The potential of interpretation as a vital tool for adaptive reuse in Hong Kong

Abstract

Hong Kong, a cosmopolitan city with a rich architectural heritage, has been encountering rapid urbanization and redevelopment in recent decades. As a part of the policy concerning heritage conservation, the Hong Kong government launched the 'Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme' (R-scheme) to promote the conservation and adaptation of historic buildings for new uses through revitalization. Adaptive reuse is becoming an increasingly important approach, where a new use or purpose is given to historic or heritage buildings. Heritage interpretation is an essential tool used to convey the cultural heritage significance and context of a site. A good interpretation plan helps people understand the value and cultural significance of a place. A better understanding may in turn generate support from the community for adaptive reuse projects. This paper explores the potential of interpretation as a tool for adaptive reuse projects, using the case study of Tai Wo Tang, a revitalised cafe that was formerly a traditional Chinese medicine clinic. The revitalized cafe has incorporated interpretation with use of historic objects and plaques, albeit without any formal interpretation plan. This paper carried out an assessment of the interpretative materials of the cafe using the ICOMOS Charter for the Interpretation and Presentation of Cultural Heritage Sites (Ename Charter) as a theoretical framework. Findings of the assessment are further discussed and analysed through interviews and questionnaire surveys. This paper shows the potential of heritage interpretation that is operated under private ownership. From the Tai Wo Tang Cafe project, the investigation of the contribution from the community towards heritage revitalization is observed. One of the key findings is that the inclusiveness of architectural conservation professionals within an adaptive reuse project may not be mandatory, as the contribution of public opinions are able to offer recommendations for conservation and be part of the interpretation processes. The case study gives rise to the possibility that small-scale adaptive reuse projects can be successful outside of standard collaborations between the government and private developers through the R-scheme.