Saving the lost : assessing lidar and photo-based methods in digital recording of abandoned heritage in Hong Kong, using Sha Lo Tung Cheung UK as an example

Abstract

Cheung Uk in Tai Po Sha Lo Tung, a Hakka village in Hong Kong with a history spanning over 300 years and designated as a Grade 2 historic building site, has been abandoned for decades, leading to a significant loss of its integrity. This thesis studies the challenges in conserving abandoned heritage sites in Hong Kong and evaluates the efficacy of LiDAR and photo-based recording methods in recording the tangible heritage that remains on the site. Through literature reviews, interviews and on-site investigations, the study identified major challenges including conflicting priorities between nature and cultural conservation, poor site conditions, and the high cost associated with conserving abandoned Hakka villages. Considering these challenges, this thesis examined digital recording as a viable strategy for virtually preserving the site’s significance. The advantage of digital recording lies in its efficiency as an approach to preserving and appreciating the historical and architectural value by recording its remaining tangible heritage. This has been restated after evaluating the various recording methods guided by ICOMOS’s “Principles for the recording of monuments, groups of buildings and sites (1996)”. The findings suggest that, despite potential future improvements in algorithms and devices for 3D reconstruction, the effectiveness of achieving optimal 3D reconstruction outcomes may be compromised by the limited availability of photographs from when the site was still intact. This highlights the importance and urgency of proactive early-stage documentation shortly after the village’s abandonment. The exploration of digital recording methods, particularly LiDAR and photo-based techniques, demonstrates their value not only as efficient tools for capturing the tangible aspects of heritage sites but also as potential components of a broader conservation strategy. By highlighting the case of Tai Po Sha Lo Tung Cheung Uk, this research contributes to the discourse on heritage conservation, offering insights that could guide future efforts to record and preserve other at-risk abandoned sites in Hong Kong.