HKICON Conservation Awards 2022
The Hong Kong Institute of Architectural Conservationists (HKICON) announce the winners of the 2022 HKICON Conservation Awards. A jury panel of conservation experts, including selected HKICON council members, met in February 2023 to review four submissions spanning three categories — restoration, adaptive reuse and interpretation. After in-depth discussion, the jury recognized one winner in the adaptive reuse category for being an exemplar in safeguarding and promoting the cultural heritage of one of Hong Kong’s most vulnerable cultural landscapes.
award winner
winner
Adaptive Reuse category:
Hakka Life Experience Village @ Lai Chi Wo
Architectural Conservationist:
David Au, The Hong Kong Countryside Foundation
Team Members:
Yang Liaoran Lauren, Hanny Ng and Choyee Chan of The Hong Kong Countryside Foundation; Meta4 Design Forum Ltd; Henry Lo of Ptah Heritage Limited; Yong Feng Xing Ya Engineering Co. Ltd.
Adaptive Reuse winner
Hakka Life Experience Village @ Lai Chi Wo
Location: Lai Chi Wo
The adaptive reuse of twelve vacant village houses in Lai Chi Wo gives new impetus to revitalization of Hong Kong’s best preserved Hakka village. The appropriate new use as guesthouses is inserted in the historic fabric with innovative, minimal, and reversible interventions that also functionally upgrade the houses to meet modern-day requirements. The project demonstrates an individual approach to the village house typologies, where conservation techniques are integrated with interpretative story-telling methods to reveal the spirit of place. This initiative reflects – and relates to – the larger vision of a sustainable future for Lai Chi Wo and serves as an excellent example for conservation of rural heritage in Hong Kong.
Photo source: Hakka Life Experience Village @ Lai Chi Wo