Government regulations have been playing a pivotal role in shaping the design of residential buildings in Hong Kong, with developers following similar design formulas to maximise profits under the rule.
'Almost all significant changes in the way residential towers are built [in Hong Kong] are spurred by changes in regulations,' said Wong Wah-sang, an associate professor of Hong Kong University's department of architecture.
Balconies and sky gardens, which are now a feature of many new homes, were not so common in projects completed before 2001, when the government provided incentives to encourage developers to adopt green building features and construction methods to reduce waste.
The incentive exempted green features from the calculation of the gross floor area of a property, which grants developers extra floor space to boost the market value of properties.
'When the government rolls out a new rule with sweeteners, most developers will be enticed and a new design trend is formed,' said Mr Wong.
'Therefore, many buildings look similar and have similar layouts because that is the most efficient way to utilise plot ratios.'