Herzog & de Meuron
Project
2006-2012
Realization
2011-2018

The former Central Police Station, the Central Magistracy and the Victoria Prison is a walled compound of heritage buildings at the commercial centre of Hong Kong Island. Established by the British after 1841 as the colony’s main police station, magistracy, and prison, the site is one of Hong Kong’s most important remaining historic monuments. Following its decommission in 2006, the entire compound was vacated, leaving a set of open grounds and a collection of unique buildings. From an urban perspective, the compound is a rare “courtyard” in the middle of one of the densest cities in the world. What once stood on the hillside as a prominent symbol of law and order with commanding views to the harbour has now inversely become an urban oasis of openness and calm within a forest of commercial and residential high-rises. The compound is defined and structured by two large courtyards: the Parade Ground and the Prison Yard. Our goal is to preserve the openness and distinct character of both and to re-activate them for public use as a new type of urban found space. These spaces will define the site physically and programmatically as places of gathering, cultural exchange, leisure, and respite.

The Parade Ground is surrounded on each side by several of the site’s most historic buildings, resulting in a formal open space with generous room for public recreation, events, direct access to restaurant and retail attractions, as well as smaller-scale cultural and educational spaces. The Prison Yard will be subtly transformed from a rough and forbidding area to a new open public space dedicated to cultural programming. Adding a new arts and cultural program is one of the key strategies to opening up and activating the former Prison Yard. Two new volumes that float tightly above the surrounding granite walls are conceived as distinctive but carefully inserted elements within the fabric of existing buildings. By cantilevering above the walls and keeping a minimum distance to the adjacent structures, the buildable floor area is maximized while staying within the zoning envelope and at the same time creating protective offsets from the surrounding historical buildings. As an architectural expression, it also clearly distinguishes the new buildings from the site’s historic buildings. Gathered mainly at the Lower Courtyard, the former police buildings sit proudly on either street level or on top of the granite walls, making their authority and presence in the city known. The prison buildings, on the other hand, are located behind the walls, and have historically been separated from public access and view for obvious reasons of safety and security. The new building volumes copy neither of the historical conditions but instead create a new relationship to the site context by hovering just above the wall. By raising the volumes, new public and circulation spaces are created below, resulting in generous protected places for gathering and activity, and establishing a new East- West pedestrian connection from Arbuthnot Road to Old Bailey Street. At the same time, the buildings become new markers at the two ends of the compound, bringing attention to a formerly closed-off part of the city.

The design of JC Contemporary, located at the southwest portion of the site, is developed in close relation to the adaptive reuse of the F Hall. New connections will be created between the two buildings. Together, they will house contemporary art functions. The courtyard entrance of the JC Contemporary is defined by the building’s volume hovering above the historic revetment wall. This entrance area is protected from rain and sun, and acts as the circulation hub and foyer to both the F Hall and JC Contemporary. The F Hall will be a versatile gallery space for art exhibition or other special events. Much of the original architecture with its traces from the buildings’ past use are kept and preserved. In contrast, the adjacent JC Contemporary will feature large column free exhibition spaces with maximum flexibility. Skylights in the roof will provide natural daylight into the top gallery space. The second floor is dedicated to a restaurant with an outdoor terrace overlooking the rich and textured roofscape of the entire compound embedded in the cityscape.

Sitting as a new marker on the southeast corner of the CPS site is the new JC Cube. The volume similarly hovers above the revetment wall along Arbuthnot Road, creating a covered public outdoor gathering, cinema and performance space with a large stair whose steps may be used for informal seating. On either side of the JC Cube are old prison buildings, D Hall and E Hall, forming interior elevations for this unique outdoor venue. The height restriction is also fully taken advantage of, resulting in two more generous program spaces above: an 8m height multipurpose space with an accessible technical grid ceiling, and a mechanical plant room that houses cooling towers and equipment serving the entire site.

Both new buildings are clad with a cast aluminium façade unit system that is referencing, in terms of scale and proportion, the existing granite block elements of the characteristic bordering revetment wall surrounding the entire site, thus establishing a certain contextual relationship. The use of 100% recycled aluminium as a material provides a distinctive architectural expression and materiality, setting the new buildings apart as new insertions amongst the collection of historical masonry blocks, and at the same time addresses issues such as structural support, sun shading, and rain protection in Hong Kong’s subtropical climate. The specific porosity, patterning, and expression of the façade unit is informed by the functional and environmental requirements of the uses within. The materiality of the cast aluminium units will have a distinctive roughness and texture breaking down the façade surface, which helps to reduce the reflectivity and glare during the daytime. At night, light emitted from the building will be partially screened by the façade units, expressing the life of activities within but without creating light pollution. Herzog & de Meuron, 2016

“What we have done in Hong Kong is to transform a former Police Station into a Centre for Heritage and Arts. In Hong Kong and also in Mainland China this is still a totally new approach to architecture – an unusual thing to do because normally old buildings and entire neighbourhoods are being removed and being replaced by new ones. The principle is TABULA RASA. For us architects, also in the West, it was quite similar until not so long ago. Modernism was making pre-existing things look old, shabby and uncool. In daily life we all still carelessly throw away things we use every day instead of recycling and reintegrating them in a somewhat appropriate or even creative way. In the 1970s, when we started our practice, we first had to find and define our own architectural language. Re-Inventing and Re-Using pre-existing ideas and objects – not necessarily of a heroic period of the past, but simply of what we found in front of us – has become an essential element within our vocabulary since those early days and projects
think of early projects such as the ‘Marktplatz Basel’, ‘Stone House Tavole’, later of course ‘Tate Modern’ or now ‘Tai Kwun’. We adopted this strategy of working WITH instead of AGAINST the existing material world of objects because we found it natural and inspiring, often resulting in unexpected and innovative results. There is no fundamental difference for such an approach, whether you do it in Basel or in London, in Liguria or in Hong Kong.”

-Jacques Herzog, July 2018

Herzog & de Meuron, 2018

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Process

An initial concept is based on the maximum building volume permitted by capacity and solar access regulations. The scaffold-like structure allows for various uses and the cultivation of vertical gardens.

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A second design proposes placing a horizontal block, structured like a bridge on top of the existing buildings.

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The former police station is one of the most important architectural vestiges of British rule.

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The final design includes a new passageway that opens up the compound to the surroundings and turns the former prison yard into a plaza, flanked by new buildings facing Arbuthnot Road and Old Bailey Street.

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Volumetric studies for the two new buildings to be inserted within the existing complex. Staircases form unique spaces that can also be used as performance venues.

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Aluminum elements for the facades: color, shape and size of the modules are designed to reference the stone walls.

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The elements of the numerous interventions are poured in situ based on mock-ups; a finish is selected for them that is in keeping with their location.

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Construction of the complex combining old and new buildings.

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Views and impressions of the Arbuthnot wing.

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Facade and the interior of the Old Bailey wing.

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Drawings

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Team

Facts

Client
The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Hong Kong
Planning
Design Consultant: Herzog & de Meuron, Basel, Switzerland
Executive Architect: Rocco Design Architects Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Conservation Architect: Purcell, London, UK
Structural Engineering: Arup, London, UK & Arup, Hong Kong, China
Landscape Architect: AECOM, Hong Kong, China
MEP Engineering: J Roger Preston Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Planning Consultant: Townland Consultants Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Quantity Surveyor: Rider Levett Bucknall Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Specialist / Consulting
Acoustics Engineering: Shen Milsom & Wilke Ltd., Hong Kong, China
AV Consulting: Shen Milsom & Wilke Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Art Advisor: David Elliot, Berlin, Germany
Building Physics Consulting: Transsolar Energietechnik GmbH, Stuttgart, Germany
Environmental & Archeology Consultant: ERM, Hong Kong, China
BEAM+ Sustainability Consultant: Hyder Consulting Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Civil Engineering: Arup, Hong Kong, China
Facade Engineering: Arup, Hong Kong, China
Fire Engineering: Arup, Hong Kong, China
Geotechnical Engineering: Arup, Hong Kong, China
IT Consultant: Arup, Hong Kong, China
Lighting Consulting: Arup, London, UK & Arup, Hong Kong, China
Metallurgist: C M Whittington & Associates Pty Ltd., Melbourne, Australia
Retail Operation Consulting: Knight Frank, Hong Kong, China
Scenography Consulting: dUCKS scéno, Villeurbanne, France
Security Consulting: Arup, Hong Kong, China
Traffic Consulting: MVA, Hong Kong, China
Theater Consulting: Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, Hong Kong, China
Wayfinding: Marc & Chantal Design, Hong Kong, China
Arboriculturalist Consulting: Hong Kong University, Hong Kong, China
Contractors
Management Contractor: Gammon Construction Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Demolition Works: YSK2 Engineering Co. Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Stengthening Works to Existing Structure: Shui Wing Engineering Co. Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Historic Buildings Structural Alteration, Underpinning and Strengthening: Yau Lee Construction Co. Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Historic Roofs, Windows and Doors Repair and Replacement: Harvest Century Holdings (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Historic Buildings Facades Repair: Stonewest Ltd., London, UK
New Buildings Piling & Underpinning Works: Win Win Way Construction Ltd., Hong Kong, China
New Buildings Exposed Concrete Frame including Foundation & Basement Wall: United Soundfair Engineering Co. Ltd., Hong Kong, China
New Buildings Structural Steelwork: Gammon Construction Ltd., Hong Kong, China
New Buildings Facade Construction: Josef Gartner & Co. (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Aluminium Brick Production: Hycast Metals Pty Ltd., Sydney, Australia
Underground Drainage Works & Utilities: Shui Wing Engineering Co. Ltd., Hong Kong, China
P&D / MVAC / FS Installation: Hsin Chong Aster Building Services Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Electrical Installation: Chat Horn Engineering Ltd., Hong Kong, China
ELV, Security & PA System: Chubb Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong, China
IT: Jardine One Solution (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Feature Light Fittings: Macostar Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Elevators: Otis Elevator Co. (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Fitting-out Works / Facing Brick & Plaster Repair: Yearfull Contracting Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Fitting-out Works (JC Contemporary Restaurant): Sun Bright Construction Co. Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Sanitary Fittings: Jebsen Building Products Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Ironmongeries: Jardine Engineering Co. Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Soft Landscaping / Tree Compensation Works: Oriental Landscapes Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Hard Landscape & External Works: Marmitar Masonry HK Ltd., Hong Kong, China
Building Data
Site Area: 156'076 sqft, 14'500 sqm
Gross floor area (GFA): 290'625 sqft, 27'000 sqm
Number of levels: 4
Footprint: 146'389 sqft, 13'600 sqm
Length: 459 ft, 140 m
Width: 360 ft, 110 m
Height: 164 ft, 50 m
Links
www.taikwun.hk

Bibliography

Gerhard Mack, Herzog & de Meuron: “Herzog & de Meuron 2005-2007. The Complete Works. Volume 6.” Edited by: Gerhard Mack. Basel, BirkhĂ€user, 2018.

Luis FernĂĄndez-Galiano (Ed.): “Arquitectura Viva Monografias. Herzog & de Meuron 2013-2017.” Vol. No. 191-192, Madrid, Arquitectura Viva SL, 12.2016.

Luis FernĂĄndez-Galiano (Ed.): “Arquitectura Viva MonografĂ­as. Herzog & de Meuron 2005-2013.” Vol. No. 157/158, Madrid, Arquitectura Viva SL, 09.2012.

Location