Enso: A City Connection

Hong Kong is a city that has resulted from countless combinations of top-down and bottom-up solutions due to scarcity of usable land. Arguments can be made that the networks above and below the ground are now equally or even more valuable than the ground itself today. In most places around the world today a large significance is placed on the spatial ground and the infrastructural solutions such as tunnels, sky bridges and the underground are only solely utilized to keep the ground plane continuous. However, the ever growing growth of the population in Hong Kong creates an issue of limited land restricting movements. This research seeks to improve the figure-ground relationship to enhance the pedestrian circulation, along with the overall pedestrian experience within a city of land scarcity and lack of usable space without disrupting or reducing the current circulation efficiency. In order to understand how architectural methods could to achieve. This research thesis searches and explores for answers and inspiration through precedents and simplifying the existing network through artistic means to conclude on a hypothetical architectural solution and form. This thesis investigates unconventional architectural responses compared to regular approaches seen today in an argument where these approaches may no longer be successful or enough within the present-day. The works of Adam Frampton, Jonathan D Solomon and Clara Wong, prompts an understanding the current structure that Hong Kong follows architecturally and to also understand the behavior of movement within the community. Understanding the culture of the people along with the physical architectural aspects was equally important within this research, the final solution reinforces the connection between architecture, ground, the city and people to create a different perspective on the idea of a pedestrian network.