Why do parts of Wan Chai look so run down ?

[moon child]

I’ve always been curious about this. I know Kowloon’s history, but why do a lot of buildings in Wan Chai look messy and old ? The Golden Quarter and Green Market Quarter look super nice, but once you get the places like South Carmain (the Yan Tin apartments look as if they haven’t hired a janitor in years) and White Dynasty look run down. Why is that ? Can anyone fill me in ?

 

[ferhound]

WTF?

 

[ShenGCH]

Because China?

 

[Peter]

I’ve always been curious about this. I know Kowloon’s history, but why do a lot of buildings in Wan Chai look messy and old ? The Golden Quarter and Green Market Quarter look super nice, but once you get the places like South Carmain (the Yan Tin apartments look as if they haven’t hired a janitor in years) and White Dynasty look run down. Why is that ? Can anyone fill me in ?

I guess its just reflective of the general areas from their time period, in terms of aesthetics, but even continues today in a lot of places. Cities, and countries around the world will have more wealthy areas, when compared to areas which are more poverty stricken. Whilst the South Carmain Quarter may be a bit more run down, its worth noting that, that area is more of a living environment, where as places like The Golden Quarter are more commercialized shopping areas. You can see an in-between of this, in the likes of the Green Market Quarter and Wise Mans Quarter, where unlike the expensive jewelry shops and hotels, you have more homegrown/local businesses, which reflect the items they sell.

Kowloon is just flat out modeled and set to its real life counterpart. There's a very interesting BBC documentary on it here:

WTF?

Next time you get the urge to post an ambiguous abbreviation which offers absolutely nothing to a discussion, maybe... don't do that.

 

[Truck_1_0_1_]

Going off of what Peter said, it also is because Hong Kong was, "owned," (I guess it is the correct term lol) by the British at the time and it has been noted in many places (possibly even in the documentary above)-not to turn this political- that in HK where the British had no interests, they left it to it's own devices; Kowloon is an example.

It could just be that these fictional Qrs. represented this state of indifference, hence why they're falling apart and dirty (but the living spaces off all these people are super clean and well-kept). Whereas, like Peter noted above, where there would be businesses and commercial areas (places where the British would undoubtedly have interests), there is cleanliness and upkeep.

Go to Venice or Rome and you'll see the same thing, for the most part; don't forget, these cities and locations are among the oldest in the world and many things that were built hundreds of years ago, are still standing without the upkeep (which is a testament as to how well things were constructed back then).

With upkeep, they'd look just like your own town or city, albeit with a much more classical and less-modern look.

 

[Zoyous]

With upkeep, they'd look just like your own town or city, albeit with a much more classical and less-modern look.

Depends on your town or city... mine is pretty run-down, with crumbling infrastructure, inadequate roads and sidewalks, ominously leaning utility poles, etc. In some cases that aged, worn, lived-in look can be a pleasant aesthetic, while in other cases it crosses the line into sheer neglect due to powerful people hoarding all the money and resources.

 

[moon child]

Going off of what Peter said, it also is because Hong Kong was, "owned," (I guess it is the correct term lol) by the British at the time and it has been noted in many places (possibly even in the documentary above)-not to turn this political- that in HK where the British had no interests, they left it to it's own devices; Kowloon is an example.

It could just be that these fictional Qrs. represented this state of indifference, hence why they're falling apart and dirty (but the living spaces off all these people are super clean and well-kept). Whereas, like Peter noted above, where there would be businesses and commercial areas (places where the British would undoubtedly have interests), there is cleanliness and upkeep.

Go to Venice or Rome and you'll see the same thing, for the most part; don't forget, these cities and locations are among the oldest in the world and many things that were built hundreds of years ago, are still standing without the upkeep (which is a testament as to how well things were constructed back then).

With upkeep, they'd look just like your own town or city, albeit with a much more classical and less-modern look.

Thank you both for the great responses ! I’ve heard before that a few years after the game takes place there was a growth in construction and remodeling, so I was curious if that also had something to do with it.

 

[moon child]

WTF?

 

[catonkatonk]

Going off of what Peter said, it also is because Hong Kong was, "owned," (I guess it is the correct term lol) by the British at the time and it has been noted in many places (possibly even in the documentary above)-not to turn this political- that in HK where the British had no interests, they left it to it's own devices; Kowloon is an example.

Kowloon Walled City (which I believe is what you mean by simply "Kowloon" - the rest of Kowloon looks nothing like the Walled City!) can't be an example of that because it was only technically British "owned" (to you use your word!) between 1912-1941. Before and after, it was considered Chinese territory surrounded on all sides by British territory, which is one of the most interesting things about it.
British Hong Kong was only able to demolish it with Chinese agreement, which took until the 80s to arrive. There was no option of "making good" an improvised structure of buildings too dense to permit sunlight and that mostly existed without plumbing and with dangerous electrical runs.