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2020 August
Vicissitudes of Century-old Verandah-type Shophouses

Verandah-type shophouses, which are tenement buildings with overhanging balconies, are iconic in local architecture and was once omnipresent in every corner of Hong Kong. Today, there are less than 100 surviving buildings of this type. The conservation of verandah-type shophouses is not only keeping the architecture, but also the memory of old Hong Kong alive.
 

 

“618 Shanghai Street” is a revitalization project of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) and comprises revitalized verandah-type shophouses. Its occupants, including a hipster café and a vintage clothes shop, etc., reflect an unchanging nature that sets root in the community. According to Lee Ho-yin, Head of the Division of Architectural Conservation Programmes at the University of Hong Kong and consultant of this project, the conservation project took reference from examples in Singapore. The outcome is rather impressive, and he is very satisfied with it.

 

New face sustains community connections

Lee explained that “618 Shanghai Street” consists of 14 old tenement apartments, which were built between the 1920s and the 1960s. Although it may not weigh much historically, the close connection it had with surrounding communities, as enabled by its location in an old area, represents a very strong value. “We suggested the revitalized project should benefit the neighborhood and maintain existing community bonds. Besides, the floor-level pillars of the overhanging balconies must be kept. This would preserve the feeling of walking under one of these shophouses in the old days. Some rebuilding has to be done to meet modern fire safety and barrier-free access requirements.”

 

The URA accepted all these suggestions. The garden on the ground level and on the rooftop are both opened up as public spaces. Inside of the building are all “down-to-earth” shops that sell affordable goods. “In the past, certain revitalized historic structures became the store fronts of big brands. This kind of revitalization is still being denounced. However, the approach of serving the general public has returned to this project and public spaces are opened up. The outcome is very encouraging.”

 

A historical product that pioneered “inflated buildings”

The success of “618 Shanghai Street” has brought back verandah-type shophouses to the horizon of the public. According to Lee, the Chinese name of these verandah-type shophouses – “ke lau” – refers to the overhanging balcony structures that extend to the street. Because of limited architectural skills, pillars must be used for support and balconies “hang” over the street. Lee added that strictly speaking, the overhanging part is government land and a premium should be paid. However, these shophouses and overhanging balconies were in a way serving the public by offering passers-by some shelter from wind and rain. Considering so, the government decided to treat them with lenience.

 

In response to the acute post-war housing shortage that stemmed from population influx, however, landlords rushed to seal their overhanging balconies and divided them into smaller rooms for lease. One could say these were the predecessors of “inflated buildings” in Hong Kong. Sealed overhanging balconies were only banned in the 1960s after the government began vigorous development of public housing. The last surviving sealed overhanging balconies in old areas are therefore “antiques” from at least 50 years ago.

 

Urgent call for conservation of the last dozens

Verandah-type shophouses are a product of its specific period. As time goes by, these architectures are also vanishing. “Surviving shophouses were all built before WWII. As the use of reinforcing steel and cement gained popularity after the war, pillars were no longer needed in buildings.” As Lee estimated there should be less than a hundred verandah-type shophouses in Hong Kong, their conservation is urgently needed.

 

Lee reckons that the way of conservation and revitalization deserves exploration. He considered ”618 Shanghai Street” is a good example, as it demonstrates how the conservation of a historic built structure could serve the public. “Tai Kwun is another successful example in recent years. There is high public engagement, and it truly integrates into the life of the general public. It could serve as an exemplary model for future conservation projects.”