A Reflective Evaluation of Current Built-Heritage Management in Hong Kong

Abstract

The development of policy and practice concerning architectural heritage conservation has been a growing subject in Hong Kong, leading to both top-down policies and bottom-up reactions in the community. In times of conflict, there is an opportunity for both the government and the public to reflect and rediscover their engagement in heritage conservation. This paper evaluates the current policies of Hong Kong’s heritage conservation and the dynamic interactions among stakeholders in the decision-making processes of heritage management. Moreover, it investigates through focus groups, in-depth interviews, and case studies, the impact of the existing architectural and heritage policies, and how the latter correlates with the public’s expectation of heritage conservation and management. The paper finally proposes a more collaborative and inclusive approach where the public’s voice is included in decision-making from the early stages of the process.