Background

Tsuen Wan's location; Swag on the top of the Districts map of Hong Kong to find out where is it.

Tsuen Wan is one of the nine new towns in Hong Kong. It currently contains about 304 637 population (Census and Statistics Department, 2011). It was once an important industrial area in Hong Kong even though most of the factories have been relocated to the Mainland China nowadays. A large proportion of the remaining factories in Tsuen Wan have been changed to storage places for logistics companies or commercial purpose. As Tsuen Wan district was the first generation of new town in the 1970s, many cores areas have now experienced urban decay symptoms. For instance, the facades of the buildings have been ruined and become obsolete. Most of the building density in Tsuen Wan remains low and are in need of rehabilitation or redevelopment.

In recent years, many redevelopments and renewals have been occurred in Tsuen Wan, especially on the street levels and shopping malls so as to maintain economic competitiveness and retain local characteristics. This includes the revitalization of Yeung Uk Road market, the renewal of shopping malls such as Tsuen Wan centre and Tsuen Kam centre. Gentrification has also been appeared on the street levels. Several special streets have been branded in Tsuen Wan to attract tourists. Establishing of Food squares on particular zones, Jewellery square and revitalization of Hau Tei square all beautify the built environment in Tsuen Wan and attract different variety of shops to open. As a result, these backgrounds provide basis for the study of the patterns and developments of the gentrification of shops in Tsuen Wan.

Objectives of the study

The objective of this study is to give an urban community analysis over the gentrification of shops appeared in Tsuen Wan. The focus of study includes

• Understanding the underlying forces and processes in the emergence of gentrification of shops;
• Understanding the relationships between local residents in the districts and the tourists’ demands;
• Identifying the patterns in the transition of Tsuen Wan from an industrial hub to a commercial service-based districts;
• Identifying possible implications that gentrification of shops could be brought;
• Propose several recommendations through multimedia tools to resolve the negative impacts of gentrification

Methodology

Qualitative methods will be adopted. Street interviews may be conducted to find out the possible forces behind this change in shops and how the local residents react about it. This involves random sampling on the project areas. Analysis of the texts and direct observations of the phenomenon will also be conducted. Specific shops will also be chosen to contrast the thoughts among newly opened shops and the traditional shops.

Key Concepts

Gentrification:

The process by which a neighbourhood occupied by lower-income households undergoes revitalization or reinvestment through the arrival of upper-income households (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Develoment, 1979) (Freeman, 2012)

It can also be interpreted as the refers to the phenomenon happen when the traditional residents and business are being displaced and are replaced by advanced, newer services and business that they no longer feel belonged. (Land, 2012)

Gentrification of a traditional retail markets/Retail gentrification (Bridge, 2001)

It will also bring along various policy implications in urban renaissnce, community cohesion, urban sustainability , healthy living and re-localization of the economy and tourism (Gonzalez, 2013)