Measuring local residents’ preferences for revitalization projects in Hong Kong : a choice modelling experiment

Abstract

Adaptive reuse of historical buildings rather than just restoration and conservation has become an attitude toward the preservation of historical buildings in many countries and regions in recent years. The Hong Kong government has also followed this trend to promote the adaptive reuse of Hong Kong's historic buildings, and some enterprises and civil society organizations have also actively participated in it. About twenty historic buildings have been brought back to life through adaptive reuse over the past decade. As far as project expectations are concerned, the revitalized historical buildings should demonstrate cultural, social, and economic benefits and can achieve sustainable development. But this is not the case; some projects are relatively deserted, and some are caught in the whirlpool of controversy. In general, historic revitalization projects that meet audience expectations will demonstrate their value better. Hong Kong is a world-renowned tourist destination. Naturally, some historical building revitalization projects here have also attracted many tourists, showing excellent tourism value. However, it cannot be ignored that these historic buildings also carry the collective memory and sense of belonging of the majority of local residents in Hong Kong and are indispensable in the daily lives and travel behaviors of residents. The evaluation of these revitalization projects by local residents is also particularly critical. This dissertation is dedicated to examining historic building revitalization projects from the perspective of Hong Kong residents. Firstly, Hong Kong residents' preferences for five existing representative historic building revitalization projects, such as Tai Kwun, the Mills, and Western Market, will be collected, which will reveal their evaluation of the current status quo. In addition, the degree of preference of Hong Kong residents for several attributes closely related to the revitalization of historic buildings is also the main focus of the study. Based on the analysis of the research data, some proposals for the revitalization of historical buildings in Hong Kong in the future will be put forward, which will help make future projects more in line with the needs of local Hong Kong residents so as to maximize the benefits.