Hong Kong’s oldest public housing estate
- 52 Berwicks Street
- Open 24/7
Hong Kong public housing
Shep Kip Mei Estate is one of the oldest in the city. Built after the 1953 fire and refurbished in the 1970’s blocks 19-24 still stand as a typical example of original prefab blocks centred around a soccer field. Shep Kip Mei Estate accommodates a population of a staggering 22,500.
Local living conditions
Even today roughly 50% of Hong Kong’s residents live in government subsidised or rent-controlled housing because they are unable to purchase private housing.At 12.8 sqm per capita, living space in Hong Kong is among the lowest in the world.German photographer Michael Wolf had taken a series of portraits of these cramped living conditions.
Traditional rice store
In Shep Kip Mei estate you find one of city's oldest rice shops Shing Hing Tai Rice Shop. Wong Tak-kam, who has been running this business since 1970 is an accomplished rice master who know exactly how to mix ‘old’ and ‘new’ rice for maximum taste and quality. Now 70-year-old he still delivers heavy sacks by bike, to his loyal customers in the neighbourhood.