Tai Kwun celebrates fifth anniversary - over 13 million visitors to date
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Located in the heart of Central, Tai Kwun – Centre for Heritage and Arts has become a hotspot destination, attracting over 13 million visitors since its opening in 2018. Operating on a not-for-profit model, Tai Kwun is the fruition of a joint partnership between The Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Government of the HKSAR to conserve and revitalise the buildings of the historic Central Police Station compound. Much more than an art and culture destination, Tai Kwun is also an exchange platform for local talent, supporting the development of Hong Kong as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.
Spectacular programmes to thank the community
Tai Kwun’s historic buildings, together with the newly-built JC Contemporary and JC Cube and outdoor spaces - the Parade Ground, Prison Yard and Laundry Steps, have brought new life to the revitalised site. Together with an exciting mix of restaurants and shops, Tai Kwun offers a lively cultural and leisure destination for all to enjoy in the heart of the city.
Over the past five years, Tai Kwun has hosted more than 3,900 performance, events and exhibitions, offering a wide array of local and international art and culture programmes. These included the HKJC Presents Simple Gifts of Joy, celebrating the pleasures of the Christmas festive season, the MURAKAMI vs MURAKAMI large-scale solo exhibition, the annual Tai Kwun Circus Plays, and the heritage-themed Tai Kwun Conversations.
As a heartful thank you to the community for its support, Tai Kwun unveiled a series of spectacular programmes in late May, including Unfurl - an outdoor interactive installation, Stepping Up – a platform for Hong Kong’s emerging talents in music and circus performance, Hidden Spaces Tour, and the exhibition HOPE - Patricia Piccinini, which will run until early September.
A new milestone in heritage conservation in Hong Kong with safety the top priority
The Central Police Station compound has over 180 years of history. 15 of its 16 historic buildings have been meticulously restored to the highest standard, with safety always the utmost priority.
Tai Kwun has received numerous accolades from professional institutions for its exceptional conservation. In 2019, Tai Kwun received the highest Award of Excellence in the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, making Tai Kwun a role model in conservation on the international level and establishing a new benchmark for heritage conservation in Hong Kong.
Safeguarding public safety has always been the top priority for the conservation of Tai Kwun. The Married Inspectors’ Quarters (Block 4), the only historic building yet to be restored, is no exception. The Jockey Club CPS Limited (“JCCPS”) is committed to the recovery of Block 4. Between 2016 and 2019, JCCPS sought the views of the Antiquities Advisory Board (“AAB”) and other stakeholders on options for recovery, which were narrowed down to the Updated Recovery Plan in 2019. Later in 2020, building movements were detected by monitoring devices installed at the site during preparatory work for the implementation of the recovery plan. Work was immediately suspended. Following a reappraisal, the appointed team of local and international engineering, conservation and masonry experts opined that Block 4 was weaker than anticipated. For reasons of public safety, the implementation of the Updated Recovery Plan was terminated in 2021.
A technical update submitted to the Government in December 2022 revealed that the condition of Block 4 was weaker than anticipated. Overseas masonry specialists and local engineering experts advised that there is an undue risk of sudden collapse if the Updated Recovery Plan were to be implemented, posing an unpredictable and unacceptable level of danger to the public. JCCPS has accepted the advice of the expert team to remove unsafe parts of the extant building fabric of Block 4 under the strictly necessary principle with the removal works to be carried out after technical investigation. It is therefore considered that the removal of unsafe parts of Block 4 under the strictly necessary principle to ensure the safety of workers, staff and members of the public is appropriate. Investigation work, and removal and the associated alteration works, subject to the findings of the investigation, will be carried out in phases as soon as November this year. Preparatory work started in late-June. JCCPS remains committed to the recovery of Block 4 and intends to retain and preserve the historic fabric with heritage value as much as practicable. A digital archive of the whole building will also be created and kept.
May 2016
The Married Inspectors’ Quarters (Block 4) partially collapsed.
Sep 2016
Eight preliminary recovery options were presented to the Antiquities Advisory Board (“AAB”).
Sep 2017
Three shortlisted recovery options were proposed.
Sep 2018
A hybrid recovery option was proposed.
Dec 2019
The Updated Recovery Plan was reported to and supported by the AAB.
Late 2020
Building movements were detected by monitoring devices installed at the site during preparatory work for the implementation of the recovery plan. Work was immediately suspended and relevant Government authorities were alerted.
2021
A reappraisal by a team of local and international engineering, conservation and masonry experts opined that Block 4 was weaker than anticipated.
Jul 2021
Taking into account the advice from the expert team and mindful that public safety must be the priority, the implementation of the 2019 Updated Recovery Plan was terminated, followed by a revisit of other recovery options.
Dec 2022
A technical update submitted to the AAB, Commissioner for Heritage’s Office and the Antiquities and Monuments Office, revealed that the condition of the Block 4 was weaker than anticipated. The unsafe parts of Block 4 will be removed under the strictly necessary principle with the removal works to be carried out after technical investigation. It is therefore considered that the removal of unsafe parts of Block 4 under the strictly necessary principle to ensure public safety is appropriate.
