Relife from Sub-divided Units

The 33rd Stratagem：The strategy of sowing discord
Relife from Sub-divided Units

Nowadays in Hong Kong, increasing housing cost for
city dwellers become inevitable due to the unbalanced demand and supply of public housing provision. The economic problem will give rise to further reduction in living space or necessity of accommodation in sub-divided units (SDUs) for the low and middle income groups.

While the government in Hong Kong are developing policy as solutions to expedite the production of public housing and controlling the residential property price, we as general public may also look for other pragmatic measures to improve our living condition.
Back to 1950s, the government provided a subsidized programme for providing mass production of public housing to the low income households. People living in that housing type had limited living space and had to share common facilities like kitchen and washroom with the other households. Many social activities were taken place in common areas like lift lobby, entrance foyer and rooftop space. The inhabitants enjoyed certain degree of social life and entertainment on a shared basis of resources with their neighbours.
With reference to the current condition of private SDUs, would it be possible to apply a similar methodology for allowing common areas within the building for sharing among the inhabitants? The promotion of common
social space within private development can be made by relaxing of building control measures. If such motion can be implemented, it will be beneficial to the dwellers in SDUs as they can then free up their private living space from the non-essential functions and therefore have better utilisation of their rental area.
From this exhibit, we attempt to explore the possible common space within those residential buildings with sub- divided units and their potential functions. By doing so, the SDU inhabitants will enjoy a wider range of social/ daily activities under the current hostile urban environment.