Tai Kwun – Centre for Heritage and Arts
Structural Designer
Arup
Client Name
The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Location
Hong Kong
PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR
Gammon Construction Limited
ARCHITECT
Herzog & de Meuron, Purcell, Rocco Design Architects Ltd
KEY CONTRACTORS
Arup - Civil and geotechnical engineering consultant
Arup - Facade, lighting, fire, materials and security consultant
J.Roger Preston Limited - M&E engineering consultant
Gammon Construction Limited - Structural steelwork contractor for new buildings
Images: © Arup
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Hong Kong’s largest ever conservation and revitalisation project. The 170-year-old former Central Police Station compound of 16 historic buildings was meticulously restored for adaptive re-use.
Judge's comment:
Significant attention to detail was required in order to justify much of the construction to current standards.
A particular challenge was to remove most of the internal walls that formed the cell walls in part of the original prison block. Those walls contributed significantly to the lateral stability of that part of the building and an innovative and entirely concealed diaphragm was constructed within the floor over the former cell block to re-distribute the lateral forces.
Unobtrusive supports were also used to strengthen existing masonry arches.
The judges were particularly impressed by the way that new buildings were integrated with old using elegant staircases, link bridges and discrete structural openings.