2023-24 Direct Grant for Research, CUHK Faculty of Social Science |

Cultural infrastructure is commonly known by grand architecture such as the museums and theatres. However, the production and display of culture are not confined to architectural landmarks but also happen in everyday public spaces. The wide variety of public space in the dense urban neighbourhoods of Hong Kong presents an opportunity as cultural infrastructure, which are untapped resources that this project intends to unpack.

There is also a disjunction between the disciplines of cultural planning and architectural/urban design, resulting in a proliferation of iconic cultural architecture that might be disconnected from the actual needs of cultural users. This research identifies this knowledge gap and links the study of public space with strategies for cultural development, addressing the issue of under-utilized and small-scale public space for their potential to contribute to sustainable cultural infrastructure. How can public space be the medium to nurture cultural activities that are inclusive of all citizens?

The public nature of urban space is the interface with people and everyday life, which has the capacity to drive public participation in culture. Expanding the narrow understanding of cultural infrastructure, this research intends to re-discover public space as additional resources to effectively enhance inclusion in cultural development. The goal is to establish a knowledge framework that connects cultural and urban development, taking public space as the subject to investigate the building of cultural infrastructure that supports participatory urban and cultural practices.