About the Site Visit

Island House, a Declared Monument located on Tai Po Yuen Chau Tsai Island, was built in 1905-1906. Originally built as the quarters for the District Commissioner of the New Territories, the buildings were designed for domestic use in the Colonial style with influences of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Today, the building is used by the Worldwide Fund for Nature Hong Kong as a Conservation Studies Centre. 

In 2019, Purcell was appointed to manage the maintenance and repair of the building under the Financial Assistance for Maintenance Scheme on Built Heritage (FAS). The site tour will give an insight to the building’s original construction, and the efforts exhausted to restore the building façades to its original design. It also covers the use of Island House as a Conservation Studies Centre, a place utilising cultural heritage advocating the conservation of our natural heritage.

About the Speakers

Jack Chui

Jack Chui is a Senior Architectural Conservationist. A strong wish to conserve historic urban fabric and buildings led Jack to study Architectural Conservation and Design at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Upon graduation, he joined Purcell, an architectural and heritage consultancy practice in 2013 and devoted himself to a career in architectural conservation. Jack has since worked on a wide range of historic buildings in Hong Kong focusing on their heritage assessment and conservation. He has been working on the conservation of the Central Police Station (Tai Kwun) for over 8 years. With passion and knowledge in conservation, he actively participates in identifying and saving Hong Kong’s heritage. He identified one of the oldest shophouses in Hong Kong, 120 Wellington Street, which was eventually accorded Grade 1 historic building. With the recent focus on Hong Kong’s historic water works, he has been advocating for the grading of the entire Pok Fu Lam Conduit, the first masonry conduit in Hong Kong designed to transport fresh water from Pok Fu Lam Reservoir to the city.

Matthew Wu

Matthew Wu is an Operations Manager of Island House Conservation Studies Centre and Central Sustainability Hub of World Wide Fund For Nature Hong Kong (WWF-HK). Matthew joined WWF HK in 2018.  His main duties are monitoring tour bookings and in-house maintenance, as well as analyzing visitor experience. Island House hosts various activities, events and programs that highlight the importance of nature conservation and sustainable living. Being the Operations Manager of Central Sustainability Hub, Matthew helps to promote sustainable lifestyle through eco-products. The Hub holds various educational events and workshops from time to time.

Photo credit: Kevin Mak of 1km Studio