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The Pokfulam Farm – Revitalisation of Old Dairy Farm Senior Staff Quarters

Challenges and Objectives

The Dairy Farm Co. Ltd. established a dairy farm in Pok Fu Lam in 1886. The Old Dairy Farm Senior Staff Quarters (Grade 1 Historic Building) built in 1887 is the oldest existing building from the Dairy Farm in Hong Kong. In 2015, Caritas-Hong Kong was selected to undertake its revitalisation under Batch IV of the Development Bureau’s Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme. The revitalization project aims to renovate the Senior Staff Quarters into a living museum “The Pokfulam Farm” to serve as a platform for visitors to learn about and experience the history and development of the Old Dairy Farm, as well as the culture of the Pokfulam Village and its surrounding area.

Collaboration Partners and Roles

The collaboration to revitalise the Dairy Farm Senior Staff Quarters was initiated by Pokfulam Village, a group of villagers with expertise in cultural heritage conservation. Collaborating with Caritas-Hong Kong, they successfully saved Pokfulam Village from developing new roads by co-creating the Choi Yuen Tei community garden.

Having long been assisting the Pokfulam villagers on village works, Caritas-Hong Kong took the leading role to apply for the Development Bureau’s Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme to revitalise the Old Dairy Farm Senior Staff Quarters.

Pokfulam Farm Company Limited was formed for the revitalisation project and has a board with members from Caritas and Pokfulam Village. The company is responsible for overseeing the project’s operations, including the renovation work, exhibitions, and financial sustainability.

Revitalisation Activities

The Pokfulam Farm revitalisation project involves several activities aimed at generating income, such as paid guided tours and operating a cafeteria. A project supported by a family foundation is being run on the farm, which also generates some income. The visual improvement of the Old Dairy Farm Senior Staff Quarters through its renovation is another aspect of the project.

Revitalisation Outcome

The project has created a distinctive cultural landscape that showcases the long history of Pokfulam Village and Dairy Farm. This has increased the village's reputation and re-established its identity. The project has also empowered the local community and fostered deep engagement from Pokfulam Village.

Additionally, the project has successfully connected the built heritage (historic buildings) with the cultural history of Pokfulam Village, resulting in a new cultural landscape for the area. The project aims to become self-sustained by the second year of operation.

This is the abridged version of a case prepared by AIRI Associate Fellow Cheung Lai Kwan Connie. For further information, please email The University of Hong Kong’s Centre for Civil Society and Governance at ruralsd@hku.hk.