law 1984 and bloodsport 1988 were shot within the city but probably the most definitive depiction is to be found in the book city of darkness. The site occupies a strategic point along the kowloon peninsula and has been used by chinese imperial officials since the 16 th century. From the 1950s to the 1970s, it was controlled by triads and had. Kowloon walled city hereafter kwc or walled city, hong kong has been described as one of historys great anomalies.
There have even been vampire tv series created just for the kowloon walled city along with a recreation of a number of floors as an attraction for adults in tokyo. Up until 1994, there existed, just north of kowloon bay, a bizarre city in hong kong named kowloon walled city. While it was demolished between 1993 and 1994, while it stood it was famous for unlicenced practice of medicine, prostitution and the rule of gangs. It had approximately 50,000 people crammed into only a few blocks. Kowloon walled city was once thought to be the most densely populated place on earth. With over 320 photographs, 32 extended interviews, and essays on the city s history and character, this reprint is not only an informative glimpse of a now vanished landmark but a sensitive and penetrating portrait of a unique community. Demolished two decades ago, the virtually lawless labyrinth still lives on in movies, books and even a japanese theme park. Heres what western accounts of the kowloon walled city dont tell you 02 dec 2016. Through a series of letters, faxes, and phone calls, i eventually interviewed the thenshanghai resident about. Winston churchill many times in life new opportunities can appear in the worst situations, when everything seem to be lost, opportunities will appear to help overcome those. Refugees fleeing the chinese civil war post1945 poured into. Future living inspired by past extremes kowloon walled city. Oct 30, 2014 japanese researchers created an incredibly detailed illustrated crosssection of hong kongs notoriously overcrowded kowloon walled city shortly before the enclave was torn down in 1993.
The territory remained under chinese rule throughout the period of british colonialism, with neither jurisdiction wishing to take active responsibility for its administration. The original fort was built on a slope and consisted of a 6. The life and death of an impossible city kickstarter. Life in kowloon walled city which is full of amazing photos and well worth a read if you can get your hands on it. Life in kowloon walled city a photobook by greg girard and ian lambot. What marine recruits go through in boot camp earning the title making marines on parris island duration. Over time the veritable lawless and unclaimed by any government kowloon walled city, became a curious stack of cheaply constructed boxes through which ran a maze of dark alleys and exposed pipe and wiring and housed drug dealers and addicts, pimps and.
Having lost the small pamphlet on the kowloon walled city that i had bought at the hong kong art museum many years ago, i did a web search to see if there was anything available to replace it. Originally a chinese military fort, the walled city became an enclave after the new territories were leased to britain in 1898 its population increased dramatically following the japanese occupation of hong kong during world war ii. Before its demolition in 1994 the settlement in hong kong was the most densely populated place in the world. The map can be viewed in full size in the book, large illustrated kowloon city, by kowloon city expedition, kazumi terasawa, and h. Its gone now, but at its peak 33,000 people lived in its 6. City of darkness seemed to be the best choice, although expensive, so i bought it and hoped. Click for a detailed visual history of the walled city and for a glimpse of the city from within.
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