Free to be a Kid

Children don’t paint by the numbers during these outdoor art classes.

Some children here are careful painters who like to apply pigments by brush; some just splash paint of different colors, randomly and happily. A few young kids don’t pay attention, preferring to laugh and run around. Oddly, no one stops or yells at the little ones—they are free to do whatever they want. This is not your average art class: instead of a confining classroom, these children are actually drawing and painting all over the terrace of a building in Sai Ying Pun. Amid the skylines of the nearby high-rise buildings, children are covering hard concrete floors and walls with their colorful dreams and fantasies.

In 2004 Wilson Law quit his job in advertising and, with his partner Molly Li, founded Moonbear Creative Workshop, a studio that offers art classes for children. Three years later, they moved to their current location in Sai Ying Pun and found a terrace at their disposal. At first, Law just used it for storing his pottery kiln and other equipment. But one student’s parent urged Law to take advantage of the space in a more innovative way. Law later came up with the brilliant idea to turn the terrace into an outdoor drawing room. “A lot of children just stay home to study, do homework and play computer games. I notice that they don’t pay much attention to their surroundings,” Law says. During rooftop painting classes, children have the chance to observe the city’s landscapes—and produce artwork at the same time.

For every terrace painting class, Law first brainstorms a theme to give the children some general guidance and inspiration. Free to go beyond the prompt, kids can draw whatever pops into their heads. Law once asked his students to draw whatever came to mind when they thought of animals living in the city. Rooftop painting classes have a downside, though—they take more effort to organize: Law and Li have to scrub hard to wash away the paint on the ground after the children are done, so that it can be a blank slate for the next round of students.

Apart from the setting, the spirit of terrace painting classes are largely different from the regular ones—it emphasizes freedom and uninhibited expression. Most children are used to drawing on a piece of paper while sitting quietly in a classroom. Many of them are trained to be cautious, if not fussy, when drawing: drafting is a must; they have to apply colors very carefully; mistakes are intolerable and they are too quick to wipe it all off and start over again. Children today tend to forget that art can be spontaneous and fun. But terrace painting is quite a different matter. Drawing is no longer limited to a static canvas. And, out on the terrace, it’s impossible to erase what you’ve created. So kids become more daring, learning to enjoy the free flow of art. Brushes, in Law’s opinion, are not necessary. Some little ones pour paint directly onto the floor; others use their hands to paint.

During his classes, Law observes, a lot of young children create art that might be incomprehensible to adults. Some parents urge children to draw things that are representative, or based on reality. But Law argues otherwise: “A lot of parents think that kids are just drawing randomly. In fact, they are not. Young children are just trying to express themselves.” Nontraditional places, like Law’s terrace, are valuable precisely because they’re the kinds of open spaces that encourage children to unleash their imaginations.

Check out Moonbear Creative Workshop, Shop 1, G/F, 88 Second St., Sai Ying Pun, 2116-0053, moonbear-hk.blogspot.com. Terrace painting classes will resume in the fall because the building is currently undergoing renovations.

Cut and Dried

An enterprising agriculturalist dries vegetables and herbs from his employer’s rooftop in Cheung Sha Wan.

Wong Cheung-fat, affectionately known as Fat Gor (Brother Fat), has been working for the Vegetable Marketing Organization (VMO) for almost a decade. He was originally hired to run errands and do other legwork, but he uncovered his true talent and passion on the rooftop of the VMO office building, where he would sun dry the unsold vegetables and herbs, turning them into tasty, aromatic dried goods.

“There are different types of vegetables in different seasons… we will dry anything that is given to us by local farmers,” Wong explains. In the summer, he usually makes dried herbs; in winter, he will dry veggies, such as bok choy.

Drying vegetables and herbs is a great way to reduce food waste in Hong Kong. VMO runs a wholesale market in Cheung Sha Wan, in which more than 200 local farmer-wholesalers operate. When the farmers can’t sell the vegetables, VMO will buy them. Wong then helps to turn the excess vegetables and herbs into dried food, and the produce escapes the landfill.

“People think that it is all very easy and you can just dry the vegetables if the weather is fine. People think everyone knows how to do it. But there is a lot of skill involved, and you need to pay a lot of care to it,” Wong says. There are many steps when it comes to drying vegetables. For instance, in the case of bok choy, Wong has to wash away the sand in the vegetables first. Then, he boils the vegetables—the temperature and time has to be just right, otherwise the aroma and taste will be lost. After cooling down, he also has to put the boiled vegetables on the rack, piece by piece.

Apart from the meticulous steps, drying vegetables and herbs depends much on the weather. If there’s a lot of rain, or the produce isn’t completely dried, the food will turn moldy easily. The very first thing that Wong does in the morning is to listen to the weather forecast on the radio. If it’s due to rain, he will carefully move the dried vegetables and herbs to the refrigerator. Even when on holiday, Wong remembers his babies on the roof and asks colleagues to help take care of them.

Before landing the job in VMO, Wong worked in a factory for more than 20 years. But manufacturing never brought him as much satisfaction. Wong’s dried food is available in a few organic stores, including Bon Bon Fine Foods in Central, and they are immensely popular. “After I dry the veggies and herbs, someone will appreciate and buy them, and then nothing is wasted. It’s a happy thing,” says Wong.

Get a taste of Fat Gor’s dried vegetables and herbs by ordering directly from the Vegetable Marketing Organization. You can either call 2384-4164 or go to their offices at 757 Lai Chi Kok Rd., Cheung Sha Wan. Free delivery for orders over $100.

Make Your Garden Grow

Urban farming takes root on a rooftop in Tai Koo.

The area around Tai Koo is known as a middle-class neighborhood. But on its outskirts, a handful of industrial buildings stand among the clusters of residences and shopping malls. These aged buildings look dilapidated and colorless. But if you climb up the stairs of Eastern Center, one of the factory buildings in the area, the view is an incongruous surprise: a group of urban farmers have carefully grown crops on its roof—and their hard work has turned the gray space of barren concrete into vibrant shades of green.

Osbert Lam—the entrepreneur who founded this rooftop farm, called Eco-mama—walks among the planter boxes on the roof, happily showing off reams of produce, including herbs, vegetables and even a tiny watermelon. “There is a suddenly a stark contrast [between the surrounding buildings and the farm plots]. It is very relaxing, and I enjoy such a contrast,” Lam says. Apart from the change in scenery, Lam—who used to farm just on weekends and holidays—also sees the practical advantages of a rooftop farm. “You can lower your carbon footprint… because you don’t need to travel long distances to reach your farmland,” Lam says. It also becomes more convenient for urban farmers to tend their land after work.

Eco-mama started off selling second-hand baby products, then expanded into rooftop farming by chance. Last year, Lam wanted to move his office to a more accessible location near Taikoo Shing. A property agent led them to Eastern Center, and he instantly fell in love with the rooftop’s breezy ambience. Even though the asking price was higher than he’d budgeted, he decided to rent the space. In the beginning, he just grew some plants for fun. Gradually, more and more customers asked if they too could grow plants on the roof. Seeing such a response, Lam hired an instructor and began to offer classes on organic farming—and that’s how Eco-mama’s rooftop farm started.

Students in their farming class always take home some harvest at the end of the eight weeks—but the amount varies among individuals. “Everyone plants in a slightly different way and it has an impact on the amount of produce,” Lam says. Students need to plan to use their planter box well, calculate the distance between plants and choose the right type of soil for different crops. Beginners start with herbs; later, they graduate to other crops like tomatoes and eggplants.

On a broader level, Lam hopes Hongkongers will change their attitude about food after joining Eco-mama’s organic farming classes. “Students say that they won’t waste food anymore. They have witnessed the growth of plants and the process how they become food,” Lam says. “They realize the value of labor. They didn’t experience laboring [in farming] before, and others’ labor didn’t seem to be valuable to them. They also assumed that farming is done by machines. But when they use their hands to grow crops, the memories will stick with them.”

Lam also aims to remind people of certain virtues that are easy to forget in a hectic city. “People who grow plants cannot be stubborn because things are not within their control. People have to learn not to be stubborn, and it’s a good philosophical exercise. Let’s say suddenly an amber signal [for a rainstorm] is hoisted, or a few birds come and eat your tomatoes… This is the cycle of nature and you have to appreciate it,” Lam says.

Utilizing rooftops, though, is just the first step in Lam’s grand plan for urban farming. “City farming means utilizing the remaining space in the city for growing plants. It shouldn’t be confined to rooftop space,” Lam says. City farming could take place on unused government land, or a plot that’s on a short-term lease. Lam is now developing a more mobile farming system that would make growing crops in these spaces easier and faster. “The goal, for me, is not to earn a lot of money. I hope to turn my visions into reality. I could capture this space,” he says, gesturing to nearby rooftops, “and turn it into patches of green.”

The next round of Eco-mama’s organic farming classes starts on August 6; two timeslots (10:30am and 1pm) are available. Each course costs $780 and lasts for one-and-a-half hours. Or, for $120 per month, rent a planter box to grow your own crops. The farm is located at Unit 2103, Penthouse, Eastern Center, 1065 King’s Rd., Quarry Bay. Visit www.eco-mama.org or call 2189-7236 for more information.

Room To Breathe

A subsidized-housing complex in Kennedy Town uses its rooftop for much-needed community space.

Affordable housing doesn’t necessarily mean a tradeoff in quality of life. Case in point: Kwun Lung Lau—a rental housing estate in Kennedy Town built and managed by the Hong Kong Housing Society—is a unique example of how thoughtful planning and design do wonders to improve the lives of the residents of subsidized housing. Due to the lack of space for amenities and facilities in the estate, Kwun Lung Lau’s architects and planners came up with an ingenious solution—they turned otherwise-unused rooftop space into an open area for residents.

In the 1960s, a large influx of immigrants entered Hong Kong. Housing demand surged as a result, and many newcomers were either homeless or lived in shamefully poor conditions. The Hong Kong Housing Society, a non-governmental organization, worked with the government to provide cheap housing for the city’s needy. Kwun Lung Lau, which consists of seven inter-connected buildings, was one of the complexes constructed to help abate the housing crisis. Work was completed in 1967, and the complex provided housing for more than 13,000 people. However, one problem persisted—there was insufficient open, flat space for recreation because the complex is awkwardly located on a hill. Michael Payne, the architect behind the Kwun Lung Lau project, solved the problem by outfitting the roof with community facilities and other amenities. There was a basketball court, a library and even a school for young children.

As time went by, Kwun Lung Lau aged to the point where it had to undergo redevelopment in 2000 and large-scale rehabilitation in 2007. After the renovations, two new buildings were erected—but the six buildings that remained were still interconnected, creating a large open space on the roof.

So the Housing Society carried on with its tradition of making clever use of every inch of space, furnishing it and upgrading some of its functions. According to Daisy Cheung, a manager at Kwun Lung Lau, 30 percent of the residents are elderly. Accordingly, the property’s management added some exercise facilities and created a small covered sports ground for them. Now the old residents can stretch their legs while enjoying the sunshine and breathing fresh air on the roof.

“We hope we are making use of this space and providing an amenity space for our residents,” Cheung says. “It also creates cohesiveness among residents… When they talk about Kwun Lung Lau, we hope that they will remember the roof.”

Apart from elderly-friendly facilities, there is also a playground for young kids. In the evening, kids from all blocks rush to the playground. They shimmy down the slides and run around and play with other children. The mothers sit down, watch over their kids and chat with other mothers. It all helps build a much closer and intimate relationship among neighbors. On the roof, there are other facilities including a community hall and a residents’ organization office. There’s even a small farm, and farming classes are offered for residents.

True, there are no luxurious swimming pools or clubhouses on the rooftop of Kwun Lung Lau; the facilities available may seem to be basic. Nevertheless, many of its residents enjoy the rooftop in a simple, dignified way; it signifies an important part of their daily lives. It is their space to breath amidst a dense housing estate, their spot for gathering and socializing. And it’s a place that reminds them that life is just a little sweeter in Kwun Lung Lau.

In Their Own Words

Grace Tsoi talks to two rooftop-loving residents.

Mrs. Ng, in her 70s
I have been living in the new [housing] block for three years. I used to live in the old block, and I am a resident of 40 years! During the day, the sunshine is too strong in my apartment. So I go up to the roof every day. There is a covered area for old people, and it’s very breezy, too. Around 2pm, many old people wake up from their naps, and they will go to the roof. Some old people need wheelchairs, and their domestic workers will bring them up here. It’s good to have a breath of fresh air, and we don’t need to go out. The facilities are very good now, but it would be great if there were more benches for us!

Mrs. Cheng, in her 50s
I am a grandmother already, and I have a 3-year-old granddaughter. I moved to Kwun Lung Lau about two years ago, and it’s way better than my old home in Sun Po Kong. The air was very bad there! Every evening, I bring my granddaughter to the roof, and a lot of children play on the roof, too. Sometimes, there are more than 30 kids here, and it’s a very happy sight to see. My granddaughter is the only child in her family and she treats other kids like her brothers and sisters. It is also good to socialize with other residents, and I think zthis is what harmony truly means.

An Oasis Outside

We tracked down snapshots of some of Hong Kong’s coolest roofs—from private homes to corporate relaxation spaces. By Hana R. Alberts

Green Roof Asia
Four professionals with expertise in gardening, architecture and waterproofing came together two years ago to form Green Roof Asia (www.greenroofasia.com), a company that designs and installs sustainably-inspired landscapes on rooftops. Places from schools to private homes to Disneyland, says Green Roof Asia’s Marcus Swetnam, seek out the company’s services to outfit their rooftop spaces with alternative energy sources, plants indigenous to Hong Kong and more—as long as the roof is strong enough to hold up the weight of all that material. All told, a green roof for a 700-square-foot village house costs $100,000 and up. “It’s a developing industry,” says Swetnam. “You can look out, and instead of seeing aircons and hardscapes, a little bit of green affects your mood.”

HSBC’s Sky Garden
Back in November 2007, HSBC turned two rooftops at its office building in Mong Kok into pleasant places for employees. According to the bank, it “creates a monoclimate by cooling and humidifying the surrounding air, absorbing greenhouse gases, air pollution and dust, and reducing the heat island effect which is one of the main causes of ozone production.” Besides being a cool place to chill, the green roof reduces the temperature on the floors immediately below the roof, uses solar panels to reduce the consumption of electricity by the roof garden itself and recycles water from the air-conditioning system for irrigation.

HK Honey
Locavore honey producer HK Honey (www.hkhoney.org) has installed 11 beehives since July 2010 on rooftops in neighborhoods from Shek O to Pok Fu Lam. Adding flower planters to help with pollination, these urban beekeepers work with interested people who want to make their own honey, as well as with a Wan Chai café that serves dishes with the honey produced on its roof. (HK Honey goods are also sold at boutiques, including Kapok and Konzepp.) “The rooftops we select are a bit more unused,” says HK Honey’s founder, Michael Leung. “We see a lot of these rooftops in Hong Kong. It would be great to use them for activities such as beekeeping.”

Phil Hayes’s rooftop, atop a building on leafy, pedestrian-only Prince’s Terrace in SoHo, boasts a view of IFC 2.

The giant outdoor space that Julian Herbstein shares with his friend and next-door neighbor is tricked out with a jacuzzi, an outdoor shower, comfy couches, a thumping sound system and a formal dining set.