Leo A Daly recently received two 2011 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Hong Kong awards-an Honor Award for Architecture and a Sustainable Design Award-for its design work on the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Hong Kong campus in the Sham Shui Po district. Of the 12 winning projects, only two architecture firms received both Honor and Sustainable Design awards.
The adaptive reuse project, which transformed the decommissioned North Kowloon Magistracy Building into Hong Kong's first university focused exclusively on art and design, is also the first completed under the Hong Kong government's new public-private program, "Revitalizing Historic Buildings Through Partnership," initiated to conserve and transform historic buildings for innovative uses.
"SCAD is seen as a successful example of reuse and revitalization, and the jurors hope that through recognition, the government and architects in the region will be encouraged to embark on future preservation and reuse projects," said J. Lee Rofkind AIA, president of AIA Hong Kong.
The project also recently received an Honorable Mention in the 2011 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, which recognize the efforts of private individuals and organizations to restore structures of significance to the region.
Leo A Daly collaborated with SCAD to provide design direction, space planning, project management, quality control and review to convert the 6,500-square-meter building into a world-class digital media center and design university. Leo A Daly also oversaw the development of documentation by the local design institute, LCK Architects, which served as the architect of record and directed the local sub-consultant engineering team.
Throughout the design process, Leo A Daly and SCAD integrated the creative arts with a reverence for the past. The design team conserved the magistracy's original steel windows and glass, the massive bronze doors, iron railings and stone detailing-and even an original jail cell-while incorporating modern materials to create vibrant, functional spaces for the college. What was once a government office was converted into studio space; a staff canteen is now an art gallery; a police garage is now a library; a holding cell is now a conference room -all showcasing lively colors and student artwork to encourage learning and expression.
All MEP systems were redesigned to meet local building codes, bringing the former magistracy to contemporary standards. Efficient LED lighting merged aesthetics and energy conservation, while state-of-the-art cooling systems, low-flow plumbing fixtures and solar-blocking shades contributed to the building's sustainability. The renovated facility also accommodates digital media and powerful data systems.