Tai Kwun, or the Former Central Police Station Compound (CPS Compound) includes three declared monuments in Central, Hong Kong: the former Central Police Station, the Former Central Magistracy, and the Victoria Prison. Surrounded by Hollywood Road, Arbuthnot Road, Chancery Lane, and Old Bailey Street, the compound underwent a heritage revitalisation and reopened to the public on 29 May 2018 as Tai Kwun (), a centre for heritage and arts.
History The Former Central Police Station Compound (FCPSC), built between 1841 and 1925, comprises 16 historic buildings grouped under the former Central Police Station, the Former Central Magistracy, and the Victoria Prison. Most of the city's historic colonial architecture had been bulldozed for development before the British government handed the territory back to China in 1997.
The first building in the FCPSC is the Magistrate's House, with jail blocks, which were built in 1841. In 1899, the former Central Prison was renamed Victoria Prison (or Victoria Gaol). The site underwent numerous expansions and reconstructions over the next century. In 1862, the number of prisoners increased to 650, and the government decided to develop the land nearby. The series of compounds hence formed Tai Kwun. Victoria Prison was decommissioned in 2006.
In 2008, the government of Hong Kong partnered with the Hong Kong Jockey Club to conserve and revitalise the complex, which turned into one of the most significant and expensive revitalisation projects in the territory, costing HK$1.8 billion; work began in 2011.
The conversion was completed in phases. Work faced a setback when a wall and roof collapsed in 2016. The Buildings Department prosecuted a subcontractor it deemed responsible for the accident, which was reportedly triggered by the failure of a brick pier that had been structurally undermined. Tai Kwun partially reopened to the public in May 2018.
Tai Kwun
A FCPSC revitalisation project was established to conserve and renovate the heritage site. Operated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, it took eight years and cost HK$3.8 billion, or about US$480M in 2018.
Tai Kwun, named after the historical colloquial name of the compound, is a mix of heritage and contemporary architecture, with 16 heritage buildings having been restored. An additional two new buildings were constructed, featuring designs inspired by the site's historic brickwork.
The remodelled compound was opened to the public in three phases, beginning with the inaugural "100 Faces of Tai Kwun" exhibition, on 29 May 2018.
In 2018, Time magazine induced Tai Kwun in its "World's Greatest Places 2018" list.
In 2019, Tai Kwun received an award of excellence from the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
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Awards
+YearAwardOrganiser2021Quality Building Award 2020 – Hong Kong Building (Renovation / Revitalization) – Grand AwardQuality Building AwardÉLAN Lost Child Project HK received an award for the promotion of the arts at the 15th HK Arts Development AwardsHong Kong Arts Development CouncilÉLAN Lost Child Project HK received the Featured Work of IATC (HK) Critics Awards 2020International Association of Theatre Critics (Hong Kong)RIBA International Awards for Excellence 2021The Royal Institute of British Architects2020MURAKAMI vs MURAKAMI received the Excellence in Lifestyle & Entertainment Marketing – Gold Award at the Marketing Excellence Awards 2020Marketing MagazineSHIFTING by Knowledge Transfer: An Edible Performance received the Good Design Award 2020 (Category: Awareness improvement for individual and public)Japan Institute of Design PromotionICE Awards 2020: Brunel Medal – Highly CommendedInstitution of Civil EngineersHKICON Conservation Award 2019 – Revitalisation CategoryThe Hong Kong Institute of Architectural ConservationistsProjekt Berlin received the Best Event Production – Gold Award at the Marketing Events Awards 2020Marketing MagazineProjekt Berlin received the Best Culture Event – Bronze Award at the Marketing Events Awards 2020Marketing MagazineManpower Developers of ERB Manpower Developer Award Scheme 2020–2022Employees Retraining Board2019Award of Excellence, UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage ConservationUNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage ConservationOne of the Top 10 Museums and Cultural Venues of 2019Designboom magazineMURAKAMI vs MURAKAMI was named one of the Top 10 Art Exhibitions in 2019Designboom magazineMarco Polo Club Members' Choice Awards 2019 – Best Hong Kong Arts VenueMarco Polo ClubHKIA Annual Awards 2018/2019 Special Architectural Award: Heritage & Adaptive Re-useHong Kong Institute of ArchitectsHKIA Annual Awards 2018/2019 HKIA Merit Award of Hong Kong – Mixed Use(es) BuildingHong Kong Institute of ArchitectsHKICON Conservation Award 2018 – Interpretation CategoryThe Hong Kong Institute of Architectural ConservationistsStructural Excellence Awards 2019 Grand AwardThe Hong Kong Institution of EngineersFire Engineering Excellence Award 2019The Hong Kong Institution of EngineersTai Kwun Opening Season received the HKDA Global Design Awards 2018 — Excellence Award on Visual Identity SystemHong Kong Designers Association100 Faces of Tai Kwun received the 2019 FRAME Awards – Social Award (People's Choice)FRAME AwardsPrison Architect, a film commissioned by Tai Kwun, was selected for the Berlin International Film FestivalBerlinale 2019 (the 69th Berlin International Film Festival)Tai Kwun Dance Season won Outstanding Small Venue Production at 2019 Hong Kong Dance Awards (Tai Kwun and Joseph Lee, Rebecca Wong, KT Yau Ka-hei)Hong Kong Dance AllianceTai Kwun Dance Season was awarded Outstanding Services to Dance at the 2019 Hong Kong Dance AwardsHong Kong Dance Alliance2018One of the World's 100 Greatest Places 2018Time magazineNew Cultural Destination of the Year – APACLeading Cultural Destinations Awards 2018Grand Award, DFA Design for Asia Awards 2018Hong Kong Design Centre100 Faces of Tai Kwun received the Merit Award, DFA Design for Asia Awards 2018Hong Kong Design CentreAIA Hong Kong Citation 2018American Institute of Architects Hong Kong Chapter
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