Have you ever seen a building nicknamed Monster Building? That’s Montane Mansion. Right here before us stands Montane Mansion a behemoth of a building. It’s part of a complex. This isn’t just any apartment building. It’s a piece of Hong Kong history.
Montane Mansion began life as part of Parker Estate. This was public housing built in the 1960s. It aimed to provide affordable homes for Hong Kong’s poor and refugees. Hong Kong faced a huge population boom then. The Cultural Revolution in China sent many fleeing to the city. The government started a public housing program. Local businessman Watt Mo-kei saw a chance. He bought land once used by a sugar refinery. He planned to build incredibly cheap housing.
Cheong K Mo-kei’s company got funding from Wah Yuen Investment. They aimed to create Hong Kong’s cheapest housing. In 1964 flats started at just HK$15,000. That’s about HK$81,000 today. Buyers who paid in full got a 25% discount. Those who borrowed received incredibly low mortgages. Montane Mansion’s unusual design was all about economy. It aimed to pack in as many units as possible within building codes.
Sadly Watt’s involvement ended. A banking crisis riots and other issues in the mid-1960s ruined his companies. The project stalled. However another developer E Wah Aik San stepped in. Construction began in 1972. The first residents moved in August of that year.
Montane Mansion is part of a unique E-shaped complex. It contains thousands of flats. It even includes illegally built sheds on the roof. Today estimates suggest about 6840 people live in this complex. Montane Mansion has become a famous Instagram spot. Its unusual design and density make it iconic. It’s been featured in Hollywood films like Transformers. Recently though residents have asked for more respect and privacy. They have put up signs asking visitors to refrain from taking photos. Let’s respect their wishes and appreciate Montane Mansion’s unique history and architecture.