Discovering signs: a study of cantilever neonsignage as a post-war urban vernacular heritage of Hong Kong

Abstract

The emergence of Cantilever Neon Signage has accompanied with the

grown-up of Hong Kong urban development after World War II. This

enormous steel frame covered with bent neon lights has been erected

onto the external wall over the streets of Hong Kong city in the past few

decades. Its image has been firmly imprinted on every citizen’s memory

by its multi-colored and eye-catching gesture. The signal itself embodies

part of the social and urban development history of Hong Kong. However,

its role in this city has been fading out following with the city’s renewal

and advancement in information technology. It is afraid that the

Cantilever Neon Signage will end up with a calamitous fate one day as

all of them will be eradicated from our city. Throughout this dissertation,

we tried to unveil some hidden stories behind this mysterious mask by

unravelling the development history and exploring this fading industry in

person throughout face-face site visits. The results were astonishing as

less people would commit to this handicraft driven industry and it

coupled with austere statutory controls which have inevitably halted

further potential successors to enter into the industry.