Liberal Studies Teaching Kit for Senior Secondary Curriculum

Hong Kong Today

Culture in Vernacular
Architecture
[Student notes]

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Research Team

Contents

Learning plan

Lesson 1: Culture in Vernacular Architecture

1.1 Vernacular Architecture for People

01

1.2 Case Studies: Various Cultures in Vernacular Architecture of Hong Kong

1.2.1 Tong Lau or Tenement Houses

04
04

1.2.2 Stilt Houses

07

1.2.3 Walled Village

11

Exercise: Examine a nearby Vernacular Building

13

Summary, Key words and Further reading

15

Disclaimer
Create Hong Kong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise
take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) do not
reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
2012 Hong Kong Institute of Architects

Liberal Studies | Culture in Vernacular Architecture

Preamble

Topic 01
Culture in Vernacular Architecture
Interdisciplinary teaching areas

Liberal Studies: Module 2 Hong Kong Today

Design and Applied Technology:

Theme 1: Quality of Life

Strand 1 Design and Innovation

Theme 3: Identity

Strand 2 Technological Principles

Strand 3 Value and Impact

Related teaching areas

Liberal Studies: Module 5 Public Health
Theme 2: Science, Technology and Public Health

Learning objectives

To distinguish the difference between vernacular and professionally designed architecture

To understand the characteristics of different typologies of vernacular architecture in Hong Kong
To understand the connection and interplay between architecture, lifestyle, social context and
environment

Liberal Studies | Culture in Vernacular Architecture

Major teaching areas

Learning plan
Lesson
Lesson 1

Contents
1.1 Introductory photos of vernacular and professional architecture
1.1.1 Concept and definition of vernacular architecture
1.2

Case studies focusing on three types of vernacular architecture

and their connections to residents lifestyle, social context and
environment

1.2.1 Tong Lau or Tenement House

1.2.2 Stilt House
1.2.3 Walled Village

Lesson 1
Culture in Vernacular Architecture
1.1 Vernacular Architecture for People
Are these buildings vernacular architecture? Why or why not?

Liberal Studies | Culture in Vernacular Architecture

1
3

2
4

Tick the boxes and explain your answers:

1. Palazzi of Venice, Italy

2. Schrder House, Utrecht, The Netherlands

3. Tenement house, Hong Kong

4. Houses in Cinque Terre, Italy

01

1
3

Liberal Studies | Culture in Vernacular Architecture

Tick the boxes and explain your answers:

1. Tulou, Fujian, China

2. IFC 2, Hong Kong

3. Bamboo theatre, Hong Kong

4. Houses in Suzhou, China

02

Some would simply define vernacular architecture as architecture without architects.

American architect Frank Lloyd Wright defined vernacular architecture as folk building growing in
response to actual needs, fitted into the environment by people who knew no better than to fit them
with native feeling.

Characteristics of vernacular architecture are as below:

Liberal Studies | Culture in Vernacular Architecture

Use of traditional or locally available construction skills

Use of simple technology and commonly available materials

New structure with old techniques as experiment and innovation are more costly than
repetition

Evolved slowly through numerous experimental trials and errors instead of specifically

designed by a professional

Functionalistic and simple design which fulfils basic needs of the people

Born of peoples needs, culture, tradition and adapted to local climate

The stilt houses in Ma Wan are examples of

vernacular architecture. They were not designed
by architects, but instead were developed slowly
through time by the local people to adapt to the
environment and their living style, and were built
with the most handy materials.

03

1.2 Case Studies: Various Cultures in Vernacular Architecture of Hong Kong

2
2

1.2.1 Tong Lau or Tenement Houses - architecture for a dense population

What is Tong Lau?

1. A series of Tong Lau at Shanghai Street

The history of tenement houses or Tong Lau () dates

back to the mid-19th century. The ground floor of a tenement
house is occupied by a shop while the mezzanine and
other storeys are for living. Multiple tenants usually shared
one flat due to the shortage of living space at the time.
Eventually this grew to be one of the most common building
types in Hong Kong, South China and Southeast Asia, with
particular stylistic flourishes in each place.

2. Architectural details of Tong Laus at 10-12 Li Chit

Street (built in 1920s). The Tong Laus have been
demolished and only one of the faade was
conserved after renovation.

When Hong Kong became a British colony in 1842, the

population of Chinese immigrants grew quickly. Tong Lau
were the quick and convenient answer to the housing
problem.
Life in a shophouse
Most prewar (built before 1945) Tong Laus are 3 to 4-storey
high while later tenement houses after 1950 have 8 storeys
at most. Early Tong Laus were long and narrow, accessed
by a long, dark staircase without any natural lighting and
ventilation. There was also no provision of elevators and
toilets.
What is the architectural style of Tong Lau?

Media Corner
Hong Kong Stories (Series 15) Our History Episode 10 - A Roof Over Our
Heads 20-3-2011 Duration: 22 min.

Liberal Studies | Culture in Vernacular Architecture

Chinese version
http://pr o gr am m e.r thk.or g.hk/
r thk/tv /pr o gr am m e.php?nam e=tv /
hkstories15& d=2011-0320& p=5013& e=134356& m =e pisod e

English version
http://pr o gr am m e.r thk.hk/r thk/tv /p r o g r amme.
php?nam e=tv /hkstories_ourhistor y&d =2 0 1 2 01-25& p=5227& e=165561& m =e p iso d e

or

http://e v ideo.lib.hku.hk/play.php?vid =4 6 9 2 6 5 4

Hong Kong Tong Laus are unique in their details which

display a mix of Chinese and Western styles. Very often,
Tong Laus have balconies or verandahs which project over
the pedestrian pavement. Kee lau () type tenement
houses have columns to support the projecting floors,
forming a continuous arcade on street level.

04

How were Tong Laus built?

Early Tong Laus were supported by brick or stone load-bearing walls
and beams.
1.

Blue (grey) Canton bricks were chosen for the walls as they
were cheaper than the stronger red bricks.

2.

The ground floor was laid with Canton tiles.

3.

The upper floor was made of Chinese timber floor planks

supported by timber rafters.

4.

The pitched roof was clad with unglazed clay tiles.

Architectural details of Tong Laus at 1168

Canton Road (built in 1940s)

Tong Laus after 1935 were built in reinforced concrete.

Common Materials in Tong Laus

How do Tong Laus adapt to the climate of Hong Kong?

Clay Roof
Reinforced Concrete
Tile
Effects of building design on lives of people

Despite the cramped living condition and poor design

of the earliest Tong Laus, they are built to respond to the
climate.

To accommodate different families resulted from the influx

of immigrant workers, each flat was divided into front
room, middle room, end room (Fig. 1) or even smaller
cubicles.

1.
2.
3.
4.

Canton Tile

Timber Planks

High ceiling (approximately 4-5m high)

large windows,
balconies, and
verandahs

are features which help create a well-lit and wellventilated interior as a solution to the hot and humid
climate of Hong Kong.
Section

Rooms were separated by partitions which were

built lower than the ceiling height to leave a gap for
ventilation since there was no window in the whole flat
except at the front of the building. As partitions were thin
and without any soundproofing, privacy was a critical
issue. Hygiene condition was also poor as all tenants had
to share the only bathroom and kitchen.

Liberal Studies | Culture in Vernacular Architecture

Canton Brick

1
5
4

Section
Ground Floor Plan

2
6

Section

Elevation

Fig. 1 Typical plan, section and elevation of Tong Lau at 10-12 Li Chit Street in 1920s.
Legend: 1. cookhouses 2. shop 3. smoke hole through the roof and floor 4. cockloft or platform above tenement cabins
05
5. tenement cabins 6. street in front of building

What are the problems in early Tong Laus

In the early days of Tong Lau, there was no regulation on its
design. The buildings were tightly packed, built side to side and
back to back without any space for natural ventilation and light
could not penetrate into the interior and the building blocks
were long and narrow (Fig. 1).
How did the government regulate the Tong Laus design?
Prompted by the outbreak of bubonic plague in the overcrowded tenement block quarters around Tai Ping Shan Street,
Sheung Wan in 1894, the government finally implemented the
first buildings control under the Public Healthy and Buildings
Ordinance in 1903 to regulate the design of Tong Laus in order to
ensure the quality of construction and living space.
1.

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Tong Lau at Wing Lee Street with ventilated staircases

Improvement of Tong Laus

A back lane and open space had to be provided, which means

that more space had to left between buildings. Building height
was restricted to the width of the street it was facing to ensure
enough daylight penetrate, and building depth was limited to
12m to improve natural lighting condition of the interior.
2.

Official Buildings regulation on Tong Laus

The statutory regulation over Tong Lau design was further

strengthened with the Buildings Ordinance 1935. Allowable
building depth was further reduced to 11m. Adequate light and
ventilation was to be provided at every storey on every staircase,
hence caused the emergence of a new type of Tong Lau with a
naturally lit and ventilated common staircase (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2 Typical floor plan of a Tong Lau designed in

compliance to Buildings Ordinance 1935.
Ferdinand Cheng / H. Y. Lee

06

What is stilt house?

Stilt houses, a type of housing elevated above the water
on stilts, can be found in fishing villages of Tai O and Ma
Wan. They were built by the Tanka, a group of people who
have lived in South China provinces including Guangdong
and Fujian for centuries, and they were also one of the
earliest habitants in Hong Kong. This building typology
has gone through a long evolution to suit the habits and
lifestyle of its creator.
Why did the Tanka people build stilt houses?
The Tanka people live on boats and rely mainly on fishing
and salt production for a living. There is no standard
definition of what ethnicity the Tanka is. It is however
believed that they were a mix of Han and other southern
races who fled to the sea due to war or exile. The stilt
house typology in Tai O was gradually developed around
200 years ago when the Tai O Tanka people moved into
houses as family sizes grew too big to be accommodated
by the traditional boathouses.

p Stilt houses in Tai O. Note the pitched roofs, the multiuse wooden decks and access to boats by ladders

Liberal Studies | Culture in Vernacular Architecture

1.2.2 Stilt Houses - architecture for a traditional lifestyle

p Lives of people in the 1960s, before the fire in 2000

whole structure would shift away during serious floods.

How were stilt houses built?

The earliest stilt houses were constructed in a barrelshape resembling a boat with wooden planks, stone stilts
and palm leaves, while later houses were made of metal
sheeting, wooden planks and stilts. The barrel form was
taken over by the pitched roof and houses expanded from
one-storey to two-storey high.
Local residents found the earliest structures were not
strong enough. The stone pillars collapse easily and the

In the 50s, Tai O locals began to take wood from disused

fishing boats for the construction of stilt houses. This
reddish brown ironwood () from South China is
strong and resistant to water erosion, and therefore
widely used in boat making. Villagers found it to be the
perfect material for the local environment.
After a devastating fire in 2000, Tai O saw the birth of a
new type of stilt house. New materials including plaster
and aluminium sheets were used.

07

How do stilt houses evolve?

1&2: An early vaulted stilt house on concrete

supports and a close up view of a vaulted
roof. Note how the roof is repaired with handy
materials.

2. Structural improvement
An early vaulted stilt house is divided into two rooms while
a newer house has 3 compartments on the ground floor and
bedrooms on the upper floor. Cross bracing was also used to
improve structural stability of the stilt supports.
3. Reconstruction of the vernacular village
After the fire in 2000, affected residents were allowed
to rebuild their houses. Despite the need to apply for
reconstruction licence and to comply to fire safety
requirements, the reconstruction process was organic and
flexible as typical in vernacular architecture. The residents
communicated closely with the builders, and the resulting
new houses were all customised to the owners needs.

p A new generation stilt house with cross-braced wooden

stilt supports and aluminium boards

p An open kitchen next to a common corridor. Behind

this kitchen shed are a bathroom, a shed for
storage and other stilt houses.

p Wooden stilts with concrete footings

Liberal Studies | Culture in Vernacular Architecture

1. Spatial arrangement
Houses belonging to different households often cluster along
a common wooden walkway which stretches from land to
sea. Facilities such the kitchens and the shared bathrooms
are placed along this axis. The house at the end of the
walkway and right above the water is built with a wooden
deck. Fishing boats are tied right underneath and are easily
accessible by a ladder which stretches from the deck to the
water.

08

Evolution of stilt house: 4 generations

Architecture is always changing in response to the
needs of people. Such intense integration with
peoples lives is particularly evidenced in vernacular
buildings such as stilt houses. Vernacular architecture
may appear unprofessional and not the most
aesthetically pleasant, but it evolves through time to
fit into peoples life and is therefore a good solution
for its users.

First generation
Bamboo arch roof
Wooded structural framework
Circular stone plinth
Single storey rectangular compartment

Bamboo
strips
Compartment

Section

First generation of stilt house

Wooded
purlin
Wood truss

Section

Stone
plinth

Second generation of stilt house

Fourth generation
Wooden frame roof
Wooden structural framework
Further division of space
Balcony over front deck
Wood pillar protected with concrete plinth

Roof
framing

Liberal Studies | Culture in Vernacular Architecture

Second generation
Wooden truss roof
Wooden structural framework
Slender stone plinth
Single storey rectangular compartment
Third generation
Wooden frame roof
Wooden structural framework
Wood pillar as base support
Multi-storey compartment with semi-open deck

Stone
plinth

Front deck
Section

Wood pillar

Third generation of stilt house

Front deck

Section

Fourth generation of stilt house

Structures
for kitchen
sanitation
Wood pillar
protected
with concrete
plinth

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How do stilt houses adapt to lifestyle and needs?

p Mr Wongs house rebuilt with red roof and in

resemblance to houses in Jiangnan () - an
example of vernacular architecture adapted to
individual taste and combination of traditional
building technology.

1. Terrace
The terrace side facing the water is regarded as the
front/head () of the stilt house. As there was
insufficient electricity supply in the past, a lot of
activities such as drying of salted fish, net knitting
and cooking were conducted under the sun and such
outdoor space was important.
2.

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p Multi-purpose outdoor space is important for the

fishermen families. The deck is where the family
gather, prepare for work and for meals, as well as
to relax.

Personal taste

When residents rebuilt the houses that were lost in the

fire of 2000, they worked closely with the builders to
make sure the new houses suit their individual needs.
Such interaction, flexibility, adaptation according to
needs, environmental condition and resources are all
essential elements in vernacular architecture which
modern, professionally designed architecture often
lacks.

p A new house with aluminium sheeting, aluminium

windows and a large deck

10

p The watch tower at the corner

of Shan Ha Wai (also known as
Tsang Tai Uk) (
), Shatin. It is believed that the
fork-shaped feature on the potear-shaped walls ()
is a symbolic device to drive evil
spirits and bad luck away.

1.2.3 Walled Village - architecture for defence

What is walled village?
Early residents of the New Territories were mainly
farmers from South China. In an agricultural society,
people lived with their own clan () in a cluster of
farm houses in South China architectural style.
The main entrance, assembly hall and the ancestral
hall aligns to a central axis. As the clan expanded,
side houses were built around the older houses but
the symmetrical layout was retained. Between the
houses were courtyards and lanes for circulation
and which also allowed natural ventilation in the
hot wet climate of Hong Kong. Some walled villages
even have watch towers at the corners and moats
around the wall.
Why were walled villages developed?
The history of Hong Kongs walled village dates back
to Ming and Qing dynasties. There are 2 types of
walled villages - the Punti () and the Hakka (
). In Ming and Qing dynasties, Punti villagers
began to build walls around their houses to protect
themselves from pirates attack. In late Qing, Hakka
people began to settle in the New Territories. Due to
their different culture, language and customs, they
also built walls to protect the village against rival
clans.
How were walled villages built?
Houses in a walled village were constructed with
traditional materials such as stone, bricks, timber
and Chinese tiles. Strong metal gates and wooden
shutters were installed at the main entrances.

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Wooden shutter for security

11

Liberal Studies | Culture in Vernacular Architecture

Fig. 8 Master layout plan of the walled village Tsang Tai Uk

A

A
Ground Floor Plan

Section AA

B
3

A
First Floor Plan

Section BB

Fig. 8 Plans and sections of a house in the walled village Tsang Tai Uk (plans and sections)
Legend: 1. Dinning room 2. Living room 3. Bedrooms 4. Kitchen 5. Skylight

12

[Exercise]
Identifying and examining a vernacular building nearby

1. Identify a vernacular building nearby

Students should identify a vernacular building near the school or in their neighbourhood.

Type of the vernacular architecture:

Photograph of chosen building here

Year of construction:
Materials:
Current use:

2. What do you notice in the surrounding environment?

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Location:

What is the population density in the area?

What are the historical and current development in the area?
Are there any physical constraints?

13

3. Suggest one solution of the vernacular building in response to the peoples life and the
environment.
Photo of the feature 1

Photograph of chosen building here

What is the physical feature?

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Physical
Features

What problem is the physical feature responding?

4. Report your findings to the class and conclude by answering these questions:
- What lifestyle does this vernacular building represent?
- How could it improve the quality of living?
- Can you see signs of the buildings evolution over time?

14

Summary

Vernacular buildings are designed by everyday people who use and live in them. The building methods
and designs have gone through a long process of evolution in response to culture, climate and
technology.

The Tong Lau / tenement house is a building type popular in South China from late 19th century to
1960s. The ground floor of a Tong Lau is occupied by a shop while the other stories are residential
flats.
A stilt house is a building type created by the Tanka people who rely mainly on fishing for their
livelihood. The house is made of wood with metal sheeting, and is supported above the water by
wooden stilts.
Walled villages are found throughout Southern China. They are formed of a group of houses
enclosed by a protective wall, and were usually built by Hakka or Punti farmers.

Vernacular architecture
Tenement house
Stilt house
Walled village

Further reading
1.
http://www2.hkedcity.net/citizen_files/aa/ce/my400897/public_html/index.htm
2. 2006
3. 2005
4. Yeung, Gary. Practicing the Built Tradition in Tai O Hong Kong: the meaning of revitalizing vernacular
neighborhoods in post-traditional environment. HKIA Journal issue(2007) 48.
<http://www.hkia.net/hk/pdf/journal/journal_issue48_part4.pdf>

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Liberal Studies | Culture in Vernacular Architecture

Key words

Research Team

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