Geometrical Beauty of Old Public Housing Estates
Some old public housing estates in Hong Kong have very unique facade. Orderly and repetitive geometrical patterns can be seen from certain particular angles. This kind of extending pattern is very appealing to the eyes, and can be a good subject for eye-catching photos with proper compositions and a touch of creativity. Let’s take a look at some popular shooting locations where we can try creating photos with geometrical charms.
Square
Title：《華富邨》 Club Canon Member：Yeung Ethan
Canon EOS 100D • EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM • 1/80s • f/8.0 • ISO 100
Canon EOS 100D • EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM • 1/80s • f/8.0 • ISO 100
Wah Fu Estate in Pok Fu Lam features a “Twin Tower” design, which comprise a high and a low block connected to each other and a large courtyard in the centre that leaves a void space. This Twin Tower structure is thus also called a “Well Structure”. When we go inside the building and look up, each floor will appear as a perfect square. Angle up the camera and shoot and we can create image that captures a fascinating, repetitive pattern – a classic beauty of geometry.
Location: Wah Fu Estate
Address: Located next to Residence Bel-Air and Chi Fu Fa Yuen in Pok Fu Lam, Southern District on Hong Kong Island
Address: Located next to Residence Bel-Air and Chi Fu Fa Yuen in Pok Fu Lam, Southern District on Hong Kong Island
Title：《坐井觀天》 Club Canon Member：Sam Yung
Canon EOS 70D • EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM • 6s • f/11.0 • ISO 100
Canon EOS 70D • EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM • 6s • f/11.0 • ISO 100
Wo Che Estate in Sha Tin is another old public housing adopting the “Well Structure” design. This photo was taken at night time. The neatly arranged lamp light made the extending square pattern more apparent and well defined. Taken from the bottom up, the photographer succeeded in capturing an interesting geometrical pattern with squares extruding to the top.
Location: Wo Che Estate
Address: Located between IVE Sha Tin (Fo Tan Road), Sha Tin Sports Ground (Yuen Wo Road) and Lek Yuen Estate (Wo Che Street)
Address: Located between IVE Sha Tin (Fo Tan Road), Sha Tin Sports Ground (Yuen Wo Road) and Lek Yuen Estate (Wo Che Street)
Circle
Title：《走進時光隧道》 Club Canon Member：Calvin
Canon EOS 6D • EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM • 1/80s • f/8.0 • ISO 200
Canon EOS 6D • EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM • 1/80s • f/8.0 • ISO 200
Lai Tak Tsuen is another aging public housing estate in Hong Kong with over 30 years of history. As the buildings employ a cylindrical design, when we get inside we can see spellbinding blue circles layering up from the bottom. This photo, for example, gave us a feeling of time traveling in a tunnel inside the building. The ground floor fading to dark added a visual effect of endless end. /div> 
Location: Lai Tak Tsuen
Address: Lai Tak Tsuen Road, Tai Hang, Causeway Bay
Address: Lai Tak Tsuen Road, Tai Hang, Causeway Bay
Rectangle
Completed in 1977, Nam Shan Estate with near 40 years of history is the must-visit destination when we look for housing estate employing the “New Slab” design. These buildings in rectangular shape feature a wide open layout. The corridors and railings along the apartments form lines of straight lines, giving a sense of order and harmony and are visually pleasant. The vacant ground located right above the wet market is the perfect spot to capture the distinctive geometrical beauty of Nam Shan Estate.
Location: Nam Shan Estate
Address: Located between Shek Kip Mei and Yau Yat Chuen
Address: Located between Shek Kip Mei and Yau Yat Chuen
Although these housing estates featuring a singular geometrical shape for the facade may look monotonous in design, these symmetrical patterns can transform into spellbinding images through a camera’s lens. Prior to shooting, we should think about what type of geometrical effect to achieve. For example, we need to position the symmetrical axis along the centre carefully if we want to show the beauty of symmetry; or achieve an accurate horizontal leveling with the use of the camera’s electronic level display for spectacular view of parallel geometry. Also remember to keep quiet and avoid causing any inconvenience and nuisance to the residents.
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Nam Shan Estate, located between Tai Hand Tung Estate and Tai Hang Sai Estate in Shek Kip Mei, is an old public housing estate with over 30 years of history. From here, we can see City University of Hong Kong, and the Lion Rock Hill can be seen in the distance.
