Heritage Outing: Conservation and Revitalization of Architecture and Landscape for Kuk Po Villages 谷埔村落with Professor Wang Weijen

The Executive Committee is pleased to organise a heritage outing and dinner at Kuk Po with Professor Wang Weijen, Director of Center for Chinese Architecture and Urbanism at University of Hong Kong.  Situated amidst the rural landscapes of Hong Kong’s Sha Tau Kok, Kuk Po preserves large area of mangrove wetlands and traditional Hakka settlements, juxtaposed against the backdrop of Shenzhen’s urban skyline across the sea. Supported by the Countryside Conservation Office, the design team from the University of Hong Kong has embarked on an initiative encompassing design research, conservation, and revitalization efforts in Kuk Po.

The design explores alternative urban and rural spaces in Hong Kong, promotes sustainable urban and rural environments, and raises public awareness of traditional architecture and community culture, as well as conservation of the ecological and landscape environments. The project covers: 

Kuk Po Common – Adaptive Reuse of a School Building for Community Spaces.
Kai Choi Plaza – Place Making with Collective Memories.
Art Kuk Po – Space Catalyst and Culture Participation with Creative Intervention using Kai Choi School, Kuk Po Common, and the plaza as venues.
Eco-Toilet – Green Infrastructure with Organic Recycling.
Ruin Garden – Heritage Conservation of the Sung family mansion built during the Qing dynasty with Innovative Method.

Resource Person

Professor Wang Weijen is the Director of Wang Weijen Architecture, Andrew KF Lee Professor of Architecture Design and Director of Center for Chinese Architecture and Urbanism at University of Hong Kong.  Integrating architecture with landscape and urban-rural conditions, his design projects, covering schools, campuses, and community buildings, received design awards including HKIA 2022 Project of the Year, AIA Awards, HKIUD Awards and others.  With research focuses on typology of Chinese Architecture and Cities, his writings and designs have been published in numerous international and regional architectural journals.  He is also the Editorial Director of HKIA Journal, Curator for Hong Kong on 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale, Curator of 2007 Hong Kong Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism.

Photo Credit: Kuk Po Vision