Hong Kong Window
Hong Kong
DESCRIPTION:
As part of a summer school program with the Hong Kong City University and the Architectural Association, the situation of housekeepers in Hong Kong, who are mainly women and face social and economic precarization, as well as lack of access to basic rights.
This situation is encouraged by the economic dynamics of Hong Kong, where the substitution of public spaces with malls and offices, makes almost impossible to spend free time outside without spending money.
On Sundays this situation becomes evident when all housekeepers go out to the city to make picnics and spend the only day they have free time. They do this on the streets, the only public space left to be without paying.
As a team, we interview a few housekeepers to ask about this situation. At the same time, we recorded the city spaces and dynamics. Both views were combined in a kinetic installation at the Osage Gallery, where visitors were able to hold a translucent window in the model of a dark room. The window would serve as a portal to know different stories of the housekeepers, mixed with the wealthy city of Hong Kong.
PROFESSOR: Tomas Laurenzo
DESIGN TEAM: Percibald García + Anita Chang + Emily Yu
VISITING SCHOOL: City University of Hong Kong + Architectural Association
DATES: July 2016