2024 China Fellowship
Adapting Housing Strategies: Temporary Construction and Code Compliance

Codes and Uncertainty

Codes act as a crucial link between the government and the built environment in response to crises. Throughout history, various crises in Hong Kong have prompted revisions and updates to codes, addressing safety, public health, and other concerns. After the first code was issued in 1856, codes were revised and updated following various crises. For example, the major fire disaster between 1851 and 1868 led to codes about safety, and the bubonic plague in 1894 led to public health and building ordinances. The government’s attitude toward crisis and uncertainty is solidified through the establishment of codes, which are then reflected in the built environment.

However, while existing housing buildings represent certainty, they face the challenge of adapting to changing codes that respond to the uncertain environment. In my studio work, I explore innovative living concepts and challenge codes in high-rise design. During this process, I think about the underlying reasons for the implementation of certain codes—what events or crises led to the release of new codes, what concerns of the government led to certain requirements, and what is the purpose of giving the bonus of Gross Floor Area (GFA). I also explore the relationship between crisis, code, and cliché in the context of the uncertainty of Hong Kong: how crisis shape the evolving codes, how the bonus of GFA becomes a trigger for clichés, and how peculiar clichés shape Hong Kong’s architectural identity under extreme pragmatism and unwavering pursuit of economic efficiency. It is with a better understanding of codes that we understand the context of a site (which shapes code), the potential of architecture (which code constrains), and the role of the architect (who may challenge code).

This proposal aims to confront this challenge, utilizing existing codes to navigate an uncertain environment and enable reconstruction in post-2024 housing architecture. By examining the underlying reasons behind the implementation of certain codes and understanding the relationship between crisis, code, and architectural identity, we can better comprehend the contextual factors that shape codes.

Temporary Construction

Temporary construction offers a flexible and reversible approach to address congestion and uncertainties. With its easy assembly and disassembly using low-tech joints, such as slot joints, locking pins, and screws, temporary construction facilitates bottom-up extensions to accommodate new living needs. Many old towns have successfully adapted their housing environments by adding outdoor staircases, extending balconies, or creating additional space for growing families. Additionally, the lightweight materials and distinguishability of old and new structures make temporary construction ideal for architectural adaptation.

Bottom-up Extension

Bottom-up extension reflects the urgent and fundamental needs of residents, highlighting the conflicts between new realities and existing housing buildings. In the final thesis of my bachelor degree, I learned from the temporary construction of the local community the new, urgent needs of their current life that existing housing buildings couldn’t offer, local materials and techniques, and their perception of space. The learning from the bottom-up extension is translated into the market design at the city’s north gate to respond to the historical elements of the city wall and gates, and at the same time meet the requirements of the needs of the residents’ current life.

Through recording and analyzing various cases of bottom-up extension, this research aims to document updated living requirements, space optimization strategies, and conflicts arising from extensions and new codes. By studying a local community’s temporary construction in response to urgent needs, including their use of local materials, techniques, and spatial perceptions, insights can be applied to design solutions that address historical elements while meeting current residents’ needs.

Top-down Adaptation

Top-down adaptation focuses on the reuse and renovation of existing living environments to meet current living requirements. In the studio during my fourth year of my bachelor degree, I explore how to transform a 1960s auditorium into a civic theater that meets current requirements, discussing the strategies of how to reinforce the existing structure, how to reorganize the circulation, and how to reshape the space to meet new functional needs. Renovation projects must comply with previous codes, including fire prevention, escape routes, and ventilation. This proposal explores how adaptation projects successfully meet new codes and contemporary living demands.

Methodology

This research proposal selects Hong Kong and Chongqing as research sites since they are both high-density areas and need to respond to housing on complex ground morphology. In addition, Hong Kong and Chongqing follow different building codes that can be useful for comparison. I propose the following process:

1. Investigate codes in Hong Kong and Chongqing.
2. Conduct field trips to study bottom-up extensions in high-density living areas and top-down adaptations of housing buildings.
3. Analyze the materials, spatial organization, and tectonic aspects of temporary construction.
4. Examine how adaptation projects align with current code requirements.
5. Analyze the requirements of new living modes within highly dense built environments.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this proposal investigates the adaptation of housing strategies to address new realities, focusing on the role of codes. Specifically, it explores how temporary construction, encompassing both bottom-up extension and top-down adaptation, can meet the requirements of evolving codes. The aim is to find innovative solutions within the constraints and conflicts posed by changing codes. By undertaking this research, I aim to contribute to the development of adaptable housing strategies that effectively respond to evolving codes and the needs of residents in dynamic urban contexts.