Renovate to Create: Housing Issues and the Concept of “Age in Place”

The two Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) estates, the Ming Wah Estate (1962), and Lai Tak Tsuen (1975), have been under major renovation to meet the needs of the rapid aging population in residential estates.  Instead of demolishing the existing estates, and redeveloping the areas, this paper examines some of the major factors behind the decision for renovation.  The factors include the population trends, migration of the population, and the theory of ‘age in place’.  The paper also examines the changes made in the two estates, and highlights the functionality of the changes for the aging residents in places.  These two cases bear important implications for other cities which are also facing the challenges of rapid aging population and the dilemma between demolishment and renovation as creation.