Brutalism in Hong Kong: architects celebrate austere precast concrete building design that had its heyday in the 1970s
- Massive, monolithic and built of precast concrete, Brutalist buildings were a popular choice for schools and universities because they were cheap and practical
- A team of architectural sleuths identified 70 in Hong Kong, and have spotlighted 15 of them in a display of photos, hand-drafted plans and tactile panels
When Hong Kong architect Bob Pang Chin-wah read Oliver Elser’s 2018 book SOS Brutalism: A Global Survey, it furrowed his brow. Published by Park Books, it presented examples of Brutalist architecture from around the world, but included just one case study from Hong Kong: Ho Tao’s St Stephen’s College Special Room Block in Stanley, built in 1980.
This sole mention made him wonder how many other noteworthy Brutalist structures might still exist in the city.
Pang, of AaaM Architects, set out to locate Hong Kong’s Brutalist past with other local design professionals, who formed a team of architectural sleuths. They identified more than 70 buildings, 15 of which now feature in an exhibition showing how the architectural style made its mark on Hong Kong’s educational, industrial and religious buildings.
“Our team was very democratic in determining which of the 15 buildings deserved more attention,” Pang says, explaining that they used a points-based voting system for different criteria, form included.
Brutalist architecture, even though fairly young, reflects the social conditions of the time and should be considered for conservation
He adds that when formulating the concept for the show and putting a name to it, “Unknown” seemed apt for one concrete reason: Brutalism is a style rarely taught in Hong Kong architecture schools.