- A 19th century church restored to serve as a modern school campus.
- Dramatic glazed pitched roof makes full use of daylight.
- Honourable mention in the 2008 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards.
Built in 1875, the Béthanie was a French Gothic-style sanatorium for almost a century. In 2003, the Hong Kong Legislative Council approved capital funds for the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts to restore the building and two neighbouring cowsheds as its associated campus.
Arup worked on the restoration in collaboration with architect Philip Liao and Partners. To preserve as many heritage features as possible, the team carried out thorough investigations into the background and structure of the building. The existing flat roof was found to be a 1950s addition, replacing an original pitched roof.
"The Béthanie Conversion Project was a highly complicated one which called for the most enthusiastic, engaged and dedicated team to see it through in a meticulous manner."
– Philip Liao and Partners Ltd
The team reinstated the pitched roof and took a step further – proposing a glazed solution resulting in a light and airy interior. From the outside, the roof closely resembles a traditional slate roof, maintaining the original style while using state-of-the-art materials and technology.
To make the building part of the heritage site, Arup maintained its external appearance and detailed the interior to hide modern elements such as mechanical and electrical services.
The team’s perseverance and dedication have ensured an on-going place for this historic building in the modern community. The work was recognised with an honourable mention in the 2008 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards.
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