Abstract
Hong Kong's dense urban environment, constrained housing, and relentless tempo of everyday life create a context in which solitude is both scarce and valued. This article develops the concept of solitary interiority to capture how moments of solitude in public space generate interiority as a relational condition through the interplay of bodies, atmospheres, and cultural norms. Drawing on ethnographic interviews and multisensory experiential reflection, the article demonstrates how solitary interiority arises from the blurring of boundaries between the domestic and the urban, the self and others, and the private and the public. Individuals extend certain home-like qualities into public spaces, mobilising everyday objects and tacit sensory strategies to negotiate personal boundaries while remaining socially proximate in dense urban contexts. At the same time, solitary interiority operates as a subtle form of urban resilience. Rather than emphasising the qualities of the spaces themselves, individuals frame solitude in relation to urban rhythms and situational transitions, including what they have just endured and what awaits them. Solitary moments offer a vital pause amidst work demands, crowded transport, noisy streets, and the anticipated lack of privacy in cramped domestic environments. In this sense, solitary interiority is both a spatial and psychological quality, enabling urban dwellers to negotiate and build resilience amidst the pressures of high-density urban life.
Publication Date
1-30-2026
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Submitted Date
2025-09-29
Accepted Date
2026-01-07
First Page
29
Last Page
60
Recommended Citation
Bi, X., Siu, K., & Yuan, R. (2026). Solitary Interiority in Hong Kong Public Spaces. Interiority, 9 (1), 29-60. https://doi.org/10.7454/in.v9i1.1239
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