Tai Po Lookout
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Tai Po Lookout is a historical residential building situated at No. 11, Lookout Link,
Tai Po Kau Tai Po Kau () is an area and a villages south of the town of Tai Po in Hong Kong, which was the site of the former Tai Po Kau station on the Kowloon–Canton Railway. It is located at a river estuary that empties into Tolo Harbour. Administratio ...
,
Tai Po District Tai Po District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. The suburban district covers the areas of Tai Po New Town (including areas such as Tai Po Market, , Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Wo Estate), Tai Po Tau, Tai Po Kau, Hong Lok Yuen, Ti ...
, in the
New Territories The New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory, and contains around half of the population of Hong Kong. Historically, it ...
of Hong Kong. Tai Po Lookout was built in the early twentieth century by Lawrence Gibbs, a British engineer, as his residence. The Lookout had many different owners throughout the years, and was circulated around very frequently. During the
Japanese occupation of Hong Kong The Imperial Japanese occupation of Hong Kong began when the Governor of Hong Kong, Mark Aitchison Young, Sir Mark Young, surrendered the British Crown colony of British Hong Kong, Hong Kong to the Empire of Japan on 25 December 1941. The surr ...
, the Lookout was used as a torture chamber by the Japanese.Brief Information on Proposed Grade I Items: Historic Building Appraisal, pp. 352–353
After
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the land became government property. It was used by government officials such as the Tai Po District Officers and the Head of Police Secret Service as their private residences. In 1996, the government leased the Lookout to the Society for AIDS Care (SAC). The SAC launched the Lookout Project to provide
hospice Hospice care is a type of health care that focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's pain and symptoms and attending to their emotional and spiritual needs at the end of life. Hospice care prioritizes comfort and quality of life by ...
care for
AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
patients. The service was first operated in June 1997 and officially closed on the first of June 2000Council for the AIDS Trust Fund
/ref> due to drying up of funds.ACA Newsfile
/ref> Since then, the Lookout has been leased by the Government Property Agency to private owners and reverted to its original residential purpose.Introduction to 1444 Historical Building
The Lookout is a colonial-style building with a
watch tower A watchtower or watch tower is a type of fortification used in many parts of the world. It differs from a regular tower in that its primary use is military and from a turret in that it is usually a freestanding structure. Its main purpose is to ...
. Standing on top of a small hill, it overlooks
Tai Po District Tai Po District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. The suburban district covers the areas of Tai Po New Town (including areas such as Tai Po Market, , Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Wo Estate), Tai Po Tau, Tai Po Kau, Hong Lok Yuen, Ti ...
and
Tolo Harbour Tolo Harbour, or Tai Po Hoi (, historically ) is a sheltered harbour in northeast New Territories The New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 8 ...
. In 1985, the building was accorded as a Grade II Historic Building by the Antiquities Advisory Board (). Recently, it is proposed that the status of the Lookout to be regarded as Grade I.


History

Tai Po Lookout is situated on former Tai Po Inland Lot No. 5 (now at No. 11 Lookout Link,
Tai Po Kau Tai Po Kau () is an area and a villages south of the town of Tai Po in Hong Kong, which was the site of the former Tai Po Kau station on the Kowloon–Canton Railway. It is located at a river estuary that empties into Tolo Harbour. Administratio ...
,
Tai Po Tai Po is an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It refers to the vicinity of the traditional market towns in the area presently known as Tai Po Old Market or Tai Po Kau Hui () (the original "Tai Po Market") on the north of Lam Tsue ...
,
New Territories The New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory, and contains around half of the population of Hong Kong. Historically, it ...
,
Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
). In 1904, Lawrence Gibbs bought the piece of land and built the Lookout as his residence. He was a British civil engineer who worked at the Public Works Department then also 'Denison, Ram & Gibbs' in 1900. The Lookout was designed and built by Gibbs in the early 1900s and he used it as his own residence. The Lookout's location was a remote area in
Tai Po Tai Po is an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It refers to the vicinity of the traditional market towns in the area presently known as Tai Po Old Market or Tai Po Kau Hui () (the original "Tai Po Market") on the north of Lam Tsue ...
on top of a small hill and it is believed that the beautiful views there is the reason for choosing that particular place to build the Lookout. It remains to be a difficult place to get to even in present time. As an engineer, Gibbs was able to get water supply from the hillside, the tower found in the Lookout was also used as a
water tower A water tower is an elevated structure supporting a water tank constructed at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system, distribution system for potable water, and to provide emergency storage for fire protection. Water towe ...
. Throughout the years, the Lookout was sold to different owners. In 1929, the Lookout was sold to Herbert Austin Rogers. After 4 years, August 1933, it was sold to Michael Howard Turner as the leaseholder of the house. Immediately after, the November of the same year, the Lookout was sold to
John Alexander Fraser Major John Alexander Fraser GC MC and Bar (, 12 February 1896 – 29 October 1943) was a British colonial officer who was posthumously awarded the George Cross, the highest British (and Commonwealth) award for bravery out of combat, for hi ...
, a judge in Hong Kong as his living quarter. During the time of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Fraser was kept in the
Stanley Internment Camp Stanley Internment Camp () was a civilian internment camp in Hong Kong during the Second World War. Located in Stanley, on the southern end of Hong Kong Island, it was used by the Japanese imperial forces to hold non-Chinese enemy nationals aft ...
during the
Japanese occupation of Hong Kong The Imperial Japanese occupation of Hong Kong began when the Governor of Hong Kong, Mark Aitchison Young, Sir Mark Young, surrendered the British Crown colony of British Hong Kong, Hong Kong to the Empire of Japan on 25 December 1941. The surr ...
where he died. The Lookout was then occupied by the Japanese and was used as a
torture chamber A torture chamber is a room where torture is inflicted.
. After the war, in December 1947, the land became government property. Since then it served as the living quarters of government officials. Many officers of the
Tai Po District Tai Po District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. The suburban district covers the areas of Tai Po New Town (including areas such as Tai Po Market, , Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Wo Estate), Tai Po Tau, Tai Po Kau, Hong Lok Yuen, Ti ...
and the head of the Police Secret Service lived in the Lookout. In 1996, it was leased to the Society of AIDs CareThe Society for AIDS Care http://www.aidscare.com.hk as a residential centre for AIDS patients. Until the year 2000, the Lookout returned to being a private residence.


The Lookout Project

Dedicated to promote the wellbeing of people living with
HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune ...
/
AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
and their care givers, Sister Maureen McGinley MBE established the Society for AIDS Care () in 1994 with the support from the government. The SAC is community-based non-profit charity organization aiming at running sustainable
HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune ...
/
AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
programmes on care and prevention. The SAC is a professional team of nurses, counselors, social workers and physiotherapists who provide both centered-based and external services for
AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
patients and their families. In 1996, the Tai Po Lookout was leased to the SAC. The organization planned to implement the Lookout Project as a measure to tackle with the lack of
hospice Hospice care is a type of health care that focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's pain and symptoms and attending to their emotional and spiritual needs at the end of life. Hospice care prioritizes comfort and quality of life by ...
facilities when
AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
treatment was not mature.South China Morning Post 2000-05-21 Funds dry up for HK's Aids hospice The Project officially started in May 1997. It admitted and served 73 patients until it stopped operating on 1 June 2000. The project received funding from the Council for the AIDS Trust Fund () in
Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
, which provided $30 million to cover the running cost of the hospice. The implementation of the Lookout Project faced strong objection from the
Department of Health (Hong Kong) Hong Kong's Department of Health is responsible for healthcare policies and the provision of basic healthcare services and established in 1939. The public hospitals are managed by the department's Hospital Authority. The department reports ...
from 1995 to 1996, shortly before the Lookout's opening though. Health officials argued that the Lookout was deemed to be short-living as "cocktail therapy", treatment by taking a combination of several
antiretroviral drugs The management of HIV/AIDS normally includes the use of multiple antiretroviral drugs as a strategy to control HIV infection. There are several classes of antiretroviral agents that act on different stages of the HIV life-cycle. The use of multipl ...
, was already available in Hong Kong and was expected to be used extensively. They also claimed that isolation of AIDS patients from the urban area would hinder the integration of patients into the community. The Lookout, situated at a remote area in
Tai Po Tai Po is an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It refers to the vicinity of the traditional market towns in the area presently known as Tai Po Old Market or Tai Po Kau Hui () (the original "Tai Po Market") on the north of Lam Tsue ...
, functioned as a 24-hour residential medical center that offered day-care as well as in-patient service, particularly for terminal patients. It was recognized as Asia's first and only 24-hour residential medical care centre at that time. The Lookout originally had five beds for in-patients and two more beds were added in 1999. Facilities were also set up for patients' families to stay overnight when they needed to. On top of these, the Lookout was a center for physiotherapy and counselling to help patient maintain good physical and psychological health. An integration of services was provided by a team of specifically trained doctors, nurses and social workers in palliative care. It was closely associated with other Hong Kong SAR medical bodies such as the
Department of Health A health department or health ministry is a part of government which focuses on issues related to the general health of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties and cities, often also operate a health department of their ow ...
AIDS Unit and Queen Elizabeth Hospital Special Medical Unit to provide more comprehensive care to patients. In addition, the Lookout provided educational and experimental training for medical personnel in
AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
care. Most of the patients admitted when the Lookout first operated were kicked out by their families, who could not tolerate the notion of living under the same roof with relatives contracted with
HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune ...
. They had low chance of survival unless they had a high insurance premium or were able to afford treatment overseas. Two of the seventy-three patients died during their stay at the Lookout. The bungalow served as a quiet sanctuary for these patients. It was planned that 22 beds were to be made available within two years of operation. However, with the advancement of
AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
treatment, demand for hospice service for AIDS care declined drastically with the emergence of
antiretroviral drugs The management of HIV/AIDS normally includes the use of multiple antiretroviral drugs as a strategy to control HIV infection. There are several classes of antiretroviral agents that act on different stages of the HIV life-cycle. The use of multipl ...
, which profoundly lengthen the life span of
AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
patients. Taking a combination of several drugs, patients are expected to live as long as they remain on medication. The plan for expansion was eventually abandoned as dedicated hospice facilities were no longer widely needed as before. Access to medical care in public hospitals was much easier. Thereon, the Lookout put its focus on nursing care and counselling instead of medical services. It served as a "mid-way home" for patients to rebuild self-esteem and helped them integrate into the community by providing space and time for them to organize themselves. Funding for the Lookout ceased in the third year of the Project on the grounds that the Project performed overlapping functions as other hospice services provided by public hospitals. The SAC could not find sufficient financial support for keeping the running of the Lookout. Moreover, resorting to life in a remote part of the
New Territories The New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory, and contains around half of the population of Hong Kong. Historically, it ...
was unnecessary as
AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
patients under cocktail therapy were able to lead a more or less normal life at home. Falling short of demand, together with the drying up of funds, prompted the SAC's decision to put an end to the Project in February, 2000. The last two patients at the Lookout was transferred to other medical centers and marked the official closure of the Lookout at the end of May, 2000. Although the Lookout Project did not last long, it was a pioneering experiment to introduce
hospice Hospice care is a type of health care that focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's pain and symptoms and attending to their emotional and spiritual needs at the end of life. Hospice care prioritizes comfort and quality of life by ...
service into the existing medical system. It brought insights to other health projects as in the importance of considering medical development and patients needs.


Architectural and geographic features

The Lookout adapts the colonial style and is a one-storey flat-roofed building with an arched colonnaded verandah, a projecting portico (built at a later date) and a cylindrical watch tower at the top which gives the building its name. The
watch tower A watchtower or watch tower is a type of fortification used in many parts of the world. It differs from a regular tower in that its primary use is military and from a turret in that it is usually a freestanding structure. Its main purpose is to ...
is also a
water tower A water tower is an elevated structure supporting a water tank constructed at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system, distribution system for potable water, and to provide emergency storage for fire protection. Water towe ...
. The walls stands on a low rubble plinth and are painted white, this remains to be unchanged till present time. There are several quarters for servants in a detached block set at a particular angle next to the main building of the Lookout located on another small hill. The Lookout also has a lawn that has views over
Tolo Harbour Tolo Harbour, or Tai Po Hoi (, historically ) is a sheltered harbour in northeast New Territories The New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 8 ...
to the
Pat Sin Leng Pat Sin Leng () is a mountain range in the northeast New Territories of Hong Kong, located within the Pat Sin Leng Country Park. The name ''Pat Sin Leng'' literally means "Ridge of the Eight Immortals", who are eight well-known ''xian'' ("Immo ...
.Gwulo: Old Hong Kong http://gwulo.com/node/4247 The design of the house internally is quite symmetrical and had some walls and partitions removed over the years by comparing the current building with the original floor plan. The Lookout still contains its original design and appearance from a few infill windows to the rear verandah It also as a swimming pool, in the past, the water supplies from a nearby stream not only supplied water for the residence all year round, but also enough water for the swimming pool. When the Lookout was first built it had no water mains and relied on a stream nearby which went strongly all year round. The stream supplied water to the house and the overflow went into the swimming pool of the garden. Water mains was later developed and supply
fresh water Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the term specifically excludes seawater and brackish water, it does include ...
to Lookout Link. It is known that the Lookout is able to view Island House (the former residence of government official, now property of the World Wide Fund for Nature) located next to the shore, a
declared monument of Hong Kong In the sport of cricket, a declaration occurs when a captain declares his team's innings closed and a forfeiture occurs when a captain chooses to forfeit an innings without batting. Declaration and forfeiture are covered in Law 15 of the ''Laws o ...
. It now continues to oversee the
Tai Po District Tai Po District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. The suburban district covers the areas of Tai Po New Town (including areas such as Tai Po Market, , Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Wo Estate), Tai Po Tau, Tai Po Kau, Hong Lok Yuen, Ti ...
and
Tolo Harbour Tolo Harbour, or Tai Po Hoi (, historically ) is a sheltered harbour in northeast New Territories The New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 8 ...
. The Lookout is situated in a remote area on top of a small hill and close to the Lookout are mansions such as Villa Costa and 'Tsung Tsai Yuen' (), a part of Tai Po Kau Natural Reserve. This particular area is famous for being the home of fireflies all year round. The area is also well known for the 'Ghostly Bridge' (), which is located at part of Tai Po Road – Tai Po Kau section. The name came from an incident during the 1950s where many students were washed away in a storm under a bridge.


Conservation

Under the management of Government Property Agency (), Tai Po Lookout is a structure not open to public. It is being leased since 2000. Thus, the question of adaptive reuse is not a current concern as the Lookout serves as private residence once again. Because the Lookout is located in a remote part of
Tai Po Tai Po is an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It refers to the vicinity of the traditional market towns in the area presently known as Tai Po Old Market or Tai Po Kau Hui () (the original "Tai Po Market") on the north of Lam Tsue ...
, it is not a popular landmark and is just of a local interest. As a colonial architectural building located in such a remote area in Tai Po, it is a rare and unique piece of heritage that still remains. In 1985, the Antiquities Advisory Board accorded the Lookout as Grade II Historic Building, meaning that the Lookout had "special merit and efforts should be made to selectively preserve". Recently, it is proposed in the assessment on the 1,444 historic building completed in March, 2009 that the status to be raised to Grade I Historic Building to ascertain its outstanding merit. In vicinity to Tai Po Lookout in the same district, there is a range of Grade II Historic Buildings managed by different institutions at present time, including, the Old Tai Po Police Station, Old District Office North, Old Police Bungalow, and the Island House. These buildings share the same colonial style as the Lookout since they were built at roughly the same period of time.Leisure and Cultural Services Department


Transportation

Tai Po Lookout stands on the top of a small hill in
Tai Po Kau Tai Po Kau () is an area and a villages south of the town of Tai Po in Hong Kong, which was the site of the former Tai Po Kau station on the Kowloon–Canton Railway. It is located at a river estuary that empties into Tolo Harbour. Administratio ...
and has always been a difficult place to reach amongst the area as it is still remotely far away from the central concentrated area of
Tai Po Tai Po is an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It refers to the vicinity of the traditional market towns in the area presently known as Tai Po Old Market or Tai Po Kau Hui () (the original "Tai Po Market") on the north of Lam Tsue ...
. The only means of transportation would be bus 72, 72A of Kowloon Motor Bus and taxi. Minibus 28K would also lead to the area of
Tai Po Kau Tai Po Kau () is an area and a villages south of the town of Tai Po in Hong Kong, which was the site of the former Tai Po Kau station on the Kowloon–Canton Railway. It is located at a river estuary that empties into Tolo Harbour. Administratio ...
. Five to ten minutes of walking is necessary after taking the bus or minibus as there are no direct transport leading to the Lookout.


References


External links


Antiquities and Monument Office






br


Council for the AIDS Trust Fund

Government Property Agency

Leisure and Cultural Services Department
{{coord, 22.4357, 114.1937, type:landmark_region:HK, display=title Tai Po Grade I historic buildings in Hong Kong