Existing Upper Levels Police Station Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA)
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Re-provisioning of David Trench Rehabilitation Centre at Existing Upper Levels Police Station Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) Background • The need of re-provisioning is due to demolition of the existing David Trench Rehabilitation Centre (DTRC) to make way for the new entrance under MTR West Island Line. • The Site of Existing Old Upper Levels Police Station (ULPS) has been chosen for the re-provisioning of DTRC. • The Main Building of ex-ULPS, classified as a Grade III historic building, is the subject of this HIA submission. Background Dental Lab to ex-SYPJCP New Building ex-ULPS Background Site Plan Background – New Uses of Ex-ULPS Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) • Heritage Impact Assessment was carried out to propose mitigation measures for its adaptive reuse. The HIA has included the following major elements: Under Conservation Management Plan: – Historical and contextual study of the building – Assessment of its cultural significance – Issues and Conservation Policy Under HIA Report: – Impact and Mitigation Measures History 1843 1890 History Police Numbering System • 1845 Central Police Station On Upper Station Street, Sheung Wan • 1853 No. 1 Police Station At the junction of Percival Street and Leighton Road, Causeway Bay • 1868 No. 2 Police Station At the junction of Wan Chai Road and Johnston Road, Wan Chai • 1847 No. 3 Police Station On the site of the Old Wan Chai Post Office on Queen's Road East, Wan Chai • 1863 No. 4 Police Station To the east of the Tamar site, Admiralty • 1857 No. 5 Police Station At the junction of Wellington Street and Queen's Road Central, Central • 1869 No. 6 Police Station At Victoria Gap, The Peak • 1858 No. 7 Police Station At the junction of Queen's Road West and Pokfulam Road, Sheung Wan • 1870 No. 8 Police Station At the junction of Po Yee Street and Pound Lane, Sheung Wan (in the area formerly known as Tai Ping Shan) • 1853 No. 9 Police Station On Caine Road, across the road from the bottom of Shelley Street, Central History First generation of No. 8 Police Station (1870 – 1892) Map of 1890 The First Generation of No.8 Police Station Bubonic Plague in 1894 – The original building occupying the First No.8 Police Station was demolished The Second Generation of No.8 Police Station (1892 – 1925) Berlin Foundling House “Bethesda” Early 1920s – near end of the second generation The Berlin Mission Building has merged to the No.8 Police Station Complex to act as quarters for married personnel The Third Generation of No.8 Police Station (1928 - 1932) • Tender was called in December 1924 for construction of new police station. • This plan was cancelled due to exceptionally high construction cost. • Temporary buildings or sheds were constructed in this phase. • No detail record for this short generation. The Fourth Generation of No.8 Police Station (1935 - 2005) Assessing Historical Significance • For the existing Upper Levels Police Station, no associated historic person or event of national (Chinese as well as British) or local significance has been found. • The Berlin Foundling House, sometimes referred to as the Berlin Foundling Hospital, can be considered a part of the historical development of the healthcare and social service facilities in the area. The adaptive reuse of Upper Levels Police Station, as a re- provisioning replacement for David Trench Rehabilitation Centre, is therefore appropriate for the recognition of and respect for such an historical association. • In summary, the existing Upper Levels Police Station has a moderate level of socio-historical significance in terms of the site’s association with healthcare and social-service facilities in the vicinity. Statement of Cultural Significance • The original use of the site as a foundling home has historical association with the cluster of health-care and social service facilities in the vicinity. • The existing Upper Levels Police Station is associated with the Hong Kong Police Force, particularly in terms of its contribution to the development of law and order in the early history of Hong Kong. • The main building represents an example of a hybrid Art Deco and Stripped Classicism style of architecture, which means that the building have architectural elements of the two prominent styles of the 1930s. Overall Mitigation Measures Implemented • Monitoring: On-site structural monitoring system would be installed to ensure structural integrity of the historic buildings, especially during construction. • Building Services: New building services installation would be neatly placed and concealed by screens. • Interpretation: History of the place would be properly interpreted by display boards or photos. • Record: Existing building would be recorded by cartographic and photographic surveys. Alteration and addition works carrying out in the building would also be recorded and archived for future reference. • Design: Significant existing architectural elements/ features would be retained to keep the original expression of the ex-ULPS (elaborated in Specific Mitigation Measures Implemented). Specific Mitigation Measures Implemented • Axis: The strong symmetry along North-South axis of the Main Building is maintained, e.g. by axial approach and façade design. CENTRAL AXIS Specific Mitigation Measures Implemented • Axis: The strong symmetry along North-South axis of the Main Building is maintained, e.g. by axial approach and façade design. PROPOSED TYPICAL FLOOR PLAN OF ex-ULPS (THIRD FLOOR) Specific Mitigation Measures Implemented • Architectural Features and Facade: The main facades and their architectural features are retained. NORTHERN FAÇADE IS RETAINED Specific Mitigation Measures Implemented • Architectural Features and Facade: The main facades and their architectural features are retained. NORTHERN FAÇADE IS RETAINED Specific Mitigation Measures Implemented • Architectural Features and Facade: The main facades and their architectural features are retained. CHEVRON MOTIF ON COLUMN CAPITALS AND PATTERN ON BALCONIES ARE RETAINED Specific Mitigation Measures Implemented • Timber Windows and Doors: Existing Timber windows and doors would be retained or replaced or repaired with similar material and design as per the existing ones wherever possible. TIMBER DOORS ARE RETAINED AND REUSED IN SOME FUNCTION ROOMS Specific Mitigation Measures Implemented • Fireplaces and Chimneys: 2 nos. of existing fireplaces and 4 nos. of existing chimneys will be retained. THE EXISTING FIREPLACE THE EXISTING CHIMNEY TO BE RETAINED TO BE RETAINED AND REPAINTED Specific Mitigation Measures Implemented • New lift and staircase: New lift core and staircase at the South façade will be enclosed by clear glass panels so as to achieve maximum transparency. SOUTH FAÇADE WITH PROPOSED NEW LIFT CORE AND STAIRCASE Specific Mitigation Measures Implemented • Colour of Facade: The choice of colour for façade would make reference to Art Deco’s palette with warm and creamy colour ART DECO’S PALETTE AERIAL VIEW OF ex-ULPS AND NEW BUILDING .