1. 《LIFE+》Magazine
  2. 《LIFE+》Magazine Issue List
  3. Spring 2023 Issue
  4. Rejuvenating Hong Kong’s Countryside Heritage
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    05 March 2023
    rchitect and Associate Professor (CUHK) Thomas Chung is like a modern day Pied Piper, leading an enthusiastic band of volunteers, students, civil servants, executives, and the curious into the wilds of Hong Kong. Since completing his studies at the University of Cambridge, he’s been fascinated in how architecture connects people to places by imbuing a sense of belonging and continuity. And this passion sits at the heart of his current mission, to engage and better connect the broader Hong Kong population to their ancestral roots, and in the process, use the renewed interest to preserve fragile historical infrastructure.
    Thomas Chung, Associate Professor of School of Architecture, CUHK

    One of seven Hakka settlements known collectively as the Hing Chun Alliance, Mui Tsz Lam and its neighbours can each trace their history back for more than 300 years. Intensely rural, the surrounding landscape traditionally supported a thousand or so, living on subsistence farming. That was until the increased mobility of the 1950s and 60s led to a mass exodus of families, who migrated in seek of greater opportunity. However, the Alliance’s international diaspora retained a close bond with their roots, returning each decade to celebrate their Hakka culture. Geographical separation does not undermine the importance of familiar links to their past.

    Photo Credit: School of Architecture, CUHK

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    "This sense of connection runs deep in the village of Mui Tsz Lam. Only 25km from Mong Kok, a neighbourhood often referred to as the busiest on earth, this remote New Territories community is one of Hong Kong’s sparsest."

    Photo Credit: School of Architecture, CUHK

    Fresh eyes, and an appreciation for the beauty and simplicity of their heritage, encouraged efforts to refresh and regenerate their origins. And this led to conversations between the village elders and the professor, a known advocate of countryside conservation and urban-rural revitalisation.



    Thomas immediately saw an opportunity to help. And Project Plum Grove was born. Pioneering a multi partnership model, and working very closely with the villagers themselves, the project brings together residents, volunteers, students, and industry professionals to restore, upcycle, and revitalise the settlement. Traditional techniques such as rammed earth construction blending with contemporary technology used in planning and modelling, and new materials and techniques are being deployed to supplement and replace missing structures.

    Photo Credit: School of Architecture, CUHK

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    The road ahead is long but a satisfying one for Thomas and his followers. Continually seeking support from sponsors and collaborators, they aim to continue the revitalisation, independent from the current support provided by the Countryside Conservation Funding Scheme.


    Photo Credit: School of Architecture, CUHK

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    Photo Credit: School of Architecture, CUHK
    Photo Credit: School of Architecture, CUHK
    Photo Credit: School of Architecture, CUHK
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