Village Fest | Hong Kong

Revitalising Lai Chi Wo

Founded over 300 years ago by the Hakka people of Sha Tau Kok in the North District of the New Territories, Lai Chi Wo is one of the oldest, largest, and best-preserved rural villages in Hong Kong.

Since 2013, the Centre for Civil Society and Governance Studies (CCSG) at the University of Hong Kong has launched a multi-year Sustainable Lai Chi Wo Programme to combat the rapid loss of village culture, rural environment and communities amid urbanisation in Asia. The programme sought to replenish and revitalise the disappearing social and natural capital of the farming landscape at Lai Chi Wo with a view to develop a sustainable model for rural revitalisation for Hong Kong, Greater China and beyond.

Building upon the initial success of Sustainable Lai Chi Wo Programme, CCSG launched the 4-year “HSBC Rural Sustainability” programme (2018 - 2022) which focused on mobilising local community action through socio-economic models which emphasised the role of rural community for the benefit of the wider Hong Kong society.

As part of this efforts, Village Fest 2022 was co-curated by the CCSG project team, One Bite Design Studio and Lai Chi Wo Pui Shing Tong Committee and in collaboration with the local communities in Lai Chi Wo, Mui Tsz Lam and Kop Tong. We are honored to be involved in the visual and programme design for this festival and to work with the Lai Chi Wo Village Pui Shing Tong Committee to help realize the festival’s theme 'Tomorrow Village Today'.

A Journey of Exploration, Sharing, Experimentation, Co-creation, and Reflection

Village Fest brings you on a village living journey through exploration, sharing, experiment, co-creation and reflection. There were four core events including self-guided “Village Tour”; “Village Market” that is held every first Saturday of each month; experimental “Village life Lab” and urban “Village pop-up Market”, that brought the community together through different activities.

For the self-guided “Village Tour”, onebite designed a map of the village, showcasing the locations of different shops, farms, and amenities, in addition to the different question and answer installations set up around the village. They served as both lookout points while the chairs and flags contained questions and answers about village life, from the past, present, and future. The chairs were made from natural timber in response to the natural landscape. We hoped through the process of resting and reflecting, visitors would not only appreciate the natural beauty, but also ponder issues relating to human and natural ecology.

The Village Market showcased the revitalised farms and other rural sustainability efforts. The seasonal culinary festival, organised by Lai Chi Wo farmers’ community,  featured a variety of food, workshops, and improvised performances on-site, in addition to the farmers’ market. onebite designed a stall installation for the market, which can be used as a commercial installation during the market, and as a resting space for villagers or visitors when the market is closed, making efficient use of these structures.

Creating a Moment of Tranquility in the Busy City

A pop-up event, titled VillageSSPPOP! was held in Sham Shui Po in July 2022. Over a weekend, the festival offered an opportunity to experience the cultural and natural landscape of the village and invited urbanites to enjoy a moment of tranquillity in the middle of the city. onebite designed a series of branding identities and installations for the whole event which aimed to show the connectedness and synergy between the village and the city.

Different installations and events were set up in four locations, such as a small village book selection and a Gachapon machine and human-height installations at Go On Space @ Colour Brown which offered a variety of fun ways to get people involved. For example, the installation invited visitors to step on and immerse themselves in a 360-degree scene of Lai Chi Wo, Mui Tsz Lam, and Kop Tong.