Infinite Scroll
September 27, 2017 7:35 AM Subscribe
abandonedspaces is a URL of posts thread on an infinite scroll. I waded in where "City of Darkness: The most densely populated place on earth is now abandoned" was at the top of the thread Sunday. This post features photos of Kowloon Walled City, Hong Kong, PRC, a ruin within a slum within a British "enclave".
I've never been to Hong Kong. One comment cites a fragment of Wikipedia's article which dates demolition of the walled city in Kowloon City to 1993. But a few shots in the collection immediately reminded me of slums in the film Push (2009). Cross-examining the two references, I can almost see how modernity flows from Mong Kok through Yau Tsim Mong into into West Kowloon.
I have been to Shanghai, but not long enough (at least one month) to get much farther on foot than recommended restaurants in the Old City. At that time, 2003, planners were still working out how to promote colonial charms of the district. This photo (2006) gives a good sense of its scale and decay relative to "New" Shanghai and by comparison to old Kowloon, as skylines go. Some tourists report that little of it remains in 2017. What captures their imaginations are relics of "authentic Chinese culture".
I've never been to Hong Kong. One comment cites a fragment of Wikipedia's article which dates demolition of the walled city in Kowloon City to 1993. But a few shots in the collection immediately reminded me of slums in the film Push (2009). Cross-examining the two references, I can almost see how modernity flows from Mong Kok through Yau Tsim Mong into into West Kowloon.
I have been to Shanghai, but not long enough (at least one month) to get much farther on foot than recommended restaurants in the Old City. At that time, 2003, planners were still working out how to promote colonial charms of the district. This photo (2006) gives a good sense of its scale and decay relative to "New" Shanghai and by comparison to old Kowloon, as skylines go. Some tourists report that little of it remains in 2017. What captures their imaginations are relics of "authentic Chinese culture".
This post was deleted for the following reason: Hey, sorry, this personal "here's my take/experiences on the subject" framing isn't the Metafilter convention. Here, posts just present the links, and then personal takes go in the comments. (It's fine to just try this again tomorrow.) Also, probably better to separate the Kowloon Walled City stuff from the Shanghai stuff; they seem like separate enough subjects to warrant their own posts. -- LobsterMitten
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posted by adamgreenfield at 7:50 AM on September 27, 2017