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See how Hong Kong architects and interior designers have tackled the challenges of renovating and remodelling flats of 500 square feet or less - the typical family flat size in space-challenged Hong Kong, in other words - and learn some of their tricks.
Concern group guidelines on basic living standards are unlikely to have any effect, with thousands of families crammed into subdivided accommodation and a government unwilling to legislate
Americans have been found to gravitate to kitchens and TV areas, however big their homes are. But in Hong Kong, the lack of guidelines on the size of private residences has led to too-tight living spaces.
- An analysis has found that UK property offers the worst value for money in the developed world, with English homes more cramped than those in New York
- Some 38 per cent of UK homes were built before 1946, higher than the levels in France, Germany, Italy or Spain, meaning many are poorly insulated
A Hong Kong-based client’s favourite colour shade was not only on trend, it was also the perfect hue to turn her 520 sq ft Tsuen Wan flat into a relaxing sanctuary.
The Domestic Transformer micro-apartment was so groundbreaking that Hong Kong’s M+ commissioned a 1:1 reproduction for all to see. But the installation now faces an uncertain future.
The owner of a tiny apartment in Tai Hang, Hong Kong, removed barriers to create a studio flat that is both practical and luxurious – right down to the special light sockets and door stopper.
After working at home during the Covid-19 pandemic, the buyers of a cramped Hong Kong apartment made creating space and maximising daylight their priorities.
Divergent responses to recent property launches suggest buyers in Hong Kong have started preferring larger flats, following a relaxation of mortgage rules and as the market remains soft.
A 500 sq ft apartment in SoHo, on Hong Kong Island, was gutted and its interior walls removed to create a new feng-shui-aligned space that ticks all the boxes for its owners.
Henderson Land sold 51 units out of 138 on offer at The Quinn Square Mile, as young buyers unleash pent up demand by snapping up small flats.
Authorities on Tuesday rejected all five bids for site in Tai Lam, which would have yielded an estimated 2,020 homes.
The popularity of tiny homes took a beating last month after the government relaxed mortgage rules, bringing larger homes within reach of first-time buyers.
A good location, ample light, and some clever design hacks with mirrors and storage have turned a first-time homeowner’s small flat into a cosy home perfect for entertaining.
The policy would make larger abodes more affordable to first-time buyers, helping to remove so-called nano flats as the sole property type within their financial reach.
The availability of micro flats is set to peak this year, after the government put a cap on the minimum size of homes late last year, say market observers.
Known variously as nano flats, micro-apartments, cage homes and shoebox homes, Hong Kong’s tiny abodes grew out of the desperate quest for affordable housing in the world’s most expensive urban centre.
Up to HK$280 billion (US$36 billion) of new homes may find buyers in 2022, marking the second year that annual transactions have risen, amid the bull run in the housing market, according to Centaline Property.
The successful launch at Hung Shui Kiu shows how Hong Kong’s residential property bull run has gained momentum in recent months after a brief stumble last year, as the city’s economic recovery and low interest rates bolstered sentiments.
The dismal state of housing underscores the challenges confronting Hong Kong’s policymakers as they grapple with ways to make housing more affordable, especially for young families, school leavers and other people struggling to get on the first rungs of the property ladder.
Developers are likely to take advantage of rising prices in the city to launch small flats as affordability becomes a concern, analyst says.
The sell-out weekend reflects how Hong Kong’s economic recovery and falling unemployment rate are fuelling the city’s real estate market, aided by low mortgage rates and a greater confidence now that the coronavirus outbreak appears to be tapering in the city.
Interior designer Wesley Liu turned a 313 sq ft microflat in Kennedy Town, Hong Kong, into a comfortable living space by improving its functionality.
If we continue to celebrate the high-end market instead of aspiring to build sustainably for people across the socioeconomic spectrum, we will all continue to suffer the social divide.
Flexible spaces for working or learning from home are just the start – architects cite the ‘15-minute city’ with all you need to live, work and play within a small radius of home
A clever redesign, with neutral tones, natural materials and plenty of storage, makes this two-bedroom apartment look spacious and airy.
Mirrors are a must, the importance of statement art and keeping colours tonal – celebrity designer for the super-rich, Katharine Pooley, shares her secrets on making a home seem bigger
No room for a TV, or craving the cinema experience at home? Get a projector. We look at how to pick the right one for your needs, and some of the best options for various budgets.
Hong Kong’s residential property market, the world’s most expensive on a per square foot basis for nine consecutive years, has lost its footing this year, weighed down by a combination of the year-long US-China trade war, unprecedented political unrest in the city and an impending flood of new homes as developers are forced by the local government’s vacancy tax to stop hoarding completed flats.
Nova Scotia offers private islands larger than Hong Kong’s Victoria Park for less than the purchase price of a 450-square foot flat in Sai Ying Pun in the Asian city’s western district.
Peacefulness meets practicality in this carefully considered apartment with storage solutions that include platforms to accommodate smart-home gadgetry.
