Indigenous Heterotopias: a Framework for Rural-Urban Regeneration in Hong Kong

Abstract

<p>“Heterotopia,” a concept coined by Michel Foucault to describe certain cultural, institutional, and discursive spaces that are somehow “other” disturbing, intense, incompatible, contradictory, or transforming, exist in contrast to Utopias. Examples of heterotopia include gardens, cemeteries, theatres, libraries, theme parks, and villages – they exist in human environments, and their presence has opened up a new perspective of and discourse on otherwise vernacular and mundane spaces. As heterotopias always exist outside of the norms in some way and hence tend to be spatially isolated or alienated, their issues are often ignored and those “heterotopian” places are left to deteriorate or fall apart. This theory-driven design investigation aims to explore a framework with the notion of “heterotopias,” to not only present an effective design approach for regenerating and solving issues in those spaces, but also act as an interior mechanism to prepare for future challenges under the circumstance of being segregated. To better investigate the effects of the framework, a Hong Kong Indigenous village: Ho Sheung Heung as a Heterotopia is selected as the site to be regenerated.</p>