Blue House (1922-25)
藍屋
1922, Vernacular 民間建築及屋邨
72 Stone Nullah Lane
香港灣仔石水渠街72號
Completed in 1922, Blue House is a typical tenement house (also known as Tong Lau) with brick walls, wooden windows and staircase, with balconies surrounded by wrought iron fencing facing the streets. The once ordinary building is now one of the few remaining tenement houses in the city, greeting looker-on with its distinctive blue wall paint, which was originally unused paint from Water Supplies Department in the 90s.
Blue House is a gem not only because of its architectural features, but more so the stories and livelihood of people it touched and housed. Lin Chun Hin Clinic, Kang Ham Free School, Yat Chong College and Len Hing Chinese Wine Shop were integral parts of the community at Stone Nullah Lane. In 2012, Blue House was revitalised into a center showcasing cultural stories of the past. As a project that accommodates revitalisation and live-in residents concurrently, Blue House could be setting a new benchmark for our city’s revitalisation.
留得住歲月，可也留得住風流?藍屋於1922年落成，是當時典型的唐樓：結構磚牆，木窗戶，木樓梯，臨街露台立面，以及其上的熟鐵欄柵。特別,是因為這些平凡的元素，在市區重建的洪流下，沖洗得就只剩下這一點點。我們又可有想過，這蔚為奇觀的藍色，其實是九十年代水務署用剩的油漆？
藍屋的價值，不是殖民地建築的宏偉，也不是中式宮殿的勾心鬥角，藍屋骨子裏洋溢着飯夫酒卒的市井生命力：林鎮顯醫館、鏡涵義學、一中書院、聯興酒莊⋯都是有面孔、有脈搏的名字，石水渠街建築群所盛載的是一個鷄鳴狗吠的活社區，一個叫人嚮往的時代。2010年藍屋被活化成民間生活館，嘗試「留屋留人」，在高級餐廳硬套入當舖的今天，這可會是市區保育的另一條出路？
文：王樂賢 (香港註冊建築師)
攝影：洪彬芬 (香港註冊建築師)
http://www.etnet.com.hk/www/tc/diva/art_hkac_detail.php?id=28793&page=6
