Planning a Modern Civic Landmark: The Reconstruction of City Hall in Post-War British Hong Kong

City Hall, a Western-style edifice erected in 1869 with funds raised from British merchants, was the first public cultural facility in British Hong Kong. Despite the building’s public nature, discriminatory practices hindered local Chinese citizens from using it. In 1947, the colonial government razed City Hall to make way for commercial development. Shortly after its demolition, the Sino-British Club, an intercultural initiative by pre-war residents, assembled delegates from over forty local organizations to lead a campaign for a new city hall. The government gave in to pressure and consented to build a new city hall. Remarkably, this marked the first time in Hong Kong’s history that the government actively sought public criticism and suggestions for the planning and design of a civic landmark. The new City Hall, completed in 1962, was designed with a modernist style, which gained popularity in Hong Kong after World War II.
This paper uses the City Hall case to challenge early studies of Hong Kong history, which often portray postwar Hong Kong as a refugee city with passive political actors lacking the means and will to intervene in public affairs. Instead, the 1950s saw significant political activities involving a diverse range of political agents who undertook many sophisticated actions and garnered significant publicity. The enthusiastic participation of individuals and social organizations in the City Hall project reflects the emergence of civil society in postwar Hong Kong. The paper also discusses how modernist architecture emerged as the preferred design for public buildings in the post-war era.