Searching for Spirit
Yau Ma Tei & North Point, Hong Kong, 2019
Opdrachtgever
Development Bureau, Built Heritage Fund
Partner
HK ICON, Arts-ED, Design for Culture
Agenda
Cultural heritage awareness among youth
“What makes this place unique and different from other neighbourhoods in Hong Kong?” This is a question we asked 150 high school students in North Point and Yau Ma Tei, two old city districts in Hong Kong. In this project the students researched and mapped the two neighbourhoods and interviewed residents to select 60 sites that best represent the DNA of the place.
The identified sites ranged from historic buildings and important cultural landmarks to shops of traditional industries and impactful members of the community. The selection celebrates the local culture that is still very alive in these two neighbourhoods, while placing the sites and activities within a historical context. The participants distilled the cultural character of North Point and Yau Ma Tei through their own lens and created an exhibition that explores the spirit of the two places in the past, the present and the future.
“A fun and interactive way to introduce the concept of tangible and intangible cultural heritage to youth.”
— Jennifer Lang, HK Institute for Conservation architects
The identified sites ranged from historic buildings and important cultural landmarks to shops of traditional industries and impactful members of the community. The selection celebrates the local culture that is still very alive in these two neighbourhoods, while placing the sites and activities within a historical context. The participants distilled the cultural character of North Point and Yau Ma Tei through their own lens and created an exhibition that explores the spirit of the two places in the past, the present and the future.
“I only knew a fraction of North Point before, but after the workshop I feel that it is my other home.”
- Wai Wai, Illustrator
The project was a first-time collaboration between a professional institute and two social enterprises to train Hong Kong students the method of cultural mapping. We organised two weekend-long workshops with 40 students (13-16 yrs old) that included site surveys, interviews, skills training and sharing/feedback sessions to teach robust mapping skills in a fun and interactive way. Hand-in-hand with local creatives the students then set out to map 60+ cultural assets across two neighbourhoods and interpret them through short essays, urban sketches and video portraits.
The students’ works were published in a mobile App, illustrated map and one-month pop-up exhibition at PMQ, a leading cultural venue in Hong Kong.
“You should make these maps for every Hong Kong district, there are so many stories to tell!”
- Ms Li, Shatin
