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Design ethnography and inheritance: the revitalization of Hakka tradition in fashion collection
No full textThis fashion collection is part of larger design ethnographic study exploring the possibilities of extending design ethnography from “informing design” to engage more participants in community-based activities that allow the preservation and inheritance of cultural knowledges and design-related practices. We aim to examine how learning and inheriting cultural traditions can move beyond the “in-group only” boundary under a design ethnography setting. In collaboration with a local social enterprise, this study presents an innovative way to preserve traditional Chinese folk culture as well as the techniques and knowledges in design practices. We involve some Hakka mentors with a group of design students in a 3-day intensive workshop on Hakka band-weaving techniques together with a sharing session on Hakka cultures, traditions, and lifestyles in 1950s. Students are asked to re-interpret the traditional Hakka clothing and apply the band-weaving techniques in producing their own fashion collection. Based on the analysis of the interviews and observation, three aesthetic themes, namely ‘new authentic’, ‘urban contemporary’, and ‘refined elegance’, emerge and are presented in the fashion collection. The Hakka project contributes to demonstrate how the inheritance of design practices offers an empowerment agenda for both individual (i.e. design students) and the Hakka community in social change (i.e. the cultural appreciation and preservation of Hakka tradition in a reflective manner)
Effect of Hedyotis diffusa water extract on protecting human hepatocyte cells (LO2) from H2O2-induced cytotoxicity
No full textContext: Natural products are good sources of natural dietary antioxidants that are believed to protect the body against hepatotoxic effect induced by oxidative stress. Hedyotis diffusa Willd (Rubiaceae) (HDW) is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb that has been shown to possess a variety of antioxidant properties.
Objective: The present study examines and explains the cell protective property of HDW water extract (WEHDW).
Materials and Methods: 2,2-Diphenyl-1-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) hydrazyl (DPPH) assay was used to measure the free radical scavenging property of WEHDW (0.001–10 mg/mL). The protective effect of WEHDW (0.3–10 mg/mL 2 h pretreatment) against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, 200 μM for 6 h) induced cytotoxicity in human hepatic cells, LO2, was evaluated using cell viability assay and nuclear staining. The molecular pathway of WEHDW\u27s effect was investigated by using Western blot assay.
Results: WEHDW had a 50% scavenging concentration (SC50) at 0.153 mg/mL in the DPPH assay. Exposure of LO2 cells to H2O2 resulted in apoptosis which could be markedly attenuated by pre-treating WEHDW in a concentration-dependent manner (0.5, 1, 3, 5, or 10 mg/mL) (all with p \u3c 0.001, versus control). Moreover, Hoechst (nuclear) staining showed that 1 mg/mL WEHDW could protect LO2 cells by attenuating apoptotic cell death mediated by H2O2. It was found that WEHDW reversed H2O2-induced activation of MEK/ERK pathway and H2O2-induced inhibition of P13-K/AKT/GSK3β pathway in LO2 cells.
Discussion and Conclusion: WEHDW may help to improve the antioxidant defense system, resulting in prevention of oxidative stress-related fatty liver diseases
New degree programme Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Horticulture and Landscape Management in Hong Kong
No full textIn recent years, the Government of the HKSAR has updated its policy to improve urban greenery and landscaping. According to the greening plan of the Greening, Landscape, and Tree Management Section (GLTMS) under the Development Bureau, there are new requirements in place to provide a minimum of 20-30% of greenery to both government and private developments. Hence, the demand for landscape and horticultural management, in particular aspects related to arboricultural maintenance and management, has increased largely. At present, there are no University Grants Committee (UGC) funded degree programmes in horticulture and landscape management studies. The Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi) offers bachelor degree and in-service training programmes that are professionally and vocationally oriented. The Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Horticulture and Landscape Management programme continues this tradition and is offered to meet the manpower demand for the horticulture, arboriculture and landscape industry in Hong Kong
Farms are not zoos: a post-colonial study on enclosure and conservation of military heritage buildings in Hong Kong
No full textThis paper explains the importance of distinguishing de facto from de jure property rights, confused by some economists, in heritage conservation planning. A comparative study on three Hong Kong examples of British colonial military buildings is used to show how neither de jure private property rights nor de facto close access is a solution to the problem of open access to heritage buildings. Also, a government museum is only a partial solution to the problem of promoting an authentic historic sense of history in a post-colonial environment. The examples to be examined are the coastal gun batteries on Devil’s Peak, the coastal gun batteries on Cape D’Aguilar, and the Museum of Coastal Defence inside the old Lei Yue Mun Fort. With the help of site photos, the case studies demonstrate that heritage buildings can only be preserved when at least three conditions are satisfied: (a) there is an intention to conserve; (b) there is a viable scheme to conserve; and (c) there is effective regulation of access. Open access, however, can have some merits as a process of information discovery by members of the public
Analysis on dynamic development of landscape fragmentation forurban forest in fast-urbanization regions
No full textObjective: The purpose of this study was to analyze dynamic development of landscape fragmentation for urban forest in fast-urbanization regions, and provide scientific basis for master urban plan, urban green space system plan, urban forest construction and sustainable development in fast-urbanization regions. Method: Based on the Landsat TM/ETM+ satellite images taken in 1990, 2000 and 2010, the dynamic trends of landscape fragmentation for urban forest in Huizhou, Guangdong were analyzed by landscape pattern indices analysis and transition matrixes along three gradients including the central area, suburban area, and outer suburban area. Result: The patch density of the central area increased from 0.08 to 0.25 per hm2 during 1990-2010. Meanwhile, the mean patch area decreased from 11.81 to 3.92 hm2. Similar changes in patch density and patch area happened to the suburban area, but the change scale reduced from 2000 to 2010 suggesting that the fragmented patches gradually narrowed in the central and suburban area. The landscape fragmentation process was relatively slow in the outer suburban area. The patch density of the outer suburban area first increased from 0.18 to 0.30 per hm2, and then decreased to 0.11 per hm2, and the mean patch area decreased from 9.12 to 3.51 hm2. In 1990-2000, rapid and out-of-order urbanization led to the increased number and decreased area of urban green patches. However, during 2000-2010 the area of urban green patches gradually increased, the patch integration enhanced, and the landscape fragmentation decreased through construction of urban parks, afforestation in barren hills, and ecological restoration. A typical defragmentation trend was observed. Conclusion: Ecological restoration and reconstruction in an organized process can effectively improve the landscape condition of urban forest and increase urban forest coverage
Sharing the road? Tensions between drivers and cyclists in Hong Kong
No full textEmbracing the culture of cycling is an ongoing issue in many countries, Hong Kong is no exception. This could be due to the different attitude towards the mind of Sharing the Road. Copenhagen, one of the most cycling friendly cities. It has over 400 km of bikeways with “Super bikeways” built connecting to neighbouring municipalities on trips in the average of 10 km ranges. In addition to the infrastructure, the attitude of road users has also contributed greatly to this success. In 2012, Copenhagen government’s report advocated that most of their road users prefer cycle tracks along existing roads which greatly advanced their placemaking projects. In contrast, Hong Kong is seriously lagging in this respect. The battle between motorcar drivers and cyclists is showing in many cities every day. Despite the government has been constructing a cycle track system, those tracks are segregated from existing roads due to the negative responses from the motorcar drivers. The battle between drivers and cyclists is showing in many cities every day There is a deeply rooted negative impression of cycling on the road, for example: o A lack of regard for other road users; o A failure to adhere to basic road safety rules; o Poor cycling behaviour; o Not being able to keep up with other traffic; and o Not showing courtesy to other, etc. Some responses from previous studies have shown that many motorcar drivers believed that “bikes do not belong to the road”, regardless they are for commuting, sporting, leisure, or doing business. This lag in a positive attitude is the biggest roadblock to the development of a bike-friendly city, and it is worthwhile to understand what have caused this phenomenon. We are proposing to present a case study that illustrate the tensions, dilemmas, and challenges faced by different road users in Hong Kong. The case study will adopt an established qualitative framework named cognitive map, which is widely used as an instrument in psychology to reveal people’s subconscious knowledge and perception of a specific attitude or behaviour. The transformation of road users perception in Hong Kong, similar with many developed Asian cities toward cyclists is a slow process which requires a substantial effort from both sides, and initiating a discussion is the first step. We hope Hong Kong, together with all other Asian countries, will climb up The Copenhagenize Index in the near future
Prediction of the root anchorage of native young plants using Bayesian inference
No full textThe maximum vertical uproot resistance (Pmax) of a plant can be used to indicate its stability. Attempts were made to predict the Pmax of a plant empirically from some of its size parameters. In practice, an infinite number of empirical models with different complexities can be formulated. This study presents a Bayesian model class selection method to evaluate the plausibility of each empirical model among a list of model candidates. The models were ranked to identify the most plausible one. A database of vertical uproot resistance of four shrubs and trees native to Hong Kong was first compiled by performing field uproot tests. The plant size parameters including height, basal diameter, canopy size, and above-ground dry weight, were measured before the uprooting. Second, the mathematical formulation of the Bayesian model class selection method was presented. Using this method the most plausible model for each studied species or plant type was identified. The uncertainty of the model coefficients and therefore the credibility of the predictions were quantified. The selected models were used to predict the Pmax of the studied plants in some additional tests. It was found that the Pmax of the studied species could be reliably predicted from the established simple empirical formulas containing only the height and/or basal diameter of the plant as the dependent variables. The study paves the way for nondestructive and reliable prediction of plant anchorage
Tight Budget constraints and the absence of strategic planning – an exploratory analysis of FM service outsourcing
No full textPurpose: This paper aims to identify the factors that affect facilities management (FM) service outsourcing.
Design/Methodolgoy/Approach: Five focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted for this study. A total of 25 professional FM managers were invited to participate in the FGDs. The qualitative data collected from the FGDs were analysed with the coding method.
Findings: FM managers commonly regard that tight budget constraints and the absence of strategic planning are two important factors that affect FM service outsourcing. Tight budget constraints reflect that clients control their service providers by constraining budgets, which creates a series of inefficiencies in the outsourcing process and thus lead to adverse outsourcing relationships. A series of strategies are recommended to deal with the challenges posed by budget constraints and the lack strategic planning.
Research Limitations / Implications: Twenty-five Hong Kong-based FM managers were interviewed for this study. The empirical data collected mainly reflects FM service outsourcing in Hong Kong. It is important to test the findings with a bigger group of FM managers from other regions.
Originality/Value: The managerial significance of FM service outsourcing has not yet been valued in practice. This study draws academic attention to FM service outsourcing practice and provides practical opinions from FM managers. Also, this study adopts the FGD method in data collection, which extracts to a maximum degree of authentic opinions from practitioners
Interior intelligence
Get PDFIn celebration of World Interiors Day, HKDI held a series of seminars with prominent interior designers and a workshop to promote this year\u27s theme of intelligence
