Bel-Air is a luxury private housing estate in the southwest of Hong Kong Island launched in February 2003. It is part of the Cyber Port project developed by Pacific Century Premium Developments Limited (PCPD), a company majority-owned by PCCW Limited (PCPD, 2007). In Hong Kong, private housing estate refers to a housing estate developed by a private developer, as opposed to a public housing estate built by the Hong Kong Housing Authority or the Hong Kong Housing Society. Early private housing development in Hong Kong follows urban street pattern. Single blocks of building are packed along streets and managed independently. The quality varies from block to block. On the contrary, private housing estate provides integrated management throughout whole estate incorporating leisure facilities even with a shopping centre or market of its own (Wikipedia, 2011). These features resemble gated community, a sociological term describing self-segregated, prestige residential area enclosed within high walls and electrified fences and protected by electronic surveillance, with remote-controlled gates that are often supervised (guarded), through which only residents have automatic access (Braham and Janes, 2002:25). Bel-Air, surrounded by high walls and trees, apparently fulfilled the characteristics of gated community. It is said that gated communities have largely in response to the effects of material inequalities and social divisions[1] are most intensely represented (Braham and Janes, 2002:25). Gated communities vary in emphasis and the extent to which symbolic exclusivity they represent is reinforced by physical barriers. Some emphasize an exclusive, luxury lifestyle in residential communities that foreground leisure facilities and property values. Some gated enclaves within cities are less prestigious and promote the idea of secure, semi-private neighbourhoods and territory for middle-class people. That’s why I am interested in using Bel-Air as a case to examine gated community further. In the following, different aspects would be elaborated.
Island South Property Management Limited (ISPML), the subsidiary of PCPD, is responsible for the management services of Bel-Air. Every corner of Bel-Air is monitored with CCTV. Each entrance is guarded with security guard or Gurkha. Sentry posts will be rotationally rostered at regular intervals everyday. Luxury residence tends to employ Gurkha that gives a sense of superiority. Their plucky image gives strong deterrence effect. As Gurkha speaks in English can communicate with foreign residents and hinder outsiders with poor English since the stereotype of gangster is usually low educated and do not know English. Residents and staff entered with their registered Octopus Cards. For those without registered Octopus Card such as contract workers, property agents and visitors, they would be asked for their entry purposes. After getting in, they have to register in the Control Room with their ID Cards. For staff, they have to check-in and check-out through the palm-print recognition system in the control room. These highly fortified strategies make outsider difficult to get in. This may be one of the reasons why many celebrities, singers and entertainers live in Bel-Air. Privacy and preclusion of paparazzi are guaranteed.
source: maps.google.com.hk
Apart from these artificial barriers, Bel-Air is geographically isolated. Although Hong Kong’s urban development is hybrid and is not a perfect concentric zone model[2], we can still take it as reference to say Cyberport is a commuter zone that is remote from Central Business District. A certain travelling time and travelling fee are required. Public transportation network is relatively sparse than adjacent community like Wah Fu which is a public estates community with longer development history. For instance, according to the website of Citybus and New World Bus Services, there are 91 routes reaching Wah Fu Estate (2012). For Bel-Air, there are only five bus routes (PCPD, 2010). Residents living in Bel-Air enjoy fresh air, excellent limitless sea view and escaping from crowded busy area. Most of them are affluent enough to afford owning private cars so commuting is not a matter for them. Also, residence is self-sufficient that provides shuttle bus services for residents (PCPD, 2010). Among public transport, taxi is the most preferred choice. Public transportation network is not their main concern.
On top of this, it is stated that, ‘Powers of exclusion operate through the direct and material boundaries of walls and security systems but exclusivity is also maintained at the representational level – by the social meanings signified by gated communities’ (Braham and Janes, 2002:27). As we are now living in postmodern society, consumption of signs is important. Also, high level of economic capital does not automatically guarantee high level of cultural capital[3] (Braham and Janes, 2002:37). Although some people who used to be working class have made an effort to become the new-rich, lack of cultural capital may make them distinguish from the dominant economic class. Therefore, capitalists always mix economic capital and cultural capital together in order to enhance profit. The notion that money can buy lifestyle[4] is widespread in consumer culture. Besides the material products, the related symbolic meanings really matter in the process of consumption. Being one of the dominant capitalists in Hong Kong, property developer use plenty of simulations to construct spectacles in order to make consumers enchanted and enhance property values.
source: http://www.bel-air-hk.com/
Bel-Air is not a newly created name. Bel Air is also the name of an affluent residential community in the hills of the Westside of the city of Los Angeles, California. Together with Beverly Hills and Holmby Hillsit forms the Platinum Triangle of Los Angeles neighborhoods. Bel Air is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities and high-profile corporate executives. Residences in Bel Air tend to be private and hidden, by dense foliage and gates, from the winding roads of the community (Wikipedia, 2011). Naming this local property as Bel-Air is a use of metaphor, transferring the meaning of affluent and privacy from the Bel Air in Los Angeles. In addition, the Chinese name “貝沙灣” literally means a bay with sandy beach and seashell. Apart from connoting a beautiful place, seashell is a signifier of wealth since it was used as money in ancient times. Hence, both English and Chinese name imply wealth.
Video: http://youtu.be/gR2k2OLxGtc
Since the world have been colonised and dominated by the European powers for a long history, Western superiority has been deeply rooted in our mind (Holiday, Hyde and Kullman, 2004:93). Western style connotes nobility and dignity. That’s why this Hong Kong property is constructed as European as possible to embody luxury. The logo of Bel-Air likes a European style noble badge. Additionally, advertisement is one of the new means of consumption[5] that play an important role in enchanting people. When Bel-Air first went on sale in 2003, it was portrayed as resembling the coastal line of Southern France. Using plenty of simulations to create pompous spectacles is a common practice in property advertisement (嚴啓明). In the TV advertisement of Bel-Air, it began with wave crashing onto the beach gently, an inverted image of a European style noble villa emerged slowly in the water. A question appeared, “What are you doing the rest of your life?”. Then it changed a wide shot, we can clearly see a whole outlook of the luxurious house. A female vocal started singing these words softy, “What are you doing the rest of your life? North and South and East and West of your life…” A Western lady wearing ball-gown was running along the lush grove towards us in slow motion. Another shot was a male figure standing at a balcony. The lady continued running, the male figure had come to a window with sea view. Then the shot had turned to a yacht pier with a couple facing the sea standing. When the ball-gown lady came to the house, she stopped running and looked around. A close up shot of a lady wearing a flower in her hair faded in. Then a couple in causal wear laying on the beach and frolicked about. The shot of the lady wearing a flower in her hair was widened and we can see she worn a wedding-gown-liked dress with a man sitting behind her in a room with European decoration. The song continued, “I have only one request of your life… that you spend it on with me.” There was a seashore scene, the tide repeatedly came in and went out in a fast motion. A roadster was driven along a winding road. The driver was a woman with sunglasses and scarf. “All the seasons and the times of you days…” Under a long shot, the luxurious residence seen at the beginning was located in a forest. After that, the scene returned back to the ball-gown lady. She entered the house. The man looking at the sea had already been standing there waiting for her. She hugged the man at the back. They kissed under the sunset. “All the nickels and the dimes of your days…” Finally, it was a wide shot of Bel-Air with the logo and the name of the developer in front. A male vocal in Cantonese saying the names of the residence and the developer, “貝沙灣，盈科大衍正式策劃。”.
The advertisement shows there are panoramaic seaview and magnificent sunset in Bel-Air. The luxurious residence located in a forest signifies Bel-Air is isolated from the outside world. Ball-gown, villa and roadster are all signs of luxury. The characters in the advertisement are Westerners. Besides superiority, they are stereotyped as hedonistic. “The rest of your life” also implies retirement. In Hong Kong, the common age of retirement is around 60 to 65. The characters appeared in the advertisement are still far from sixtyish but they are as laid back as retired. Acquired wealth expertly and retired early at aged thirtyish to fortyish is the ideal life of most Hong Kong people.
This advertisement is mainly for male gaze (月鳥). Owning a property, overlooking the sea and accompanied with your love is a perfect picture of a successful man. In this patriarchal society, male is always the decision maker of a family in choosing habitation. Male audiences are hailed to recognize themselves in the subject-position. The song sung by a female voice likes a spell or a whisper of your love asking about your future, requesting you to spend all the time and money with her. The repeated morning and evening tide implies time passing day by day. Nickels and dimes are coins of the US or Canada. They refer to money in the lyric. Since the male character was always blurred in most scenes, that male audience would imagine themselves as the male character owning everything shown in the advertisement if they consumed this residence. From another point of view, female audience are interpellated as the female character that their “Mr. Right” is waiting for you in the residence because desire to be loved as a princess, wearing wedding gown to get married and chasing bliss is the romantic dream of most females. In this materialistic society, having a residence is a tangible way to weigh your bliss. Although females may not be the one who make decision, they can play an important role in affecting their men’s decision.
However, the advertisement beautified as a fairy story detaches from the real life of most audience. It gives a feeling that upper class life is too high to reach. At the same time, it allures audience’s desire to be envy and jealous. It has reinforced the Hong Kong dominant ideology that everyone should have their own property in their life. They may work hard to climb up the social ladder and strive for the mouthwatering dream home but only minority of people in the society can succeed. Material inequalities and social divisions are reinforced. Most unsuccessful people may suffer from frustration. This may lead to many social problems like American sociologist Robert Merton’s strain theory[6] say.
Besides, the advertisement has already revealed some unprecedented clubhouse services. For example, wedding could be held at Clubhouse function room of Club Peak Wing, a fleet of luxury and sports cars is at your disposal through Dream Car Club, Yacht Club offers cruise trips at any time you desire… etc. It is the extension of the fantasy advertisement. Nowadays, having clubhouse is common for luxury residence to construct its superiority in Hong Kong. It is one of the purchasers’ main concerns and can enhance property price. In general, it includes facilities such as playground, swimming pool, gymnasium, etc. The basic concept is to play sports and do recreational activities without leaving home. Club Bel-Air is more than that.
source: http://www.bel-air-hk.com/File/magazinePdf/Issue7/BelAir_7.pdf
source: http://www.bel-air.com.hk/cyberport/jsp/peak_wing.html
Bel-Air is composed of 3 clubhouses and 6 phrases (PCPD, 2010). Club Bay Wing is at Phrase 1, Club Peak Wing is at Phrase 4 and Club 8 is at Phrase 6.The palace-like-clubhouses are full of simulations such as crystal chandelier, spiral staircase, paintings, sculptures, fountains, European style pillars, domes and arches.
Step into the 60,000 sq.ft Club Bel-Air Peak Wing, created by the renowned interior designer, Hirsch Bedner Associates, and you will discover a world of unimaginable opulence and artistry. Art pieces of over US$10 million, acquired from world-famous auction houses such as Christie’s and Sotheby’s, international galleries and private collectors help to create the palatial ambience of Club Bel-Air, which houses a full range of facilities including an opulent dining room for up to 150 guests, a state-of-the-art gym, Egyptian-themed indoor swimming pools…
(Source: http://www.bel-air.com.hk/cyberport/jsp/peak_wing.html)
In addition, art-pieces and antiques can be easily seen in every corner of the clubhouses. Most of them are abstract art. Only people with high cultural capital can understand its aesthetics. Besides, Bel-air lifestyle club tour is offered by Fine Arts Club guiding residents to view the art collections. Being rich may not guarantee good taste but the interwoven of wealth and taste are constructed by the property developer. Superior lifestyle and the concept of “in-house” recreation influence residences to be more self-segregated.
Furthermore, the characteristics of gated community are reinforced through the clubhouse system.
Club Bel-Air is created on a holistic approach such that residents can enjoy an encompassing range of facilities under one roof free of charge through the use of a tailor-made Lifestyle Bonus Scheme. Relax within the romantic tranquility of Club Bel-Air and get away from the city humdrum.Under Bel-Air’s Lifestyle Bonus scheme, once you have completed your purchase of a Bel-Air unit as a first-hand buyer, you will receive bonus points which will enable you and your family to enjoy a host of exclusive services offered by Club Bel-Air free of charge.(Source: http://www.bel-air.com.hk/cyberport/jsp/club.html)
Besides members only, they have established their own monetary system, named Lifestyle Bonus Point (BP). HK$1 is equal to 10 BPs. Any expenditure in the club house will charge bonus point instead of money. Residents have to fill in application form with supporting documents e.g. the formal agreement of sale and purchase or the tenancy agreement. For each apartment, number of members depends on the size of the apartment. First-hand purchasers would receive free Lifestyle Bonus Points from the developer once they have completed the purchase of a Bel-Air unit. Bonus points could be transferred to second-hand purchaser or tenant by submitting a nomination form with supporting documents. When they consume, the bonus points accumulated in their accounts will be deducted. Cheques should be paid for bonus point refill. The aim of this system enables members to simply using club house facilities without bringing any money. However, the preceding procedures are complicated and non members are resisted. In addition, Club Bel-Air embodies hierarchy. As their general rules and regulations no.9 states, “The purpose of Guidance Card is solely for the convenience of access to the Club premises when accompanying senior and junior residents. The Guidance Card holders are not permitted to use any of the Club facilities. (PCPD, 2010)”. Domestic helpers, drivers and body guards can only enter club house to take care children but they are not allowed to use any facilities. Although some residents treat domestic helpers as one of their family member and gives them membership, other residents may complain that it is degraded by allowing them to use the clubhouse facilities.
Additionally, clubhouse functions as a community centre. Besides being a recreational venue, a wide range of interest class would be held. Special events would be held in big festivals such as Mid-Autumn, Halloween and Christmas. The community has published its own quarterly, Bel Air Residents’ Magazine, sharing lifestyle and latest news of Bel-Air and Cyberport bilingually. Moreover, apartment with new born baby would be given a present. The only difference is that community centre is open to the public while clubhouse is limited to private members only. For members, clubhouse is part of their home. It encourages members to stay at ‘home’ to eat, to exercise to entertain and to do everything at one site instead of going out. Residents are treated with kid gloves. While their sense of belonging is strengthened, they become more segregated from the outside world.
Bel-Air Residents' Magazine source: http://www.bel-air-hk.com/File/magazinePdf/Issue7/BelAir_7.pdf
Bel-Air is the home of many people but also a workplace of the staff. To ensure standardized professional service, they have to wear uniform and have a set of working instruction to follow. Like other emotional labour in customer service industry, they have to display publicly an emotion that they may not necessarily feel privately’ (Wharton, cited in Bennett and Watson, 2002: 210). Emotions have become commodities with a commercial value (Abercrombie, Hill and Turner, 2006: 128). Just like actors playing roles on stage, customers are their ‘audience’. They have to follows ‘script’ to pretend friendly and behave helpfully to customers who may be unfamiliar to them. The interactions between staff and customer are simulated. Actually, grumbling at troublesome customers with foul language is common at the ‘backstage’. There are great discrepancies between on ‘stage’ and ‘backstage’. Besides staff behaviour, the environments are as different as chalk and cheese. While the area for customers is spacious and grand, the area for staff is dense, shabby and unpresentable. The working environment is poor. As they are on shift and have to rotate position, most of them do not have stable seats. They have to share seats and computers of the office. The computers are old models that are easily hung. They work and have meal in the cramped office. Staff of different shift have different meal time. At the meal time, one of the staff is responsible to push a trolley with different dishes from kitchen to the office. Each staff of the same shift would take an empty saucer from the trolley and fill with rice and ladle out the main courses. The dishes would be left in the office until every staff of the shift has finished their meals. Then staff of the next shift push a refilled trolley to the office like the previous shift. As staff of different shift eat at different time, the stale smell of the meals trapped in the office all day. Working under this condition is awful. Although they were allowed to eat out, not many staff will do so because they dislike going out in uniform. Uniform is an implicit constrain that hinder persons’ behavior. Also, the nearby restaurants are at Cyberport and Wah Fu Estate that are required walking for at least 15 minutes. However, they have already got used to it and are unwilling to change even if moving to a bigger room. One of them thinks the present office of Club Bay Wing is convenient that located next to the main counter. They can seek help and look for files immediately. Another worries that they would have to work extra overnight for the moving. To avoid obstructing daily operation and disturbing customers, doing collation and construction at non-opening hour is the usual practice of service industry. Working overnight does not have extra paid in Bel-Air. Being such a big enterprise of Hong Kong, PCCW Limited connives at labour exploitation within its subsidiary will cause great negative influence to the society. It may lead to further social divisions.
What is more, the SAR Government awarded the development rights of Telegraph Bay to PCCW Limited without open tender (Skyline Technologies, 2005). So-called being part of the Cyberport Project, the area of Bel-Air is bigger than the area of Cyberport office buildings. A titular Hong Kong Silicon Valley has turned out to be a real estate project. This was condemned as business-government collusion. Besides the community is gated, the land market is also gated.
In conclusion, Bel-Air is the kind of Gated Communities that emphasize exclusive, luxury lifestyle is residential communities that foreground leisure facilities and property values. Social divisions and inequalities are constructed and reinforced in physical and representational way. It includes residents on the significant wealth and social status and actively exclude others except service workers. On the other hand, you may say that Gated Communities provide safe and comfortable residential environments for people with security for their property, thus delivering what might be seen as a fundamental right of citizenship. Their efforts are rewarded. Those enjoying these benefits are more likely to fulfill their role as responsible citizens and positive contributors to society (Braham and Janes, 2002:26). In my opinion, gated Communities are just like a model of upper social class revealing the mind-set of typical people. When people are outsider, they try hard to gain entry. Once they have got in as insider, they are unwilling to let others to get in. Perhaps, further discussion would be brought.
[1] Social divisions refer to substantial, entrenched and patterned differences between people that run through a society and which influence their life-chances which are their present and future prospects (Braham and Janes 2002:xiii).
[2] Concentric zone model was created by Ernest Burgess explaining urban development. Cities are developed in the pattern of concentric circle that divided into 5 zones. From inner to outer: zone 1, central business district; zone 2, zone of transition which is generally the oldest , deteriorating section, least desirable residential section; zone 3, zone of working-class residences; zone 4, zone of middle-class residences; zone 5,commuter zone.
[3] Pierre Bourdieu suggests a model of social class that is based on related aspects of different metaphorical ‘capitals’. They are economic capital (the ownership of economic assests such as property, shares and investments), social capital (power secured through family members or other networks), cultural capital (educational qualifications, and distinction in the world of art and science) and symbolic capital (reputation and honour) (Abercrombie, Hill and Turner, 2006:91).
[4] Lifestyle refers to distinctive style of specific status groups, within contemporary consumer culture it connotes individuality, self-expression and a stylistic self-consciousness. Indicators of individuality of taste and sense of style can be one’s body, clothes, speech, leisure pastimes, eating and drinking preferences, home, car, choice of holidays, etc (Braham and Janes, 2002:36).
[5] New means of consumption refers to means that leading consumer to consume so manufacturers and sellers become the most advantageous and most profitable. For example, credit card induces people to spend more than they have and advertisement entice people to buy things they may not need.
[6] Strain theory is developed by American sociologist Robert Merton. He defined the term ‘anomie’ which used to be defined as normlessness by Emile Durkheim as discrepancy between cultural goals and socially available means. Cultural goals refer to something worth striving for and commonly shared in a society e.g. economic success in Hong Kong. Also, institutionalized means are specified for pursuing the culture goals e.g. study hard in school, work hard in career, etc. However, only a small number of people are able to success. Most people strongly expect to achieve the goals but only little rewards are received. Therefore, discrepancy between expectations and reality occurs. Strain and frustration are produced due to the feelings of being left out or being left behind. In general, individuals of the society respond to anomie in five ways: conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism and rebellion. Using legitimate means to achieve goals is conformity. It is stated that, ‘Conformists account for little crime because they are doing what the social order encourages (Maguire 1999: 245). However, not everyone is conformed. The following responds are deviant. Innovation refers to those accepting the goals but rejecting the means. They trend to achieve the goals by new but unapproved means such as robbery, fraud, gambling, prostitution, drug dealing, etc. Since most of the new means are illegal, this innovative respond often results in crime. Ritualism refers to people value means above the goals. They believe that they are unable to achieve the goals but still keep allegiance to the means. For instance, people think they are unable to be rich but still work hard. Since following the means, ritualists will seldom get in trouble with the law but they are regarded as deviant due to their negative attitude. Rejecting both goals and means is defined as retreatism that people retreat from the dominant culture. Maguire (1999: 245) suggests that vagrants, vagabonds, tramps, chronic drunkards and drug addicts are included in this category. Similar to retreatism, rebellion also rejects both goals and means but seeks to establish alternative goals and means e.g. terrorist attack and revolution.
P.S. 寫呢篇野嘅時候忽發奇想，將「Gated Community」稱為「獨家村」都係一個唔錯嘅翻譯。
References:
Abercrombie, Nicholas, Hill, Stephen and Turner, Bryan S. 2006 The Penguin Dictionary of Sociology, 5th ed. England: Penguin.
Bennett, T. and Watson, D. (eds.). 2002 Understanding Everyday Life, Oxford: OUUK.
Braham, P. and Janes, L. (eds.). 2002 Social Differences and Divisions, Oxford: OUUK.
Citybus Limited and New World Bus Services Limited, 2012 http://www.nwstbus.com.hk/routesearch.aspx?t=1332428797046&intLangID=2
browsed on March 2012.
Holliday, A., Hyde, M. and Kullman, J. (2004) Intercultural Communication: An Advanced Resource Book. London: Routledge.
Maguire, B., and P.F. Radosh. 1999. Introduction to Criminology. Belmont, CA: West/Wadsworth.
Pacific Century Premium Developments Limited, 2007. “Corporate Profile” http://www.pcpd.com/html/eng/about/corprofile.html browsed on November 2011.
Pacific Century Premium Developments Limited, “Bel-Air ‘Lifestyle Bonus Scheme’ ” http://www.bel-air.com.hk/cyberport/jsp/bonus2.html browsed on February 2012.
Pacific Century Premium Developments Limited, 2010. “Rules and Regulation” http://www.bel-air-hk.com/template?series=53 browsed on February 2012.
Pacific Century Premium Developments Limited, 2010. “Transportation” http://www.bel-air-hk.com/template?series=47 browsed on February 2012.
Skyline Technologies, 2005. “Call for Land Sales Transparency” http://www.skyline-technologies.com/news/0205/160205.htm browsed on February 2012.
Wikipedia, 2011. “Bel Air, Los Angeles” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bel_Air,_Los_Angeles browsed on February 2012.
Wikipedia, 2011. “Private Housing Estates in Hong Kong” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_housing_estate browsed on February 2012.
月鳥。《貝沙灣的影像迷宮》。http://www.poppop.net/m01/m0151_1107.htm
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