Tai Kwun, Centre for Heritage and Arts

The former central police station, magistracy and prison form a walled compound of heritage buildings in the commercial heart of the city. Established in the colonial era as the main police station, court and jail, it is one of the most important remaining historic monuments in the city, and after its closure in 2006 the whole compound stood empty.

Two new buildings cantilever over the old walls, keeping their distance from neighbouring structures. This maximises floor area within the zoning envelope while leaving protective gaps around the historic buildings. Skylights bring daylight into the top gallery, a restaurant with a terrace overlooks the varied roofscape of the compound, and above it sit a multipurpose space eight metres high and a plant room serving the whole site.

The new buildings are clad in cast units of fully recycled aluminium, setting them apart from the historic masonry while providing structure, shade and rain protection in the subtropical climate. At night the facade units partly screen the light from inside, showing the life within without glare.