EDUCATOR
Hong Kong, China
Tai O Village: Stilt Housing
EDUCATOR
Hong Kong, China
Tai O Village: Stilt Housing
Project Team
Associate Professor Daniel Keith Elkin
Lecturer Dr Chi-Yuen Leung
Dr Norah Wang Xiaolu
Dr Markus Wernli
Emily Cheung Tsz Ching.
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This is a research project on stilt housing in Tai O Village, a peri-urban settlement in Hong Kong.
Overview
This research project aimed to understand the characteristics of stilt housing in Tai O Village, a peri-urban settlement in Hong Kong. Tai O’s stilt house districts were the largest remaining agglomeration of “pang uk” (棚屋, lit. “stilt house”) over-water dwellings built by Cantonese-speaking “seui seung yahn” (水上人, “on-water people”) in Hong Kong.
The settlement persisted from the Qing Dynasty, and around 300 stilt houses remained in the Tai O River estuary despite fires, flooding, and lack of secure tenure. Researchers surveyed 20 stilt houses with 3D environmental scanning and completed long-format interviews with 24 informants to document stilt housing practices, conditions, and history for conservation and future study.
Institution
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
School of Design
Community Organization
The Tai O YWCA Community Works Office — Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
ywca.org.hk/taxonomy/term/207
Community Engagement
Partners in Tai O facilitated our research and the project team fed results from the project back to Village liaisons and stakeholders. Project results have supported better understanding of stilt housing practices in light of development strategy in Hong Kong.
Partners
The Tai O YWCA Community Work Office securedstilt house dweller participation. Tai O Village Rural Committee supported the project. Funded under UGC GRF Project #15600621
