ABSTRACT
A context of laissez-faire policies has determined Hong Kong’s past and present economic development, and is shaping its future. Hong Kong has acted as a fulcrum for China’s prosperity and as a link to the rest of the world. It has played the role of entrepreneur through successive changes from a primary to a secondary and then a tertiary service provider, both regionally and internationally. Hong Kong’s urban form has reflected these successive changes in urban functions. Its urban form has also developed within the constraints of its topography and the shortage of land for development, and has been affected by the high economic and real-estate gains through limited land availability. Today, Hong Kong is a crystallisation of high-density urban forms and developments that are pragmatic and profitable for its economy, reflecting its importance as a world city. The resulting compact form is advantageous for the environment, as almost 70% of Hong Kong’s territories have been left green. Hong Kong can be seen as the product of accidental circumstances as well as intentional interventions that have combined to produce an economically and environmentally viable urban model.
