Shek O Bus Terminus

After the journey through the winding roads of Hong Kong Island's verdant south side, the first sight that greets visitors to the popular beach town of Shek O is the much-loved bus terminus. Though many beachgoers will make a beeline straight for the golden sands of Shek O beach, the delightful terminus building is worth more than a mere glance.

The building was designed by Su Gin Djih of Hsin Yieh Architects & Associates. Su was part of the first wave of Chinese architects to study in the U.S., and the influence of the American modernist movement can be seen in the terminus building's clean, straight lines and horizontality.

Completed in 1955, the design of the two-storey building features its signature cantilevered balcony running the full length of the upper level. On the lower level, the recessed waiting area is on one side, the old stationmaster's office on the other, defying the commonly held architectural notion that symmetry equals beauty.

In 2013, despite having fallen into a state of decay and disrepair, the bus terminus was granted Grade 2 historic building status by the Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO). Deeming the building worthy of 'special merit', owing to its status as a rare, surviving building from the 1950s and its design in a style seldom seen in modern day Hong Kong.

Finally, in 2020, having consulted with the AMO on how to correctly carry out the restoration works to uphold the building's authenticity, the New World First Bus Company began the process of renovating the terminus building. During the renovations, an old well that was originally used as the building's water supply was discovered, as were several vintage bus stop signs.

In the lightning paced, ever-evolving metropolis that is Hong Kong, little attention is paid to conservation. Shek O town and the bus terminus continue to serve as reminders of past eras and to reinforce that Hong Kong doesn't consist solely of glass, steel and concrete reaching skyward.