比利時義品公司/
轉角唐樓與比利時地產公司其實有莫大關係。19世紀的比利時是歐洲工業革命中發展得較蓬勃的國家。有別於其他歐洲大國積極擴展軍事及殖民地，比利時郤側重於資金、工業及學術出口到全世界。這造就了比利時義品公司在香港的出現。比利時義品公司在香港的生意主要在房地產投資、建築設計、施工作業、抵押貸款到物業管理，可算是一條龍服務。公司的總部在布魯塞爾，支部都由比利時人領導，但都需要華人在港管理。而他們的建築師大多來自比利時，不但引入現代摩登主義的設計，還因應香港的地貌與天氣，生產出具香港特色的轉角唐樓。很多轉角唐樓因應香港熱帶天氣而設計露天的走廊，作為室外與室內的緩衝空間。你更可以從圍欄通花找到裝飾藝術的足跡。范威利克出任當時的總負責人，是其中一個具影響力的建築師帶領著裝飾藝術到摩登主義的過渡。
瀕臨絕種/
唐樓的起源在港島，但轉角唐樓的起源則在九龍。他象徵了當時香港的城市發展，摩登的轉角建築塑造了中產階層的社區。現在香港只剩下九座戰前的轉角唐樓，而青山道301,303號因遲遲未被評為歷史建築，而面臨被清拆的命運。現今被活化保留的轉角唐樓只有改造成中醫學院的雷生春及剛翻新的為群公寓。
的確，要將唐樓的商業價值提高至摩天大樓般是沒有可能的。但如果我們將商業與文化價值去看，活化唐樓群組不但保留社區特色，更可以打造成特色景點，商業與文化價值也能相輔相成。香港，這個地方有著世界級的商業中心，背後其實還有更大的建築資源等待被好好利用。但在經濟效益主導的世道下，究竟我們能否運用建築價值去記錄和分享其年代的故事？
Who is Crédit foncier d'Extrême-Orient (CFEO)/
Corner Tong Lau had a relationship with some of the Belgium developers. In the 19th century, Belgium attained substantial development from industrial revolution. Belgium based companies such as the Crédit foncier d'Extrême-Orient(CFEO) expanded to Hong Kong with Belgian-styles development investment, architectural design, construction work, mortgage service, and property management. Moreover, through localisation, corner Tong Lau was designed in response to the geographical and climate context in HK. Gabriel Van Wylick was the office head in Hong Kong, he was one of the influential architects who led the transition from Art Deco to the modernism age.
Endangered/
Tong Lau's emergence was in Hong Kong Island, but Tong Lau first appeared in Kowloon. It emblemed the city development of Hong Kong in a particular period. Even though looking at the significance of Castle Park Road 301-303, it cannot escape from the destiny of demolition that it still has not been graded as a historical building.
When we take community and cultural value into consideration, the assembly of different preserved historic buildings can be the hero. It can protect the community's unique character while accelerating the cultural and commercial value of that area. At the age of economic dominance, are there opportunities left for architecture to record n share stories of this city?
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