To: Ms Susanna Siu, Executive Secretary, Antiquities and Monuments Office
Walk in Hong Kong calls on AMO to provide comprehensive update on “Preparatory Work for the Assessment of Post-1950 Buildings”
Walk in Hong Kong (WIHK), a local cultural enterprise, is writing to the Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO) to enquire about the progress of its “Preparatory Work for the Assessment of Post-1950 Buildings”, which is understood to have begun in the third quarter of 2019. Over the past two years, WIHK has repeatedly called on the government to make the protection of “modern architecture” a policy priority for heritage conservation in Hong Kong, and to actively involve the input of wide-ranging experts and the public in that regard.
In September 2019, the AMO task force set up to carry out “Preparatory Work for the Assessment of Post-1950 Buildings” presented preliminary research findings to the Antiquities Advisory Board (AAB). More than eight months have passed since. Beyond those initial findings, WIHK would like to seek clear answers from the AMO on the following:
- What is the progress of the AMO task force’s study on the assessment criteria adopted by the Mainland, overseas countries and cities, as well as international organisations for post-1950 buildings? What are the latest findings and implications for the assessment of post-1950 buildings in Hong Kong?
- What is the progress of the AMO task force’s study on the conservation approaches adopted by selected countries/cities and the difficulties they had encountered? What are the latest findings and implications for the assessment of post-1950 buildings in Hong Kong?
- In addition to the latest research findings, what further research will the AMO task force carry out?
- Which countries/cities are the AMO’s task force looking at for their heritage conservation practices regarding post-1950 buildings?
- The AAB plans to hold a brainstorming session in 2020 to explore the way forward for conducting grading assessment for post-1950 buildings. When will this happen? What will the outcome of the session mean for the work of the AMO task force?
- Will the AMO task force seek community input in its work? If not, why?
- What is the timeline of the AMO task force’s work? What are the next steps after the work is completed?
The AAB will be meeting on 11 June. WIHK calls on the AMO to give the public comprehensive answers to the above questions at the meeting. Thank you for your attention.
Walk in Hong Kong
2 June 2020
cc:
Mr Wong Wai-lun, Michael, Secretary for Development
Mr Jose Yam Ho-san, Commissioner for Heritage, Development Bureau
Mr Douglas So, Chairman, Antiquities Advisory Board
Members of Antiquities Advisory Board