# What kind of model can be used to explain the urban development of HK?



## forumdata (May 10, 2009)

Which one is the most suitable?
Concentric, Sector and Multiple nuclei models

I think Multiple nuclei models because it seems that the urban development of HK is so fragmented that fit the model


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Not multiple nuclei - the "downtown" area is clearly defined and the city is quite centralized. The government had to decentralize and relieve the population pressures in the city by building new towns in the outskirts, while key commercial activities remained. In recent years, there have been attempts to decentralize commercial areas too, with mixed results. ICC now U/C is an example of a successful decentralization, but for the most part, the key functions remain in the traditional core.


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## forumdata (May 10, 2009)

can we use Concentric model?
the central business unit is Central. the residential area are located around the commercial area. the industrial area, such as Yong Long, Tai Po, are located away from commercial and residential area.

It seems all these model are clearly defined the usage of the area. but Hong Kong land use is mixed [No plan] in nature.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Concentric is probably the best description. At a high level, there is a zoning concept. Yuen Long and Tai Po are actually new towns, and are primarily residential areas meant to provide relief to the urban core and affordable housing. Within these places, there are separate zones for industrial use (there is a part of Tai Po with the industrial estate), which provides some jobs for the locals.

The multi-nodal concept is starting to evolve, but I don't think it's a strong planning point at all. We're beginning to see non-core functions move out of expensive Central (eg. Kowloon Bay), while some financial firms have braved to cross the harbour for ICC, where it costs about 1/4 of IFC.

Going forward, the next major planning projects are (I'm not considering small in-fill ones like Tamar government HQ) :

Victoria Harbour Reclamation - parks  Updates Thread 
Kai Tak Airport - primarily residential with some commercial / tourism use (cruise ship terminal)  Updates Thread 
Tseung Kwan O LOHAS Park - residential  Updates Thread 
West Kowloon Cultural District - institutional  Updates Thread 
Shenzhen Border Areas - likely institutional / industrial  Updates Thread


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## EricIsHim (Jun 16, 2003)

I agree that traditionally HK is a concentric city with Central and surrounding areas as the "downtown" or "CBD."

In terms of CBD, it's still very concentrated with numbers of outsiders evolving from across the harbour today. In terms of residential, it's been spread out in the new towns in the New Territories to decentralize the overpopulated Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsular. 

When the new town policy developed, the government did have the vision to make the whole HK multi centric, and wanted the new towns to be self-sustain. Residents live, work and play in the same region, especially in Tuen Mun and Yuen Long. However, that didn't work out, and majority job opportunities remain to be in HKI and Kowloon Peninsular.


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## forumdata (May 10, 2009)

hkskyline said:


> Concentric is probably the best description. At a high level, there is a zoning concept. Yuen Long and Tai Po are actually new towns, and are primarily residential areas meant to provide relief to the urban core and affordable housing. Within these places, there are separate zones for industrial use (there is a part of Tai Po with the industrial estate), which provides some jobs for the locals.
> 
> The multi-nodal concept is starting to evolve, but I don't think it's a strong planning point at all. We're beginning to see non-core functions move out of expensive Central (eg. Kowloon Bay), while some financial firms have braved to cross the harbour for ICC, where it costs about 1/4 of IFC.
> 
> ...


When we talk about these models, what kind of units we should use?

For example, we should view HONG KONG as a whole, or just HKI, Kowloon, or even just Central district? 

When we use different units to view the city, the result seem to be different....so confused


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## forumdata (May 10, 2009)

EricIsHim said:


> I agree that traditionally HK is a concentric city with Central and surrounding areas as the "downtown" or "CBD."
> 
> In terms of CBD, it's still very concentrated with numbers of outsiders evolving from across the harbour today. In terms of residential, it's been spread out in the new towns in the New Territories to decentralize the overpopulated Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsular.
> 
> When the new town policy developed, the government did have the vision to make the whole HK multi centric, and wanted the new towns to be self-sustain. Residents live, work and play in the same region, especially in Tuen Mun and Yuen Long. However, that didn't work out, and majority job opportunities remain to be in HKI and Kowloon Peninsular.


I see you point.

I just discovered that Multiple Nuclei model and Urban Realms Model are quite similar. the latter one states that several suburban downtowns coexist with the traditional central business district as anchors of each realm. 
Example is Central and Mong Kok?


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

forumdata said:


> When we talk about these models, what kind of units we should use?
> 
> For example, we should view HONG KONG as a whole, or just HKI, Kowloon, or even just Central district?
> 
> When we use different units to view the city, the result seem to be different....so confused


They're all interconnected, and like other cities, the suburbs developed in direct consequence of what happened in the core. Urban areas (Hong Kong Island and Kowloon) are going through redevelopment, while suburban areas (New Territories) are building from scratch. I think these two units are probably enough.

Within urban areas - definitely concentric
Within suburban areas - more multi-nodal, with attempts to create areas offering jobs to local residents

I'm not too good with the specific technical details of the models. I only did a short and very high level study of urban planning in university.


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## EricIsHim (Jun 16, 2003)

forumdata said:


> I see you point.
> 
> I just discovered that Multiple Nuclei model and Urban Realms Model are quite similar. the latter one states that several suburban downtowns coexist with the traditional central business district as anchors of each realm.
> Example is Central and Mong Kok?


From what you explained, I would point more towards the Urban Realms Model.

There are definitely town centers or downtown within each district/residential community. This is fuzzier in Hong Kong Island, but clearer in the new towns such as Shatin, Fanling, Tai Po, Yuen Long and Tuen Mun. You can really point out where the town center for each individual community. But everything still evolves around the CBD, or more precisely the City of Victoria, the old way to define the heart of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong today pretty much evolved from its very origin boundary inside the old City of Victoria. Its boundary is somewhere between today Kennedy Town from the west to Causeway Bay/Tin Hau to the east on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island. The City of Victoria was where everything happened in the 19th century after HK became the British colony. The city slowly expanded out across the harbour and over the mountains as population increased.
(FYI http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_City)

But just keep in mind one thing, a lot of the times, these theoretical models are somewhat simplified in one way or another; they are great to explain many things, but it may not be a perfect fit in reality, a city can be somewhere in between models. You have to find ways to justify why it fits or why it doesn't fit in the model.


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## forumdata (May 10, 2009)

EricIsHim said:


> From what you explained, I would point more towards the Urban Realms Model.
> 
> There are definitely town centers or downtown within each district/residential community. This is fuzzier in Hong Kong Island, but clearer in the new towns such as Shatin, Fanling, Tai Po, Yuen Long and Tuen Mun. You can really point out where the town center for each individual community. But everything still evolves around the CBD, or more precisely the City of Victoria, the old way to define the heart of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong today pretty much evolved from its very origin boundary inside the old City of Victoria. Its boundary is somewhere between today Kennedy Town from the west to Causeway Bay/Tin Hau to the east on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island. The City of Victoria was where everything happened in the 19th century after HK became the British colony. The city slowly expanded out across the harbour and over the mountains as population increased.
> (FYI http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_City)
> ...


thank you so much

i just wonder if my understanding of these models is correct.
cuz it seems that these model doesnt perfectly fit with HK.

i didnt learn anything about the strengths or weakness of these model. 
it is quite difficult to say which model is the best for the city development...?

" oh,,, the urban development is very good"? 
these kind of statement is based on what?


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## EricIsHim (Jun 16, 2003)

forumdata said:


> thank you so much
> 
> i just wonder if my understanding of these models is correct.
> cuz it seems that these model doesnt perfectly fit with HK.
> ...


HK has developed its way with so many major urban centers in relatively small area because of its topography. Different parts of Hong Kong are segregated from each other by mountains or waters. 

Honestly, HK is not a good place to understand most theoretical transportation and/or urban planning models developed by researchers using western data/philosophies. It is not surprising if you can't find a perfect fit. In many aspects, HK is too unique. For example, most city or urban area around the world have developed in relatively flat area without limitation where can expand in any direction basically. Topographical and geographical difficulties can be avoided by just not going in those area. But HK has limited amount of land and extreme topography where the urban core has been needed to build around rugged mountains and deep seas; in addition there is the political boundary further restrict the available land for development. (I guess you can think of this boundary as a green belt in one way or another...) Consequently, urban density in HK has become extremely high due to the limited amount of developable land and make public transportation extremely efficient; which is not the case in anywhere else. On the other hands, it also makes land value extremely high.

If you are just learning these urban development models, HK is probably not the place to be. It always fail to perfectly fit in any model. 



forumdata said:


> " oh,,, the urban development is very good"?
> these kind of statement is based on what?


most likely based on the observer experience in transportation network efficiency, living standard, urban area layout (zoning), etc. after all, personal perception.


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## Rachmaninov (Aug 5, 2004)

I believe there is no model that can describe Hong Kong. Although there is some indication as to where the CBD is, there are a few areas such as part of Tsuen Wan, Taikoo Shing, Kwun Tong, etc. where there are some commercial zones. But then, many areas in Kowloon is so mixed-use that you cannot define what its function is, and that is quite absent in many western cities. Take Mongkok as an example - you see some shops on the ground floor, or probably also on the first floor, and then there's some sort of club in the second floor or the third floor. A CD shop might be on the 8th floor, and you won't be surprised to see a cafe on the 10th floor while the rest of the building is residential...


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## Rachmaninov (Aug 5, 2004)

forumdata said:


> " oh,,, the urban development is very good"?
> these kind of statement is based on what?


Are you talking about a development or the whole urban area in general?


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