North Point Estate, Public housing estate in North Point, Hong Kong.
North Point Estate was a public housing complex on the North Point waterfront, designed by Eric Cumine's firm and completed in 1957. It had seven 11-storey blocks with 1,956 flats, arranged with gaps between blocks for cross-ventilation, each block with its own covered play area, and 20 automatic lifts.
Designed by Eric Cumine's firm, the estate opened on 25 November 1957 under Governor Alexander Grantham, with seven 11-storey blocks and 1,956 flats costing HK$33 million. Its cross-ventilated layout and 20 lifts were not repeated in later estates because of the expense. Tenants moved to Oi Tung Estate and Hing Wah Estate before demolition in 2003.
The estate was a turning point in public housing, offering residents their own kitchens, bathrooms, and balconies that set new standards for living conditions at the time.
Since the estate was demolished in 2003, the physical site no longer exists, and visitors can only explore historic locations in the North Point area to learn about the housing project's legacy. Historical photographs and records are available in local archives and museums to understand more about the former residential complex.
The estate's design was so costly that the Housing Authority never repeated it: each block had its own covered play area, corridors were broken at intervals for cross-ventilation, and 20 automatic lifts served the 1,956 flats. Construction employed 2,700 workers and cost HK$33 million.
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