Revitalizing Mui Tsz Lam: Experimental Heritage Restoration by the School of Architecture, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

The historic Hakka village of Mui Tsz Lam (MTL), nestled in Hong Kong’s remote north-east New Territories, stands as a rare and precious cultural landscape dating back over 360 years. Despite its proximity—just 25 kilometers—from Mong Kok, one of the world’s densest urban neighborhoods, Mui Tsz Lam has long been abandoned since the mid-20th century due to mass migration overseas during the 1960s and 70s. Half-buried yet still visibly preserving its authentic character, the village remains a living archive of traditional Hakka rural architecture, featuring rowhouses, feng shui woodlands, terraced agricultural fields, and pristine streams.

Spearheaded by the School of Architecture at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), the Project Plum Grove initiative embodies a pioneering university-village action-research partnership aimed at heritage conservation, rural revitalization, and community engagement. This government-funded experimental restoration project focuses on two key ruinous heritage structures—the Old House and the Mural House—located strategically at opposite ends of the village. These architectural interventions serve as catalysts for the broader village revival.

Led by Associate Professor Thomas Chung, Project Plum Grove applies three fundamental design principles to ensure sensitive, sustainable, and participatory restoration:

1. In-situ reuse and upcycling of locally sourced materials: Techniques such as rammed earth reconstruction bring new life to the original fabric of the buildings, honoring traditional craftsmanship while promoting sustainability.
2. Light-touch architectural interventions: The use of scaffolding, timber, and bamboo installations preserves the integrity of the heritage while enabling modern adaptive uses through temporary, reversible structures.
3. Co-creative participatory processes: Over two years, the project actively engaged returning villagers, more than 120 public volunteers, and three cohorts of architecture students from CUHK. Through hands-on workshops and on-site co-design sessions, participants collaborated across all stages—from brainstorming to construction and operational trials—creating a dynamic learning environment fostering community ownership.

The culmination of this revitalization effort was marked by a vibrant “Blossoming Festival,” celebrating the restored houses’ rebirth as multifunctional spaces for exhibitions, events, and cultural workshops. Villagers shared traditional Hakka stories, prepared heritage snacks, and hosted cultural performances, while students and volunteers curated eco-inspired tours and interactive programs. Attracting over 200 visitors—including government officials, local residents, architects, and academics—the festival highlighted the social and cultural vitality emerging from the restoration work and garnered significant media attention.

Currently entering its second phase of funded restoration, Project Plum Grove continues to amplify its social impact through public talks, guided tours, exhibitions, and participation in prominent events such as the 2022 UABB Biennale in Hong Kong and Shenzhen. This radical renewal experiment has sparked multiple community-driven initiatives, including the volunteer construction of communal furniture, private funding for house rebuilding, NGO-supported communal kitchens, and playground redesign, alongside various cultural and ecological projects.

By regenerating place through reconnecting people in a collaborative and process-driven manner, Project Plum Grove offers a compelling and replicable model for long-term rural village revitalization in Hong Kong and beyond. It exemplifies how heritage restoration, sustainable design, and community empowerment can converge to breathe new life into forgotten spaces.