Can revamped Police Married Quarters succeed as a hub for local design talent?

In an almost perfect instance of architectural irony, the former Police Married Quarters on Aberdeen Street is now a showcase for local designers. The 1950s housing project for junior police officers and their families was once the antithesis of creativity. In fact, historians hold it up as a classic of its kind: a severely minimalist and strictly utilitarian construction befitting the austerity of the post-war years.

Few have called the buildings beautiful or thought it important to preserve the childhood homes of both Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying and his predecessor Donald Tsang. But when the government announced plans in 2007 to sell the land to private developers, it had a battle on its hands.

Local residents dreaded the arrival of another high-rise development that would block light, air and public space in Sheung Wan. Conservationists helped launch a well-articulated campaign, citing social historical values embedded in the buildings and the fact it was once the site of Hong Kong's first government school offering Western-style education.

The government backed down and the former quarters have reopened as PMQ, a centre with more than 100 studio-cum-retail units which local designers can rent at subsidised rates.

Given that nearly HK$600 million of public funds has been spent on its renovation, PMQ is seen as a major test case on how Hong Kong conserves and revitalises historic buildings. It is also expected to play a vital role in government efforts to boost creative industries.

PMQ's mission statement says it wants to nurture the best design entrepreneurs in town, put them on the path to commercial success and become a popular destination for tourists and locals in its own right. These are lofty goals in a city that has spectacularly failed to cultivate more than a small handful of internationally-recognised home-grown brands.