Following the Japanese Occupation, the Kowloon Walled City, an ungoverned settlement in rural Kowloon in Hong Kong, became a dense living enclave. Soon after, it grew rapidly to become one of the most densely populated places in the world. The massive gated community of interlinked buildings was ungoverned and unregulated, and became a place of drugs, crime and prostitution. Before its demolishment in 1993, a group of Japanese researchers, which included architects, engineers, city planners, historians and anthropologist Hiroaki Kani, had entered the Walled City to document the insides of one of Hong Kong’s hidden communities. Their findings were compiled into a book that was published 5 years later. Almost as dense as the city itself, the book includes meticulously drawn cross-sections panoramic views, explanations of different areas and much more, revealing the secrets of a remarkable city. It is interesting to observe space utilization within the sketches, and to compare the state of the Kowloon Walled City to the issues faced by a still densely populated Hong Kong.   

Source: Spoon & Tomago