This paper draws on theoretical discussions of world cities to analyze socio-spatial polarization and (re-)distribution of deprived groups in Hong Kong in the 2000s. Intensifying global economic restructuring processes have induced socio-economic polarization, thereby producing deprived groups although the spatial outcomes may depend on the city-specific context. When local policies do not counteract the polarization trend, a spatial manifestation of widening socio-economic gaps can be expected. Intensified pro-growth policies adopted since Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule in 1997 and during its economic recession in the early 2000s have worsened the impact of globalization-induced socio-economic and spatial restructuring. Census data from 2001 and 2011 show increasingly differentiated socio-economic profiles at the district level. The analysis offered in this study also points to a decreased socially mixed society in 2011 when the deprived groups lived in districts with less presence of the advantaged population.

This study presents pragmatic evidence to make learning a geographical process. It investigates how place-based education (PBE) can deepen the sense of place and vice versa. The study first reviews the meaning of PBE and continues with an ontological discussion of place. As place is theorized, learning practices in the course Sustainable Urban Development and Hong Kong are outlined. The submissions of students are analyzed, and selected reflections are presented to interface with the ontological construct of place. We examine how PBE can enrich student awareness of place and in what way student appreciations of place can add values to the geographical reasoning on sustainability- and urbanism-related topics. Results show that site selection is important and place in PBE is both real and imagined. Heritage conservation and place revitalization are potential reflective topics to design a PBE-based teaching praxis.

Communal space is regarded as essential for human well-being in high-rise developments in Asia and increasing attention has been given to the underlying mechanism of its effects in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. From the perspective of person–place processes, this paper explores ‘sense of place’ and its possible mediating effects on the relationship between communal space and the mental health of residents in high-rise public housing. An analysis of data from a questionnaire survey conducted in Hong Kong and Guangzhou revealed differentiated mechanisms according to local context and age group. Sense of place and its subcomponents mediated the connection between communal space and mental health in Hong Kong but not in Guangzhou. More specifically, place identity, place attachment and place dependence had stronger effects among older residents in HK than younger ones. The findings from this study can inform evidence-based planning and decision-making for public housing policy for health-oriented environments in high-density cities.

Tangwei village, located in Dongguan’s rapidly urbanizing Pearl River Delta region, Guangdong, illustrates the challenges and opportunities of balancing heritage preservation with rural revitalization in contemporary China. Designated as a major cultural heritage site in 2006, the village’s preservation strategies reflect the interplay between provincial policies, local government planning, and a broader national emphasis on tourism-driven economic development. This research examines how government-led rural heritage revitalization initiatives shape cultural preservation in Tangwei village. By analyzing this historic village – designated as a Major Cultural Heritage Site under National-level Protection in 2006 – the study reveals how local authorities strategically leverage cultural symbols and heritage practices to promote tourism development, often in ways disconnected from authentic community traditions. The findings demonstrate that while heritage tourism initiatives aim to enhance the village’s visibility and economic group, their top-down implementation primarily serves government economic objectives rather than addressing community preservation needs. Drawing on fieldwork, visual documentation, oral histories, and textual analysis, the study illuminates the complex dynamics between local governance, tourism development imperatives, and rural heritage preservation in contemporary China. It underscores how traditional cultural practices are increasingly commodified and detached from local communities through standardized festivals and artistic interventions. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of how state-driven rural revitalization policies reshape heritage landscapes and alter community relationships with traditional spaces in rapidly urbanizing regions.

In a storytelling context, the visualization of the timelines for appliance usage could convey a great amount of information to audiences about the patterns or habits of households when using appliances in smart home. However, today's research on smart home visualization is more focused on time series data, while research on timeline does not focus much on expressiveness in a storytelling context. If we simply visualize the time series or use traditional visualization methods to visualize the timeline, the intention and effectiveness of storytelling may be reduced. In this paper, we analyze the above issues in detail and propose a new visualization design based on machinima and a dynamic circle.