'Well-being guide inspires public housing development'
Housing minister Winnie Ho on Thursday said the well-being design guide dedicated to public housing development would serve as a reference for future public housing designs and improvement of existing estates.  Speaking at a symposium, she said authorities from the Housing Bureau and Housing Authority visited 26 estates to collect the opinions of over 3,000 residents.  She said the team considered different age groups when creating suggestions to help public housing tenants build a sense of belonging and cultivate a positive neighbourhood image. "There are public spaces on the public housing estates. The elderly can rest under the trees. They can get lonely from living by themselves, so if we can encourage the elderly to come down and [use these facilities], it can create a good routine for them," she said.  "Every day they can come down to sit and chat with others. There are information boards with activities that could broaden their body and mind." Ho said the team came up with eight concepts, 55 strategies and 170 design recommendations based on the information they gathered as well as from practices from around the world.  The eight concepts are health and vitality, green living and sustainability, age-friendliness, inter-generational and inclusive living, family and community connection, urban integration, upward mobility and perception and image.