Wan Chai Market
The former Wan Chai Market (Chinese: 灣仔街市) building was constructed in 1937. It is located at 264 Queen's Road East, at Wan Chai Road crossing, opposite Stone Nullah Lane in Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island.[1] It is a Grade III Historic Building.[2]
Its architectural style is influenced by Streamline Moderne (also known as Streamlined Moderne or Art Moderne) architecture, a popular style of building of the 1930s. It is often erroneously referred to as a Bauhaus-style building.[3][4]
Wan Chai Market, the wet market housed in the old market building since 1937, has moved into the new market complex on the lower levels of "The Zenith", a newly-built residential development located just opposite to the market building, in September 2008. The Wan Chai Market was initially a wet place where merchants would sell their belongings. It was also used as a garage for Bullock Carts and thus was called 濕車庫, which means ‘Wet Garage’. It was named in 1917.
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[edit] History
During Japanese occupation, the basement of the Wan Chai Market was occupied by the Japanese troop for the storage of corpses.[2]
In 1961, the Market underwent a renovation to improve its facilities and environment so that the Market could compete with other market places in the district.[2]
The Land Development Corporation obtained approval from the Executive Council to acquire land in Wan Chai, including this site, for redevelopment as part of an urban renewal project. A consortium was formed comprising Chinese Estates (40%), Kwong Sang Hong (25%), Chi Cheung Investment (20%) and Peregrine Group (15%).[5]
Chinese Estates, controlled by Joseph Lau Luen-hung, agreed with the Urban Renewal Authority in 1996 to jointly redevelop the site into a luxury residential-commercial complex. Phase two of the project, which requires the demolition of the building, was scheduled to start early 2008 and completion by mid-2011.[6]
In 2007, the Urban Renewal Authority and the Development Bureau jointly announced that the facade and the front part of the historic market building will be preserved in the redevelopment project; the front part will be used as a shopping centre. A residential building will stand at the back of the market building.[7]
[edit] Facilities
There is a basement and staff quarters in the building.[3]
[edit] In popular culture
In the successful video game by Eidos, Deus Ex, Wan Chai Market is used as the basis for a portion of the game.
[edit] Gallery
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Wan Chai Fruit Market
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Wan Chai Market Main Entrance
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Wan Chai Market Ground Floor Interior
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Wan Chai Market Office
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All the stores have been vacant since 2008/08
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Wan Chai Market Level 1
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Stairs in Wan Chai Market
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The banner against the removal of the market
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Wan Chai Market |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ List of FEHD Public Markets and Cooked Food [dead link]
- ^ a b c A Study on Historical and Architectural Context of Wan Chai Market[dead link]
- ^ a b Film Service Office: Wan Chai Market[dead link]
- ^ Lee, Ho Yin and DiStefano, Lynne, "Wan Chai Market: Rediscovering Streamline Moderne Architecture", Architectural Conservation Programme, University of Hong Kong (2 May 2009)
- ^ Joshua Fellman, LDC gets approval for Wan Chai site development, The Standard, October 05, 1996[dead link]
- ^ Una So & Stephanie Tong, Hopes raised for historic market, The Standard, August 04, 2007[dead link]
- ^ Wan Chai facelift to save historic market, The Standard, December 21, 2007[dead link]
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Coordinates: 22°16′29″N 114°10′28″E / 22.274607°N 114.17434°E
