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C.M. Kwan | all galleries >> My Homeland - Hong Kong >> The Concrete Jungle > A Flat for a Family of Five (1)
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02-AUG-2008

A Flat for a Family of Five (1)

Hong Kong view map

A friend of mine who is still living in So Uk Estate
allowed me to take some pictures of her flat.

This 19.5-square-metre flat, including a tiny kitchen and an extremely small toilet,
houses a family of five.

A living room, a dining room and even privacy are seemed luxurious to them.
A folding table will be placed in the middle of the flat during dinner time.

Posted on 4 August 2008
Best viewed at "original" size

Nikon D3 ,Nikkor AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED
1/2s f/8.0 at 14.0mm iso200 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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Guest 11-Aug-2008 07:59
Thanks to you and your friend for allowing us an insight into this way of life through a fascinating series of images.
Guest 09-Aug-2008 20:49
Amazing documentary, and you had to use extremely wide angle to capture this extremely small place. V
Guest 05-Aug-2008 16:20
Wah... though my hostel in Zhejiang China is quite small, but not as small as this. Excellent documentary shot, Kwan!
Alina05-Aug-2008 13:14
Excellent documentary shot! v
Simon Chandler05-Aug-2008 12:18
Wow, excellent use of lens and composition to give the viewers a sense of how crowded the place is. v
Raymond05-Aug-2008 11:52
Unbeleivable... to us in the Western world, used to space and privacy... this is much like living in a prison... I just can't imagine a family of 5 living cramped like that ! My bathroom is much bigger than that space... yet, as they tell us in the military, aboard a submarine, which is similar in space as this appartment, as long as no one speaks of either politic, religion or one's family... people can live cramped like that for months on end, w/o conflicts. An amazing serie CM... what life is like for so many people in another part of the world, thanks for bringing us there.
hugo poon05-Aug-2008 11:11
It's a pleasant surprise to find this flat being so neat and tidy especially considering it's housing a family of five... Luxurious appliances, space and privacy are definitely something worth pursuing, but what's priceless is a warm and close relationship among the family members living under that same roof, big or small. Judging from this image, I trust your friend must be enjoying a wonderful family life... A great thought provoking documentary series, CM.
Guest 05-Aug-2008 10:46
And no windows... Amazing, CM! It puts things into perspective for many of us.
Chun Lo05-Aug-2008 09:00
I like the message behind the shot.
Debbie Blackburn Beierle05-Aug-2008 06:43
WOW! Thanks for the information! Excellent composition and documentaion!
Marcia Colelli05-Aug-2008 03:14
wonderful documentation of living conditions of this area V
Larry Grace04-Aug-2008 23:51
Great storytelling with this image, Well done! V
an nguyen04-Aug-2008 22:39
Best documentary. V
TuTmin04-Aug-2008 20:18
impressive documentary shot. voted
endre novak04-Aug-2008 19:27
excellent documentary
Walter Otto Koenig04-Aug-2008 14:13
Very interesting documentation of life on the estate. It shows a life very different for many of us who are used to space and privacy. "V"
2004 04-Aug-2008 13:51
Nice shot !
DL 04-Aug-2008 13:33
Very down-to-earth photo. It shows us another face of Hong Kong. According to the Census information (upto Dec 2006), there is about 25% of HK population who live in the Public Estate.