Revitalization creates a Community Design Space

[Tiffany Wan]

Community involvement is core to our philosophy here at Design Museum Boston, and we're not alone! As I dig and dive deeper into the design scene in Hong Kong, I'm learning that this idea and importance of community is becoming increasingly vital to the artists and designers in this financially driven city. Allow me to share with you, a new and exciting designer space coming in 2014. 

I had the opportunity to chat with Billy Tam, Director of Thomas Chow Architects. Tam gives me a detailed rundown on his current projects, primarily being the revitalization and renovation of the Former Police Married Quarters in the heart of SoHo in Hong Kong. The Police Married Quarters (PMQ) will be a new mixed-use facility for galleries, studios, artists, designers, with retail space and cafes. And Tam speaks passionately about the ability and opportunity to collaborate on this project with many different fields. Although this collaboration is typical in his work, it generally only involves the direct client rather than the surrounding community.

 

The Former Police Married Quarters holds a lot of history. The site was originally used for the relocation of the Central School in 1889; Dr. Sun Yat Sen studied at the school in its previous location. It’s significant as the first government school to provide upper and primary secondary Western education. In 1948, after being severely damaged in World War II, this location and the current structure served as housing for the Hong Kong police. You can learn more from the Hong Kong Development Bureau. PMQ is located in Central, on Aberdeen Street, taking up the block between Hollywood Road and Staunton Street.

 

Community was vital to not only the history of this building site, but also its future use. With the PMQ project, Tam has had many dialogues, interviews, and workshops with designers and artists, and neighbors. What would designers and artists want out of a studio space and work environment? What would be the use scenarios that Tam and his team would need to accommodate for? Being once a school before it was burned down and reconstructed for police quarters, how important is the history of this community structure?

Tam shares with me more of the history of architecture in Hong Kong; the former Police Married Quarters was the prototype and stepping-stone to Hong Kong public housing. It was built two years before the first public housing structure in Shek Kip Mei, which is another H-block style facility. That neighborhood now houses the Jockey Club Creative Arts Center, another creative facility which the PMQ space (rendering below) is inspired by.

To preserve some of the historical elements and educate the public, Tam and his team will incorporate an “underground interpretation area” in the middle of the courtyard—which will display what life was like at the Central School, the school’s remains after WWII, and some underground pilings of the Central School. He reiterates, “the new space will not be a shopping arcade, but [rather] a cultural and creative hub for young designers and artists to gather and exchange thoughts.” It’s been important to ensure that the space allows for people to easily exchange ideas with communal and private spaces. For example, one of the many gallery spaces, to be called the “i-Cube” is a 600 square meter exhibition hall with an open sky garden above. This space also serves as a bridge between the two main structures, encouraging conversation and interaction in the communal areas.

The designs for this revitalization project kicked off a year ago in November 2010 and is due to commence in early 2014. The Musketeers Foundation will be the future operator of the site; supporting organizations involved in this project include: Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Design Institute and the Hong Kong Design Center. Tam feels that there’s a lot of design opportunity and potential for architecture in Hong Kong. And as we continued our conversation, the topic of Hong Kong land value and "expensive claddings" came into discussion. The PMQ project will address this growing issue by providing a space for young, local designers to rent appropriate space at a reasonable price. Intellectual Property support, brand management and marketing services will be provided at PMQ. These are only a few of the many ways that this exciting environment will support the business growth for young, local designers.

 

Tam speaks enthusiastically about his inspiration and love for architecture. Le Corbusier is one of Tam’s biggest influencers. Inspired by the way Corbusier plays with light and shadow, Tam reinterpreted this architectural philosophy for one of the firm’s award wining projects: The Diocesan Boys School.

In reference to Le Corbusier, Tam speaks of the possibilities and freedom that such an architect had, which resulted in the beautiful open spaces that were created. Tam mentions one of the biggest obstacles in the Diocesan Boys School project: to incorporate trees and nature into the glass structure. The trees provide shade to the glass structure of the communal area; however, to achieve this detailed calculations were needed in order to get the glass in the perfect place, allowing the trees to beautifully extend out of the ceiling into the open air.

Slowly with projects like Tam’s PMQ and Cornwall Street Park in Kowloon Tong, where Tam and his team are providing local designers an opportunity to create sculptures (or street furniture) which help reinterpret interaction in the park space, Hong Kong will have a new vibrancy through art, design and community integration.

Imagine the possibilities in such a space like PMQ! What would you want to see here? Or do you know of other similar projects that have been successful? :)

 

Support local HK designers and see what’s happening at PMQ during the Detour event that’s been ongoing until Dec 11. And hear more about this wonderful community project at the Business of Design Week on December 3 in the afternoon track: Culture and the City.

 

Images: Courtesy of Thomas Chow Architects