bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Patsy Moy

The government has been urged to extend conservation protection to unique post-war buildings that are symbolic of Hong Kong's history.

The appeal was made by architects and conservationists who expressed concern over the fate of some post-war buildings that they said had significant social and aesthetic value.

But they said the roles of some of the buildings had been diminished, such as the passenger terminal building of the former Kai Tak airport and City Hall in Central.

The Antiquities and Monuments Office has granted 77 buildings monument status and graded 498 as historical, mainly those constructed before World War II.

Architecture expert Lee Ho-yin, from the University of Hong Kong, said the concept of conservation should not just be confined to historical considerations but also include a building's social and aesthetic value.

'What gives a building life and soul is the activities that have taken place inside. The buildings are built to serve certain purposes, they are all associated with the tradition and the customs [of the times],' Dr Lee said.

'However, there seems to be a feeling that buildings which were built after World War II somehow are not heritage - that is incorrect. Some buildings built after World War II are just as important as those built before the war.'

But the architecture professor said that both the community and the government should decide which premises were worth conserving and which were not.

Gordon Ng Ting-leung, chief executive of the Conservancy Association, said: 'Heritage buildings should also include those which are unique and can represent Hong Kong, even though they may be considered new buildings. For example, the former Kai Tak airport is a legend. Whoever flew into Kai Tak must have been amazed by its location, in the busiest part of Hong Kong and surrounded by buildings.

'I am sure many Hong Kong people share memories of having delicious meals in the surrounding restaurants in Kowloon City before they got on the plane.'

Mr Ng also said the old Kai Tak airport had shared in the glamour of Hong Kong, with it once staking a claim to be the world's third busiest airport.

According to the Housing, Planning and Lands Department, the former passenger terminal building, which has become temporary government offices and an entertainment centre since the airport was moved to Chek Lap Kok in 1998, will be redeveloped into a railway depot.

Architect Edward Leung Yee-wah, also a member of the university's architectural conservation programme, said it was only a myth that Hong Kong would not have enough land for redevelopment unless existing buildings were knocked down.

'We have only used up 15 per cent of our land, including 5 per cent for residential purposes,' Mr Leung said.

'In Singapore, 15 per cent of the land has been built on for residential use alone. Excluding green areas and agricultural land, almost half of Hong Kong's land still remains unused.

'Singapore, which is half our size, can conserve its buildings. Therefore, Hong Kong does not have an excuse not to make a move.

'However, the Hong Kong government is always trying to find an easy way out by knocking down existing buildings instead of exploring new sites for redevelopment to avoid the works for new infrastructure.'

Central's City Hall is also among conservationists' concerns. The 41-year-old complex had been under threat from a government road proposal, but it has been temporarily saved from demolition since the road was re-routed last year.

Lynne DiStefano, of HKU's architecture department, said: 'The whole complex of City Hall is important not only in terms of its design but also for the social amenities it has long provided for the people of Hong Kong, specifically the library and concert halls.

'There is a misconception that bigger is better. The theatres in City Hall may be relatively small by today's standards but new theatres 10 times bigger may not be suitable for particular performances.

'City Hall, as a venue for cultural performances, has a warm, intimate quality that appeals to a broad cross section of people in Hong Kong.'



Symbolic post-war landmarks also need to be protected, say experts