Tai Kwun, Centre for Heritage & Art

Herzog & De Meuron

The former Central Police Station,
the Central Magistracy and the
Victoria Prison is a walled compound
of heritage buildings at the
commercial centre of Hong Kong
Island. Established by the British
after 1841 as the colony’s main
police station, magistracy, and
prison, the site is one of Hong Kong’s
most important remaining historic
monuments. Following its
decommission in 2006, the entire
compound was vacated, leaving a set
of open grounds and a collection of
unique buildings. From an urban
perspective, the compound is a rare
“courtyard” in the middle of one of
the densest cities in the world. What
once stood on the hillside as a
prominent symbol of law and order
with commanding views to the
harbour has now inversely become
an urban oasis of openness and calm
within a forest of commercial and
residential high-rises
 The compound is defined and structured by two large
courtyards: the Parade Ground and the Prison Yard. Our
goal is to preserve the openness and distinct character
of both and to re-activate them for public use as a new
type of urban found space. These spaces will define the
site physically and programmatically as places of
gathering, cultural exchange, leisure, and respite.
Wilmina Hotel, Berlin, Germany
Grüntuch Ernst Architekten transformed a 19th-century
women’s prison into a luxury boutique hotel. The design
integrates the prison's historical elements, such as the original
barred windows, with modern amenities like expanded guest
rooms and green spaces. Communal areas include a
converted courtyard restaurant and a garden, which create an
inviting and tranquil urban retreat
The biggest challenge, undoubtedly, was to navigate the thorny set A lot of effort went into finding a balance, they say, “between
of ethical, philosophical, and cultural quandaries that arise in an historical preservation and adaptive reuse for contemporary life.”
adaptation of this sort. How much of the past should remain Wilmina is a place with a past, like so many others in this city, that
visible? What does a respectful adaptation look like? How much has been given a new chance, a new lease on life. And this past
intervention is necessary and appropriate? All through the building wasn’t always a simple one. During World War II, German resistance
process, spaces, materials, functions, and fittings have been and anti-regime activists were held in the prison. After the war, the
rethought, renegotiated, and reconfigured as different problems court building was used as a land registry office, while the prison at
and new solutions came along. Rather than discarding original the back became a juvenile detention center until 1985 and was
fittings, the architect-owners found ways to re-appropriate them used as an archive afterwards until 2010. Later, it became a set for
into the conversion. Some, such as the cell doors, remain in place; several high-profile historical films, including the Academy Award
others are recycled within the project. winner, The Reader, starring Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes, and
the 2016 adaptation of Hans Fallada’s Alone in Berlin.
 Four Seasons Sultanahmet,
Istanbul, Turkey
Once a jail, this Ottoman-era building is now a luxury hotel
managed by Four Seasons. Its thick stone walls and historic
structure were preserved, while the interiors were adapted for
high-end hospitality, blending cultural heritage with modern
luxury
This level of hospitality is a far cry from that experienced by its former occupants who were
there during the facility’s previous incarnation when it was used as a jail. Indeed, while this
Four Seasons offers the level of luxury one might expect at a five star hotel, it is also an
important landmark with a unique background and colorful story to share. Just ask Büşra
Yazlik, who holds the official title of “Storyteller” at the hotel. Ms. Yazlik, who is a member of
the Guest Relations team, is responsible for sharing the complex history of the facility with
its visitors.