Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate A documentary about the Hong Kong Resettlement Estate by Photographer John Choy. The first public housings in Hongkong was built as a resettlement for the more than 50.000 people who got their homes destroyed by the large fire in 1953. During the next 20-30 years the Hong Kong government made large efforts to resettle tens of thousands of refugees from the China mainland and Vietnam who lived in ramshackle shacks on the hillsides. Most of them were moved into large resettlement estates. Most of these estates has been closed, Ngau Tau Kok, is the last remaining resettlement estate which now will be closed at the end of 2009. John Choy was consigned by the Hong Kong Government to dokument the estate The panoramas are taken from 08/2008 to 4/2009. In addition to the original project the feature here at panoramas.dk contains 2 panoramas from the new apartments of 2 of the residents. The last 2 panoramas are from the Ghost Festival which Ngau Tau Kok is also known for. John says about the project. As I 'd never been to this estate before or just that I was a complete stranger to them, I had to find a way to get acquainted with them, and the best way I thought was to try the panorama approach. And I was also keen on experimenting panorama at this moment.

I thought it was especially detrimental at the start of this project if I did anything inappropriate according to the eyes and mind from people in this estate. It is because bad news ( gossip ) would easily spread out within this little community. I had to be very careful. However, Shooting for Pano needs a tripod and it was the least offensive way for a stranger. it was one of the many interpersonal skill I started this project out.

After the first few pano were taken, I make a print as gift to the people who I had promised. They thought it was funny and unusual. They were not used to see photograph like this before and they liked it a lot. In this way, I gained my " fame " and it facilitate my job a lot afterward. Hence, it was at first a mean for communication. But as it went, I decided to let it be one of my personal project too. Links: Lower_Ngau_Tau_Kok_(II)_Estate allexperts.com ngau_tau_kok wikipedia.org Public_housing_in_Hong_Kong

View John Choys Gallery with all his panoramas and still images from the Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate These are not interactive panoramas. PHOTOGRAPHER: © John Choy www.johnchoy.com John Choy is a Chinese Photographer from Hongkong He has been a staff photographer for several Hongkong Magazines and is today working as a freelance photographer based in Hongkong.