空間考察：解碼香港商場的在地日常 | Spatial Observation: Decoding Everyday Local Life in Hong Kong Malls

前​三​篇​文章，​我​們​梳理​了​香港​商場​的​歷史​演變、​借鏡​了​全球​的​空間​轉型，​探討​了​本​地​商​場​在​業權​與規管​制度​下​的​重重​壁壘。​作為日​常​必經​之​地，​商場​能​否重新​發掘其​公共​價值？​在​商場​研究​系列​的​最終​回，​我​們選​擇​走​向​現場，​希望​能​把​這些​日常​生活​中​被​忽略​的​對話​翻​譯​出來，​展現​香港​商場​極具​魅力​的​「多​樣性​生態」，​ ​大眾​的​「野生​智慧」，​是否​有​機會轉化​為​未​來空間​設計​的​靈感備​忘錄。​

於2025年，​GUTS 團隊帶領十二​位​「社區探索家」​親身​走進兩個​不同​的​商場​生態，​展開​了​一​場​空間​探索​的​城市​盲盒​遊戲。

​我​們​已​將這​三​篇商​場​專欄​的​核心​內容與盲盒​活動​的​完整​紀錄，​整理成​了​兩本​小誌：

• 小誌 ​1​《商場​空間​的​公共性​是​..​.?》​

  包含​前​三篇​的​研究​專欄，​解剖​香港​商場​的​困局​與破局​潛力。​ 

• 小誌 ​2​《商場盲盒​實驗​是​..​.?》​

  完整​收錄​了​ 4​ 個對於​香港​商場​空間​的​提問​與解答，​以及​這場​盲盒​活動​的​總結。​

​以下​是​小誌​的​彩蛋​—​我​們將​公開​展示探索​家們​的​手稿，​他​們帶著​我​們設計​的​工具卡，​帶回​了​商場​第一​手​的​現場​情報！

（閱讀時間：10分鐘）

盲盒活動​地​點：​兩個商​場

T.O.P. (This Is Our Place) ​（圖左）

​新型​綜合商​場 ｜ ​發​展商​管理​ ｜ ​交通​樞​紐 ｜人​流量​高​

這裡​是​擁​有​貼心​設計、​連接​旺角​港​鐵站​與​街角​的​高效​通道。​我​們​想​知道，​在​高度​商業化​與密集人​流​之下，​人​們​駐足​的​理由​是​什麼？​

油塘​中心​附屬商​場 (嘉貴/嘉富/嘉發)​（圖右）

業權​分散​舊商​場 ｜ ​分散​業權 ​｜ 社區型​ ｜ 人​流適​中

這裡​是​香港​舊式​街​坊商​場​, ​更​像​是​由​當​地​居民與民生​小店​交織​而成​的​微型​村落。​沒​有​光鮮​亮麗​的​連鎖店，​卻擁​有​戶外​中庭​與​乘涼​的​老樹。​我​們​想​探討，​在​缺乏​統​一​管理​的​舊商場，​這裏​的​歸屬​感​可以​是​什麼？​

探索主題​1​:​ 商​場​吸引人​的​方式

這​張任​務卡邀請探索家​隨機​鎖定​一​位​商場​用家，​進行​ 5-8 ​分鐘​的​隱藏​觀察，​並記​錄下​他​們​的​移動​路線​與​行為。​我​們​希望​藉此​揭​開商​場​人流​的​真實​動線，​並發​掘​究竟​是​哪些​空間​細節，​在​無形​中​牽​引著人們​的​腳步。​

探索家​筆記總結

T.O.P.

​根據​我​們探​索家​的​現場​觀察，​這裡​的​用家​往往​帶著​非常​清晰​的​目的​前來：​吃飯、​買衣服、​購買​動漫商品、​充電​或​等人；​亦​有​不​少人，​僅將此​地​視為​通往​旺​中​的​便利​通道。​而​在​追蹤​這些​人​流動向​的​過程​中，​他​們進​一​步​注意​到，​商場內​那些​能​安放​外賣​飲品​和​隨身​物品​的​加寬​扶手、​或是​讓人​倚靠​的​角落，​正​是​最​吸引​人​停下​腳步​的​空間​元素，​讓商場自然​生成​了​明顯​的​流動​區與聚​集區。​

​油塘​中心​附屬商​場

​在​探索家​的​眼中，​這裡​的​用家​類型​充滿​了​街坊​氣息：​有​準備​接​小​孩​放學​的​媽媽、​悠閒​的​退休​阿叔、​稍微​打​扮過​的​街坊​男士，​以及​正在​髮廊​理髮​的​女顧客。​這裡​功​能​多樣​的​店舖​成為​了​街坊日常​閒逛與​消費​特定​產品​的​據點。​最讓​大家​驚奇​的​畫面，​莫過於​一​位​女街坊竟然​在​等待染髮​上色​的​期間，​悠閒​地​穿梭​在​周邊​小店​之​間​——​聊天、​上廁所、​閒逛，​完全​把​商場​當成​了​自家​客廳！​

探索主題​2: ​去​商​場會​做​的​事

​這些​任務​卡​引導探索家​去​挖掘​空間​的​多​元​用途，​尋​找​究竟​是​哪些​意想​不​到​的​角落，​默默​支持​著人​們​在​此放空與​閒晃。​我​們​希望​藉此​鼓勵​大家​重新​思考：​除了​純粹​的​消費，​商場​還​能​承載​什​麼樣​的​公共​功能？​

探索家​筆記總結

T.O.P.​

​我​們​的​探索​家​發現，​加寬​的​扶手、​通往​旺​中​的​天橋​與5​樓​天台，​是​人潮​最​愛​停留​的​地方。​他​們觀察到，​不​少​人​會​把​外賣​飲品​放​在​欄杆​上，​停下​來​等​人、​看風景​或​聊天；​天​台​上，​則塞滿​了​各​種​節奏​的​日常​——​有​人​在​拍照，​也​有​人​使用​手機、​曬太陽、​享受​專屬​的​ Me-ti​me。​

​油塘​中心​附屬商​場

探索家​們發現，​這裡​的​店家​早​已​把​走廊​視為​自家​空間​的​延伸，​而​整個商​場​似乎​也​默許​了​這件​事，​彷彿​形成​了​一​種​無聲​的​共識。​最讓​他​們驚訝​的，​是​木工師傅竟​把​商場​走廊​當​作​自由​創作​的​「後巷」​！​此外，​補習社​也​將書​櫃與​各式​各樣​的​座椅​搬​到​店外，​宛如​在​公共​通道​上​打造​了​一​座​「走廊​圖書館」。​原來商​場除了​純粹​的​消費​之外，​它​還能​是​一​個​充滿​生命力、​容納​街坊​日常​的​共享社​區！​

​在​尋找​最​想坐​的​座椅​任​務當​中，​探索​家​們親​自​試坐​了​那些​擺放​在​走廊​的​座位。​他​們發現，​儘管​公共​通道​上​擺放​著款式​各異​的​椅子​——​小​沙發、​靠背椅、​單張​硬​質椅、​甚至​是​軟墊​電​腦椅，​但​當​大家​坐​下時，​總會​感到​一​絲​猶豫，​擔心​誤佔​了​店家​的​座位​而​感到​不​自​在。​探索​家​們形容，​這個商​場散​發著​一​種​「社區​邊界​感」；​對於​首​次​到訪​的​外人​而言，​走進​這裡​就​像​是​不​小心​誤入​了​別人​的​私人​客廳。

探索主題​3​:​ 商場​的​部落​文化​

這​張任​務卡邀請探​索家​深入​感​受​商場​的​獨特氛圍，​並挑戰​在​50​港​元​的​預算內，​在​店舖​中​尋​找​最​能​代表​商​場​靈魂​的​物品。​

探索家​筆記總結

T.O.P.

從探索​家們​的​原稿​發現，​他​們認為 T.O.​P ​的​文化​定​位​是​「新潮​與獨特」，​而​這種 DNA ​具體散落於​各​種充滿​態度​的​空間​細​節裡。​商場巧妙​地​利用​地​上​的​箭頭​指​引​以及​霓虹​燈光，​營造​出​極​具辨​識度、​充滿​熱情與​活力​的​年​輕​氣場。​在​這種​氛​圍下，​連探​索家​的​選物​也​與​在​地​文化​產生​了​強烈​共鳴，​例如​探索家​特別​推薦​了​印有​香港​ Z​ 世代​潮語​的​手工糖，​這些​獨​一​無二​的​小玩意，​切合​了​新​一​代​對 Uniq​ue、​Creative 與 Trend​y ​的​追求。​

​油塘​中心​附屬商​場

探索家們觀察到，​這個商​場內​匯聚​了​超過​十種​截然​不同​的​業態。​從琴行、​補習社、​學車​中心，​到​理髮店、​按摩​店與​美容院；​更​有​釣魚​用品、​五金​雜貨、​電子​維​修店、​木工坊、​改衣​店、​中醫​診所、​寵物店，​甚至​還藏著​一​間​教會！​他​們​表示，​這種​店舖​的​多樣性，​滿足​了​周邊​社區​的​日常​所​需；​但​對於​外人​而言，​走進​去​確實會​有​一種​缺乏駐​足目的​的​感覺。​

​或​許正​因​如此，​當探​索家​們接​下​另​一​項任​務​——​運用​ 50 ​港​元​預算，​挑選​最​能​代表​這裡​的​物品時，​幾乎​所有​人​都​將這筆​錢用​來購買日常​小食，​認為​價格​十分​親民。​不過，​最讓​大家​會心​一笑​的，​是​一​位​探索​家​走​進商場​地舖​的​馬會買​了​一​張​六​合彩，​並笑​著說：​「都​唔​係求​發達，​買個​開心啫！」​這位​探索家​更​敏銳地​指出，​這份隨性​豁達​的​心態，​正​是​商場裡​這些​經營​不同​業態​的​小店​老闆們​共同​的​生活​哲學。​

盲盒實驗總結

本​文​展示​的​手稿僅​是​空間​考察​的​初步​紀錄。​完整​的​研究​內容​——​包含​從商​場​流線、​空間​所有權、​消費目​的​與空​間​包容性​來探討​香港​商場​的​多樣生​態​——​皆​收錄​於即將​發售​的​小誌​中，​歡迎​關​注出版​資訊。​

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Spatial Observation: Decoding Everyday Local Life in Hong Kong Malls

In our first three articles, we reviewed the historical evolution of Hong Kong shopping malls, examined global cases, and discussed the ownership and regulatory barriers limiting local malls. Since these are spaces we visit daily, we want to explore whether their public value can be reclaimed. For the final part of this research series, we visited the sites in person. Our aim is to highlight overlooked day-to-day interactions in malls, showcase the diverse ecosystems of Hong Kong malls, and explore whether the public's everyday wisdom can inspire future spatial design.

The GUTS team led twelve "community explorers" into two different mall environments for an Urban Blind Box activity focused on spatial exploration. We have compiled the core insights from the three articles and the full records of this activity into two publications:

Zine 1: Publicness in Retail Space Is...?

Includes the core insights from the first three research articles, analysing the challenges and potential breakthroughs for Hong Kong malls.

Zine 2: The Urban Blind Box Is...?

Contains four questions and answers regarding Hong Kong mall spaces, along with a summary of the activity.

As a special bonus for the zine, we are revealing the explorers' original sketches and notes. Using the tool cards we designed, they gathered first-hand, on-the-ground insights from the malls!

Urban Blind Box Sites: Two Malls

T.O.P. (This Is Our Place) (Left)

New Integrated Malls | Single Developer Management | Transport Hub | High Foot Traffic

This is a well-designed, efficient corridor connecting Mong Kok MTR Station to the surrounding streets. We want to find out: Amidst such hyper-commercialisation and heavy foot traffic, what makes people pause and linger?

Yau Tong Centre’s Malls (Ka Kwai/Ka Fu/Ka Fat) (Right)

Strata-Title Old Malls | Fragmented Strata-Title | Traditional Neighbourhood | Moderate Foot Traffic

This is a traditional Hong Kong neighbourhood mall, resembling a micro-village woven together by long-time residents and independent stores. Lacking glamorous chain stores, it instead features an outdoor square shaded by old trees. We want to explore: How does a sense of belonging manifest in an old mall without unified management?

Exploration Theme 1: How Malls Attract People

This task card asks explorers to randomly select a mall visitor, observe them for 5 to 8 minutes, and record their movement paths and behaviours. Through this, we aim to uncover the flow of foot traffic and identify the specific spatial elements that naturally draw people in.

Summary of Explorers' Notes

T.O.P.

According to our explorers' on-site observations, visitors here usually arrive with specific purposes: eating, shopping for clothes, purchasing anime merchandise, charging devices, or waiting for friends. Many others simply use the space as a convenient passageway to other parts of Mong Kok. While tracking these movement patterns, the explorers noted that spatial features such as widened handrails—which provide a surface for drinks and personal items—and corners where people can lean are the elements that most effectively encourage people to linger. This naturally divides the mall into distinct transit zones and gathering areas.

Yau Tong Centre’s Malls

The explorers observed a strong neighbourhood atmosphere among the mall's users. The demographic includes mothers preparing to pick up their children from school, retired men, dressed-up local residents, and female customers getting haircuts at the salon. The functionally diverse shops serve as daily hubs for residents to stroll and purchase specific goods. The most surprising observation was a woman who, while waiting for her hair dye to set, leisurely wandered between neighbouring shops—chatting, using the washroom, and window shopping—treating the mall entirely like her own living room!

Exploration Theme 2: What People Do in Malls

These task cards guide the explorers to uncover the diverse uses of the space, identifying which unexpected areas accommodate people relaxing or wandering. Through this, we hope to encourage everyone to consider: beyond consumption, what kind of public functions can a mall serve?

Summary of Explorers' Notes

T.O.P.

Our explorers found that the widened handrails, the footbridge leading to other parts of Mong Kok, and the 5th-floor rooftop are the most popular places for people to gather. They observed that many people place their drinks on the railings, pausing to wait for friends, enjoy the view, or chat. The rooftop, meanwhile, is filled with everyday activities—some people take photos, while others use their phones, bask in the sun, or enjoy some personal "me time".

Yau Tong Centre’s Malls

The explorers discovered that the shop owners here treat the corridors as extensions of their own premises. This practice seems to be accepted throughout the mall, forming a mutual, unspoken understanding. What surprised them most was a carpenter using the mall's corridor as a "back alley" for his woodworking! Additionally, a tutorial centre has moved bookshelves and various chairs outside its storefront, creating a "corridor library" in the public passageway. It turns out that beyond consumption, a mall can also function as a vibrant, shared community space that accommodates the daily routines of local residents.

During the task of finding their preferred seating, the explorers tested the various chairs placed along the corridors. They found that although the public passageways featured an array of seating—small sofas, standard chairs with backrests, simple hard chairs, and even padded office chairs—they always felt a slight hesitation when sitting down. They felt uneasy, worried they might accidentally be occupying seating that belonged to the shops. The explorers described the mall as exuding a strong "sense of community boundaries". For first-time visitors or outsiders, walking in feels like accidentally stepping into someone else's private living room.

Exploration Theme 3: Tribal Culture of Malls

This task card invites explorers to immerse themselves in the mall's unique atmosphere and challenges them to find an item within a budget of HK$50 that best represents the mall's soul.

Summary of Explorers' Notes

T.O.P.

According to the explorers' notes, they concluded that T.O.P.'s cultural positioning is "trendy and unique", and this DNA is embedded in various spatial details that convey a strong sense of character. The mall uses dynamic arrows on the floor and neon lighting to create a highly recognisable, passionate, and vibrant aura. Within this atmosphere, the explorers' chosen items strongly resonated with the local culture. For instance, one explorer recommended handmade sweets printed with Hong Kong Gen Z slang. These unique items perfectly align with the new generation's pursuit of being "unique, creative, and trendy".

Yau Tong Centre’s Malls

The explorers observed that this mall houses over ten different types of retail businesses. These range from music schools, tutorial centres, and driving schools, to hair salons, massage parlours, and beauty salons; there are also fishing supplies shops, hardware stores, electronics repair shops, a carpentry workshop, clothing alteration shops, Chinese medicine clinics, pet shops, and even a church! They noted that this diversity of shops meets the daily needs of the surrounding neighbourhood. However, for outsiders, visiting this mall indeed leaves them with no clear reason to linger.

Perhaps because of this, when the explorers took on the next task—using a HK$50 budget to select an item that best represents the place—almost everyone spent the money on everyday local snacks, noting that the prices were very affordable. What brought a smile to everyone's face, however, was an explorer who bought a Mark Six lottery ticket, joking, "It's not about getting rich, just buying a bit of happiness!" As the explorer pointed out, this relaxed approach to life perfectly mirrors the mindset of the small business owners within the mall.

Experiment Summary

The field notes displayed here are preliminary records of this spatial observation. The complete research—which explores the diverse ecosystems of Hong Kong malls through circulation, space ownership, consumption purposes, and spatial inclusivity—is featured in the upcoming zine. Please stay tuned for publication details.

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