Mei Ho House
| Company type | Youth hostel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality, Heritage conservation |
| Predecessor | Mei Ho House (public housing block) |
| Founded | October 24, 2013 in Hong Kong |
| Fate | Converted from public housing block to youth hostel and heritage museum |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong , Hong Kong |
Area served | Hong Kong |
Key people | Carrie Lam (Chief Secretary for Administration at opening) |
| Products | Accommodation, Heritage museum, Guided tours |
| Owner | Hong Kong Youth Hostels Association |
| Website | www |
Mei Ho House (), once a component of Shek Kip Mei Estate in Hong Kong, stands as the sole surviving example of the "Mark I" design arranged in a single-block formation. Unlike other residential blocks from the 1950s that were demolished and rebuilt, Mei Ho House was conserved and reopened in 2013, serving as both a youth hostel and a heritage museum.
History
In the aftermath of the catastrophic fire in December 1953, which rendered thousands homeless, the colonial administration established a resettlement estate comprising 29 blocks on the affected site to accommodate displaced residents. Among these, eight blocks (originally labeled Blocks A to H, later renumbered as Blocks 10–13 and 35–41) were constructed with funding from the United Nations; Mei Ho House corresponds to Block H (later Block 41). These seven-story buildings were designed in the Bauhaus architectural style featuring an 'H'-shaped layout—consisting of two residential wings connected by shared sanitary facilities.
During the Hong Kong 1956 riots, Mei Ho House functioned as a strategic location for rioters.
Preservation
Mei Ho House has been maintained as a significant example reflecting the evolution of public housing in the city. It received a Grade I historic building status in 2005 but was downgraded to Grade II in 2010.
In 2008, it was selected as one of seven structures in the first batch under the Hong Kong Government's Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme. On 17 February 2009, authorities revealed plans to convert the building into "City Hostel," managed by the Hong Kong Youth Hostels Association, with an anticipated investment of HK$192.3 million and completion aimed for 2012. The hostel includes an exhibition space and offers guided tours that illustrate living conditions in historic public housing.
The restoration project was honored with an Honourable Mention at the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2015.
Youth Hostel
The Mei Ho House Youth Hostel commenced operations on 24 October 2013. Accommodation rates begin at HK$680 per night for double rooms and HK$1,320 for family suites. At its inauguration, Chief Secretary for Administration Carrie Lam commended it as a "groundbreaking renovation initiative" within public housing and described it as "highly significant."
See also
- North Kowloon Magistracy, a nearby example of historic building adaptive reuse
External links
- YHA Mei Ho House Youth Hostel official website
- Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme: Mei Ho House Resource Kit
- Virtual tour of Mei Ho House