Borders Reopened: Regenerative Futures for Forbidden Landscapes in Sha Tau Kok
Once a forbidden area, Sha Tau Kok is on the brink of transformation. The reopening of the border offers a unique opportunity to explore the delicate balance between regeneration and conservation, prompting a reevaluation of our relationship with architecture, nature, and urban development. This project aims to digitally archive the community’s distinctive built environment through field surveys, photographic documentation, video interviews, and urban research. The project will gather insights on the region’s architectural heritage and community perspectives, classifying its historical context and design language while emphasizing the interplay between the built environment and nature. By investigating the intersection of regenerative architecture and rural conservation in this newly accessible landscape, the project aspires to provide valuable insights for sustainable development, administrative planning, and local tourism in frontier regions.
Once a forbidden area, Sha Tau Kok is on the brink of transformation. The reopening of the border offers a unique opportunity to explore the delicate balance between regeneration and conservation, prompting a reevaluation of our relationship with architecture, nature, and urban development. This project aims to digitally archive the community’s distinctive built environment through field surveys, photographic documentation, video interviews, and urban research. The project will gather insights on the region’s architectural heritage and community perspectives, classifying its historical context and design language while emphasizing the interplay between the built environment and nature. By investigating the intersection of regenerative architecture and rural conservation in this newly accessible landscape, the project aspires to provide valuable insights for sustainable development, administrative planning, and local tourism in frontier regions.
- 2024
- Grantee: Zero Lai Tsz Kwan
Graduated from the Advertising Design Department of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Landscape Architecture Department of The University of Hong Kong. Previously worked with Cheil, HK01, and under SCMP's ELLE, Cosmopolitan, Harper's BAZAAR fashion magazines. I was also Lecturer at Hong Kong Baptist University lecturing on Media practices and Honour projects. Published travel notes in book, featured in publications such as "Looking Back at My City from Abroad," and magazines by the China Travel Publishing House. During university, participated in an exchange program at the National Bauhaus School in Germany, and traveled to Japan, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, Israel, Morocco, among others. In 2016, I won in various categories at the IPPAWARDS International Photography Awards, covering a wide range of themes including documentary, urban architecture, and portrait photography. In recent years, I have been involved in social innovation projects, aiming to apply innovative concepts to solve societal issues. I have been interviewed by Hong Kong RTHK, Cable TV, Ming Pao, and have started collaborations with various brands or organizations, including GUHK, Dior, Arca Hotel, West Kowloon Cultural District, Breakthrough, HK01, Huawei, and Wu Zhi Qiao. In 2024, I participated in the Rural Revitalization Leadership Lesson (Advanced) at Wu Zhi Qiao, learned green skills, project management, and case studies. The project, "One Village, One Tile," was selected as the best project, starting from Mei Zi Lin Village. The aim is to promote a new generation's understanding and practice of Hong Kong's local rural culture through a multidisciplinary research perspective.