Another piece of urban grit and one of the most infamous buildings of HK. The Chungking Mansions is a residential building located in Nathan Rd. in Tsim Sha Tsui. The lower floors is a shopping arcade with alot of stores catering to HK's Indian, Pakistani and Nigerian community. The upper floors are a mixture of low-cost flats and cheap hotels, officially listed in the HK Tourism Board.

Chungking Mansions (Tsim Sha Tsui)

http://rodsell.com/kgv/sf0111c.jpg

http://www.innercityministries.org/images/chungking_entrance3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/ishimmer/holidays/chungking.jpg

http://www.pedroguimaraes.net/fotocafe/arquivo/meumundo.jpg

http://reporteroculto.no.sapo.pt/fotoalt/chungking.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/17/20703097_dd191b67fc.jpg

I think I've been up there. Tons of Indian vendors. There's a strong curry smell!

looks like the building from the american version of Dark Water.

they need to knock that sucker down. it's an incredible eye sore.

thanks for posting these pictures ! I love urban grit, and this is a magnificant example of it.

Not an appealing place. My travel guide recommended a restaurant in there and I wanted to take a look inside that building but the hordes of touts ("need hotel?", "want Rolex? I make special price for you my friend!") scared me away.

The building is sure is very gritty and it's only a few blocks from the world famous Peninsula Hotel! It's also in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui, a popular shopping and tourist district!

Chungking Mansions (Tsim Sha Tsui)

http://reporteroculto.no.sapo.pt/fotoalt/chungking.jpg



Yikes!

What are those metal 'loops'? :runaway:

The lighting and blue-green cast of the building is incredible - looks like a still from "Bladerunner" or some film noir set. But the overall scale, design and condition of the building give it a heavy, oppressive feel.

Yikes!

What are those metal 'loops'? :runaway:
Given the residential use, my guess is these are clothing racks to dry washed clothes.

Kent

Yikes!

What are those metal 'loops'? :runaway:

That's where they dry their clothes. You guys have the same thing in some flats and HDB estates in Singapore.

I had a curry in that building.

QUite an interesting experience locating the restaurant for some reasons though with all the staircases and lifts

I always pass that alley whenever I'm in Nathan Road and plan to go to my friend's store in Mody Rd.

To say, Chungking may look gritty but it's still a safe place!

That last pic that Redstone copied is scary as hell, but what a magnifcent photograph!
What a ghastly pile.

Life in the Chungking Mansions

http://www.plfoto.com/zdjecia/353411.jpg

http://www.elysium2028.com/assets/images/concept/chungking1.jpg

http://www.elysium2028.com/assets/images/concept/chungking2.jpg

http://www.cromwell-intl.com/travel/pictures/hongkong-chungking1.jpg

http://shenjingbing.com/pictures/gallery/zg/fuckyouchunking.jpg

http://www.harlowe-asunder.net/images/chungkinghouse.jpg

http://www.christian-action.org.hk/events/0403CKM_opening.jpg

http://shenjingbing.com/pictures/gallery/zg/hate.jpg

http://www.bikechina.com/images/hk15room.jpg

Another piece of urban grit and one of the most infamous buildings of HK.
I understand the whole "urban grit" vibe - but why is it "infamous"? Did something happen there? Does it have a reputation of some sort?

Also - when was this project built? Local architecture firm?

While I'm digging the whole green fluorescent lighting, post-Apocalyptic look, I feel like I'm missing the rest of the story . . .

Any additional information on the story behind the project would be appreciated.

Thanks - Kent

picture, first league

there now I wouldn't like living there. :runaway:

http://www.cromwell-intl.com/travel/pictures/hongkong-chungking1.jpg

this picture says it all...

give me a Hilton any day anything but this.

i wonder how the bathrooms look like?

I understand the whole "urban grit" vibe - but why is it "infamous"? Did something happen there? Does it have a reputation of some sort?

Also - when was this project built? Local architecture firm?

While I'm digging the whole green fluorescent lighting, post-Apocalyptic look, I feel like I'm missing the rest of the story . . .

Any additional information on the story behind the project would be appreciated.

Thanks - Kent

There are several reasons why Chungking Mansions is known. Aside from the grit and the strange and dingy athmosphere, these residential blocks are to be located in the heart of the city's tourist belt. The building has several cheap guest houses which attract tourists and backpackers and the conditions in some are very disturbing. Some have a bed occupying the whole floor and the shower is a shower head in the bathroom. Some rooms don't even face the street or have no windows. But despite of that, the rates in these guest houses are some of the cheapest in HK.

Alot of illegal immigrants stay in the Chungking Mansions mostly from South Asia and Africa. The HK police have conducted several raids in the area where prostitution, robbery and drug dealing is also a major problem.

Movies such as Chungking Express and Fallen Angels introduced the infamous Chungking Mansions worldwide. Chungking Express for example protrayed The Chungking Mansions as the city's loneliness and despair.

The building was completed in 1961 but there is little source on the architects, engineers and planners.

http://www.cromwell-intl.com/travel/pictures/hongkong-chungking1.jpg

this picture says it all...

give me a Hilton any day anything but this.

i wonder how the bathrooms look like?

How about this :D

http://josh.middlepath.com/memnoch9615/Trip%20from%20Hong%20Kong%20to%20Nanjing%20May%202005/Picture%20069.jpg

and for the bathroom,

http://www3.baylor.edu/~Charles_Kemp/cosmic1.jpg

the image is too large!

How about this :D

http://josh.middlepath.com/memnoch9615/Trip%20from%20Hong%20Kong%20to%20Nanjing%20May%202005/Picture%20069.jpg

and for the bathroom,

http://www3.baylor.edu/~Charles_Kemp/cosmic1.jpg

the image is too large!

Cosy ! :) And very livable.

I prefer sleeping in a jail cell in a HK prison than that :D

Thanks Wanch - that helps explain the attraction of the project.

Movies such as Chungking Express and Fallen Angels introduced the infamous Chungking Mansions worldwide. Chungking Express for example protrayed The Chungking Mansions as the city's loneliness and despair.
Are some of the images that you've posted here stills from either one of these movies. Just curious.

and for the bathroom,
http://www3.baylor.edu/~Charles_Kemp/cosmic1.jpg
the image is too large!
Whoa! Pretty clever way of squeezing-in a "full-size" bath into a space that is literally the size of a shower stall. I bet it works OK though I'd hate to try putting on my contacts over the sink/toilet!

Thanks again for the info and terrific images.
Kent

Thanks Wanch - that helps explain the attraction of the project.

No problem ;)

Are some of the images that you've posted here stills from either one of these movies. Just curious.

Nope, they're scene of the place itself. BTW, I'll be going there this weekend to take photos :)

Whoa! Pretty clever way of squeezing-in a "full-size" bath into a space that is literally the size of a shower stall. I bet it works OK though I'd hate to try putting on my contacts over the sink/toilet!

Honestly to me, it doesn't work especially it's the same place where you have your shower! But at least you get a real toilet than a "squat" one!

Honestly to me, it doesn't work especially it's the same place where you have your shower! But at least you get a real toilet than a "squat" one!
But the shower is the element that makes the entire bathroom self-cleaning! Since maintenance is obviously a challenge at the Mansions, think about how much time the hostel saves on having to clean the bathroom. Hell, everytime one of the occupants takes a shower, they're cleaning the bathroom (more or less!). Very clever!

I've seen a similar bathroom configuration in a maid's bathroom in Brazil which consisted of a small room (probably 2 meters square), fully-tiled with a toilet on one side and a shower and sink on the other side. There was a floor drain in the middle of the room and you could sit down while taking a shower! Again, a very clever way of squeezing in a full bath in a small space. And the shower helped keep the whole room clean!

Kent

I'm gonna buy a flat there!:lol:

What's in the middle of the towers?

Bare concrete?

I'm gonna buy a flat there!:lol:

A flat in Chungking Mansions ranges from HK$300,000 to HK$1,000,000

A flat in Chungking Mansions ranges from HK$300,000 to HK$1,000,000My calculator doesn't convert HK$ to US$ - what exactly does that work out to in US$?

Thanks - Kent

Why Chungking? Is there any relationship with Chungking or Chungkinger? :sly:

hmm according to google approximately 0.12

I went there in November, those buildings are really -----------> :puke:

Another thing Chungking Mansion was famous for was catching fires.

My calculator doesn't convert HK$ to US$ - what exactly does that work out to in US$?

Thanks - Kent

HK$7 = US$1

True that Chungking is succeptible to fires!