Hong Kong’s rich history is layered with untold stories, many concealed beneath the city’s modern landscape. A pioneering project led by researchers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)’s Department of Land Surveying and Geo-informatics is bringing these stories to light through cutting-edge geospatial technologies.
With the support of governmental funding, the two-year project “Antiquity and Heritage Lost, Found and Revealed: Promotion of 21st Century Geo-spatial Technologies,” led by Prof. Wallace Wai Lok LAI, Associate Head (Teaching) and Professor of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-informatics, the project seeks to identify and capture images of hidden wartime relics, cultural antiquities, and heritage sites across Hong Kong.
The research is conducted in collaboration with Prof. Chi-Man Kwong of Hong Kong Baptist University’s Department of History, alongside local amateur war historians. Together, they have rediscovered sites such as the Gin Drinkers Line, Mount Davis Battery, the East Brigade Headquarters in Tai Tam, Pokfulam Village and the Old Dairy Farm, Fan Lau Fort on Lantau Island, and Tung Chung Fort.
This exhibition showcases long-forgotten wartime and built heritage, including Pokfulam Farm, and invites visitors to explore and appreciate the city’s remarkable past.
(source: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/en/media/media-releases/2025/0604_polyu-study-uncovering-hong-kong-s-hidden-history-with-cutting-edge-geospatial-technologies/)
The Speaker
Dr. Wallace Wai Lok LAI is an Associate Professor and Associate Head (Teaching) in Department of Land Surveying and Geo-informatics of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He teaches and conducts research and consultancy of non-destructive testing, survey and evaluation to investigate unseen underground utility and engineering structures with ground penetrating radar, infrared thermography and acoustic methods. Dr. Lai has been serving as a guest scientist at the Federal Institute of Materials Research and Testing (BAM) in Berlin, Germany since 2010, initiating, organizing and lecturing in the annual NDT-CE workshop in BAM. He organized and chaired 16th Ground Penetrating Radar Conference in Hong Kong in 2016. He also designed, built and operated the first underground utility survey lab in Hong Kong in 2014.
Recent interest of Dr. Lai extends to unfold and model the terrain of hidden and lost WWII heritage sites using a range of geo-spatial technologies including airborne, terrestrial LiDAR and photogrammetry. He authors over 90 journal and conference articles and is the PI and Co-PI of 50+ research and consultancy projects.
More about Prof. Wallace LAI:
https://www.polyu.edu.hk/lsgi/people/academic-staff/ir-prof-wallace-wai-lok-lai/
PROGRAMME
Date: Saturday, 11 July 2026
Time: 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Venue: The Pokfulam Farm, 141A Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong
Admission: $150 for members, $200 for guests /non-members
Registration: Please email <membership@royalasiaticsociety.org.hk> and provide your membership number, if applicable, at the time of registration. Please kindly complete your registration by advance payment via Stripe's payment links below (using your Credit Card):
Members ($150):
https://buy.stripe.com/7sYbJ2bRGdAI6KTb4d5EY3m
Non-member / Guest ($200):
https://buy.stripe.com/bJe5kE6xmcwE7OX5JT5EY3n
Details about the other payment option will be sent on registration. Upon receipt of payment, your registration will be confirmed by email. Registration will be closed at 12 noon on 10 July 2026.