ARCH5331C

Topical Study of History, Theory and Criticism: Sustainable Rural Conservation

Target Students MArch 1, MArch 2

Course Term Summer

Course Type Elective

Teacher(s) CHUNG, Thomas

This course takes students out to explore in-depth Hong Kong’s remote countryside, visiting real sites, meeting villagers and working on actual projects. Students will understand, experience and participate in rural conservation practices in the Sha Tau Kok area of New Territories. Using centuries-old Hakka villages like Mui Tsz Lam, Lai Chi Wo, Kuk Po and Yung Shue Au as a living laboratory, the course guides students to understand the complexities and possibilities of sustainable rural development from cultural, ecological, economic, and community-based multi-dimensional perspectives. Through lectures, case studies, field visits, and workshops, students will learn about the cultural value of Lingnan and Hakka architecture, sustainable rural design and construction methods, and the planning and operation of rural cultural tourism projects. The core of the course is to propose innovative and feasible conservation or micro-regeneration proposals for real sites through teamwork, focusing on developing students' abilities to identify problems, co-create solutions, and communicate effectively in complex, real-world contexts.