Project Location: Yuen Long, Hong Kong
Project Type: Architecture, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Yuen Long in Hong Kong was traditionally a market town, being known as “Yuen Long San Hui” (元朗新墟). Back in 1960s, Tai Kiu Market profoundly strengthened Yuen Long as a community of strong argricultural and trading roots. Over the past decades, Tai Kiu Market has shrunken drastically due to urban development, where the existing village only consists of houses with the elderlies now.
The social housing project was proposed to preserve the historical ‘Tai Kiu Village’ and revive the traditional market culture. This placemaking initiative aimed to provide affordable housing to the younger generation and create a communal market for the wider community. With local agricultural and fishing industries, the market would encourage these industries to trade locally.
Historically, Tai Kiu Village had been an extensive community of the Yuen Long market culture with its rich resources in agricultural and fishing industries. Nowadays, the secluded village is only occupied by its older generations. These historic houses formed narrow alleyways to discourage outsiders from entering, which also segregated the village from its immediate context.
As an extension to the existing Tai Kiu Village, it is important for the design proposal to articulate and connect the village to the wider neighbourhood in the urban scale. By forming connections to significant landmarks along the urban grids, the project creates a robust pedestrian network and enhances the accessibility to public spaces.