Lance (Wong Lok Wai), University of Hong Kong BA(LS) Year 3
I have chosen the Pound Lane Stairs as my element to explore the community in the surrounding. I believe that most of us would assume that the staircase is only a mean of circulation. However, what is interesting is that different people would dwell and inhabit the space along the staircase and create different typologies. The different typologies raise different issues and phenomena of the community.
The phone man is simply a man walking on the staircases and suddenly stops for a phone call. The surrounding environment allows him to be possible to proceed with his activity. He can lean on the railings to rest, at the same time enjoy the tranquility and shading of the trees on the staircase.
The chair lady on the other hand dwells and inhabits the space through an addition of a chair. The chairs were altered on the footing and acts as their “permanent” element. Occasionally, people gather around that spot for a short chat. It is a gathering point in the community due to the stairs being the major circulation of the community.
Lastly, our stair lady adapts to the stairs with her own body. Her simple actions tells us issues of that it is too tiring to walk up, too steep, maybe it is a better place to rest due to a better ventilation at higher points or the lack of benches in the community.
“What is the significance of the stairways in this neighbourhood? Is it merely just a method of circulation or it contains more depth and meanings than that?”
stair culture 