Reframing social engagement in heritage conservation in Central Hong Kong Towards “Boundaryless museum”：rethink community participation and urban heritage in Hong Kong’s Central and Western district

Research questions: 1. What are the key barriers and potential opportunities for effective community participation in heritage conservation practices within Hong Kong’s Central District? 2. How can the vision of a “boundaryless museum” applies to heritage conservation along Central? / What is the feasibility of the borderless museum concept practiced in Central? 3. How do different stakeholder perspectives influence the development of the boundaryless museum implementation within an urban heritage management context? Literature Review, Theoretical Framework and Methodology outline Literature Review keywork: living heritage + community; urban heritage + community participation;historic urban landscape approach three theme: 1.Review and evaluation of existing heritage conservation and community engagement studies. 2.Origins of BM concept,though the term BM is newly proposed in this research, it draws on prior conceptual work in museum studies (e.g., Mihăilă, 2014; Tzortzi, 2015, 2018), new museology, and ecomuseum principles. This section will trace and synthesize these theoretical lineages to establish a foundation for the proposed concept. 3.Heritage Conservation in Hong Kong: Policy and Practice Overview theoretical framework Living Heritage Theory: Emphasizes heritage as a dynamic, lived experience rooted in local culture and everyday urban practices. This is especially relevant to Central, where cultural identity emerges from both residents’ and visitors’ interactions with the space. Community Engagement in Heritage Ecomuseum Model: Introduced as a precursor and foundational influence for the “Boundaryless Museum.” Boundaryless Museum (Proposed Concept): This research introduces the Boundaryless Museum as a conceptual innovation. It is defined as “an urban-scale exhibition framework viewing the city itself as an integrated cultural display, emphasizing heritage experiences in daily urban spaces.” The rationale for this proposal is to address the fragmented state of heritage conservation and insufficient community engagement observed in the local context. Methodology A qualitative research methodology is adopted to explore perceptions, practices, and potential pathways for community-integrated conservation. This includes: 1.a few Policy and Document Analysis: Review of planning documents, conservation reports, and government policy papers to assess the formal structures of heritage management in the case study area. 2.Semi-Structured Interviews: Key stakeholders include local residents, heritage NGOs, artists, and informal organizers (e.g., “30 Houses” community). Interviews aim to capture motivations, constraints, perceptions of space, and responses to the BM idea. 3.Field Observation and Typology Mapping: On-site documentation of shop typologies, cultural signifiers, and spatial usage patterns in Staunton Street, offering insights into how heritage is embedded in everyday environments.