Michael Wolf is a 60-year-old German photojournalist living in Hong Kong. In a recent interview, he describes his various projects in capturing the lives of the millions who call Asian megacities home.
Describing Michael Wolf's photos as "both a fascinating glimpse of how humanity lives now as well as a sort of eternal ode to innovation," Julian Morgans interviews Wolf about the process and politics of his photos of megacities in Asia.
Wolf has produced images that capture the intimidating and frightening nature of megacities, as well as their almost shocking beauty. Among his projects are a photo series called The Architecture of Density, which creates a tapestry out of the overwhelming symmetry and repetition of Hong Kong residential high rises. Another project, 100x100, photographed 100 soon-to-be-demolished apartments in Hong Kong—each measuring ten feet by ten feet.
When asked whether he believes 25 million people should be living together in such tight urban quarters, Wolf replies: "if you talk to people superficially, they always say their apartment complexes are so convenient. You take the elevator and you have a shopping mall, a subway station, and a school. But if you get to know them and dig deeper, every single person would like to live on a smaller scale. Maybe in a smaller house in the countryside."
FULL STORY: Photographic the Beauty and Inhumanity of Asia's Cramped Megacities
The Chilling Beauty of Hong Kong's High-Rise Residences
In dizzying towers of dozens of monotonous, yet colorful, stories, Hong Kong residents make their homes in apartments that average 400 square feet. For photographer Michael Wolf the stark high-rise landscape provides powerful subject matter.
Capturing the Post-Pandemic City: The Power of 'Visual Prosecution'
Have you ever tried immersive photography to show how urban landscapes, with their ever-evolving stories, are changing post-pandemic? A three-time author of books about understanding the innate identities of urban places updates his perspective.
Tiny Parks Make Big Impact in Hong Kong
New pocket parks provide valuable opportunities for residents to play and gather in the territory's dense neighborhoods.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility
Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.
Fair Housing Cannot Take a Back Seat to ‘Build, Baby, Build’
If we overlook fair housing principles in the plan to build US housing back better, we risk ending up right back where we started.
LA Metro Board Approves New 710 Freeway Plan
The newest plan for the 710 corridor claims it will not displace any residents.
Austin’s Proposed EV Charging Rules Regulate Station Locations, Size
City planners say the new rules would ensure an efficient distribution of charging infrastructure across the city and prevent an overconcentration in residential areas.
Making California State Parks More Climate-Resilient
A recently released report offers recommendations for keeping state parks healthy and robust, including acquiring additional land for conservation and recreation.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
