Mark Blocks

Last updated

Mark Blocks are an early type of public housing that preceded the designs of modern public housing blocks. There are seven types of Mark blocks. It improved by each design, from Mark I as H-shaped to Mark VII as a slab block. Early blocks have small units. The height may vary by type. The conditions are poor. Early blocks have no bathroom and kitchen, making it unhabitable by modern standards. Later designs incorporated a kitchen and a bathroom. [1] [2]

Contents

Mark I

Mark I blocks are the earliest resettlement blocks in Hong Kong. It is H-shaped and is usually 5-7 stories tall and has no elevators. Most are found in New Kowloon and the unit sizes are only 10-20 sq². Schools are usually held on the roofs of blocks.

List of blocks
NameNumber (Block Number)CompletionDestroyed
Shek Kip Mei Estate 3-1319541975
Tai Hang Tung Estate 3-1319551983
Lei Cheng Uk Estate 1、2、and 101980
121982
3-9、13-191985
Tsui Ping Estate 141955-19581982
12、13、15、161985
2-6、17-191986
241989
7-111990
1、21-231991
Lok Fu Estate 1-1219571991-1992
Lower Wong Tai Sin Estate 6、7、9-141977
3、4、51987
1、2、20-251958
16、171989
15、18、191991
8(One block)1996
Chai Wan Estate 17、18、201957-19591982
Jordan Valley Estate 1、2、6-8、10-161959-19601991
Shek Kip Mei Estate SKM Estate BLK18.jpg
Shek Kip Mei Estate

Modified Mark I

Modified blocks are converted Mark I blocks in the 1970s. The unit area was improved. The units still neither has bathrooms and kitchens. In the 1980s, these units finally have bathrooms and kitchens. Some of the blocks have two wings. It has an interruption to separate the blocks (for example Blocks 15 to 18 and Blocks 25 to 40 in Shek Kip Mei Estate). One of them had to be demolished, like in the case of Block 22 in Chai Wan Estate. The blocks undergo major renaming schemes, like in the case of Block 41 of Shek Kip Mei Estate, which became Mei Ho House.

Due to Kai Tak Airport being closed, the demand for land greatly increased. Due to Mark blocks being 'land wasters', the blocks are demolished between 1991-2008 and new blocks are built in its place. Block 41 is the only block standing of its kind.

List of blocks
NameNumber (Block Number)CompletionDestroyed
Shek Kip Mei Estate 10-13、35、36、3819542000-2001
15-18、25-402008
41(Mei Ho House(Still standing)
8、919562000-2001
Tai Hang Tung Estate A19552003
0
1
2
Hung Hom Estate 1、219562000
3、41995
Chai Wan Estate 2219581996
Jordan Valley Estate 3、4、51959-1960
91991

Semi-Modified Mark I

This type is very rare in Hong Kong. They were only built from the 1980s to the 1990s. It is similar to Mark I. It can only be found in Tai Hang Tung Estate.

Mark II

Tai Wo Hau Estate HKPL PHPH070315.png
Tai Wo Hau Estate

Mark II blocks appeared as early from 1959. It is mainly found in New Kowloon, Tsuen Wan, and Kwai Chung. It has the same characteristics as Mark I, with 5-7 stories, no elevator, no independent toilets and kitchens, & public toilets and bathrooms (in the middle of the block) connecting the two wings. The difference between those two is that it has three ladders than its previous counterpart. Another difference is that the four corner has large units. These units have a kitchen and toilet located inside the unit.

Only the Shek Kip Mei Estate (Block 14), Tung Tau Estate (Blocks 9 and 11) are single-story blocks.

Mark II blocks are destroyed as early as 1975. Block 21 of Lok Fu Estate is the last block to be demolished, in 1996. The design is the first to disappear completely.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shek Kip Mei</span>

Shek Kip Mei, originally known as Shek Kap Mei, is an area in New Kowloon, to the northeast of the Kowloon Peninsula of Hong Kong. It borders Sham Shui Po and Kowloon Tong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of Hong Kong</span>

The architecture of Hong Kong features great emphasis on contemporary architecture, especially Modernism, Postmodernism, Functionalism, etc. Due to the lack of available land, few historical buildings remain in the urban areas of Hong Kong. Therefore, Hong Kong has become a centre for modern architecture as older buildings are cleared away to make space for newer, larger buildings. It has more buildings above 35m and more skyscrapers above 150m than any other city. Hong Kong's skyline is often considered to be the best in the world, with the mountains and Victoria Harbour complementing the skyscrapers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public housing in Hong Kong</span> Housing programmes of the Hong Kong government

Public housing in Hong Kong is a set of mass housing programmes through which the Government of Hong Kong provides affordable housing for lower-income residents. It is a major component of housing in Hong Kong, with nearly half of the population now residing in some form of public housing. The public housing policy dates to 1954, after a fire in Shek Kip Mei destroyed thousands of shanty homes and prompted the government to begin constructing homes for the poor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sham Shui Po District</span> District in Hong Kong, China

Sham Shui Po District is one of 18 districts of Hong Kong. It is the second poorest district in Hong Kong, with a predominantly working-class population of 405,869 in 2016 and the lowest median household income of all districts. Sham Shui Po has long been home to poorer new immigrants from mainland China. It also saw the birth of public housing in Hong Kong, as the government sought to resettle those displaced by a devastating fire in its slums. Sham Shui Po also hosted a Vietnamese refugee camp during the influx of migration in the aftermath of the Vietnam War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shek Kip Mei Estate</span> Housing estate in Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong

Shek Kip Mei Estate is the first public housing estate in Hong Kong. It is located in Sham Shui Po and is under the management of the Hong Kong Housing Authority. The estate was constructed as a result of a fire in Shek Kip Mei in 1953, to settle the families of inhabitants in the squats over the hill who lost their homes in one night.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mei Ho House</span> Building in Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong

Mei Ho House, formerly part of Shek Kip Mei Estate, Hong Kong, is the last remaining example of a "Mark I" building in a single-block configuration. While the other buildings of the estate dating from the 1950s have been demolished, being replaced by new ones, Mei Ho House was chosen to be preserved and was reopened in 2013 as a youth hostel and heritage museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tai Hang Sai Estate</span>

Tai Hang Sai Estate is a private housing estate in Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is located between Shek Kip Mei Estate and Tai Hang Tung Estate, near MTR Shek Kip Mei station. It consists of 8 residential buildings which were built in 1965 and 1977 respectively. Although it is rental housing, it was developed by a privately owned company, unlike other public housing estates which are built and managed by either Hong Kong Housing Authority or Hong Kong Housing Society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nam Shan Estate</span> Housing estate in Shek Kip Mei, Hong Kong

Nam Shan Estate is a public housing estate in Shek Kip Mei, Hong Kong, located near Tai Hang Tung Estate, Tai Hang Sai Estate, Yau Yat Tsuen and City University of Hong Kong. The estate is located at Shek Kip Mei and was formerly called "Kowloon Tsai". It comprises 8 residential blocks built in 1977. The apartments are self-contained units with private kitchen and toilet facilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tai Hang Tung Estate</span>

Tai Hang Tung Estate is a public housing estate in Kowloon Tong, Sham Shui Po District, Kowloon, Hong Kong, located near the Tai Hang Sai and Nam Shan Estates as well as Shek Kip Mei station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pak Tin Estate</span> Public housing estate in Shek Kip Mei, Hong Kong

Pak Tin Estate is a public housing estate in Shek Kip Mei, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong, located between Shek Kip Mei Estate and Chak On Estate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lower Ngau Tau Kok (II) Estate</span>

Lower Ngau Tau Kok (II) Estate was a 7-block public housing estate built on reclaimed land in Ngau Tau Kok, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, located opposite Kowloon Bay station on the MTR. The demolition of the estate started in March 2010. The estate, along with the Lower Ngau Tau Kok (I) Estate, which was demolished in June 2004, formed the Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate. A new estate, retaining the name Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate, is being constructed on the site.

Public housing estates in Shek Kip Mei are public housing in an area originally known as Kap Shek Mi in New Kowloon on the North Eastern Kowloon Peninsula of Hong Kong.

The following shows the public housing estates in Pok Fu Lam, Aberdeen, Wong Chuk Hang and Ap Lei Chau of Southern District, Hong Kong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public housing estates in Wong Tai Sin</span>

The following is a list of public housing estates in Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon, Hong Kong including Home Ownership Scheme (HOS), Private Sector Participation Scheme (PSPS), Sandwich Class Housing Scheme (SCHS), Flat-for-Sale Scheme (FFSS), and Tenants Purchase Scheme (TPS) estates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mei Tung Estate</span> Public housing estate in Wong Tai Sin, Hong Kong

Mei Tung Estate is a public housing estate located at the south of Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon, Hong Kong opposite Kowloon Walled City Park. It consists of 2 Old Slab-typed blocks, each building is 8-storey, providing over 600 flats. Although the estate is near Kowloon City, it belongs to Wong Tai Sin District rather than Kowloon City District because it is located at the north of Tung Tau Tsuen Road, the boundary between two districts. A third block opened in 2010, and a fourth opened in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tung Tau Estate</span> Public housing estate in Kowloon, Hong Kong

Tung Tau Estate is a public housing estate and Tenants Purchase Scheme estate in the south of Wong Tai Sin, located between San Po Kong and Kowloon City, in Hong Kong. It was first built in the 1960s as resettlement housing, but has since been reconstructed.

The following shows the Resettlement Housing estates in Tsz Wan Shan, Wong Tai Sin District, Kowloon, Hong Kong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public factory estates in Hong Kong</span>

Public factory estates are blocks of factory buildings owned by the Government of Hong Kong. Built between the late 1950s and the early 1980s, most of these industrial buildings have been demolished during the 1990s and 2000s, while some have been converted and a few are still active. While these buildings are notable as witnesses of the history of manufacturing in Hong Kong and of the public housing policy of the Government of Hong Kong, they represent only a fraction of the industrial buildings of the territory: there were about 1,700 industrial buildings in Hong Kong in 2003.

Public housing estates in Hong Kong are the most common kind of public housing in Hong Kong. Typically, estate units are leased to low-income people. There are three organizations that provide housing units. They are Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA), Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS), and Hong Kong Settlers Housing Corporation Limited.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Resettlement area</span> Early form of public housing in Hong Kong

Resettlement Areas, or Resettlement Estates are an early form of public housing in Hong Kong. They were built between 1954 and 1975. The designs used are Mark I to Mark VII. Most are found in the new towns of Hong Kong. It was managed by the Resettlement Department. In 1973, it was organized into Hong Kong Housing Authority. Then, resettlement areas began to be referred as 'estates'. It was classified as 'Category B Public Housing Estates'. Newer housing projects are called 'Category A Public Housing Estates'. Today, only Mei Ho House remains standing as a Mark I block.

References

  1. "Mark I and II Blocks". HK Memory. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  2. "Block Types". Hong Kong Housing Authority. Retrieved 2021-09-11.