the central police station compound...

Posted by hugo poon (hong kong, Hong Kong) on 3 November 2008 in Architecture and Portfolio.

... a heritage that will likely survive (though it will have to face a conversion into modern usages in the near future).

"The Compound first came to life in 1841 when the British Royal Navy took possession of Hong Kong Island. To maintain law and order all the more efficiently, the site was selected as the centre for law and order, with the police station, magistracy and jail located close together."

It's been recognized as one of the oldest heritage structures in Hong Kong with rich Victorian, Edwardian and Oriental architectural style. Upon consolidating the police force into a grand multi-billion modern building, the Central Police Station was vacated in 2004. The Government once planned to dispose of the site to private developers; this was of course strongly opposed by architects and conservation bodies. The Government was forced to consult the public again...

Former Central Police Station, Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong

(PS. Some photos of the Victoria Prison and Central Magistracy will follow.)

I do not regard myself as a photographer. I'm an ordinary man but extraordinarily obsessed with capturing all the memorable scenes that I encounter in my everyday life. It's like an excited traveller craving to record his memorable journey in a memorable way, but in my case, it's the journey of my life ... If I can record my encounters in such a way that they leave an image on the mind of myself and other viewers, it's a tremendous joy and some accomplishment...
In terms of photography, I'm trying to preserve the moments as my eyes see "something" and my heart feels it too. As such, I seldom feel interested in planned, arranged or manipulated photographs...