Conserving the "spirit" of a historic place : a Wah Fu Estate case study

Much of Hong Kong’s built heritage has succumbed to redevelopment due to limited land resources and increasing property demand. Even when these heritage places manage to survive, the inadequate nature of the conservation policies tend to emphasize on the physical fabric and almost neglect the “spirit” embedded in the architecture. This thesis uses the case of Wah Fu Estate, a housing estate soon to be redeveloped, to reinstate the importance of safeguarding the “spirit” of a place by identifying this intangible quality and providing relevant conservation recommendations. This thesis draws on the frameworks of the Quebec Declaration (2008) and Declaration of Foz Do Iguacu (2008) as a theoretical bases to understand the concept of the “spirit” of a place which integrates both tangible and intangible elements of heritage. Through detailed interviews and questionnaires with multiple community stakeholders, the result highlights that tangible architectural features can foster the formation of intangible “spirits”. The pioneering British New Town concept in estate planning and Twin Tower building design that can be seen in Wah Fu Estate creates a platform for residents’ social and recreational activities, stimulating the formation of collective memories, evoking a feeling of neighbourliness and strong sense of belonging towards the place. Willingness to contribute to the community and well-organized traditional events and estate festivals are organic outcomes of these social connections. With an aim to benefit the Wah Fu community, the study suggests four ways to preserve the “spirit” of the redeveloping housing: (1) keeping the small shops, old trees and the Wah Fu (I) Estate Mall for social and conservational needs even when the rest of the estate has to be demolished; (2) recording oral history, stories, collective memories for publications and exhibitions to educate the future generation; (3) using new technology like virtual reality tours to illustrate the spatial configurations of the place; and, (4) establishing a Wah Fu community network to better address stakeholders’ needs and keep the bonding of the community. Conservation should consider not only the built heritage themselves, but also the surrounding environment and landscape, since they are also attributes to the “spirit” of a place. Retaining, restoring and sustaining this “spirit” of a place should not be limited to its historical and architectural significance, but also its communal heritage values.

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