A renegade photographer got
inside this lawless Chinese city 119 times denser than New York
Between
the 1950s and 1994, tens of thousands of immigrants constructed a towering
community 12 stories high across a 6.4-acre lot in Hong Kong.
It was called Kowloon Walled City.
With a population of 33,000 squeezed into the tiny
lot, the city was 119 times denser at its peak than present-day New
York City. Although it faced high levels of crime and poor sanitation, the city
was also impressively self-sustainable — until its
demolition in 1993.
In the late '80s, Canadian photographer Greg Girard
found his way into the windowless world.
He shared some photos and thoughts on his time in
Kowloon Walled City with us here. You can check out the rest of his photos
together with essays and work from photographer Ian Lambot in the recently
released book "City of
Darkness: Revisited."
After the city was torn down in 1994, the country built a park in its place.
Today, Kowloon Park attracts photographers, birdwatchers, and tourists looking
for a relaxing trip — with plenty of room — through scenic Hong Kong.
All
images © Greg
Girard
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