NAME
URA H19 Community Making
PARTNER
Urban Renewal Authority
DATE
2019-2020
TYPE
Business 2.0 Consultancy
Innovation. Collaboration. Empowerment
OVERVIEW
H19 (Staunton Street / Wing Lee Street Project) is a revitalization project under the Urban Renewal Authority’s portfolio in Hong Kong’s Central and Western District. In response to emerging public aspirations and directions set forth by the Chief Executive’s 2018 Policy Address, the URA sought to reimagine the development of this neighbourhood through fresh perspectives to forge a new community consensus. H19 now serves as a one-of-its-kind reference case within the URA, and as a model that can be replicated to other projects in the future.
SVHK’s ROLE
SVhk supported the development of “community making” as a concept and was responsible for conducting an independent “Community Making Study” as well as the follow-on engagement and pilot initiative design as a consultant to the URA.
HIGHLIGHTS / PARTNERSHIPS
Building consensus through “community making” with internal and external stakeholders
Through a 5-month engagement with over 100 local residents and community group representatives, SVhk completed a “Community Making Study” and found community consensus in 4 Urban Progressing Visions (Knowledge Common, Impact Common, Community Common, Wellness Common) and 6 directions to guide the URA’s future design and planning in the neighbourhood. SVhk subsequently supported the URA in presenting this new renewal strategy to the URA’s Executive Committee, Central & Western District Council, and Town Planning Board – where it was positively received.
Bringing communities and neighbours closer in the renewal process
Building upon the study, SVhk and URA co-created three community making pilot initiatives as the start of new partnerships across a collaboration platform of community organisations, businesses and institutions that have been based in the neighbourhood for years. From the development of a new community garden, to student inspired mural art and young docents training programme, community making aspires to empower local communities and sustains their participation in community building activities beyond the planning process.
