Tong Lau Alloy Model

Tong Lau, which began appearing in Hong Kong in the mid to late 19th century, are buildings without elevators, featuring rooftop access and two-foot-wide wrought-iron balconies. Initially only two to three stories high, they later developed to a maximum of eight stories. Constructed with green bricks, concrete eventually replaced brick as the primary building material for Tong Lau. Typically, the ground floor housed shops, with residential units above. Before the Hong Kong government extensively built public housing, most Hong Kong residents lived in these traditional "Tong Lau." Due to high housing demand and precious land, developers often targeted Tong Lau for redevelopment, constructing more high-rise residential and commercial buildings. Consequently, Tong Lau are becoming increasingly rare.