Did this multimillion-dollar 1960s Hong Kong housing estate set a trend for years to come?

“Details of a multimillion-dollar commercial and cultural town centre that could set a trend in local housing estate planning were announced yesterday by the Hongkong Housing Authority,” reported the South China Morning Post on December 30, 1965. “The HK$3,755,000 centre, including room for a community hall, department store, restaurant, bowling alley, multi-storey car park and an original piece of sculpture will be built at the Wah Fu Estate, Pok Fu Lam.

“The estate will occupy an area of 29 acres (18 hectares). ‘If this centre is successful it’s bound to be incorporated in future estates of the Hongkong Housing Authority,’ Mr A. de O. Sales, chairman of the Authority’s Executive Committee, told a press conference at the HHA headquarters.

“Designed to be the ‘heart’ of the estate by night and by day, the centre will feature a traffic-free pedestrian podium on its main deck leading to clinics, a maternity home, banks and shops.”

On September 28, 1968, the Post reported that “at the inauguration of the Wah Fu Estate yesterday [Governor Sir David Trench] said the need for this kind of cooperation was being recognised in discussions now taking place between government and the Housing Authority over the possible establishment of a combined and permanently open waiting list for both categories of housing.

“Addressing a large gathering of people from all walks of life who had assembled at the podium of the estate’s Town Centre, Sir Trench said he hoped the details of the arrangement could be worked out soon to everyone’s satisfaction.

“He also congratulated the Authority and its staff for completing the ‘impressive project surrounding us here – a virtually self-contained township on a wonderful site, and the largest and most comprehensive development of the Authority’s experience’.”