Designing a heritage trail of Wan Chai : the interpretation and presentation of an urban heritage place

Abstract

The idea of heritage interpretation has been formalized for around 60 years and there are numbers of internationally recognized charters and handbooks regarding interpretation. However, the degree of implementing these charters and handbooks in Hong Kong’s interpretation of heritage places is still low, which leads to the result of the problematic presentation of heritage in Hong Kong. Interpretation is the bridge connecting the people with heritage place, lacking proper interpretation and presentation of history is now an obstacle for the public to understand and appreciate the heritage places. To unravel the issue, this research would demonstrate the application of the internationally recognised charter and principles in Heritage Interpretation in an urban heritage context, through the design of a heritage trail in one of Hong Kong’s oldest and most urbanised areas – Wan Chai. Thus, through the design of a heritage trail of Wan Chai, this research hopes to create a set of methodological procedures that can be applied to the design of heritage trails in Hong Kong.