Between the Mountains and the Sea

Hong Kong is situated on a narrow strip of land between the mountains and the sea.  It is an improbable site for a mega-city.  In the parlance of urban planners, the city lacks 'sprawl space'. Indeed, the average distance between the harbour and the island's steep hills is a paltry 1.3 km. Unable to grow outwards, the city has grown upwards. Today, Hong Kong boasts 1,223 skyscrapers, the most in the world. It is also considered the world’s most vertical city, with more people living or working above the 14th floor than anywhere else on Earth. This series investigates the resulting urban landscape, with a look at the interaction between the Hong Kong's built environment and it's natural landscape.