1881 Heritage: The Good Old Days
Director’s name: Chu Kai Ying (uid: 3036239774)
1.Description of The Theme
This video is about a girl walks through the historical building, 1881 Heritage. It was the former marine police headquarters founded in 1881 and completed in 1884, which is an outstanding landmark in Tsim Sha Tsui. This building carries several memories for the former marine police and the history are recorded in the heritage hall. Different exhibition for paintings and arts would be held in it, attracting people and audience to visit. The redeveloped 1881 Heritage is comprised of a piazza, shops and a hotel. This architectural adaptive reuse helps thriving the socio-economic development in Hong Kong, and it also preserve its architectural style of mixing Victorian and Neo-classic influences.
In order to remain the site virtually unchanged, the redevelopment project has to strike a balance between heritage preservation and the rejuvenation of the site. The substantial components and structure of the site should be retained, not to mention the balcony and the historic granite blocks. The original balconies are made from the cast iron railings, which is called Indian balcony. However, it does not fulfill the current architecture standard in Hong Kong. As a result, the cast iron railings should be strengthened to meet the safety purpose and requirements. Meanwhile, as the traffic congestion problem is serious in the Canton Road, relocating the granite blocks helps widen the street and road for both drivers and pedestrian to cross through. It had become the facade on the eastern side of the whole building. The complexity of revitalizing a site was fully shown in its construction. Since the building is constructed a ten decade ago, the materials and structure should be verified and confirmed its strength whether satisfy the architectural requirements, and the appearance of the site needed to be preserved.
The reason why I chose this building is because it gave me unreplaceable memories with my family. Barely do I remember I came to the Chinese restaurants which relocated inside the building with my family. There serves delicious food with a pleased atmosphere, it is hard to see there is a restaurant providing Chinese meals but constructing their walls and sculptures with a western style. This east-meet-west site has given me new perspective towards to architecture and the history of Hong Kong. This was the first time I witnessed a mixture of various cultures, and I shared my observation to my parents. They told me to cherish everything I glimpsed as the moment cannot stay forever but in your mind.
- Conducting the Research and Producing the Video
Both primary and secondary research I had used. I visited the 1881 Heritage and enquired the staff for further information. They introduced the history of 1881 Heritage to me and suggested me to walk inside the building.
In this building, there are several rooms playing the video for introducing the background information of the site, visitors feel free to sit down and watch. They also provide some DVDs with both Chinese and English version so audience can take it back home. There are some leaflets put at the ground floor and the content demonstrates the structure and story of the site.
For the secondary research, I conduct the research via online platform or even in the library. I set various questions to ask myself such as what the usage of the building preservation is or how the site can avoid the demolishment. These simple questions help me to facilitate the researching process and quickly focus on the information that I needed. Through conducting the research online, I can get insightful data and understand the value of the heritage. The building previously known as Hullet House, the design-led heritage hotel with its 19th-century Victorian style colonial architecture has been refurbished to restore its former glory as a historic meeting spot between cultures (House 1881, n.d.).
Speaking of producing the video, I use a one-take shot to showcase the full appearance of the 1881 Heritage. In order to show the story about the relationship between people and the historical building, I found an actress who pretended me sighting far away and thinking about my childhood. I also filmed the heritage hall, which is conducting an exhibition about different cities and make the audience feel like they are surrounded by aesthetic and arts.
Besides, I take a close shot about the awards received by the revitalization project. It clearly illustrates that the redevelopment of the 1881 Heritage is a successful move for both the company and the government. I particularly take a high angle shot for going downstairs to demonstrates the impressive railings and each side of the wall has kept its original structure, while the whole scene is gorgeous and inspiring.
Additionally, I utilize the first-person perspective to film the character walking outside the heritage hall. There are two artificial waterfalls on both sides, enhancing the aesthetic of the video. Eventually, I take a panorama shot for the building to showcase its beauty and emphasize the difference between daylight and evening’s view. The Chinese restaurant is also captured in the last shot, impling the memory does not fade out at all, it preserved with the 1881 Heritage.
Reference
House 1881. (n.d.). Meetings & Exhibitions Hong Kong. https://www.mehongkong.com/eng/home/mice-ideas/detail/House-1881.html
MoebiusStrip. (2016, January 27). The story of 1881 Heritage [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUVdQcUfjms