22 Mar 2019
AB Concept transform Hong Kong police rooms into resplendent dining complex
BY Andrew Manns
Chinese interior design studio AB Concept have created three restaurants in a century-old former police station in Hong Kong.
Crafted in part to honour the memory of the city's immigrants and police officers, the three dining outlets – The Dispensary, The Chinese Library, and Statement – collectively occupy a total area of 7,500 sq ft (696.77 sq m) in the Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Arts and feature a mix of colonial and East Asian decorative motifs.
The decor of The Dispensary – erstwhile the officers' mess hall – is comprised of themed objects – such as badge-shaped mirrors and blue uniforms – which form a contrast with the venue's black-and-white chequered flooring.
Statement pays tribute the area's British influences and features turquoise upholstery and high-pitched ceilings, while the Library's design incorporates a palette of gold, jade, bronze, and onyx colours to simulate a contemplative atmosphere.
Speaking on the project, which was developed by hospitality and events company Aqua Restaurant Group, AB Concept co-founders Ed Ng and Terence Ngan said: "By preserving and integrating some of the earliest architecture of the British colonial era into the new restaurant designs, we aimed to faithfully reflect the story of Hong Kong's eclectic mix of Eastern and Western cultural influences.
"The unifying trait is, of course, the inherent colonial charm of the original structure, and it was an honour to delve into the past life of the building as Hong Kong's Central Police Station."
Founded in 2000 by David Yeo, Aqua currently operates 24 restaurants across Hong Kong, Beijing, and London.
Close Window