The Rural Common website, a groundbreaking initiative co-created by MaD Collaboration, serves as Hong Kong’s first virtual public space dedicated to rural conservation and innovation. This transformative platform began by collecting and sharing village stories, delving into the wisdom of rural life through anthropological methods. It seamlessly integrates rural project information, curates village resources, and preserves memories, all while celebrating the unique aspects of countryside living through drawings and storytelling.
Objective:
- Establish a comprehensive one-stop rural revitalization information platform.
- Preserve and promote cultural inheritance, especially the wisdom of the last generation raised in traditional villages.
- Foster a bridge between traditional rural culture and modern society, allowing contemporary life to learn from and integrate traditional practices.
Problem:
- Rural revitalization information was fragmented and dispersed, making it difficult for the audience to access.
- A risk of losing traditional village wisdom as the last generation who grew up in such environments ages.
- The challenge of effectively bridging the gap between modern urban life and traditional rural culture.
Goal:
- Reconnect urban lives with the richness of rural living through digital media, fostering a deeper appreciation of rural culture.
- Utilize a brand logo in the form of an open book to symbolize the culmination of research and storytelling, underlining the educational aspect of the project.
- Leverage brand graphic elements, which reflect daily rural life, objects, and buildings, to evoke a sense of nostalgia and connection to village life.
- Enhance user experience (UX) by facilitating easy navigation, resembling zooming into a map to explore different villages’ details. The horizontal scrollable map offers users a clickable gateway to village stories, categorized into activities, daily life, objects, and interviews.
- Ultimately, the platform aims to bridge the urban-rural divide, making rural heritage more accessible and fostering a deeper connection between urban and village life through digital media.
Conclusion:
The Rural Common website, through its carefully designed user experience, storytelling, and integration of rural wisdom, is poised to become a vital hub for both rural conservation and cultural education. By offering a holistic one-stop platform, it ensures that the diverse features and wisdom of traditional villages are not only preserved but also brought into the modern age. The open book logo and rural-themed graphics create an inviting and educational atmosphere, drawing visitors into the captivating world of countryside living. In the end, the website serves as a digital bridge, allowing urban and rural lives to intersect, enriching both with a deeper understanding of cultural heritage.