The challenges of adaptive re-use of historic buildings in Hong Kong : compliance with the buildings ordinance : a case study of Roberts Block, Old Victoria Barracks

Abstract

By virtue of their age, the design of historic buildings tends not to be able to comply with current building safety and health standards and statutory requirements. Alterations and additions are usually required if new facilities are to be installed or the buildings are to be adapted for re-use other than their original use, submission of proposed alteration and addition works to the Buildings Department (BD) for approval is invariably required under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) if the proposed works are not exempted from approval by virtue of section 41(3), (3B) & (3C) of the BO. When historic buildings are adapted for new uses, they need to be upgraded and comply with current statutory ordinances in safety and health. However, the only ordinance in Hong Kong that covers the conservation historic buildings is Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance (Cap.53), which covers the declaration of statutorily protected Monuments and the protection of archaeological sites, and does not address the issues relating to bringing a historical building to modern standard in adaptive re-use. The ordinances that cover adaptive re-use are not about conservation, but are those that deal with compliances with modern requirements for the safety and health in the design of new buildings, which create conflict when an old building is adapted to new standards. This dissertation focuses on the Building Ordinance, the main ordinance in Hong Kong that ensure the safety and health of users in the design of buildings. Within this focus, the scope is to find out the current statutory requirements that are in conflict with adaptive re-use of historic buildings. To illustrate these complex challenges involved in adaptive re-use projects, an adaptive re-use project under the HKSAR Government’s Revitalisation Scheme – Roberts Block of the Old Victoria Barracks – is used. This case study also serves to provide how these challenges are addressed while the heritage integrity of the building involved is protected.