New ideas in old buildings : a review of present revitalizing programme as new urban renewal initiative

Abstract

It has been a long debating topic in Hong Kong for the controversy of heritage conservation and development. For so long, heritage conservation has been sacrificed for economic development in urban renewal and development. However, the society of Hong Kong began to be aware of the importance of heritage in recent years. The heritage conservation topic has became focus of the society, and a task for the government to deal with carefully. As part of the new conservation policy, the Revitalizing Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme has come to the scene as a possible remedy to the complicated matter by focusing on social values, public engagement and heritage conservation.

The goal of this study is to assess if the Scheme is effective and efficient in handling the dilemma between development and heritage conservation. A project of the Scheme, Tai O Heritage Hotel, is being examined. By overseeing the result of this project, we could determine to what extent this new initiative has achieved in conserving heritage and social benefit. With extensive review on the conservation policy and relevant document, together with the interview result with stakeholders of the project, we could assess if the project is competent enough to make a new way for future development strategy in Hong Kong.

The findings in this research reflect that the new initiative has been able to put more attention to the root cause of heritage conservation problem, such as preserving social values, engaging public participation, incorporating the doctrines of heritage conservation into business running. The Tai O Heritage is viable in operation and could stand a model for later projects. However, it is also noted that even the Government has aimed high in the Scheme, the public participation is still limited. The effort of the Government to put up a conservation policy is never to be minimized as it lines out the future practice of urban development. to a right track and put emphasis on social value, more attention should be put on the public engagement and its future course. The Government is suggested to learn from the result of this project in order to work out a more efficient long term strategy to keep the conservation policy sustainable. Social values, public engagement and heritage conservation should be run out on a balanced base with more practical measures such as education, public-private consolidation and heritage trust.