Liza Wing Man Kam: Reconfiguration of “the Stars and the Queen” — a Quest for the Interrelationship between Architecture and Civic Awareness in Post-colonial Hong KongWeijing Le

ASIEN – Nr. 140 (2016) pp. 147–48

Baden-Baden: Nomos, 2015. 190 S., 36,11 USD

This book represents a dissertation from the Bauhaus University Weimar. Unexpectedly, it has less to do with architectural theories or urban planning per se. It appears to be a roar of disappointment and hopelessness of Hong Kong after its handover to China in 1997. The sentimental criticism is quite clear in the conclusion: “[…] the process of demolishing the two piers based on lies, bureaucracy and excuses is a sole demonstration of a colonial attitude. This is NOT decolonization; this is neo-colonization (p.186).” The author might have thought of the research questions in the course of a chain of social movements in Hong Kong since 2006 and her motivation has culminated during the Yellow Umbrella Movement (p.7), when her emotional disgruntlement and academic curiosity had both propelled the search for answers. The narratives in the book can sometimes be emotional, passionate, and empathic, but the author, as a native Hong Kong citizen, has tried her best to limit her personal emotions under an acceptable amount, as she put it, “the main objective […] is more an internal calming down process (p. 22).