ABSTRACT
This chapter examines aspects of the transformation of the two cities of Hong Kong and Macau into contemporary urban centers. It deals with observations on how a focus on urban efficiency has marginalized more holistic concerns the living environment and quality of life of individuals who must experience the city day in and day out. Historians point out that Macau in the 16th century and Hong Kong in the 19th century, came into being as places to carry out trade. Planning for the development of Hong Kong and Macau, then, occurs in a context where the city is viewed through an economic lens. The public sector has its own space requirements, for everything from subsidized rental housing, to convention centers, to Hong Kong’s built first public golf course. Hong Kong, too, enjoys instant recognition owing to the presence of Victoria Harbor and the backdrop of mountains looking over Hong Kong Island as the central defining elements of its visual image.
