To move or not to move : relocation of heritage buildings as an acceptable conservation approach in Hong Kong, with reference to the China principles : legal and social perspectives

Abstract

Some structures are regarded as heritage buildings because of the cultural significance they carry. Even though building age does not directly contribute to the historical value of heritage buildings, in general, heritage buildings that witnessed important historical events do have a long history. Some have been standing for decades; some even for centuries. It can be difficult for a building to stay where it is for such a long period of time, withstanding urban development, natural disasters, and many other factors, that is why relocation of heritage buildings has occurred in the past, and it is not uncommon. Internationally, despite the needs for guidance on relocation of heritage buildings, very little have been discussed in charters published by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). Many of the charters only have a few lines on relocation, without many details in what and how it should be done. It is hoped to find out under what circumstances relocation of heritage buildings can be an acceptable approach to conserve heritage buildings, while maintaining authenticity and integrity, without hurting much on their cultural significance. Also, locally, there are not any guidelines and conservation policies addressing relocation of heritage buildings yet, so this research hopes to supplement what is currently lacking and eventually protect the cultural heritage in Hong Kong, with references to the policies in China, as both places have a close relationship and are of similar cultural background. This dissertation is going to focus on relocation of heritage buildings as a conservation approach and it will be studied from two perspectives - namely legal perspective and social perspective, in the context of China in particular, with potential application to the situation in Hong Kong.