From cattle to people: a technical feasibility study in adapting reuse of the cattle depot as a youthhostel

Abstract

This research serves as a reference not only for persons or organizations intending to propose adaptive re-use of or A&A works to a historical building of Cattle Depot but also for architects, engineers, surveyors, heritage conservationists and designers who are engaged for this type of project as a Youth Hostel.

The hypothesis of this dissertation is that there is a high demand for urban youth hostels in Hong Kong and such youth hostels are in critical short supply. This leads to the scope of my dissertation, which is to explore the technical feasibility to adapt a heritage building as an urban youth hostel.

After conducting comprehensive desk study and site inspection to the Cattle Depot, the methodology of the study will be based on the various statutory submission stages of adapting a building for a new use. To be more precise, this study will examine the procedures of adaptive reuse in terms of (1) what to do and (2) how and where to get it done in the following three main stages in Planning, Building and Licensing.

Last but not least, there would be a way forward of historical building sustainability, to change the more appropriate adaptive reuse as a Cattle Depot Youth Hostel would be more possible as a solution to meet the needs of community and benefit to that district development. More importantly, a number of tangible heritages of the Cattle Depot could make use of these available resources to tell of its story history to the community.