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»Zwischenräume«








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Writeback from Gerry Li
“Reset, And Reflect”





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Date: 11 Dec. 2024


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When I first encountered this topic, I almost wanted to shout out loud, because Hong Kong is undoubtedly one of the most qualified cities to tell its story about space. During my two years of living in Hong Kong, I experienced firsthand the profound impact that limited space has on daily life.

I lived in a four-bedroom apartment shared with three classmates, and while it sounds like a spacious setup, the reality was far from it. Despite being one of the larger apartments in the area, we lived in cramped quarters and paid an exorbitant HK$23,000 (€2810.49) per month. My own room measured just 2.2 meters by 2 meters, giving me a mere 5.5 square meters of personal space—barely larger than a king-size bed. This kind of living arrangement is not unusual in Hong Kong; in fact, many people describe the city’s apartments as “boxes.” The metaphor is apt, as Hong Kong’s skyline and neighborhoods are a dense grid of countless “boxes,” each holding its own unique story of adaptation and compromise.

The tight living quarters often force residents to reimagine the concept of home, utilizing every corner with creativity and efficiency. As I adjusted to my room, I began to think: does a house have its own language? The walls, the limited corners, the compact spaces—do they communicate with us? Perhaps they tell stories of resilience, of learning to thrive despite restrictions, and of finding identity in the smallest of places. In Hong Kong, space is more than a physical dimension; it is a reflection of the city’s character and the resilience of its people. My small room, though modest in size, became a symbol of life in Hong Kong—a story of compromise, creativity, and survival in one of the most densely populated cities in the world.

Yellow part was our apt, Red part was my room.




When I think carefully about my room, I realize it is surrounded by the shape of a capital “C.”

Or our balcony was a “E.”
And our badroom becames “B”


And here were so many other words:



it goes like this:




Words:



If we type:
“PARK ONE; NAM CHEONG ST”
it came out with this kind:



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here to download the  .tff  documents for install. 
A small little gift also for my dearest Roommates, to thanks for the time that we spent together.  



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Reference:
Intersection of Typography and space - Liad Shadmi