Public Works Department (Chief Architect A.M.J. Wright)
181 Tong Mei Road, Tai Kok Tsui
1953
The Mong Kok Fire station was the first fire station to be built in Hong Kong since World War II. Rectangular in shape, the building is bounded by Sycamore street on the West, Prince Edward Road on the South, and Tong Mi Road on the East. A great deal of research and planning was involved to ensure that the space would aptly serve its purpose as a fire station, achieved by cooperating with the officers of the fire brigade and the technical staff at the Public Works Department. The station is essentially a self-contained building built primarily with reinforced concrete, accommodating spaces for a comprehensive set of functions such as accommodation, cooking, exercise, and recreation.
The ground floor includes communal spaces such as the administrative offices, appliance room, recreation and gymnasium room, and the canteen. The architect planned the floor in order to allow circulation from different parts of the building; hence, there is an entrance facing each of the roads surrounding the building, all leading to distinct parts of the building. An interesting aspect of the building is that it has three firemens’ poles that lead to this floor, two at the appliance room and one at the recreation room terrace. At the center of the structure is a large drill yard divided into two sections. The Southern part of the yard is laid out as a basketball court while the Northern part includes the petrol and oil pumps. The upper floors include the dormitory and flats for firemen and officers. Depending on the ranks of the officers, their size and amenities differ.
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View from southeast (Hong Kong & Far East Builder Vol. 10 No. 1 (1953-54))
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View from drill yard (Hong Kong & Far East Builder Vol. 10 No. 1 (1953-54))
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Tower (Hong Kong & Far East Builder Vol. 10 No. 1 (1953-54))
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Floor plan (Hong Kong & Far East Builder Vol. 10 No. 1 (1953-54))
