Enter the neon sci-fi set! The oppressive aesthetics of Hong Kong's Monster Building makes people both afraid and love it
#7月好去地方2025
Address:
No. 1046 King's Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong (about 5 minutes walk from Exit A of Quarry Bay MTR Station)
Atmosphere/Facilities:
The Monster Building is actually the "Yichang Building", which consists of five buildings and is a typical "H-type public housing" building. The buildings are densely packed and compact, and the central patio area is narrow, but it has become a secret base for many photography enthusiasts and filmmakers. Although the building is old, there are convenience stores, grocery stores, snack bars and other living functions downstairs. When entering the patio atrium, you must respect the tranquility of the residents and do not make noise.
Cost per person: Free admission / Drinks or snacks can be purchased as needed (approximately HK$20-50)
Features:
• Known as the "Hong Kong version of Manhattan" and "Asian sci-fi film site", it has a strong visual impact
• Many movies, MVs and photography works have been filmed, such as "Transformers 4" and "Ghost in the Shell"
• The atrium can be used to shoot the "sky in the cracks", a classic perspective that is beautiful and shocking
• Traces of early public housing life are still preserved, with historical and cultural significance
Rating:
★★★★☆ (4/5) - A fantasy experience of urban density and aesthetics
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🏙️ Experience sharing|When I walked into the Monster Building, it was like breaking into an oppressive but fascinating future fantasy
The first time I saw a photo of the Monster Building on the Internet, I thought it was a scene from a sci-fi game: hundreds of windows were stacked tightly, and sunlight could only fall through the cracks, full of cyberpunk gloom and futuristic feeling. When I actually stood under the "Yichang Building" in Quarry Bay, Hong Kong, the visual impact was much stronger than I imagined.
Not far from the Quarry Bay MTR station is this legendary "Monster Building". Standing in the entrance alley, I seemed to walk into a time tunnel. On one side were convenience stores and old-style ice houses, and on the other side were narrow alleys leading directly to the patio. The moment I walked into the atrium, I couldn't help holding my breath - the floors were like stacked blocks, weighing heavily on my head, with only a small piece of sky in the center, like the open mouth of a giant beast, waiting to swallow all the light.
It's really good to take pictures here. Whether it's shooting the geometric composition of the floors from above, or peeking at the city section from the stairwell, the Monster Building is like a symbol of Hong Kong: the wisdom and order of survival in a small space. Many people take classic angles here, and I do the same, trying to capture the feeling of being "swallowed by the city".
However, in addition to taking pictures, this place makes me think about what "life" looks like. Although it is regarded as a popular online attraction, for residents, this is a real home. I saw my mother-in-law drying clothes downstairs, children playing skateboards, and neighbors drinking tea and chatting by the iron gate - this is not just a photography background, but also the accumulation of decades of fireworks. This makes me pay special attention to my behavior, not talking, not making noise, not staying too long, and respecting life itself.
Some people say that the Monster Building is a "nightmare for people with trypophobia", but I think it is more like a representative of the density aesthetics of oriental cities. Hong Kong does not have much land, but it has created an extreme example of extreme space utilization. Here, space is compressed, but people's vitality has never been suppressed.
In just one hour of stay, I took a lot of photos, and quietly put away my phone, using my eyes to record the unique scenery of this city. This is not a relaxing tourist attraction, nor will there be a "wow~" dream filter, but it allows you to deeply experience what it means to coexist with reality and oppression in the city, and live out order and beauty in your own way.
When I left, I looked back at the "Monster's Eye" - the small patio is the breathing hole left by the city for itself, and it also reminds us: the city is not only bright and glamorous, but also has the resilience and soul of life in the shadows and crowds. This stop is not just a check-in, but also a small journey that shocked my heart.
#海山楼 #怪怪楼 #北角怪怪楼 #香港 #Quarry Bay #Quarry Bay 探店 #香港景点