Local Community [Teacher Notes]

Liberal Studies Teaching Kit for Senior Secondary Curriculum Visit : Yau Ma Tei Local Community [Teacher notes] Organizer Sponsor Research Team 1 Contents Preamble Teaching plan i Visit: Yau Ma Tei - Local Community Liberal Studies | 1.1 Itinerary 01 1.2 Brief History of Yau Ma Tei 03 1.2.1 What is Localization? 04 1.2.2 What is Vernacular Architecture? 04 - Local Community Ma Tei Yau Visit: 1.3 Checkpoints 05 1 Tin Hau Temple and Yung Shue Tau 05 2 Temple Street 06 3 Man Wah Sun Chuen, Man Sing Street 07 4 Police Station 10 5 Shanghai Street No. 313-315 11 6 Yau Ma Tei Wholesale Fruit Market 12 7 Yau Ma Tei Theatre 13 Summary, Key words and Further reading 15 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 05 Visit: Yau Ma Tei - Local Community Major teaching areas Liberal Studies: Module 2 Hong Kong Today • Theme 1: Quality of life • Theme 2: Rule of law and socio-political participation • Theme 3: Identity Related teaching areas Liberal Studies | Liberal Studies: Module 6 Energy Technology and Environment • Theme 2: The environment and sustainable development Liberal Studies: Module 3 Modern China - Local Community Ma Tei Yau Visit: • Theme 2: Chinese culture and modern life Interdisciplinary teaching areas Visual Arts • Visual Arts Appreciation and Criticism in context Design and Technology • Strand 1 Design and Innovation • Strand 3 Value and Impact Learning objectives • To understand the characteristics of different typologies of vernacular architecture in Hong Kong in relations to the quality of life • To understand the connection and interplay between architecture, lifestyle, social context and the environment Teaching plan Lesson Contents Lesson 1 • Understand the background of Yau Ma Tei Visit: Yau Ma Tei • Visit popular vernacular places in relation to people’s living and their social patterns • Identify distinguishable architectural features and materials in relation to post-war Hong Kong • Analyse metal stalls at Temple Street and Wholesale Fruit Market • Learn latest urban renewal schemes i 1.1 Itinerary 7 6 5 Liberal Studies | + 2 Visit: Yau Ma Tei - Local Community Ma Tei Yau Visit: 1 4 + 3 Pre-trip Introduction (20 min) • Background 1: Brief History of Yau Ma Tei • Background 2: Building Typology • Background 3: Building Material Field Trip (approximately 2 hours) 15 min 15 min 30 min 20 min 20 min 30 min 15 min Carpark Prosperous Building Garden 1 2 + 3 4 + 5 6 7 Tin Hau Temple + Temple Man Wah Police Shanghai Street Wholesale Yau Ma Tei Yung Shue Tau Street Sun Chuen Station No. 313-315 Fruit Market Theatre 01 Route Liberal Studies — Yau Ma Tei — Localized Community Points of interest 1. Public Square • Social and cultural life in an old district (Tin Hau Temple and Yung • Localization — Urban space for local activities since late 19th century Shue Tau) • Chinese culture and modern life • Identity of Hong Kong residents as local citizens 2. Mido Cafe • Social and cultural life in an old district • Vernacular architectural style • Chinese culture and modern life — Tea house • Living heritage in Hong Kong • Identity of Hong Kong residents as local citizens 3. Temple Street — Temporary Stall • Social and cultural life in an old district • Localization — Shopping street and temporary stalls • Localization — Public Square as an urban space for local activities since late 19th century • Chinese culture and modern life • Local craftsmanship • Home-based secondary industrial sector Liberal Studies | • Identity of Hong Kong residents as local citizens 4. Man Wah Sun Chuen (Taikoktsui) • Quality of life High-rise buildings • History of private housing • Development of housing due to social needs • Statutory regulations on private housing Visit: Yau Ma Tei - Local Community Ma Tei Yau Visit: 5. Prosperous Garden • Quality of life • History of private housing • Improvement of housing due to economic growth • Government’s ‘Urban Improvement Scheme’ • Statutory regulations on public housing 6. Yau Ma Tei Police Station • Security control during the colonial history • Conservation and revitalization of historic buildings (Grade III) • Feng Shui considerations • Solutions to climate 7. Wholesale Fruit Market • Social life in an old district • Localization — Business for local markets • Tertiary industrial sector • Living heritage in Hong Kong • Historic building built in 1913 (Grade II) 8. Yau Ma Tei Theatre Complex • Social and cultural life in an old district • Localization — Chinese Opera • Conservation and revitalization of historic buildings (Grade I and Grade II) • Identity of Hong Kong residents as local citizens • Part of the West Kowloon Cultural District development 9. (Optional) Shanghai Street • Quality of life Tenement Houses • Vernacular Architecture — Tenement houses • Conservation and revitalization of historic buildings (Grade I) • Living in the past and present 02 1.2 Brief History of Yau Ma Tei Before 20th century - Harbour/Fishermen Port Yau Ma Tei’s name translates to ‘Oil-Jute-Land’. As tung oil and jute are two essential materials for fishermen, it shows that this area used to be the place where fishing boats gathered. Shops selling those products flourished around the area at that time. During the Qing dynasty in early 19th century, Lin Tse- hsu built the Kwun Chung Fort against the British and successfully kept Kowloon from British authority until 1860. Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter remained as a popular fishing harbour even after several reclamation projects. p Yau Ma Tei as a fishing village (1880s) Piers were built to serve fisherman as well as for boats to access. Liberal Studies | 1900 Early 20th century - Local Business Local business began to grow along the shore in early 20th century. Trading of fish, fruits and merchandise - Local Community Ma Tei Yau Visit: blossomed and made Yau Ma Tei the heart of business in the neighbourhood. Goods and crafts were produced locally and imported from neighbouring ports. p Shanghai Street (1900s) Mid-late 20th century - Residential With the influx of Chinese migrants, low-rise residential blocks were built in the early part of the century. Along with the population growth and industrialization in 1970s, both public and private sectors sought to provide housing solutions to accommodate local needs. Now - Mix of Commercial and Residential Today Yau Ma Tei remains a popular place of local culture. It retains a number of heritage sites, with some p Shanghai Street (1970s) of them under preservation and revitalization schemes, © Information Services Department for example the Prince Edward Road West and Yuen 2000 Ngai Street Project and the Shanghai Street Argyle Street project. Among the 310,000 people currently living in Yau Tsim Mong district, a rich mixture of ethnic groups can be found. New arrivals from mainland China live alongside minority groups from southern Asia in a relatively dense environment. p Shanghai Street (now) 03 1.2.1 What is Localization? Localization is a development process guided by the customs, culture, social and economic conditions of a particular geographical area. The outcomes from the process reflect the cultural characteristics of the place and answer to regional needs. Reasons for localization in architecture and urban development: 1. Regional traditions and preference 2. Nearness to building materials 3. Local skills and technology 4. Physical and climate conditions 5. Availability of capital 1.2.2 What is Vernacular Architecture? Liberal Studies | Usually, buildings designed by professional architects are not considered vernacular. Some would simply define vernacular architecture as ‘architecture without architects’. In The Encyclopedia of Vernacular Architecture of the World, Paul Oliver Visit: Yau Ma Tei - Local Community Ma Tei Yau Visit: defines vernacular architecture as: ‘...comprising the dwellings and all other buildings of the people. Related to their environmental contexts and available resources they are customarily owner - or community-built, utilizing traditional technologies. All forms of vernacular architecture are built to meet specific needs, accommodating the values, economies and ways of life of the cultures that produce them.’ American architect Frank Lloyd Wright had defined vernacular architecture as ‘folk building growing in response to actual needs, fitted into environment by people who knew no better than to fit them with native feeling’. Teaching Tips More information can be found in Liberal Studies Topic 03: ‘Globalization and Lo- calization of Architecture and Urban Planning ’. 04 1.3 Checkpoints 1 Public Square (“眾坊”) Tin Hau Temple + Yung Shue Tau ( 榕樹頭 ) Built in : Tin Hau Temple, 1840s Use : Public open space, social and cultural Significance Historical : Temple and Square - remnant of fishing traditions • In the early days, Yau Ma Tei was a small Chinese community and most of the daily activities centred around p Public Square Street (眾坊街), this the Tin Hau Temple. Chinese name translation was adopted • The temple and square is deemed the heart of the Yau Ma in the 1970s Tei and the remnant of fishing traditions. • The Tin Hau Temple, previously a Grade II historic building, Liberal Studies | has been listed as a Grade I historic building since May 2010. Social and Cultural : Temple and Square - a hub for trades and activities • The Tin Hau Temple is an important social venue in a Visit: Yau Ma Tei - Local Community Ma Tei Yau Visit: traditional Chinese community. Not only has it provided a place for the nearby boat people to worship, it is also the focus of the community where people from surrounding areas gather and socialize. p Yung Shue Tau (榕樹頭) • The public square in the street’s name refers to Yung Shue Tau (in Cantonese, indicating banyan-covered square), a gathering place in front of the Tin Hau Temple.

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