Living in 15 sq ft: Inside Hong Kong’s coffin homes

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Hong Kong’s pricey property market has a dark side – cramped and claustrophobic subdivided flats, where people live in spaces as small as 15 sq ft (1.4 sq metres). What is life like inside a flat smaller than a prison cell? SCMP explores the city’s shoebox flats through the lives of those who call these tiny spaces home.

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[fidesimatupang]

This is no longer just cheap. This is simply inhumane.

[winniechen]

This is reality. The reason they used graphics instead of real footage is because when media has shown these cage or coffin homes on TV before the government would respond by cracking down on these buildings and kicking the tenants out of their homes. So in order to prevent further individuals being punished for bringing attention to this issue, they use graphics to describe things and prevent risking the public. The graphic and layout description really did help put in perspective just how inhumane these conditions are because often the spaces were so cramped and cluttered that real footage was not able to grasp the full picture.

[emoneyy]

Little Johnny saved up for 10 years for an apartment in Hong Kong.

[SalveRegina]

I have been to Hong Kong once and lived in a small room that could only fit two single beds and a toilet. Most people there are unfriendly, rude, and depressed. This city is unlivable. I am grateful for what I have in my home country Malaysia.

[xaviers]

It's actually insane that places like this even exist. It really makes you feel grateful for what you have

[sudonim]

In the United States, some people are trying to do the same thing, marketing them as "pods" and acting as if it is some "futuristic" and "sustainable" style of living. I hope these conditions will improve and go away some day and that people will no longer be forced into living like this in the future. This is not how human beings were meant to live.

[Steamj]

So thats why those galvanized steel square videos exist

[rahmalialia]

This is a nightmare. Now I get it why those people I saw in a bus when I visited HK, looked depressed and exhausted, even in the morning. No smile on their faces. No wonder, they're living a super rough life like this. This is far from normal :(

[zenithchan]

The inequality is very scary. I pity the people of Hong Kong who have to live in hard times.

[tjr]

I’m so thankful for what I have after watching this. Living like this is an unimaginable nightmare.

[PhobosID]

2022: Expressing Concern
2023: Expressing Concern
2024: G A L V A N I Z E D S Q U A R E S T E E L

[catlui]

I am from hk and these housing situations are rarely mentioned by those who are privileged enough to not rely on the government. Its really disturbing in a sense that not a lot of people realize large issues and even if they do, choose to ignore them completely. Hong Kong has its nice communities and some people are just saints, but overall, the vibe is that its a man eat man place where people would rather ignore than engage in normal circumstances.

[monkevibin]

I always joke about new York apartments being small but this is genuinely sad and inhumane.. how can a prisoner who could’ve robbed or even murdered someone get more space than an innocent person just trying to live

[ladymire]

This is so upsetting. It hit hard when they said they’d receive more space if they were to commit a crime and be placed in prison. I’m absolutely blessed as I look at my single person 250sq ft dorm room. And to think I once complained I found it small.

[rebecca_stone]

Just sickening, when you think of all the wealthy people in Hong Kong who hoard empty properties and who drove up the prices so much that people are forced to live like this.

[perplexical]

I'd suggest for Milton to expand his living space with screws borrowed from his aunt and galvanized square steel, paired with eco-friendly wood veneers.

[sibr]

I experienced witnessing one of those being built by Chinese landlords in Canada, Alberta. Me and my husband had some tough times and rented a room for a couple of months in a typical Canadian house. We were not told that construction will be going on there. We were the first renters. It was tough staying there due to noise and rude landlords who arrived daily to build there and had no concept of personal space, privacy or tact in communication. Within 2 months that lovely house was transformed into this shoe box layouts and a bunch of Chinese students arrived to live there. It all seemed so unsafe. If fire would happen there, not sure if they all would be able to get out in time.

[hstc]

The housing situation in Hong Kong really brings home how phenomenal Singapore's system of public housing is. Successfully housing 80% of citizens in HDBs in a very densely populated city state with land at a premium is incredible, and the reason why Singapore hasn't ended up like Hong Kong.

[fazole]

When I lived in Hong Kong 25 yrs ago, there was a scandal that wealthy were keeping their previous govt. housing illegally, but little was being done. I met someone who was working for a well off business owner who still had occupancy rights to one of these govt flats and was allowing his servants to stay there.

[redc]

Why don’t they just expand the room by removing the existing windows and using galvanized square steel? Ask your aunt if she has any extra expansion screws lying around.