Michael Wolf – Architecture of Density Hong Kong

The long-awaited new edition of the photo book classic, from the award-winning series by the renowned German photographer - expanded with 9 new images from Michael Wolf’s archive!

Since its first publication in 2012, the photo book “Architecture of Density” has become an icon in the history of the medium. This series of photos has won many awards, becoming symbolic of the megacity of Hong Kong - the photographer’s adopted home from 2002 to 2019. The new edition also contains 9 additional unpublished images from the archive of this unique photo series. Marc Feustel, whom Michael Wolf called his “ghostwriter,” has contributed an essay for this edition.

Focusing on Hong Kong’s specific visual elements, Michael Wolf has depicted life in the architectural and social densification of one of the world’s most crowded cities, and developed a distinctive photographic style for “Architecture of Density.” He removes any traces of skyline or horizon from the images, achieving a flattening of space until it becomes a relentless abstraction of urban development from which the viewer’s eye can no longer escape from. With these jarring visual effects, Michael Wolf conveys a feeling of the buildings expanding into infinity, reflecting the possible spatial experience of Hong Kong residents.

These photographs have struck a nerve and have become part of our collective memory. With this new edition of “Architecture of Density Hong Kong,” this series is available again in book form, allowing its diverse effects to be experienced by everyone.