The Special Room Block & The Tang Shiu Kin Hall, St. Stephen’s College

Founded in 1903, St. Stephen’s College is one of the few schools in Hong Kong with such extensive histories. Its campus is home to countless Grade I to Grade III Historic Buildings. St. Stephen’s College Heritage Trail was inspired from the Antiquities and Monuments Office. Its aim is to increase public awareness of the importance of cultural preservation. The school has over a hundred cultural relics, evidencing Hong Kong’s development and its wartime history.

The Special Room Block was built in 1981. Architect Ho Tao used receding layers to reduce the height difference between the trapezoidal-shaped building and the grounds. Structurally, due to the trapezoidal shape, the diagonal columns are exposed on the exterior, with drainage grooves connected to the drains on the rooftop. Underneath the style of brutalism, the structure calls to mind the imagery of running water under the bridge.

The Tang Shiu Kin Hall is an indoor gymnasium. Iron sunshades are equipped on the slanted windows. Their angles can be changed according to the time of day to avoid the harsh sunlight and to avoid using air-conditioning. The rest of the classrooms use cantilevered concrete slabs to provide shade, and ventilation convection windows to conserve energy.

During the guided tour, visitors will be able to view the first SOS Brutalism-certified building in Hong Kong.

Photos courtesy of Kevin Mak (1km Studio @1kmstudio)

LOCATION
22 Tung Tau Wan Road, Stanley, Hong Kong

TRANSPORTATION
View here

GUIDED TOUR

Date: 28 Sep 2024 (Sat)
Time: Session 1: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Session 2: 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Language: Cantonese
Led by: Session 1: Joe Ma /  Session 2: Maoshan Connie & Kevin Mak
Capacity: 15


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