【明報專訊】Beneath the cosmopolitan skyline of Hong Kong, there lies some buildings shaped oddly like stepped pyramids, their roofs slanted towards the sky like how a person would look up at the clouds. These ''ugly ducklings'' are remnants from Hong Kong's colonial days. Back in 1969, construction of buildings was regulated by the ''street shadow rule'' to control density and ensure that the buildings and streets nearby could receive sufficient daylight. As buildings reach a certain height, their top levels had to be set back, resulting in buildings with sloping profiles. The rule was later abolished in 1987. Fast forward to 21st century Hong Kong, these buildings that used to reach their maximum heights have become rare smaller buildings in the city, surrounded by towering skyscrapers and residential buildings nestled closely to each other, sometimes with only a thin line of light shining through the seams. ̷̷ Text: Staff Reporter ̷