Forgotten Heritage: A documentation of abandoned graded historic buildings
Forgotten Heritage is a documentation project of abandoned graded historic buildings in Hong Kong. Amid the blooming discussion on urban history and culture in Hong Kong, over 50 historic buildings have indeed been abandoned despite being officially graded by the Antique Advisory Board. They are unmaintained, deteriorating, susceptible to vandalism, and detaching from people’s life and memory. Their historic significance as individual buildings and their relevance to the development of the city are left unrecognized as their historic information are not archived properly as a public property, having disparate levels of management and investigation from other buildings.
Forgotten Heritage is a documentation project of abandoned graded historic buildings in Hong Kong. Amid the blooming discussion on urban history and culture in Hong Kong, over 50 historic buildings have indeed been abandoned despite being officially graded by the Antique Advisory Board. They are unmaintained, deteriorating, susceptible to vandalism, and detaching from people’s life and memory. Their historic significance as individual buildings and their relevance to the development of the city are left unrecognized as their historic information are not archived properly as a public property, having disparate levels of management and investigation from other buildings.
The project identifies and records the histories, images, and stories of these forgotten buildings, curates the research into an online source and publication, and is launched for public access and continued contribution through an exhibition. It aims to raise awareness and educate the public about built heritage, and serve as a database to induce future independent research on these buildings that fill the gap of Government’s research.
- 2024
- Grantee: Erica Kwong
Erica Kwong is an architectural designer, occasional photographer and illustrator. Obtaining both the Master’s and Bachelor’s Degree of Architecture from local universities, Erica has developed the devotion to heritage and cultural research based in Hong Kong. The commitment to addressing societal gaps, particularly concerning abandoned buildings and informal cityscapes, has propelled her to work as an independent researcher, where she also seeks to bridge academic concepts with social and cultural impact. Erica also engages in the local cultural, art and publication scene in the name of Oaki (@oaki.ki).