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Traditional Chinese and Western historical buildings
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Worksheet 2 Western Historical Buildings
In 1841, British soldiers landed in Hong Kong. This marked the
beginning of British administration over Hong Kong for the next 150
years. The early British settlers brought their culture and lifestyle to
Hong Kong.
They built houses in western styles.
Some of these
buildings are still standing today. Can you give some examples?
The houses built by British settlers were chiefly based on the
architectural trends in England and Europe at that time, e.g., Greek
Revival22, Gothic23.
The buildings are typically two-to-three storeys,
with columns and arches. However, there is a merging of Western and
Chinese styles, such as veranda and Chinese-style roof to suit the
sub-tropical climatic conditions of Hong Kong.
What do you know about sub-tropical climatic conditions? Why are
veranda and Chinese-style roof suitable for such climatic conditions?
Study the following photographs and try to answer the questions.
22
23
Greek Revival 希臘復興式
Gothic
哥德式
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Diagram 1 Queen’s House 24 in the United
Kingdom (built in 1635)
Diagram 2
Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware25
(the former Flagstaff House26
was built in 1846)
Diagram 3 Veranda and wooden blinds
(Flagstaff House Museum
of Tea Ware)
1. What are the similarities between the buildings in diagrams 1 and 2? Why did the
British build the Flagstaff House in the image of the Queen’s House?
The Flagstaff House resembles the Queen's House in the United Kingdom in
design.
2. Why did the British build a veranda27 around the building and wooden blinds28
on the windows in diagrams 2 and 3? (Hint: think of the weather in Hong Kong)
The veranda around the building and wooden blinds on the windows block out
direct sunlight and provide better insulation.
the local sub-tropical climate.
24
25
26
27
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Queen’s House
Museum of Tea Ware
Flagstaff House
veranda
blinds
皇后別墅
茶具文物博物館
旗杆屋
遊廊
木製窗簾
These designs are adaptations to
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Traditional Chinese and Western historical buildings
Diagram 4
Government House29
Diagram 5
(around 1870)
Government House
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(2000)
3. What change was introduced to the roof of the Government House?
The roof of the Government House changed from a flat-roof to a Chinese-style
roof.
4. Why is the new roof in diagram 5 better?
The new roof sheds rain more easily and provides better insulation.
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Government House
港督府
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Traditional Chinese and Western historical buildings
Diagram 6
Steep rooftop of the Legislative Council31
5. Why is a steep rooftop right for Hong Kong?
Steep rooftops prevent accumulation of rainwater.
Diagram 7
Double-layered tiles32 of the LegCo Building
6. Why is it good to have double-layered tiles in Hong Kong?
A double-layered roof provides better insulation and protects the building from
summer heat.
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31
32
Government House
香港禮賓府
Legislative Council 立法會大樓
tiles
瓦片
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We learned earlier that the buildings put up by early British settlers in Hong
Kong followed the architectural trends in England and Europe of the time. Here are
some local and overseas examples. You can visit the following websites to find out
more about these buildings.
http://www.indiana.edu/~kglowack/athens/
http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/ndame/ndame/ndame.html
http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~dchurch/cathedral/
Diagram 8
Parthenon33 in Athens, Greece
Source: Kevin T. Glowacki and Nancy L. Klein
(http://www.indiana.edu/~archaeol/kglowack/athens/images2/17.003.JPG)
Diagram 9
Legislative Council (LegCo) Building
7. What are the similarities between the buildings in diagrams 8 and 9?
They are both of ancient Greek architectural design. The archways and columns
of the Legislative Council Building resemble those of the Parthenon in Greece.
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Parthenon
巴特農廟
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Diagram 10 Notre Dame34 , Paris, France
Source: Mary Ann Sullivan (http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/ndame/apsehoriz.jpg)
Diagram 11
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception35
Diagram 12 Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
(front)
(side)
8. Can you see the flying buttresses36 on the buildings in diagrams 10 and 12? Can
you suggest some good reasons for the flying buttresses?
The flying buttresses help to support the building from the outside. If there are no
flying buttresses, the walls will begin to lean outwards and will finally
collapse. By making use of the flying buttresses, wall surfaces can be reduced.
More windows can therefore be built allowing light to enter the building.
The
flying buttress allows builders to create taller and visually lighter structures
that reach toward the heaven.
34
35
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Notre Dame
聖母院
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
flying buttresses
飛扶壁
香港天主教總堂
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Diagram 13 St. John’s Cathedral37 (front)
Diagram 14 St. John’s Cathedral (aerial view)
9. What is the shape of the building in diagram 14?
It is the shape of a Cross.
10. Why was it built in this way?
The Cathedral is a cross-shaped building which symbolizes Christ's death on the
cross.
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St. John’s Cathedral
聖約翰座堂
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Diagram 15 Stained glass38 inside St. John’s Cathedral
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stained glass
七彩玻璃窗
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Diagram 16 The window on the left
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Diagram 17 The window on the right
11. Please write a short story based on diagrams 15-17.
OR
12. Design a stained glass window and draw it in the following space.
No definite answer
Topic:
____________________________________________________________
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Buildings can reflect the style of living of their owners. The early
British settlers built fireplaces in their buildings too. The following are
some examples.
Diagram 18 Fireplace
Diagram 19 Fireplace
(Government House)
(Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware)
Diagram 20 Fireplace
(Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences39 )
13. Why did the British build fireplaces in their buildings? (Hint: think of the
weather of the UK)
A fireplace is a building feature that the British were used to. It provides warmth
in the cold winter.
14. Is a fireplace necessary for Hong Kong?
No. The winter in Hong Kong is not so cold.
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Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences
香港醫學博物館
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Traditional Chinese and Western historical buildings
Buildings can reflect the history and culture of a people.
The origin of western architecture in Hong Kong can be
traced to the time when Hong Kong came under British
rule.
Western style buildings are usually symmetrical.
Stone pillars and arches are common features.
But a
combination of western design with local Chinese building
materials is very common in early architecture in Hong
Kong. This reflects the efforts of early British settlers to
adapt to local weather and local culture.
What have you learned?
You have learned to
1. understand that some historical buildings in Hong Kong are
built in western style;
2. identify some of the special features of western historical
buildings in Hong Kong;
3. understand that the structure of these western historical
buildings was adapted to suit local conditions.
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