MAKING SPACE: RESIDENTIAL TRAJECTORIES IN HONG KONG

Hong Kong is a city with very high densities and low per capita space standards, given its wealth. Most people live in very small apartments in high-rise buildings. Drawing on a survey of more than 2,000 interviewees, this study explores household mobility and changes in consumption of residential space in Hong Kong. Space standards have increased for most households, although increases are small in absolute terms. Distinct from much of the international experience, changes in space consumption of movers appear to be driven mostly by the fundamental limits of household living arrangements under the tight space standards of Hong Kong. Household circumstances and the life-cycle effect also play a role. However, the aggregate level of space consumption is influenced by economic, social, and ecological factors more than the immediate circumstances of individual households.