Hong Kong is a city with a chronic shortage of space, so apartment buildings have to be built either very tall or with flats crammed close together.

The most famous example of Hong Kong's brutalist architecture is a block of apartment buildings in the Quarry Bay district near the central part of the city.

10,000 people in one block of buildings

The estate was built in the 1960s and contains 5 buildings joined together in one block.

The tallest building has 18 floors and in total over 10,000 people live in these buildings in a very small area. Due to its seemingly demonic and even repulsive appearance, the estate has earned the nickname "Monster Building".

A typical apartment in a Monster Building is roughly 35 square metres. The very narrow corridors and staircases make it possible to squeeze a total of 2,243 housing units into 5 buildings.

Detail of Monster Building

Monster Building as seen from Main Street

Experience the true atmosphere of Hong Kong

Although the Monster Building is privately owned, the courtyards between the buildings are freely accessible to everyone, including tourists.

It's from the space between the buildings that you'll get the best and most revealing photos of this monstrous building.

Looking at the densely packed façade through the windows and small balconies, you will get the atmosphere of a true Asian city.

Although some of the public spaces may look repulsive at first glance, you don't have to be afraid to visit the estate at night. Quarry Bay is a safe neighbourhood, and you can tell that it's no slum by the restaurants, cafes and shops on the ground floor of the Monster Building.