In a densely populated city like Hong Kong, where real estate is in high demand and building space is limited, older buildings are frequently torn down for new construction. Longtime residents and historians have worked to protect and preserve what they can of old Hong Kong, but often find themselves fighting an uphill battle. Model makers Tony Lai and Maggie Chan have been working to preserve the Hong Kong of their childhood by re-creating it in miniature form—building meticulous dioramas, street scenes, and even a fairground. Peter Parks, a photographer with AFP, recently visited the studio of Toma Miniatures, photographing some of their many miniature snapshots of a bygone era.
Preserving Hong Kong, in Miniature
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![A Hong Kong street scene, replicated as a tabletop scale model.]()
Read moreA re-creation of a scene from old Hong Kong, built by model makers Maggie Chan and Tony Lai of Toma Miniatures, pictured at their studio in Hong Kong on June 23, 2021 #
Peter Parks / AFP / Getty -
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![The interior of a Hong Kong shop, replicated in miniature.]()
Read moreThe interior of a Hong Kong shop, replicated in miniature, photographed in the studio of Toma Miniatures on June 23, 2021 #
Peter Parks / AFP / Getty -
![A person leans close to a small diorama of a restaurant.]()
Read moreModel maker Maggie Chan attends to one of her models. #
Peter Parks / AFP / Getty -
![A recreation of a busy Hong Kong restaurant]()
Read moreA re-creation of a busy Hong Kong restaurant, photographed on June 23, 2021 #
Peter Parks / AFP / Getty -
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![A model maker holds up a model of a person and a street food cart.]()
Read moreMaggie Chan of Toma Miniatures holds one of her creations in her studio. #
Peter Parks / AFP / Getty -
![A scale model of a small arcade at the back of a shop]()
Read moreA scale model of a small arcade at the back of a shop #
Peter Parks / AFP / Getty -
![Scale models of food vendors and pedestrians stand in a diorama.]()
Read moreScale models of food vendors and pedestrians stand in a diorama, re-creating a scene from old Hong Kong. #
Peter Parks / AFP / Getty -
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![A scale model of a holiday celebration in a small apartment]()
Read moreA scale model of a holiday celebration in a small apartment #
Peter Parks / AFP / Getty -
![A miniature re-creation of a busy restaurant.]()
Read moreA miniature re-creation of a busy restaurant #
Peter Parks / AFP / Getty -
![A miniature scene of part of a small Hong Kong apartment]()
Read moreA miniature scene of part of a small Hong Kong apartment #
Peter Parks / AFP / Getty -
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![A re-created street scene featuring models of pedestrians and food vendors]()
Read moreA re-created street scene from old Hong Kong #
Peter Parks / AFP / Getty -
![Two model makers pose beside one of their scale models of a building and sidewalk.]()
Read moreModel makers Tony Lai and Maggie Chan of Toma Miniatures pose for a photo at their studio on June 23, 2021. #
Peter Parks / AFP / Getty
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