Digital Storytelling with VR

Visual Conservation of Kowloon City’s Heritage

Photos taken by Birdy Chu

Why we do this project

The cherished old shops of Nga Tsin Wai Road in Kowloon City District are set to be demolished by the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) within the next decade. This impending change underscores the urgency of digitally preserving our local heritage. In view of this, we are making use of the power of Virtual Reality (VR) to safeguard the old local shops in this area. Our goal is to enlighten the younger generation about the significant role of VR in urban development while deepening the appreciation of Kowloon City District’s culture and history.

Integrate into Teaching and Learning

The VR journey blended into the existing courses:

Art and Digital Culture (HUMA1673 CORE1668)
Digital Humanities (HUMA5630)
Photography (HUMA1154 CORE1666)

This integration offers a hands-on approach, enabling students to transform tangible cultural artifacts into enduring virtual memories. Students are mentored in photography or/and photogrammetry and crafting physical objects into 3D models that suitable for integrating into VR scenes, thereby adding depth to our projects with their unique stories and viewpoints of the old shops in Kowloon City.

Fieldtrip to Kowloon City

On 20 July 2024, our project team visited Kowloon City to document two cherished shops in this area: Yuen Mao Hing Kee Tea Shop (源茂興記茶莊) and Kam Shing Dried Seafood Shop (金城海味). We conducted oral interviews with the shop owners, capturing their stories and the rich history behind these establishments. Additionally, we utilized photogrammetry techniques to take detailed photos and videos of the shops and their objects, ensuring a comprehensive visual record.

Bringing the Shops to Life in VR

Using the sound recordings from the interviews with the shop owners and the photographic data collected, our team has begun the process of rendering immersive 3D VR scenes. These virtual recreations will allow users to step inside the shops, exploring the complex details and experiencing the unique atmosphere.

In the face of impending government redevelopment, we aim to preserving these soon demolished shops for the future by digitally preserving these cherished old shops using VR techniques. The VR experience will not only serve as a virtual time capsule but also as a tool for education and appreciation, ensuring that the stories of these iconic establishments are passed down to future generations. Preserving these soon demolished shops for the future.

Stay Tuned for the Virtual Experience

As we continue our work on this project, we invite you to stay tuned for the launch of our immersive VR products. Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and stories of old shops of Hong Kong’s local heritage.

This project is a Teaching and Learning Innovation Project (TLIP) that funded by CEI.

This project is still in progress. If you are interested in collaborating with us, please reach out to us.

Project Team:

Qiuzi GUO, Division of Humanities & Library (hmqzguo@ust.hk)
Birdy CHU, Division of Humanities (hmshun@ust.hk)
Holly CHAN, Library (lbholly@ust.hk)
CHENG Nin Sun, Matthew (student from BEng in Chemical and Environmental Engineering)
SHEN Xiao Yuan (student from MPhil in Chemical and Biological Engineering)