Effects of the Building Code on Construction and Design of Hong Kong Residential Buildings in the Colony

Abstract

This paper discusses the effects of the Building Ordinance and its allied regulations to control buildings during the colonial period of Hong Kong and how these actually determined to certain extent the form of buildings especially for residential type of development. Various introduction of the building code at different times were used to illustrate the different effects and building forms created by the control in high density urban environment. Volumetric control and floor area control had been tried in the city with different construction of buildings developed. The paper concludes with the remark on possible new vision for building control in the modern high density city.