Szeto Wai
A Kung Ngam Road, Shau Kei Wan
1962-1978
The Ming Wah Dai Ha Estate is the oldest public housing project constructed by the Hong Kong Housing Society. Its name “Ming Wah”, or “bright splendor”, is based on the Chinese name of one of the Society’s founders, Bishop Ronald Owen Hall. The estate was designed by Hong Kong’s preeminent architect at the time, Szeto Wai, and originally consisted of thirteen blocks occupying a 9.34 acres (37811 m2) site. The development was capable of providing 3,169 units for some 15,000 residents.
Each of the project’s blocks originally consisted of seven- to ten-storey structures stretching away from the steep terrain to the south. Blocks were designed to facilitate public interaction and ensure hygienic living standards. Common corridors suspended between two rows of apartment units were intended to encourage public interaction while also allowing for natural light and air to penetrate each block’s interior. Each block featured a covered playground, kindergarten, and youth center. Approximately twelve-meter wide strips of communal space were also positioned between each building to allow for unobstructed views and through ventilation.
In 2006, the Housing Society rehabilitated Blocks A to G. In May 2011, Blocks H – M were demolished in order to develop a mix of new housing projects with a higher plot ratio.
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Elevation, Ming Wah Dai Ha Estate (Drawing by Bill SO Yeung Piu, School of Architecture, The Chinese University of Hong Kong)
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Floor Plan and Axonometric Drawing, Ming Wah Dai Ha Estate (Drawing by Bill SO Yeung Piu, School of Architecture, The Chinese University of Hong Kong)
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Ming Wah Dai Ha Estate (Courtesy Thomas Chung and the School of Architecture, The Chinese University of Hong Kong)
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Ming Wah Dai Ha Estate, 1973 (Hong Kong Survey & Mapping Office, Lands Department, HKSAR Government)