juillet 2018

Version Française During the typhoon season, one suddenly realizes the practicality of Hong Kong old architecture. Indeed, street extensions of the 1950s composite buildings, help keeping your clothes dry during the heavy rain falls of July and August. Enclosed balconies also provide shadow during the hottest days of the year. This empirical architecture was developped to accomodate a booming migrant population and reminds us of our own middle-age houses, which also overlooked the streets, although the "rain" by then was a human one... [Lire la suite]

Version Française When you look for traces of Shanghai people in Hong Kong, a first place to check is North Point, which used to be labelled "Little Shanghai". Another one is definitley Repulse Bay. The name of it comes from a battle, allegibly fought against pirates who stationned in the bay and were eventully expelled from it by the English Navy. Let us note, however, that its Chinese name is more informative as Chin Seui Waan means "Swallow Water Bay", in comparison with the nearby Sam Seui Waan or Deep Water Bay in... [Lire la suite]

English version C’est à la saison des typhons que l’on comprend l‘intérêt de l’architecture traditionnelle de Hong Kong et en particulier des terrasses en surplomb, créées dans les années 50 pour faire face à la crise du logement. Ces bâtiments, popularisées par les classiques de Wong Kar Wai ou les vieux films de gangsters, rappellent un peu nos maisons du Moyen-âge, qui permettaient aussi de s’abriter de la pluie (sauf que celle-ci était souvent d'origine humaine, en l’occurrence les seaux d’ordures et excréments). Or ces... [Lire la suite]