Des Voeux The history of Des Voeux Road Central Road is closely linked and its historical with the development prominence of since the Colonial Hong Kong era.

The pedestrian and urban enhancement is also a historical trajectory that traces

our own history. Bowring Central in 187os (Source: Oldhkphoto.com)

Des Voeux Road Central A Vision for and the Public Realm Des Voeux Road Central

Looking Back at DVRC reclamation scheme , such as Queens Road Reclamation Des Voeux Road Central and Bonham Reclamation (DVRC) is a road on the Scheme, were underwent. north shore of Hong Kong Bowring Praya Central Island, which is also known as It was only until 1868 Victoria City during the era of the Road along the was Colonization in Hong Kong. reclaimed from the Victoria Habour. The 4th Governor The history of DVRC Sir initiated is closely linked with the the Praya Reclamation development of Hong Kong to reclaim the shoreline in this region and to the between the north of city’s strategic reclamation Queen’s Road Central and 1840 Shoreline 1862 Reclamation at Murray and plan since 1842. Due to the east of Des Voeux Road. 1842 Queens Road Reclamation and 1868 Praya Reclamation Scheme insufficient land supply along The new road along the 1852 Bonham Reclamation Scheme Governor John Bowring commenced a series of the narrow north shore for harbourfront of Central In 1851, a huge fire broke out north of Queens Road reclamation for northern shore of Hong Kong future development to fulfill was named Bowring Praya and destroyed 400 buildings, the Governor Sir Samuel Island in 1868. The Road along the reclaimed shoreline the increasing population Central, which was part of George Bonham proposed to push the rubbles into the of Central was named Bowring Praya Central, which was at that time, a series of today’s Des Voeux Road . sea to create land as the first official reclamation project. part of today’s Des Voeux Road .

10 CENTRAL ROAD VOEUX DES 11 The 10th Governor Kong headquarter, Chartered economical development Sir George William Des Bank and many other financial since the Victorian era. Voeux commenced to finish services corporations that DVRC’s thriving streetscape is Bowring’s scheme in 1887 made Central the heart of Hong inevitably the product of this and commenced the project Kong, DVRC has witnessed ‘miracle economy’ in Hong in 1890. It was a significantly the development of this Kong. larger project than its cosmopolitan Asia’s World precedents. Upon completion City. DVRC Today in 1904, Bowring Praya Central was turned into an inland road DVRC itself, together With a number of major and renamed as Des Voeux with other main road such as infrastructure schemes such as Road Central. and Chater the underground West Island Road, provided a defined Line MTR system, Central- The historical significant of means of land-bound traveling Wanchai Bypass and Lung Wo DVRC route that enhances the Road past Tamar providing cohesive collaboration between improved transportation From the construction of Central and other habourfront system, the importance of the first indoor wet market, commerce. Buildings along DVRC being the major traffic Central Market, and the first the street have been constantly circulation has been relieved. electric tram line operated on removed and replaced with the , to the higher and higher skyscrapers The public attention first incarnation of HSBC Hong to accomplish the rapid has then been deliberately DVRC in 1950 (Source: Oldhkphoto.com) DVRC with HSBC, Chartered Bank, Bank of Canton and New Henry House in 1966 (Source: Oldhkphoto.com)

DVRC DVRC

1900 Reclamation at Admiralty 1950s Ferry Reclamation 1980s Western Harbour Crossing 2010 Central Reclamation Scheme 1904 Praya Reclamation Scheme Phase II 1970s Ferry Reclamation 1998 Central Reclamation Scheme Phase III Phase I and II Governor Sir George William Des Voeux commenced to finish Bowring’s scheme in 1890. Upon completion in Together with the construction of Hong Kong terminus The Central Reclamation Scheme Phase III was originally 1904, Bowring Praya Central was turned into an inland of the Airport Railway in 1998, the British Government planned to reclaim 32 hectares of land, but has been street and renamed Des Voeux Road Central. conceived to expand the Central Business District reduced to 18 due to public opposition. through reclaiming 25 hectares of land in total.

12 13 diverted to environmental evolution; there are increasing However, we are often quality and place-making of voices in the city which formed seeing cultural development DVRC. The past few years a collective visions to improve as the end product of the static have seen a growing number of DVRC’s environmental issues, urban background. Most parts public debates over the future including poor roadside air- of the history, just like the development of Hong Kong’s quality, congested road traffic, history of DVRC, are far from Central District, including bad pedestrian environment, fixed within their own time the pedestrianization of lack of greenery and shading, and protrude themselves as a major roads and conservation lack of seating and jay-walking living presence in our time and of buildings and sites with black spots. space of Hong Kong. historical and cultural significance. In recent years, various With the everyday hustle groups have engaged with and bustle on this road, DVRC is also part of the public and have proposed DVRC’s long history is closely this trend of re-imagining pedestrianizing a section of linked to the branding of the Central District: Central DVRC, in order to make the Hong Kong as an international Market, a rarely abandoned Central Business District into financial centre. Accordingly, Grade III listed historical a better place to do business in, the pedestrian and urban building located at DVRC, has while providing a world-class enhancement is not only a temporarily been refurbished space for both Hong Kongers forward-thinking proposal on the theme of ‘Central and visitors to experience and that impacts on current Oasis’, awaiting for further enjoy. quality of living, but also a The everyday hustle and bustle on DVRC

backward historical trajectory that traces the local culture and development within this region.

It is through its revital- ization of the urbanscape through increasing quality public space for the people and inhabitation of local businesses and communities that reflects the historical prominence, DVRC truly becomes the ‘place’ of us.

The DVRC Pedestrianization Campaign (Source: SCMP)

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