Our Mission is to transform heritage properties into spaces that serve the local community.
Much of the Hong Kong Story was written in the privately owned, common buildings where people lived and worked in during the 50’s and 60’s. These are the places where our local culture developed, and many of these buildings still stand today, and the people who were originally living and working in these neighborhoods are still there now.
Lion Rock Heritage Foundation focuses on restoring the elements of a neighborhood that give it its history, soul and unique flavor. Oftentimes, these are groups of common buildings that contain residents and shops that have served the neighborhood for decades and were an important part of the Hong Kong Story.
Project Focus: Heritage shophouses that are graded or have been shortlisted to be graded.
Project Type: Rehabilitation and restoration to original architectural design with relevant upgrades to adapt to the modern world.
We see heritage as combination of a physical historical structure and the elements that give it its soul, ie. the inhabitants of the building and the community around it. We are therefore dedicated to filling our heritage projects with residents, businesses and organizations that are part of the local community. A key aspect of this is to offer our spaces at affordable prices.
At each location, we work with local social NGOs embedded in the community to identify tenants who can best benefit from using our spaces.
Historically, Hong Kong has only had one model of urban development: demolish and build new – a practice developed in the urban expansion era of the 1970’s & 80’s. At the time, getting the population out of poverty was the priority. In the ensuing boom years, the financial bottom line was the main measure of success.
Today, undeveloped land is scarce and communities have formed in the urban neighborhoods. Neighborhoods have acquired patinas. The financial bottom line can no longer be the sole consideration, especially when developing a city for the people. Social, cultural and environmental impact, as well as impact on Hong Kong’s overall texture and attractiveness must be considered.
Lion Rock Heritage Foundation envisions neighborhoods where heritage projects and ongoing new developments co-exist, and each increases the value of the other.