Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture

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Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture

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  • Project Name: Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon
  • Student Name: Wong Hoi Ching Candy
  • Awards: Best of Show in HK PolyU Design Show 2025
  • Softwares/Plugins: Rhinoceros 3D , Adobe Illustrator , Adobe Photoshop , Adobe Indesign , Adobe After Effects
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Excerpt: ‘Whom?’ is a Bachelors Design Project by Wong Hoi Ching Candy from the ‘School of Design – Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU).’ The project explores speculative architecture to preserve and reinterpret the disappearing cultural and spatial memories of Kowloon’s Thirteen Villages through architectural deconstruction and immersive storytelling. By dismantling and reassembling overlooked details, the project seeks to critique urban homogenization, evoke emotional connections to place, and create a living archive that bridges past, present, and future.

Introduction: “Whom is where we find the home we seek.”

This narrative project reimagines the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon, highlighting their disappearing histories through architectural deconstruction. As traditional village spaces vanish under urban renewal, cultural memory and identity erode.

By dismantling and reassembling “low-value structures,” the project creates a fragmented yet emotional spatial experience. Suggested with projection mapping and transformed architectural drawings, they evoke memory, emphasizing fluid boundaries and immersive storytelling. This approach critiques the homogenization of urban space and the loss of human connection.

Rather than replicating the villages, the project honors their often-overlooked details such as bricks, grills, and rhythms, thereby preserving these fragments as integral elements of living narratives. It invites reflection on memory, place, and belonging, offering a dialogue between past and future. Through this, Kowloon’s stories remain visible, resonant, and shared.

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Site Context

Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Estimated Approximate Locations And Distribution Of The Kowloon’s Thirteen Villages
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Current Spatial Data And Topographic Map
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Interview Plot Analysis, Chuk Yuen Village

The project is set in the fading landscape of Kowloon’s Thirteen Villages, a historic cluster once rich with agricultural traditions, community bonds, and unique spatial character. Over time, urban redevelopment and the pressure of modernization have led to the gradual disappearance of these villages, leaving behind only fragments of memories, materials, and cultural imprints. This site embodies the tension between heritage and transformation, where the idea of “home” is constantly reshaped by change.

Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Potential Materials Analysis, Study Of Applications Insights
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
3d Site Analysis
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Components Of Space
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Deconstructing The Fragments Of Space

The program of the project is less about a singular building and more about constructing an immersive narrative. Through deconstruction and reassembly, it explores how fragmented forms, textures, and spaces can represent memory, resilience, and loss. Functions are expressed in layered installations, drawings, and models that evoke spatial qualities rather than prescribe fixed uses. In doing so, the project transforms absence into presence—reclaiming forgotten details and offering a new way of experiencing Kowloon’s vanishing cultural landscape.

Design Process

Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Deconstructing The Fragments Of Space_explore Their Undying Unity
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Transformed Into Tangible Spatial Series

The design process involved multiple visits to the Thirteen Villages, with sketching, mapping, and photographing materials, rhythms, and informal add-ons. Archive and curation catalogued textures and details, selecting 15 architectural components, including walls, floors, grills, doors, tiles, and eaves. Rule-setting established a clear system: deconstruct only by 90° turns and align to the first axis, creating “order in chaos.” A method matrix then matched each checkpoint to the deconstruction logics.

Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Material Transformation With Analysis And Estimation_the Squatter’s Home
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Material Transformation With Analysis And Estimation_the Squatter’s Home
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Scene A Catalogue
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Scene A_Mini Arc Narrative

Abstraction reduced components into modular fragments and tested folding, peeling, stacking, and exploding. Narrative mapping structured 12 checkpoints across 4 scrolls (2800×400 mm), with each scroll running from past to present to future with interludes. Composition studies iterated digital and physical collages, exploring density, void, and tension while keeping the original component hidden at the center.

Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Scene B Catalogue
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Scene B_Mini Arc Narrative

The color strategy used a limited palette: red for bloodline and struggle, and black and white for loss and emptiness. A projection layer mapped animations of past, present, and future over static drawings. Integration and output produced the final scrolls, annotated checkpoint logics, and a 5-minute video for immersive storytelling.

Final Outcome

Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Narrative Structure
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Narrative Structure

The final outcome of the project is an immersive architectural intervention that bridges memory, community, and transformation. Drawing from the fragmented histories of Kowloon’s disappearing villages, the design reinterprets traditional elements such as stone walls, fabric workshops, and street vendor stalls into a layered spatial journey. 

Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Narrative Structure
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Narrative Structure

The architecture unfolds as a sequence of transitional spaces—from compressed alleys to open courtyards—evoking the rhythm of past village life while responding to contemporary urban needs.

Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Narrative Structure
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Narrative Structure
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
The Evolution Of Each Thematic Strand_ From Vibrant Origins To Institutional Transformation
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
The Evolution Of Each Thematic Strand_ From Rural Simplicity To Industrial Ruin

The project balances heritage with adaptability, using modular structures and recycled materials to ensure sustainability and flexibility. Immersive installations, memory walls, and interactive community areas allow users to engage both emotionally and physically with the space, reinforcing the narrative of continuity and renewal. 

Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
The Evolution Of Each Thematic Strand_ From Ancestral Gatherings To Enduring Echoes
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
The Evolution Of Each Thematic Strand_ From Culinary Roots To Sacred Community Bonds

Conclusion: Ultimately, the outcome is not only a built form but also a living archive—a place where history, culture, and imagination converge, offering a new collective identity for the disappearing landscapes of Kowloon.

[This Academic Project has been published with text and images submitted by the student]

Site Context

Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture

Design Process

Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture

Final Outcome

Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture
Whom? : The Home Fragmentation and Memory Reassembly in the Thirteen Villages of Kowloon | Bachelors Design Project on Speculative Architecture

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