“Human Library” - Po Lam Transitional Housing (Original) Po Lam North Rd., Hong Kong SAR

Studio “Collective Living”Instructor: Prof. Maggie Ma Kingsley
Group Project: Zeng Lingzhe (Jeff), Chan Pan Nga (Beverly), Chu Meng Ting (Tiana)

Sept. - Dec. 2020BSSc(AC), the Chinese University of Hong Kong

Daily activities happening in the courtyard between living units.

Concept of Human Library

The concept of “Human Library” was originated in Denmark with the aim to “unjudged someone” and “not to judge a book by its cover”. This is a place where real people are on loan to readers and through conversation, they challenge stereotypes and prejudices.

Underpriviledged families in Hong Kong are usually stereotyped as inferior with a lower social status. People tend to think of what they lack, what are their difficulties and needs, what are the problems they are facing. However, little do people focus on their values: what they are good at and what are the inspiring stories behind.

In the light of such emphasis, our group want to build a project that helps to showcase both the tenants’ and the community’s lives in order to build understanding for diversity, challenge stereotypes and learn to appreciate and find values in all kind of living. Empowerment of low in-come families and the human library can be achieved in three stages: daily observation, interaction with the community and exchange of life experience (3-stage program.)

Human Library - Core concept of the transitional community © Chu Meng Ting Tiana

3-stage program diagram based on “Human Library” concept © Chan Pan Nga Beverly

Stakeholders © Chu Meng Ting Tiana

Existing public space features © Chu Meng Ting Tiana

Life Experience Exchange within Co-living neighbors and households (modular units)

The life experience exchange not only occurs within the communities, but also within the neighbors and households. Our modular unit is designed to maximize the balance between learning and privacy among tenants. In the scale of household, a family of 3 and 4, 2 parties will co-live in one unit. Each unit has two rooms separated on the upper floor for higher degree of privacy, while the toilets, share living room and kitchen are located at the first floor.

Street view at sunset

Street view at night

Longitudinal section. Exhibition of tenants’ daily lives.

Sectional perspective of the living units and courtyard space.

Public bookshelf as spatial modifier, a screening element between public and semi-private space. © Chu Meng Ting Tiana

Deconstructed system of a pair of living units.

Framing view - GF shared living space, facing the main road. © Chu Meng Ting Tiana

Framing view - 1F communal space between living rooms © Chu Meng Ting Tiana

Framing view - 2F shared living space between bedrooms. © Chu Meng Ting Tiana

Conceptual collage of community workshops © Chu Meng Ting Tiana

Managment scheme of the transitional community program (3-stage program)

Daily ritual diagrams © Chan Pan Nga Beverly

Program schedules © Chan Pan Nga Beverly

In the scale of co-living neighbors, each unit is connected to another by a balcony and stair in between. Therefore, instead of having only a co-living neighbor, each household also has another physically connected neighbor next door. Through this connected design, it provides more connectivity between tenants and also enhances the scale of exhibition of daily life and exchange of life experience.

Massing overview

Building massing development © Chan Pan Nga Beverly

Site plan © Chan Pan Nga Beverly

GF plan © Chan Pan Nga Beverly

Section sketch on spatial transparency and quality of “daily observation” among households.

Sectional perspective

Deconstructed system of a pair of living units.

ZENG Lingzhe

Concept of Human Library

Life Experience Exchange within Co-living neighbors and households (modular units)