The production of URT public space : people, occupation, and practice in the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway

Abstract

Urban railway transit (URT) space is becoming a primary urban space. It permeates people's everyday lives. How URT space works and how URT space is produced are important questions for designers and planners. Th is study adopts a qualitative research method, using the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway (MTR) as a case study. On the basis of our one year-long observations of the MTR space, we define the space, classify the people who use this space, and describe their practices within the space. The research findings show that the MTR space is produced by people's everyday lives through the interactions between people and people, people and facilities, and people and environment. The current MTR public space is also constructed by both reality and virtual space. Through the analysis of the production of the MTR space, we provide an understanding of URT (urban railway transit) life that will be important to both researchers and practitioners involved in designing URT space.