Restored to its former glory, Casa de Lou Kau offers a glimpse of Macau’s rich past

By KT Wong

Built in 1889 by Lou Kau, Casa de Lou Kau’s colourful past and unique architectural style set it apart from Macau’s rich collection of historical buildings. A prominent merchant and property owner in the city – and father to Lou Lim Lok – the senior Lou made his fortune in gambling and banking in nearby Guangzhou before becoming the first person to bring gambling to Macau.

Standing near Senado Square and Cathedral Square on the Macau Peninsula, a largely Christian quarter of the city, the two-storey courtyard house in traditional grey-brick has the architectural characteristics of a typical xiguan or Chinese residential building. With a main hall with side wings, the building also features two interior patios which bring in natural light and divide the house into three sections.

The house has a symmetric arrangement, organised in a three-by-three grid of spaces. The façade’s recessed entrance creates an overhanging eave, providing shelter during bad weather while at the same time protecting the relief frieze decorations above the grand entrance.

“The mansion is one of the very few remaining buildings in Macau with the three-hall, two-courtyard xiguan style,’’ says Chan Tin Kuen, a conservation activist who assisted the Macau government in restoring the building. “The two courtyards in the central axis separate the three main halls, namely the Entrance Hall (Men Guan Hall), the Tea Hall (Sedan Hall) and the Senior Hall (Tou Hall) on ground level.’’

The complex also mirrors Macau’s unique history, says Chan, whose book, Heritage Trails in Macau, features a detailed description of the history and architectural style of the mansion.

The mansion’s oyster shell windows, plaster mouldings and brick carvings typify an architectural style commonly found in the neighbouring Guangdong province. In contrast, the false ceilings, stained-glass Manzhou windows, cast iron railings, neo-classical balustrades and perforated wooden ceilings all suggest subtle Western influence, reflecting the city’s colonial past.

While its exterior layout signifies the city’s mixed cultural past, the interior spatial arrangement is a demonstration of a traditional wealthy Chinese family’s hierarchical structure – the more private spaces further inside the house were reserved for senior members of the family.

Yet for all its complexity there’s little record as to how the residence was divided between Lou’s 10 wives and concubines along with their 29 children. What was known was that like all Lou Kau’s numerous properties, Case de Lou Kau was later sold to pay off debts as the family’s fortune dwindled during his latter years.

As ownerships of the mansion were subsequently sold to different parties over the years, it took a major effort From the Macau government to restore the mansion into major tourism attraction.

“When we first looked at the mansion, the condition was quite bad,’’ says Stephen chan, deputy director of the Macau government’s cultural affairs Bureau (caB), the mastermind behind the restoration project. “it was occupied mainly by elderly and low income families. We knew a lot of work needed to be done to turn it around.’’

The restoration project, which began in 2000, brought in artists and sculpture specialists from the mainland and took almost five years to complete at a cost of around MOP5m.

Today, the mansion is open to the public with regular workshops and exhibitions of chinese arts and free guided tours. The caB is also planning concerts performed by traditional chinese musicians in the near future.

Address: 7 Travessa da Se. Opening hours: 9am to 5pm (closed on Mondays). Admission is free. Through February and March the mansion features exhibitions and on-site performances from the various traditional folk arts of Anhui province, including ink stick sculpture, inkstone carving, calligraphy brush making, embroidery, miniature sculpture and iron art.