A few walks from 186-190 Queen’s Road East which I talked about in my last posts, we arrive the Old Waichai Market. What is the story of the Market about?
在上篇介紹過的皇后大道東186-190號向東走幾步，就到了舊灣仔街市，這個街市又有什麼故事？
There were two markets in this place in the history of HK. The first Wanchai Market was built in 1858. In the 1937, the second Wanchai Market, which we called the Old Wanchai Market, was built here also and replaced the first Wanchai Market.
這一個地方曾是香港兩代街市的所在地，第一代的灣仔街市建於1858年，後於1937年，第二代灣仔街市，亦即舊灣仔街市正式落成，取代了第一代灣仔街市成為灣仔街坊日常買賣的地方。
The 1st Wanchai Market in 1858
第一代灣仔街市
The old Wanchai Market in 1940
1940年代的舊灣仔街市
Old Wanchai Market was 2 floor tall, with the style of German Bauhaus architecture. The principle of this style is the function of the building. By simple appearance and streamline, Old Wanchai Market achieved its function and practicality. The design also make the Market a good ventilation and no air-condition is needed even in summer. Old Wanchai is also the oldest existing building of steel frame structure. Steel frame reduced the use of columns which increased the interior spaces. Old Wanchai Market was listed as “Hong Kong Grade III Historic Buildings” in 1990.
舊灣仔街市樓高兩層，以當年德國典型包浩斯的風格建成，以建築的功能為原則，復簡約的外觀及線條，實現建築的功能性及實用性，而其通風散熱的風格，讓舊灣仔街市就算在夏天都不用開空調。至於外牆則是鋼架組成，減少了樑柱的使用，增加更大的內部空間，舊灣仔街市是香港現存最古老的「鋼架結構」建築，也是香港的「三級歷史建築」。
Full view of Old Wanchai Market
舊灣仔街市全貌
The Old Wanchai Market 舊灣仔街市情景
In 1996, Old Wanchai Market was included in the renewal project of Wan Chai. In 2008, the new Wanchai Market was built and the old one stopped operation. To settle down the citizen who objected the renewal, the government of the developer brought out a new term: “Core Element Conservation”. Then, Old Wanchai Market becomes….
1996年，舊灣仔街市正式納入政府的灣仔重建計劃，直到2008年第三代灣仔街市落成，舊灣仔街市正式停止運作。為了安撫反對重建的市民，政府與發展商採取了一種「主體保育」的方法，保育及重建舊街市，然後，就成了以下的模樣。
There are now a residential building of 45 floors on the market. It is One Wanchai. The average price per feet is around HK$25000. And the Old Wanchai Market? Yes, the core element is conserved. Only the core element is conserved. Half of the market was dismantled. Only the outlook and 45% area of the old market is kept.
原來的街市頭上，多了一座45層的住序，名為「壹環」，現時呎價約為港元$25,000。至於舊灣仔街市呢？ 主體真的被保育了，就只有主體被保育了，街市的後半部份被拆卸，只留下了外殻及前半部份45%的面積。
Old and New: the Old Wanchai Market
舊與新比較
Old and new: back side of Old Wanchai Market
舊與新：舊灣仔街市的後面
Only a small tablet talking about the Old Wanchai Market
舊灣仔街市的故事只剩下一塊小小牌匾
I can’t tell if it is now a conserved building or a high-end residential. The market for residents becomes a luxury building. I can’t tell who can imagine such a creative term “Core Element Conservation”. I will prefer to renew the building. Just let us have a good memory and don’t let us see this strange building.
我不知道該叫這建築為保育街市還是高尚建築，本來街坊每天購物的地方，現在已變成非住客不能進入的豪宅，我不知道是誰可以想出「主體保育」這麼有創意的東西，這樣的保育，倒不如重建算了，讓我們留下一個美好的回憶，不用看著這不倫不類的建築。
The old entrance 舊入口
New Entrance 新入口
Luckily, we can still have a chance to visit the 45% area left. The area is now rented to OVO, a HK furniture store. There is now OVO Studio, the furniture store, OVO Garden, florist store and OVO Café.
幸而，大家仍有機會欣賞舊灣仔街市餘下45%地方的建築特色，這45%的地方現在被香港家具店OVO租下，開設家具店OVO Studio，花藝店OVO Garden及餐廳OVO Café，大家可以在這裡幻想一下當年街市的熱鬧情況。
Wan Chai is a special place in HK. The special thing is its messy: New and old buildings, Chinese and Western culture, and also the long history. We may tell stories for nearly all street in Wan Chai. But since the renewal project of Wan Chai, the street, the buildings, the stories are disappeared. Wan Chai will soon become of place of no memory.
灣仔是一個很特別的地方，它的特別之處在於雜亂，新大廈與舊建築混在一起，加上長久的歷史，我們可以每一條街道都能講一些故事。不過隨著灣仔重建計劃開始，越來越多的舊建築舊街道在慢慢消失，可能灣仔很快就會成為一個再沒有回憶及感情的地方了。
One Wanchai (Old Wanchai Market) 壹環 (舊灣仔街市)
Address: 1 Wan Chai Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island
Opening hour of OVO: 11am to 10pm
地址：香港島灣仔灣仔道1號
OVO營業時間：早上11時至晚上10時
!steemitworldmap 22.2756517 lat 114.1714614 long d3scr
謝謝你能抽空閱讀這篇文章，我平日喜歡分享香港的故事，希望大家多多支持，我會繼續努力！
Thanks for spending your time to read my articles. I like to share stories of Hong Kong. I wish you may support me and I will keep going!
