What is Urban Conservation? Some people may say urban conservation will stop the urban development. Some people may think urban conservation is just “a term” for the government to kick the old shops and old residents away. Are urban conservation and development always opposite? Now, there is an example in HK.
Wan Chai is one of the most expensive region in HK. It is also one of the most expensive region in the world. You may see commercial buildings and skyscrapers everywhere in Wan Chai. But in this region, there is a blue Tong Lau (old tenement buildings of HK) with 95 years history (95 years is a very long period for HK buildings). It is called the Blue House.
何謂保育？有人認為保育會阻礙社會發展，去舊迎新才是對的，亦有人認為保育只是借口，藉此去趕走舊區的小店市民。到底保育與發展，是否二元對立？兩者能否並存？我真的沒想到，在香港這個見錢開眼的地方，能找到一個保育與發展同行的保育項目。
灣仔，一個香港其中一個最貴的地段，甚至是全球最貴的地段，處處高樓大廈，商業樓宇，在這樣的一個地方，竟有一座藍色的唐樓，歷經95年維持不變 (在香港島，95年已是很誇張的數字)，這座藍色的唐樓叫藍屋。
In 2017 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation held just one week ago, the Blue House Cluster (which include Blue House, Yellow House and Orange House) won the Award of Excellence, which is the highest honor. It is also the first HK project to win the award.
This is the original text from the UNESCO: “a triumphant validation for a truly inclusive approach to urban conservation. A broad alliance, spanning from tenants to social workers and preservationists, waged a grassroots advocacy campaign to save the last remaining working-class community in the fast-gentrifying enclave of Wan Chai. This unprecedented civic effort to protect marginalized local heritage in one of the world’s most high-pressure real estate markets is an inspiration for other embattled urban districts in the region and beyond.”
(Source: http://bangkok.unesco.org/content/2017-heritage-awards-conservation-working-class-housing-hong-kong-receives-top-honor)
在本年度聯合國教科文紅織 (UNESCO)的亞太區文化貴產保育獎項中，藍屋連同橙屋和黃屋組成的藍屋建築群，竟得到了最高榮譽的「卓越大獎」，這是香港首次獲得這個獎項。
根據聯合國教科文組織評審委員會的原文指出，藍屋建築群在灣仔這個擁有全球最大房地產壓力的地區，保留了最後一個「工人階級社區」，而這項目更是由下以上的由社工、租客及保育人士促成的項目，屬「史無前例」，更可能是全球唯一的例子，在保育的同時，同時保育舊有住戶，這個成功例子絕對值得其他地區借鏡。
The Community of Blue House Cluster
藍屋建築群的街坊們
(photo from UNESCO)
Story of Blue House 藍屋的故事
Blue House was original the “Wah To Hospital” (Wah To is one of the best doctor in ancient China and he is now the “God of Medicine” in Chinese community). In 1886, the hospital was closed and become the temple of Wah To. You can still see the plaque of “Wah To Hospital” at Blue House now. In 1922, the building was rebuilt to Tong Lau (tenement). Later in 1950, the apprentice of Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hung opened a martial club here and later became a medical clinic by the later generation. The 2nd to 4th floors are residential.
藍屋原是醫院，名為「華佗醫院」，1886關閉曾是供奉華佗的廟宇，至今在藍屋仍能見到「華佗醫院」的牌匾。直到1922年廟宇改建成唐樓，地下的廟宇被保留，後於1950年黃飛鴻徒弟林世榮的姪兒林祖在這裡開設武館，後來又變成林祖兒子林鎮顯的醫館，至於樓上四層則是民居。
You can still find the plaque of Wah To Hospital and the Medical Clinic now
時光雖逝，牌匾仍在
Blue House initially has no name. It was also not in blue. In around 1990, the government renovated the outer wall of blue house. As they only had blue paint in hand, they painted the house in all blue. That’s the name “Blue House” coming from.
In 2006, the government decided to renew the region around blue house and open the revitalize plan of Blue House Cluster to the public. The residents of the three houses felt helpless as they all understand that revitalization and conservation means they needed to moved away.
In the situation, the St. James’ Settlement and a number of social workers led the residents to have a discussion of the proposal and applied. Finally their application was approved. The ground floor of Blue House became the “Wan Chai Livelihood Place” and all the residents In Blue House, Yellow House and Orange House can continue to live at their home. It is the first case in HK that the conservation construction is done at the house that people still living in.
藍屋本無名字，亦不是藍色，約在1990年期間，香港政府為藍屋外牆補漆時，因只剩下藍色油漆，就將整座藍屋髹成藍色，藍屋之名因此而走。直到2006年，政府決定重新發展藍屋一帶的區域，同時決定將藍屋、黃屋及橙屋進行活化方案。藍屋居民知道後不知所措，因重新發展、活化的意思就等於他們將會搬走。在這樣的情況下，由聖雅各福群會及一眾社工領頭討論，帶起活化方案的申請，並成功得到批准，將藍屋活化成「民間生活館」的同時，更成功保留藍屋、黃屋及橙屋的14戶居民繼續留住，活化工程史無前例在一座仍有人住的建築進行。
Yellow House 黃屋
Orange House 橙屋
Today, the “Wan Chai Livelihood Place” is upgraded to the “Hong Kong House of Stories” and introduce the life stories of HK to all of us. The 2nd to 4th floor of Blue House are still residential.
直到今日，藍屋的民間生活館已升級成香港故事館，在藍屋的地下為大家介紹香港的生活故事，而二三四樓則是民居，在保育活化的同時保持了居民的生活。
Hong Kong House of Stories
香港故事館
Old stuffs of Wan Chai residents
灣仔街坊們的老事物
Souvenirs with old HK style
充滿懷舊味道的紀念品
“The Hong Kong House of Stories” will organize regular tours to tell us stories of HK (but in Cantonese only)
香港生活館會定期舉行社區導賞團，讓我們認識香港的故事
(photo from the Hong Kong House of Stories)
My Last Word 最後的話
For me, there are three main point in a conservation project: value of building, value of the history and value of the community. The conservation project of HK always ignores the value of community. The buildings after conservation become a shopping hall or place without people. Just like Wing Lee Street I mentioned in my past article, Yes, the buildings are conserved. But all residents left. No people, No life. What kind of conservation is this?
在我而言，保育需顧及3個方向：建築意義、歷史意義及社會意義。香港的保育計劃，大多顧及了建築意義及歷史意義，但往往無視社區的意義，保育後的建築，或淪為商場，或變得冷清，正如我曾經介紹的永利街，對，建築被保留了，但昔日街坊早已散去，沒有人情，又如何有活力，如何叫做「活化」？
The upper floors are still residential. It’s the real meaning of conservation
樓上仍是住客，這才是真正的保育
the letter boxes of Blue House and Yellow House
連信箱都充滿味道！
I can say the Blue House project is a miracle in HK. It conserves the buildings, the histories, and also the community. I really feel excited that Blue House got the awards of Excellence and I wish the HK government can learn from Blue House and re-consider the future of HK conservation.
Next time, let me talk about the Yellow House and Orange House!
藍屋可說是香港破天荒的奇蹟，保育建築、保留歷史的同時，更保住了代表藍屋的居民，保住灣仔老生活的活力。我很高興藍屋建築群能得到這個大獎，更希望政府能夠從藍屋建築群學習，重新思考香港的保育道路。
有時間再跟大家介紹黃屋和橙屋！
Blue House and Hong Kong House of Stories 藍屋與香港故事館
Address: No. 72, Stone Nullah Lane, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island
Opening hours﹕13:00 to 17:00 (Closed on every Wednesday and public holiday)
地址：灣仔石水渠街72A號
開放時間﹕上午10時至下午6時 (星期三及特別公眾假期休館)
!steemitworldmap 22.273991 lat 114.1719063 long d3scr
謝謝你能抽空閱讀這篇文章，我平日喜歡分享香港的故事，希望大家多多支持，我會繼續努力！
Thanks for spending your time to read my articles. I like to share stories of Hong Kong. I wish you may support me and I will keep going!
