White stucco mansion built on an island in Hong Kong combines heritage patterns with contemporary features and modern art
- No cars or trucks are allowed on Cheung Chau island, meaning everything for this 5,390 sq ft home was hand-carried to the site or transported on a tiny trolley
- Original stones from the nunnery that once occupied the site – demolished after falling into terminal disrepair – were used to make the stylish gated entrance
With its black-and-white tiled verandas, wrought-iron balustrades, graceful arches and symmetrical architecture, you could easily assume this gorgeous white stucco house is a beautifully restored relic of Hong Kong’s colonial past, located somewhere on The Peak, or perhaps in Shek O. It is, in fact, only five years old and situated on the outlying island of Cheung Chau.
The site was developed around 1910 to accommodate an American missionary, later being passed on to various owners, one of whom set up a nunnery. But after its inhabitants left for other shores, the building fell into a state of dilapidation and, in 2011, the plot was put up for sale. When a British businessman, who had lived in Hong Kong for decades, heard about it through a friend, he jumped at the chance.
Since he fulfilled certain conditions of sale – he would be the sole owner and wasn’t planning to build a large-scale development – the site and the rundown nunnery on it eventually became his.
Although his initial idea was to save a piece of Hong Kong’s heritage and restore the old property, neglect had rendered the building structurally unsound. With all permits in place, he demolished the nunnery and engaged architect Eric Chih, of Chih Design, to design and build the 5,390 sq ft (500 square metre), four-bedroom, four-bathroom house that stands on the site today.
He insisted, however, that anything that could be salvaged be used in the new building, so original stones make up the stylish gated entrance. He also asked interior designer and friend Kaye Dong to create a classic interior with a modern voice.
“We worked with Eric and the family from the get-go,” says Dong, founder of The Good Studio. “We were very familiar with their vision for the house and that gave us the framework for the interior concept. Nothing jars or looks out of place and I think that’s what gives the home its very tranquil vibe.”