The Vertical Street as Everyday Place in the High-Density City: A Case Study of Mong Kok, Hong Kong

Abstract

Cities are growing vertically, so are the streets. This qualitative study employs narrative city walk, spatial survey, field observation, and interview to develop and speculate on the notion of the “vertical street as everyday place” through examining its spatial formation, ordinary individuals’ everyday practices, and people’s conceptions. The article finds that the type-form of vertical street is a network of multilevel, segmented spaces that vertically extend within urban volumes. The vertical street is the city’s everyday place, which significantly accommodates a varied urban social life. The study thus provides a novel angle for urban designers and planners to rethink the streets and to promote urban livability in vertical.