Liberal Studies Teaching Kit for Senior Secondary Curriculum Today Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong [Teacher notes]

Organizer Sponsor Research Team Contents Liberal Studies | Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong

Preamble

Teaching plan i

Lesson 1: Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong

1.1 Revitalizing Historic Buildings through Partnership Scheme 03 1.2 Conservation of Privately Owned Buildings 04

Summary, Key words and Further reading 06

Class activity: Role Play 07

Disclaimer Create Hong Kong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. © 2012 Hong Kong Institute of Architects Topic 10 Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong

Major teaching areas Interdisciplinary teaching areas Liberal Studies | Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong Liberal Studies: Module 2 Hong Kong Today Visual Arts: • Theme 1: Quality of life • Visual Arts Appreciation and Criticism in context • Theme 2: Rule of law and socio-political participation Design and Applied Technology: • Theme 3: Identity • Strand 3 Value and Impact

Related teaching areas Liberal Studies: Module 6 Energy Technology and the Environment • Theme 2: The environment and sustainable development

Learning objectives • To evaluate case studies demonstrating how buildings can be preserved successfully • To understand various perspectives and concerns related to conservation through activities

Teaching plan Lesson Contents Lesson 1 • 1.1 Revitalizing Historic Building through Partnership Scheme Revitalizing historic • 1.2 Discussion on cases of revitalization buildings in Hong Kong Class activity: role play • Discuss various concerns about conservation through role play • Summarize views raised by students during the role play as conclusion of the topic This topic is related to Topic 04: ‘Visit: Sam Tung Uk‘, Topic 08: ‘Conservation and Revitalization of Architecture’ and Topic 09: ‘Conservation Policy in Hong Kong ’

i Liberal Studies | Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong

Lesson 1 Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong

01 Lesson 1 Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong

[Media Corner]

RTHK programme 古蹟再生：林鄭月娥談活化歷史 建築計劃 (3:39) http://app3.rthk.org.hk/creative

archive/list.php?type=3&id=217 Liberal Studies | Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong

In recent years, Hong Kong people have been more aware of their historic building heritage. The Hong Kong Government launched the Revitalizing Historic Buildings through Partnership Scheme in order to preserve historic buildings and promote public par- ticipation in conservation. The scheme encourages adaptive reuse of Government-owned buildings by Non-profit-making Organisations. p The former North Magistracy at has been converted into the Hong Kong campus of the Non-profit-making organizations (NPOs) are Savannah College of Art and Design. invited to submit applications for using these buildings to provide services or run businesses in form of social enterprise.

[Discussion]

1 What do you think about adaptive reuse of Government-Owned Historic Buildings by Non-profit making Organizations (NPOs)? 2 Do you think it is better for NPOs to run the business than private enterprises? Why? 3 What are the challenges for NPOs to run business for a large heritage site?

Possible perspectives 1. It is good to preserve and put historic buildings into good and innovative use. Transforming the use of historical buildings into social enterprise is more meaningful to the public. 2. Yes, NPOs will not destroy the heritage for profit making, therefore it will be well preserved. NPOs will incur greater social meaning in the program than private enterprises as usually private enterprises will change the heritage into commercial use such as shops and restaurants. No, private enterprises have more capital in running a business and therefore can provide better maintenance for the heritage. 3. They do not have enough fund for running the business or maintaining the large area of the heritage site.

02 [Discussion]

4 How the government will help and coordinate with the NPOs? Is such help adequate? 5 Do you think is suitable for developing as one of the creative hubs in Hong Kong?

Possible perspectives 4. Subsidy on renewal or redevelopment of the heritage site without upper limit by the government • Waive of rental for three to six years • Subsidy on regular operational costs 5. Yes. Sham Shui Po is an area with rich heritage like and . The area is also occupied by markets and cottage industries which can be developed or repackaged as a heritage and creative district. No. The population of Sham Shui Po is mainly composed of new immigrants and elderly. Basic infra structure like schools and public housing should be placed as a higher priority. Liberal Studies | Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong

1.1 Revitalizing Historic Buildings through Partnership Scheme Please research the revitalization proposals for the following historic buildings and find out how the buildings are adapted to a proposed use. Students may refer to the Commissioner for Heritage’s website (http://www. heritage.gov.hk/en/rhbtp/about.htm) for details.

Revitalizing Historic Buildings through Partnership Scheme Example 1 Historic interest and value:

Original use:

Proposed use:

Benefits:

Lui Seng Chun 2 Historic interest and value:

Original use: To be completed by students Proposed use:

Benefits:

Old Tai O Police Station

03 1.2 Conservation of Privately Owned Buildings Liberal Studies | Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong

The Government has adopted various approaches to the conservation of privately owned buildings, which may be valuable for cultural, historic, or architectural reasons: 1. The Government usually seeks consent from the owner before declaring a building as a monument, although it varies case by case. 2. The Government can acquire property rights, transfer buildable area to other land and/or exchange land with a private owner in order to preserve a building.

[Media Corner]

‘Restoring ’ (22 minutes) http://www.heritage.gov.hk/en/gallery/av_detail. htm?subject=1 Teaching Tips King Yin Lei is a case to demonstrate the conflicts between conservation and development, as well as the limitations of Hong Kong’s conservation policy. Teaching Tips Comparison of King Yin Lei can also be made with buildings in Central, further information can be found under Arts Topic 09: ‘VISIT: Central - Architectural Forms in Different times’. 04 [Discussion] 1 Why is King Yin Lei important to Hong Kong? Why should we preserve this privately-owned building?

Possible perspectives Teaching Tips Please refer to Arts Topic 02 Culture: It is featured in several classic Hong Kong films ‘Chinese Calligraphy, Painting and History: Its owners were important business figures in Hong Kong Architecture’ for further information about , and Architecture: Traditional Chinese elements are combined with modern western construction methods and materials. An important example showing a transition from Chinese to modern design.

Technology: Lost building techniques are rediscovered. Innovative use Science Topic 01 ‘Forces in Buildings of concrete structure and Western techniques in combination with - A Historical Review’ for the Chinese architectural languages. structural value of buildings.

Rarity: Rare example of Chinese style mansion in colonial Hong Kong Liberal Studies | Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong 2 Given the historical value of King Yin Lei, what could be the possible reasons for its partial demolition before the government rescue in 2007?

Possible perspectives Economic interests of its owner. The owner wanted to redevelop the site as residential buildings for profit making.

3 What are the challenges in its restoration?

Possible perspectives Although the main structure of King Yin Lei has not been destroyed, the roof tiles, stone features and decorative features were stripped. Some of the materials and skills were no longer available in Hong Kong, the restoration team had to travel to and Fujian to source suitable materials and craftsmen. At the time of restoration, it was necessary to provide training to local craftsmen to re-master the traditional technique. The restoration team had to carry out numerous tests and experiments to ensure the quality of the rare materials such as terrazzo.

4 What strategy did the Government adopt to prevent the destruction of King Yin Lei?

Possible perspectives The took urgent action to declare King Yin Lei as a proposed monument in 2007 and a monument the next year. The government offered the owner an adjacent site of equal size in exchange for the site of King Yin Lei.

5 How would you conserve the building?

Possible perspectives Possibilities: Teaching Tips • Preservation, maintenance, restoration, adaptation To conserve buildings, references can • Guided tour for public education be made under Arts Topic 10 ‘Design • Open day Project: Public Art’. • Convert into a museum, visitor centre, institutional office, guesthouse etc. (please notice that some approaches are more interventionist) 05 Summary 1. Through the Revitalizing Historic Buildings through Partnership scheme, balance and sustainable development of the conservation of historic buildings and districts is carried out by the Government and non-profit making organizations. 2. Preserving historic buildings is desirable because of their role in Hong Kong’s history, cultural and aesthetic development. 3. Public and private interests must be carefully balanced when the Government decides to preserve a privately owned property.

Key words Conservation Revitalization Declared monument Historic building Liberal Studies | Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong Grading of historic buildings Revitalizing Historic Buildings through Partnership Scheme

Further reading 1. Commissioner for Heritage. Conserve and Revitalise Hong Kong Heritage. 2008. http://www.heritage.gov.hk/en/index.htm. 2. Hong Kong. Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Antiquities and Monuments Office. 2004. http://www.amo.gov.hk/en/main.php. 3. The Burra Charter: The Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places of Cultural Significance. Burwood, Vic.: Australia ICOMOS, 1999. http://australia.icomos.org/wp-content/uploads/BURRA_CHARTER.pdf. 4. Conservation Office. Leisure and Cultural Services Department, 2006. http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Conservation/index.htm. 5. Stubbs, John H., and Gunzburger Makas, Emily. Architectural Conservation in Europe and the Americas: Na- tional Experiences and Practice. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2011. 6. South China Morning Post. “Error Nets HK$1.5b Bonus for Developer.” SCMP.com. , 23 Nov. 2010. http://topics.scmp.com/news/hk-news-watch/article/Error-nets-HK15b-bonus-for-developer. 7. 梁勇 《通古識港—遍遊古蹟 認識香港》，香港：和平圖書有限公司 2011。 8. 香港建築師學會 《香港建築導引》，香港：Pace Publishing Ltd 1998。 9. 胡恩威《香港風格》，香港：CUP Publishing Ltd. 2005。 10. 傅朝卿 譯《布拉憲章》，台中： 台灣文化部文化資產局 2010。 http://www.gnci.org.hk/liberalstudies/the-burra-charter.html 11. 陳伊敏、巧詩、邱汛瑜〈封面故事（十一）：前水警總部，前車可鑑〉，《明報周刊》，第 2261期，2012年3月。 http://www2.mingpaoweekly.com/contents/?id=18140&page=1

Organizer Sponsor Research Team

06 Liberal Studies | Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong

Class Activity Role Play

07 Class Activity: Role Play

Suggested flow Pre-class preparation by students: • Identify a nearby building targeted for redevelopment (to be decided by the whole class) • Conduct simple research on the background of the selected building • Each student should play the role of a stakeholder • Brainstorming

Structure of the role play (for reference only): • Life begins to change for the tenants, residents and business owners in this building Liberal Studies | Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong • Development plan is revealed • Various parties voice out their opinions. Some people oppose to the development while some support it as a means to regenerate the area (multiple-perspective thinking) • Antiquities Advisory Board members would hold a meeting to discuss whether the building should be conserved (grading) • Conservationists and residents consult the architects to propose an alternative development strategy (for example, using one or some of the 5 conservation methods) • Secretary for Development, developers and various parties will negotiate the final solution Class Activity: Role Play

© kelseyz 08 1. Identify the target of redevelopment The class should identify a historic building or any old buildings nearby which faces the threat of demolition for redevelopment and find out the following information:

Name of the building:

Location:

Photograph or sketch of chosen building here Liberal Studies | Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong Year of construction:

Current use: To be completed by students Proposed use:

What else do you notice in the nearby environment?

Is there already a lot of traffic? What are the neighbouring buildings like? What is the relationship between the selected building and the site context? Is there any green space nearby? Do you notice anything special in the area?

To be completed by students

09 2. Pick your own role! Teaching Tips Each student will take up one of the following roles: Teachers are advised to choose some of the roles that are most suitable for discussion. Owners of the property (4-5 persons) Owners of the property are concerned about the market value of their property, and how much they need to pay for the operation and maintenance of his/her building. Tenants (8-10 persons) Tenants worry about if there would be a rise of rental, and if their lives in the building would be disturbed. Developers (3-5 persons) Developers would like to explore the maximum market value of a property. They are interested in commercial exploitation of the property that can generate as much profit as it can. They care about the overall market value of the district as well, in order to plan their potential future investment in the nearby area. Residents of the nearby area (5-7 persons) Residents of the nearby area are concerned about the cost and quality of living in their neighbourhood. They wish to enjoy a variety of merchandise and facilities at low cost, but they also want to preserve their neighbourhood’s sense of place. Conservationists (5-8 persons) The historic, social, cultural and aesthetic values of the property is crucial for conservationists. They hope to maintain Liberal Studies | Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong and restore the property to its initial stage as much as possible to portray its social significance. Secretary for Development (Antiquity Authority) (1 person) The Secretary for Development (Antiquity Authority) is the final decision maker of the declaration of monuments. He/she collects opinions from all stakeholders and balances their economic, social and archaeological interests. Antiquities Advisory Board members (5 persons) Antiquities Advisory Board members are from different fields of relevant expertise. They give advices to the Secretary for Development (Antiquity Authority) and offer feasible ways of conservation. Architects (2 persons) Architects provides practical and innovative proposals for conservation. They execute and manage the conservation project. Citizens (5-8 persons) Citizens are concerned about the source of funding for the conservation. They are interested in visiting the potential monuments and the story behind the property. *Other characters such as policemen, protesters, legislative or district council members, news reporters etc. can be added depending on the plot.

MY PROFILE

Name Age Occupation

My relationship with the building: To be completed by students Primary concern(s):

10 3. Brainstorming... Each student should put himself/herself into the role’s shoes and write down his/her concerns and suggestions:

To be completed by students Liberal Studies | Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong

4. Grade the building

During the play, students representing the Antiquities Advisory Board should decide whether the selected building should be graded. If you were a board member, how would you grade the building?

*1=lowest 5=highest Remarks

Historic interest 1 2 3 4 5

Architectural merit 1 2 3 4 5

Rarity 1 2 3 4 5

Group value 1To be2 completed3 4 by 5students (buildings in context) Authenticity (retaining original 1 2 3 4 5 features) Social value and local 1 2 3 4 5 interest

Grade (1, 2, 3 or nil) 11 5. Picture of the future How can the building be put into ‘good use’? How can it be developed or conserved in a sustainable way? Is it safe and comfortable by modern standards? Please illustrate your vision with explanatory notes wherever applicable. Liberal Studies | Revitalizing Historic Buildings in Hong Kong

To be completed by students

12