Wong Cho Tong
59 Jardine’s Bazaar, Causeway Bay
1963
Still operating as a frequently-visited wet market today, the two-tone Tang Lung Chau is another classic example of functionalist architecture in Hong Kong, built in the 1960s as one of the new generation of wet markets that sprawled across the city. The design for each face of the rectangular concrete structure varies to suit its function and to create a subtle dynamic. The east-facing façade is built with a deeper grid-shaped brise-soleil. The north-facing facade and the south-facing facade of the buildings have small windows on the side and a large perforated wall to balance the bulky structure with a soft and airy touch. The lattice wall design also allows daylight to pass through the wall while also allowing the indoor light to be visible from the outside at night.
When the project was assigned in the 1960s, one of the requirements was to separate the delivery and vendor’s circulation space from the market’s primary trading area in order to maintain contact between the two types of users of the market at a minimum. Creating a “backstage area” for such a secondary purpose in a relatively small and congested space wasn’t an easy task. However, the designer successfully hid a few service passages behind the stalls on the sides of the market. These service passages are connected with dedicated service lifts, platforms, unloading areas, and entrances that suit the needs of different vendors.
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Market exterior (Hong Kong & Far East Builder Vol. 17 No. 6 (1962-63))
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Market interior (Hong Kong & Far East Builder Vol. 17 No. 6 (1962-63))
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Ground floor plan (Hong Kong & Far East Builder Vol. 17 No. 6 (1962-63))
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First floor plan (Hong Kong & Far East Builder Vol. 17 No. 6 (1962-63))
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Section (Hong Kong & Far East Builder Vol. 17 No. 6 (1962-63))
