The City of 'Vertical Villages'

"Hong Kong isn't so much a city as a condition", reports Christopher Hume. Largely composed of tall skyscrapers, the city's density works because its residents long ago accepted that to move around efficiently, they needed to abandon private automobiles and embrace public transit. This requirement pervades all aspects of city-building. Local architect Rocco Yim states "Here, the end product must contribute to the working of the city. The idea is to enable people to get from one part of the city to another, preferably through your project. A building becomes part of the public domain." According to Hume, the efficiencies inherent in Hong Kong's urban form have resulted in it being recognized as one of the most sustainable cities in the world.

Thanks to Geoffrey Singer