Macau’s thoughtful restorations are breathing new life into its old buildings

By Rebecca Lo Translation by Hsiaofen Pang and Takako Whilden

It may seem ironic that alongside its glamorous hotel and residential developments, Macau is perhaps one of Asia’s most successful cities at conserving its architectural past. Its achievement is even more astonishing considering the limited area available to build on – Macau is one of the most densely populated place on the planet. Yet while other cities in Asia are blithely bulldozing their heritage to make way for gleaming skyscrapers, the former Portuguese colony strives to reuse as many of its stately buildings as possible.

“Macau uses its public spaces as a resource much more intensely than cities in Europe,” says Macau-based architect and urban planner, Nuno Soares. “In Asia, reusing buildings isn’t common,” he says. “In Portugal, castles and churches all around the countryside are converted into small hotels known as pousadas. Asian culture is more about replacing or buying something new. But Macau keeps its old buildings.”

According to Soares, there are three basic ways of conserving historic buildings: preserving the building’s façade, preserving the entire building with complete renovations to its interior, and preserving the entire building with minimal changes to its interior. “Just keeping the façade is not as interesting,” he states. “you end up with a structure with no soul.”

The cultural institute of Macau oversees the restoration and preservation of heritage buildings. Prior to moving into the three-storey building on tap Seac, its offices were scattered across the city. “This building used to be a high school,” says Stephen chan, vice-president of the cultural institute of Macau. “Then, it was a hospital for refugees during world war ii. after extensive renovations, we moved here in 2005.” although the building was updated to accommodate the needs of a 21st century office, some of its existing architectural features were preserved. The central wooden staircase was restored to its former glory, while the second-storey veranda was divided with floor-to-ceiling glass to retain an open feel yet provide additional meeting space to each private office. “it’s about how to match the new with the old for a seamless transition,” notes chan. affectionately known as the old ladies’ House, the albergue, or shelter for the elderly, is a u-shaped group of mustard yellow-coloured buildings surrounding a leafy courtyard. off calçada da igreja de São lázaro, it’s home to italian restaurant locanda, a branch of the bookshop Bloom and a full roster of events. “its architecture is a mixture of chinese and Portuguese,” says Soares. “it’s not a copy of Portuguese architecture. local materials are used in the roof tiles.” He points to a pilaster fashioned after bamboo as an example and adds that, “the shutters are typical of ones found all over South-East asia”.

“The Ox Warehouse’s architecture is very connected with its original function,” says Soares. “it’s not normally a building that would be conserved.” Located on the corner of coronel Mesquita and almirante Lacerda, the former slaughterhouse was converted into an art gallery in 2003. The open, column-free warehouse was ideal for large installations with a minimal amount of renovation.

Perhaps the most picturesque of Macau’s architectural conversions is the series of five houses known as the Taipa House Museum. Spread along Taipa’s avenida da Praia, the collection of two-storey residences were built in 1921 to house Macanese officials and their families. They were converted into museums, galleries and reception spaces in 1999, and are a popular place for wedding photos. along with the five residences, the complex includes the nearby Our Lady of carmel church and Taipa Library, plus the grounds surrounding all the buildings. Despite now facing the Venetian Macao instead of the open sea, the houses provide a pleasantly direct link to Macau’s past. “it’s important to have context when preserving architecture,” says Soares. “it’s important to have space around the buildings to appreciate them.”