Famed as the “Ghost House” of Kowloon City for over 20 years, most of the nearby residence were uncertain about the story of Lui Seng Chun, except the elderly. “It’s pretty, I used to live nearby when Lui Seng Chun was still operating in early 40s.” An old man walk passed and was pleased with the new image of Lui Seng Chun.
Lui Seng Chun was constructed in 1931 by an English Architect Mr. W. H. Bourne locating on a prominent triangular site in the dense heart of Kowloon, Lui Seng Chun, a tong-lau (the local term for Hong Kong shop-house typology) which G/F was occupied by a Chinese bone-setting medicine shop named "Lui Seng Chun 雷生春", while the upper floors became living quarters for the members of the Lui's family.
The Chinese definition of Lui Seng Chun - literally means “Thunders brings about the Spring” - an analogy for Rejuvenation of Health as Spring bringing forth new energy to the Earth. The Lui’s medicine enjoyed a good reputation locally and some of their medicines are also available in overseas. As time goes and by with the growing of western medicine in Hong Kong after WWII the building became a barren land in the middle of the Kowloon city. Yet its significance did not fade into oblivion but remains in the heart of the locals. In 2000, the Lui's family proposed to the Antiquities and Monuments Office to donate the building to Government designated as a Grade 1 historic building in the same year. The transfer of the ownership of the building to Government was accomplished in 2003.
In 2009, the Baptist University of Hong Kong was selected to conserve and convert the building in the "Revitalising Historic Buildings through Partnership Scheme" initiated by the Government, Commissioner of Heritage in Development Bureau.
Re-open to public in 2012, Lui Seng Chun was conserved and adapted as a Chinese medicine & healthcare centre operated by the School of Chinese Medicine, Baptist University of Hong Kong (HKBU). Fitting with modern building facilities, it provides affordable Chinese medical treatment including bone setting, acupuncture and traditional Chinese herbal tea (涼茶) to the locals especially the less-privileged, on-job training for medical students and continuous education of local practitioners. It also provides exhibitions on herbal tea, Chinese medicine and history of local “tong lau” for the general public.
Conservation on the Existing Both cultural and physical issues have been considered in the conservation process. With the uniqueness of the building itself, the new use of Lui Seng Chun was selected to match with its historical and social identity. Original building fabrics and its distinct architectural features are intact with a high degree of authenticity and integrity.
The Old Fabric & New Additions New additions were deliberately located to the less significant face of the building, additions including lift, steel staircase set back from the prominent corner of the building. New steel staircase integrates structure and screen wall inspired by the geometric pattern from the fenestration.
In most of the “Tong Lau” design, the deep verandah occupies more than 50% of the typical floor plate. To fulfill the spatial requirement of the Chinese Medical and Healthcare Centre and tackle the serious traffic noise issue, the verandahs were enclosed by super clear glass with structural frame carefully designed behind the existing columns. Curved glass to be adopted to curve corners of the building, to avoid segmented appearance while providing additional weather & noise proofed space for exhibition & medical functions and hence preserved the external façade to a high authenticity.
Interior decoration is kept minimum and humble to express the authenticity of Lui Seng Chun. Original ceiling molding were all maintained and expressed as far as the building services allow. New suspended ceilings were added at verandah to enhance the acoustic performance providing space for building services while expressing the original ceiling grid and molding.
Original hexagonal colour cement tiles have been extensively preserved. Most floor tiles were salvaged during new lift shaft formation and applied in later repair. Replica cement tiles were manufactured in Fujian with traditional cold-pressed process. Some artifacts with high culture significance found in Lui Seng Chun have been well preserved, repaired and reinstalled to original position.
Building services including FS Installations, MVAC, new machine room-less lift were centralized at the original interior space so that new building services exposed to view in the verandah can be kept minimal and minimize intrusion to existing building. New accessible toilets are provided at the area where the original kitchen and toilet located to respect the original space planning.
The Revitalisation of Lui Seng Chun as a Chinese Medicine center preserves the intangible cultural significance of the Chinese medicine heritage and continues the legacy of Lui Seng Chun bone setting and herbal medicine established 80 years ago. It also rejuvenates the aging local community as a tourist attraction as a land mark medical service and successful case of adaptive re-use.
