Restoration of Kom Tong Hall

In preparation for the Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum, our utmost tasks are to serve the dual purpose of illustrating Dr Sun's activities, as well as the role of Hong Kong in the 1911 Revolution. Yet, we are also keen on restoring the grandeur of the historic structure of Kom Tong Hall, as part and parcel of Hong Kong's cultural heritage. The mammoth task of restoring the Kom Tong Hall to its original appearance relies not only on the detailed planning of the architects, but also the masterly skills of the conservators. To reinstate the original appearance of the brick wall, the conservators adopt the chemical stripping method to remove all the deteriorated varnish coating. In addition, they introduce the corncob blasting technique to remove the old paint vanish on the surface of wooden structure. On the walls of the balcony are glazed tiles, which are no longer produced or sold in the market. By borrowing the method in the transfer of mural paintings, the specialists retrieve the intact tiles from the concealed areas to make up for the damaged ones. To make good the metal balustrades, the conservators also make every effort to detach the copper capping for rust removal, and remove the old paint and iron corrosion from the balustrades by sand-blasting, followed with a protective coating. For the stained glass windows, the broken glass panes are to be retrieved delicately for restoration, and the corroded metal frames will then be treated and protected by a durable coating. Thanks to their specialties, Kom Tong Hall after renovation will not only be a ideal place for people to learn about Dr Sun Yat-sen and the modern Chinese history, but also a place to explore and study the historical buildings of Hong Kong.

The conservator collecting paint sample from the metal balustrade	The conservator detaching the faced tiles from the wall