eVolo Skyscraper Competition 2010

The ubiquity of the high density residential podium city typology throughout Hong Kong has made it one of the densest cities in the world. The typical podium city consists of a huge mega-block shopping mall (in plinth form) with 8 to 16 high-rise residential towers sitting on top. Upscale podium cities have resort like amenities on the surface of the plinth such as spas, tennis courts, and giant swimming pools. These amenities, while a primary selling point, are in fact rarely used by the residents, particularly in comparison to public amenities located in the rest of the city. The overwhelming genericness of the actual residential units themselves has caused developers to advertise the buildings as a chic lifestyle choice rather than focus on the details of the actual living space. The podium cities’ relentless high density efficiency has destroyed street life in the areas where they are located and eat up huge amounts of potential public space with their underutilized private amenities.