This portfolio explores the brutal nature of Hong Kong architecture from a street level point of view. Last year Hong Kong captured headlines all over the world with protests primarily against a now suspended extradition bill that would allow Hong Kong to extradite accused criminals to mainland China.

Hong Kong is back in the news as it becomes a pawn in the latest dispute between China and the US. Hong Kong is known for its vast array of skyscrapers. There are over 1200 skyscrapers in Hong Kong; approximately twice as many as New York, but in a very confined area. Currently less than 25% of Hong Kong Island is utilized for urban development. 40% is used for parks and recreation and the remainder is untouched forests. Hong Kong Island is what most people perceive to be Hong Kong, but Kowloon and the New Territories area are also part of the Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region – basically a special autonomous region of China).

Hong Kong is one of the most population-dense cities in the world. Hong Kong’s population is about 7.4 million people or about 6600 people per square kilometer. The average apartment size is about 450 square feet (42 square meters) but most live in apartments less than 200 square feet (19 square meters).

There are many unique districts that make up Hong Kong. This project draws from the architecture found in Sham Shui Po, Mong Kok and Quarry Bay. The true feel for the living compression that most Hong Konger’s exist in can only been seen and experienced from the ground where the architecture surrounds you.

About Doug Caplan

Canadian photographer, Doug Caplan , has been practicing the art of photography for over 25 years. Doug’s award winning urban and architectural photography, often captured with Doug’s trademark photographic style of an environment devoid of human engagement, focuses on the abstract nature of the human experience – the residuals of existence.

“They laugh at me because I’m different; I laugh at them because they’re all the same”

– Kurt Cobain.

In a nutshell, this is Doug’s philosophy on the art of self-expression. Life is nothing more than an illusion; a cosmic joke. All of us play the joke on ourselves and when we finally start to wake up, we marvel at the simplicity and nonsense of it all. Doug married into the Japanese culture 30 years ago. He has spent a considerable amount of time assimilating the Japanese way of being. Doug regularly travels to Japan with his wife and daughter to spend time with the family near Kyoto and also enjoys traveling by himself with the simple goal of getting lost so he can find himself through his art. Tokyo is his favorite destination on Earth to get lost.

Doug’s work has been featured in numerous magazines and publications (online & in print) including Art Market Magazine, Lens Magazine, Art Reveal Magazine, Canadian Camera, Silvershotz, Dodho Magazine, Practical Photography, ND Magazine, PhotoED Magazine, POSI+TIVE Magazine, Noice Magazine, F-Stop Magazine & The Modern Day Explorer. Born in Montreal, Doug is an artist who is currently based in Langley, British Columbia [Official Website]