Case Studies

 

Museum of Coastal Defense
rehabilitation of a fort, Hong Kong

 

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Notable Features
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bullet Reuse of the existing building, avoiding total demolition of the building and minimizing the generation of demolition waste.
bullet Rehabilitation of an old fort to accommodate the museum of coastal defense.
bullet Reuse of bricks from the Sai Ying Pun old mental hospital.
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Basic Information
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bullet Location: Lei Yue Mun, Hong Kong.
bullet Architects: Architectural Services Department, Kenneth Tam.
bullet Contractor: Leighton Asia.
bullet Conservation cost: HK$273 million
bullet Date of original building construction: 1887
bullet Project and construction date: 1993, construction 1997/1999.
bullet Site Area: 12.9 Ha
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History of the Building
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Built by the British in 1887 to defend its interests against the hawkish French and Russians, it was also the site of a fierce World War II battle between the British, Canadian and Indian soldiers entrusted with the task of defending Hong Kong and 20,000 Japanese soldiers.

The site had been used as a holiday camp since it was handed over to the Urban Council in 1987 but was otherwise closed to the public. The Civil Aviation Department and Hong Kong Observatory also had equipment there.
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Description of the Building
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Apart from a large courtyard and various tunnels and passages, the 1,600 m2 redoubt has more than ten underground casemates which were originally used as the soldiers’ quarters, kitchen and ammunition store.
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Overview of the new Building

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This project reuses the building structure of an old fort to accommodate the museum of coastal defense. Almost no major demolition was required and additional access and facilities were provided to the magnificent site. New structures and facilities include a lift tower for visitor access (which is also used to channel cables and pipelines to the redoubt, thus minimizing excavation works), footbridge and road access, a viewing platform and a café. The existing building containing a network of underground chambers used as exhibition rooms is covered with a tension structure, which provide a great volume for the museum preserving the original architecture of the building. The tension structure is supported by 100 mini piles driven to a depth of 14m at carefully chosen spots around the historical site. This project also reuses old bricks from the Sai Ying Pun old mental hospital, to repair the battery brick wall. The site provides promenades and great sea view, facing one of the accesses of the Harbour.

   
References
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bullet Coastal Defense Museum Website:
http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/
Museum/Coastal
bullet Fortified Heritage:
http://www.building.com.hk/features/
more/coastal/index.html
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Battery Brick Wall
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Repaired with bricks from the
Sai Ying Pun old mental hospital

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Tower Lift Access to Museum
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Site with Promenade
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Sea View
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Museum Entrance
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Inside the Museum
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Tension Structure Roof
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