A lavish photojournalistic record of the last four years or so of the walled city of kowloon before it was demolished, city of darkness is a mesmerizing glimpse into a world that only existed for the briefest of moments in reality. With over 320 photographs, 32 extended interviews, and essays on the citys history and character, this reprint is not only an informative glimpse of a now vanished landmark but a sensitive and penetrating portrait of a unique community. The kowloon walled city in hong kong was once the densest place on earth, a virtually lawless labyrinth of crime, grime, commerce and hope. A wall street journal documentary tracks its colorful. Heres what western accounts of the kowloon walled city. Girard and lambot spent four years exploring the notorious walled city of kowloon hong kong before it\ s final clearance in 1992. See more ideas about kowloon walled city, walled city and city. On a site measuring roughly 200 by 100 metres were squeezed some 350 buildings, rising 14 storeys or more and so tightly packed there was rarely space between them. Twenty years ago, hong kongs kowloon walled city, an extremely crowded, largely unsupervised encampment that at one time boasted some 50,000 residents in a. Originally a chinese military fort, the walled city became an enclave after the new territories were leased to the uk by china in 1898. A walled neighborhood called the narrows in the 2005 film batman begins was based on kowloon walled city. Courtesy of city of darkness revisited this unique society and its complete neglect by the rest of hong kong was born of the equally unique political conditions of the kowloon site. In the second half of the 19th century, the chinese were facing invasion by the british, who held hong kong island.
Today, its the kowloon walled city park, a tranquil place modeled on traditional gardens of the early qing dynasty. Saw yesterdays submission about that japanese arcade and remembered i. Kowloon walled city is a 4piece noise rock band from san francisco, formed in 2007. Kowloon walled city was packed with at least 50,000 inhabitants in 6. A book was published entitled city of darkness, life in kowloon walled city. Where early films such as brothers from the walled city 1982, long arm of the law 1984 and crime story 1993 use the walled city as a backdrop for crime and lawlessness a slum to escape from or no mans land of darkness and crime they nonetheless take care to show a version of the lived experience in the walled city.
Today, its the kowloon walled city park, a tranquil. In their book city of darkness, greg girard and ian lambot provide a unique record of life in the walled city, showing the unusual living conditions of over 30,000 people, residing on a mere sixandahalf acres. The territory remained under chinese rule throughout the period of british colonialism, with neither jurisdiction wishing to take active responsibility for its administration. Life in kowloon walled city ian lambot, greg girard on. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. Home to 40,000 people at its height, kowloon walled city was by far the most densely populated place on earth. Girard and lambot spent four years exploring the notorious walled city of kowloon hong kong, before its final clearance in 1992. These pictures from the posts archive show how strikingly it sat in the city s landscape. Unregulated by hong kongs safety and health authorities, the walled city covered one square city block in a densely. Life inside the kowloon walled city it has been twenty years since the demolition of the kowloon walled city. The canadian photographers spent 5 years shooting in the kowloon walled city before it was demolished in the early nineties 33,000 people living in over 300 interconnected highrise buildings, built without. The history of the kowloon walled city dates from the sung dynasty of 9601297, when it began as a small fort to house the imperial soldiers who controlled the salt trade. Kowloon walled city, once the most crowded place on. In march 1993, bulldozers moved in to begin condemning the kowloon walled city to hong kongs history.
Jun 17, 2016 read or download here download city of darkness. But theres a lot more to the story behind the walled city. Life in kowloon walled city, published in 1993, left off. The kowloon walled city park contains floral walks, a chess garden, and an area for weddings and zero residencies. City of darkness life in kowloon walled city 1993 ian. Kowloon walled city was home to 50,000 residents and was controversial since 1898, when it was the only part of hong kong, which the imperial chinese government refused to hand over to the british. Kowloon walled city hereafter kwc or walled city, hong kong has been described as one of historys great anomalies. Life in kowloon walled city by lambot, ian, lambot, ian, girard, greg isbn. Mar 04, 2006 having lost the small pamphlet on the kowloon walled city that i had bought at the hong kong art museum many years ago, i did a web search to see if there was anything available to replace it. Every available nook and cranny was inhabited, while the connecting alleys, stairways and corridors were reduced to an. Demolished in the early 90s, the city was the site of once one of the most densest population. City of darkness life in kowloon walled city 1993 ian lambot. Life in kowloon walled city 97818732001 and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices.
Life in kowloon walled city a photobook by greg girard and ian lambot. Life in kowloon walled city, the selfsustaining city of. Kowloon walled city was named after a denselypopulated, autonomous region of hong kong known for its brothels, casinos and opium dens. Life in kowloon walled city ian lambot, ian lambot, ian lambot, greg. Though demolished 20 years ago, fascination in kowloon walled city just continues to grow, fired in part by the many urban legends that forever swirl around this extraordinary community. Designed and edited by greg girard and ian lambot the team behind city of darkness. May 07, 2012 click here for a brief visual history of kowloon walled city. Kowloon walled city, located not far from the former kai tak airport, was a remarkable highrise squatter camp that by the 1980s had 50,000 residents. Apr 19, 20 twenty years ago, hong kongs kowloon walled city, an extremely crowded, largely unsupervised encampment that at one time boasted some 50,000 residents in a footprint that spanned about 290,000. Life in kowloon walled city ian lambot, ian lambot, ian lambot, greg girard on. Very little light penetrated into the walled city with the exception of a few light wells and the area immediately surrounding the old magistrates yamen in the centre of the city. Girard and lambot spent four years exploring the notorious walled. Demolished two decades ago, the virtually lawless labyrinth still lives on in movies, books and even a. The kowloon walled city was an astonishing hong kong original.
City of darkness seemed to be the best choice, although expensive, so i bought it and hoped. By 1990, the walled city contained 50,000 residents within. Apr 20, 20 after the japanese invasion of hong kong during the second world war, china reclaimed the rights to kowloon walled city, an exmilitary fort. A historical accident of colonial hong kong, it existed in a lawless vacuum until it became an embarrassment for britain. Since the completion of the project and this interview, city of darkness revisited has gone to the printer, and 480 copies have been made. After the japanese invasion of hong kong during the second world war, china reclaimed the rights to kowloon walled city, an exmilitary fort. This documentary tracks its colorful legacy and brings the place alive 20 years later. The kowloon that greg girard knew was only one of many walled cities that stood in that spot. Kowloon walled city was known for its interconnected highrises, and for becoming a crime haven that authorities were afraid to enter. Issuu is a digital publishing platform that makes it simple to publish magazines, catalogs, newspapers, books, and more online. Life in kowloon walled city, the selfsustaining city of darkness. Kowloon walled city was an ungoverned, densely populated settlement in kowloon city, hong kong. The canadian photographers spent 5 years shooting in the kowloon walled city before it was demolished in the early nineties. Pdf the city in darkness download full pdf book download.
The life and death of an impossible city kickstarter. Its expensive, but if youre interested in urban culture and architecture its fascinating. The walled city was documented before it was torn down. As refugees fled to the area, the walled city became. Apr 07, 2010 this is an old 1970s rthk tv short programme on the life in the walled city of kowloon, hong kong. And so it might have remained but in 20, with interest in the walled city continuing to grow, another reprint seemed inappropriate. The kowloon walled city was a singular hong kong phenomenon. The kowloon walled city in hong kong was once the most densely populated place on earth, a teeming hive of interlinking highrises that few dared to enter but 33,000 people called home.
So heres 11 facts about the worlds most densely populated place. Heres what western accounts of the kowloon walled city dont. Life in kowloon walled city city of darkness revisited aims to. This was the walled citys community centre jones, 2011, pp.
Aug 31, 1993 girard and lambot spent four years exploring the notorious walled city of kowloon hong kong, before its final clearance in 1992. Mapping the horrors of hong kongs lawless walled city. Saw yesterdays submission about that japanese arcade and remembered i had this. History a brief visual history of kowloon walled city history a brief visual history of kowloon walled city 40 last week, the wall street journal released a new 15minute documentary about the notorious kowloon walled city, which was torn down by the colonial government in the 1990s.
Apr 01, 2014 the kowloon walled city in hong kong was once the densest place on earth, a virtually lawless labyrinth of crime, grime, commerce and hope. Life in kowloon walled city remained in print for almost 20 years, an extraordinary record for book of this kind. City of darkness life in kowloon walled city 1993 ian lambot greg girard, length. Its population increased dramatically following the japanese occupation of hong kong during world war ii. City of darkness life in kowloon walled city 1993 ian lambot greg. Life in kowloon walled city city of darkness revisited. City of darkness life in kowloon city the kowloon walled city was an astonishing hong kong original. City of darkness is an exhibition exploring the long gone walled city of kowloon as photographed by greg girard and ian lambot. Click here for a brief visual history of kowloon walled city. Jul 17, 2018 girard and lambot spent four years exploring the notorious walled city of kowloon hong kong before it\ s final clearance in 1992. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. It was time, we decided, to produce an allnew edition and bring the story up to date.
City of darkness is a book about life in kowloon walled city, a book that is, in fact, about density. Updated and expanded new volume, picking up where city of darkness. City of darkness life in kowloon walled city 1993 ian lambot greg girard, author. With over 320 photographs, 32 extended interviews, and essays on the city s history and character, this reprint is not only an informative glimpse of a now vanished landmark but a sensitive and penetrating portrait of a unique community. This is a new comment and im not totally sure that this is the correct way to do this but oh well. It documents life on a parallelogram covering only 2. This is an old 1970s rthk tv short programme on the life in the walled city of kowloon, hong kong. The city is even a level in the video game call of duty.
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