Architecture often brings to mind architects designing buildings or developers constructing skyscrapers in urban areas. However, in academia, the field also places importance on conservation, both of buildings and their inextricable connection to the surrounding environment and the cultural fabric of society. At the School of Architecture, CUHK, research focuses on the physical conservation of buildings as well as the preservation of cultural heritage.

Regenerating Shui Hau is funded by the Lantau Conservation Fund. As the project leader, I began by studying the history and culture of South Lantau. I came to appreciate what makes Shui Hau unique — its natural setting of hills, rivers and wetlands. It blends seamlessly with the waterside villages and the Wai Tau culture, creating a landscape where ecological and cultural elements are deeply intertwined.

The project involves a lot of people, including conservation architects, engineering contractors, Urban Diary, and villagers who are stakeholders in two buildings. During the research phase, I got to know two really dedicated villagers, Mink (Chan Fung-ming)1 and Cecily (Chan Nga-li)2. Mink loves gardening and is a pro at horticultural therapy. Cecily supports the project’s vision and has convinced her family to get involved.

The project has four key objectives. First, to explore the entire landscape of Shui Hau, covering both its ecological and environmental aspects. Second, to have CUHK’s School of Architecture restore and revitalise two village houses. Third, to collaborate with Urban Diary on conserving cultural heritage by documenting the local history, villagers’ stories and customs, ensuring the culture is preserved. Fourth, to work closely with the two villager stakeholders.

House No. 49 and the Grain Store in Shui Hau were restored before they were handed back to the villagers and respectively turned into a living culture co-operative and a farming cooperative, where workshops and experiential activities are held. Both structures play a role in preserving Shui Hau Village and its farming culture.

The two structures are nearly 100 years old. Shui Hau No. 49 is a stone house with a pitched roof. Its conservation value lies in how it embodies Shui Hau’s characteristic linear village layout: village houses arranged in rows, each with a pitched roof and open space in front. The interior follows a traditional residential layout, with stone walls, a kitchen and a bathing area just behind the entrance, and a small courtyard. Further inside is the main living area, complete with a loft. The pitched roof is made of timber beams and tiles. When viewed from the outside, it forms a distinctive shape that resembles the Chinese character “ 金”. The Grain Store, on the other hand, reflects Shui Hau’s once-vibrant agricultural culture in the mid-20th century. In the past, large, well-off families typically lived in stone houses, with separate structures such as grain stores for storing farming tools and supplies.

The main restoration work took a little more than eight months to complete, but there were many preliminary tasks, including a planning process lasting more than 1.5 years. Because the stone house at No. 49 is a Grade III historic building, it was necessary to obtain planning approval from the Town Planning Board, which required documents such as a Conservation Management Plan. The restoration work only began after the government has approved all the procedures.

House No. 49 was restored based on the Conservation Management Plan and also the recommendations of the conservation architect. The goal was to restore its original appearance while incorporating new materials and techniques to make the stone house more stable and durable. For the grain store, the restoration was based on its building type and intended use, with an emphasis on staying true to the building’s original form. A steel structure was added, and the new roof underwent minimal revitalisation.

The grain store’s mud-stone wall construction is unique, built using a mix of stones and other materials. This method is rare and no longer used in Hong Kong, and craftsmen skilled in it are now hard to find. Our restoration combined traditional stone masonry with modern technology to recreate the thick mud-stone walls. The project has drawn interest from conservation architects, who have visited the site and provided suggestions.

There’s a lot we can learn from rural restoration projects. The process involves balancing the interest of different stakeholders. Keeping the line of communication open is important. This means having meetings with villagers, discussing the project details and post-restoration activities, presenting the architectural models to them, and visiting the construction site together to discuss different matters and maintain continuous dialogue.

We hope that after the two buildings are restored, the villagers will continue to manage the co-operatives. We also aim to maintain support from the Lantau Conservation Fund — for example, to continue receiving funding to keep the Shui Hau conservation project going, and to encourage more villagers to get involved. In the long run, it is best to have the university continue its research and conservation design work, and to collaborate with the villagers to promote integrated, sustainable conservation initiatives.