Private Sector Heritage Conservation in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is a city rich in heritage and culture with a complex history, which has resulted in a diverse range of traditional architecture spread out within the city. These heritage sites mix into the urban fabric of the city along with the more recent skyscrapers to create the city we know today. However, as Hong Kong further develops as one of Asia's leading world cities, many of these monuments and historic buildings are at risk of being demolished to make room for new upcoming commercial and residential developments.
While there may not be as much of a monetary benefit to retaining these heritage sites in comparison to building large shopping malls and luxury real estate, these heritage buildings enhance a valuable essence of the city that should be preserved and appreciated rather than forgotten and neglected, which would result in the loss of Hong Kong’s roots and identity as a city. These heritage sites not only become a symbol of nostalgia but also a metaphor for the old intertwining with the new as more contemporary developments continue to be built up around Hong Kong.
From a more human scale, retaining heritage sites allows people to form a deeper connection with their surrounding context and understand the cultural elements that influenced their upbringing, experiences and identity. Conserving heritage also creates a ‘sense of place’ for multiple people and enhances a feeling of national pride which citizens can bond over. On a more urban scale, preservation of heritage allows a city to grow to a higher status as it contributes to the history and diversity of the area and gives it a unique characteristic that makes it distinguishable from other world cities. These distinguishing features are also what helps boost tourism and overall value of the city since these elements are difficult to be replicated by others. These unique characteristics are what keeps both local and international visitors coming back to the same place.
Because of these benefits, the Hong Kong Government launched a heritage conservation initiative in 2007 to maintain and revive historical monuments within the city. However, there is criticism regarding their approach in revitalising and utilising these spaces as the renovated developments end up being isolated from their surroundings devoid of any reference to the original aspects of the building. As a result, there has been a recent push for more private sector engagement in the conservation and revitalisation movement for a more sensitive approach to conservation. Despite this, unfortunately many private firms are reluctant to undertake these projects due to monetary issues such as a lower profit margin, high opportunity cost and lack of financial incentives such as funding assistance. Heritage projects also tend to be more restrictive in terms of design freedom and require much more investment and care.
Nevertheless, there are many potential benefits to private sector contribution in heritage conservation as well that can offset the initial financial burden. The key to this lies in facilitating a new set of building regulations specifically for heritage projects that accommodate longer leases and more flexible approaches to conservation and adaptive reuse. This would result in more commercial stability and profit, even when initiated by nonprofit organisations. By encouraging public interest in conservation and preservation, public funding can also be a way to offset any opportunity costs as citizens become more invested in preserving their culture and heritage within the city and contributing to new conservation initiatives.
Recent heritage conservation initiatives by private organisations include the ‘Hong Kong State Theatre’ and ‘The Mills’ which have both received positive response regarding the amount of detail and care put into retaining the legacy and integrity of the original buildings. Undertaking conservation projects such as these are not only a notable achievement and challenge for private firms, but also a step in the right direction in contributing to the future of Hong Kong by retaining the city’s original colour while also continuing to develop for the needs for the city without adding to the already dense urban atmosphere.
Read more about the “Hong Kong State Theatre” and “The Mills” here. (links to the other 2 articles)
