P&T Group (), formerly known as Palmer and Turner Hong Kong (Chinese: 公和洋行; "Kung Wo Yeung Hong"), is an architectural firm in Hong Kong. It is one of the oldest architecture and engineering firms in the world, and it has designed many landmark buildings in Hong Kong, Shanghai and in southeast Asia.
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History
Based in Hong Kong, P&T claims its roots when architect William Salway set up his own practice on 1 October 1868. Herbert William Bird
Herbert William Bird (fl. 1897 – 1931) was a British architect and member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong.
He was the nephew of S. G. Bird, a long-time resident in Hong Kong who arrived in 1857 and carried out the first survey of Hong ...
, a partner of the firm from 1901 to 1928,[ was also a member of the ]Legislative Council of Hong Kong
The Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (LegCo) is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong. It sits under China's " one country, two systems" constitutional arrangement, and is the power centre of Hong Kon ...
. Hong Kong public records suggest that Palmer & Turner arose out of Palmer & Bird – a prominent firm at the time whose senior partner was Lennox Godfrey Bird
Lennox Godfrey Bird (1878–1956) was a British architect who was a prominent practitioner in Hong Kong. He was partner in Palmer and Turner (now P & T Architects & Engineers Ltd.) from 1907 to 1935.
Bird was director of the Shek O Developmen ...
, younger brother of HW Bird. It is known that Clement Palmer, then only 23 years of age, designed the first Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank Building
HSBC Main Building is a headquarters building of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, which is today a wholly owned subsidiary of London-based HSBC Holdings. It is located on the southern side of Statue Square near the location of the ...
in 1883. Arthur Turner, a structural engineer, joined the firm in 1884. From 1891 onwards, the name Palmer and Turner was kept, despite the arrival of new partners.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the practice was very active in colonial Hong Kong
Hong Kong was a colony and later a dependent territory of the British Empire from 1841 to 1997, apart from a period of occupation under the Japanese Empire from 1941 to 1945 during the Pacific War. The colonial period began with the British ...
, and in Shanghai, which was a treaty port at the time. A Shanghai office of Palmer and Turner was opened in the mid-1920s, and it designed many important buildings that constitute the Old Bund
The Old Bund (; Ningboese: lau2 nga3thae1), originally known as the North Riverbank (; Ningboese: kaon1poh4nge3), is a waterfront area in Jiangbei District, Ningbo.
The Old Bund is on the north bank of the Yong River. It was the site of the Por ...
in Shanghai, including the Peace Hotel
The Peace Hotel () is a hotel on The Bund in Shanghai, China, which overlooks the surrounding areas. The hotel has two different buildings. The Sassoon House, originally housed the Cathay Hotel and is today the Fairmont Peace Hotel run by Fairmon ...
.[ Following a rule change by the architects' professional body, HKIA, in 1981, after which full liability partnerships could incorporate, the practice was incorporated and renamed P&T Group in 1982. Its holding company, which owns all its offices premises and practices, was transferred into a trust protecting its owners, with rules determining dividends, and the reinvestment of profits within the company.][
The company's fortunes have waxed and waned over the years. During the Asian financial crisis, its headcount was pruned from 800 employees down to 450. In China, business has fallen from its peak in the 2000s, when the mainland accounted for over half its revenues, to less than 30 per cent, the firm shrunk from some 2,000 employees to just over 1,600. Heinz Rust, one of the P&T directors responsible for the changes at the time, said the new company was “streamlined” to suit expansion plans. The company expanded internationally since around 2000, opened new offices in Dubai (2004), Wuhan (2005), Abu Dhabi (2007), Ho Chi Minh City (2008), Chongqing (2012), Indonesia (2014) and Shenzhen (2016). ]
1860s–1900s: Early years
The origins of the P&T Group date back to 1868, with founder William Salway's arrival in Hong Kong from Australia, to establish a design practice in response to the demand for grander buildings. In 1880s, the Beaconsfield Arcade was completed, Hong Kong’s first multi-storey shopping centre. Architect, Clement Palmer and structural engineer Arthur Turner joined the partnership. In 1890s, the company name changed to Palmer & Turner, the name remained for nearly a century.
1900s–1950s: Growth and expansion
In 1920s, the Shanghai office was opened. Saturation piling was introduced to allow buildings to rise above three storeys. The Hong Kong Shanghai Bank was completed on the famous Shanghai Bund. The Shanghai Customs Building was completed, establishing a distinctive “Shanghai Style”.
In 1930s, the Peace Hotel and the Bank of China
The Bank of China (BOC; ) is a Chinese majority state-owned commercial bank headquartered in Beijing and the fourth largest bank in the world.
The Bank of China was founded in 1912 by the Republican government as China's central bank, repl ...
were completed as iconic additions on Shanghai’s Bund. Hong Kong Shanghai Bank Headquarters was completed, being the first fully air-conditioned building in Hong Kong, and the tallest structure in South East Asia, at the time. India and Malaya offices were opened. Sultan of Johor’s Palace was completed. The Shanghai and other offices were closed due to World War II.
In 1940s, the Hong Kong office was reopened after World War II. The iconic Jardine House
Jardine House (), formerly known as Connaught Centre (), is an office tower in Hong Kong. The building is located at 1 Connaught Place, Central on Hong Kong Island. It is owned by Hongkong Land Limited, a subsidiary of Jardines. At the time ...
was completed in Hong Kong.
1950s–2000s: Incorporation and success
In 1950s, the new Chartered Bank
The Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China (informally The Chartered Bank) was a bank incorporated in London in 1853 by Scotsman James Wilson, under a Royal Charter from Queen Victoria. and Bank of China buildings were completed, continuing the firm's “Shanghai Style”. The grand Goodwood Park Hotel
The Goodwood Park Hotel (Chinese: 良木园酒店) is a heritage hotel in Singapore, situated in a 6-hectare landscaped garden on Scotts Road. It was first built as the club house for the Teutonic Club serving the expatriate German community ...
was completed in Singapore, reflecting a distinctive South East Asian tropical style.
The Hilton Hotel, Choi Hung Housing Estate and AIA Building
The North China Daily News Building () is a historical Neo-Renaissance-style office building on the Bund in Shanghai, China located at No.17, The Bund. It houses the offices of the American International Assurance (AIA), and is thus often ...
were completed in a modern style in 1960s, the latter two winning the Hong Kong Institute of Architects
Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA, ) is a professional body for architects in Hong Kong with approximately 1500 full members, 300 associates members and graduate members. award.
In 1970s, the Connaught Centre (now known as Jardine House) was completed, Hong Kong's first skyscraper, tallest building in Asia at the time and heralded the revitalization of the Central District. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is a public university, public research university located in Hung Hom, Hong Kong near Hung Hom station. The University is one of the eight University Grants Committee (Hong Kong), government-funded ...
at Hung Hom was completed, the highest density campus in the world at that time. The Singapore office was opened.
The company name changed to P&T Group in 1980s, the name remaining to this day. Award-winning Exchange Square in Hong Kong’s Central District was completed. The Bangkok, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta offices were opened. Jinling Hotel and Bank Negara were completed, the tallest building in China and Indonesia respectively at the time.
In 1990s, Hong Kong modern landmarks such as the new Standard Chartered Bank, Entertainment Building
Entertainment Building () is an office building in Central, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The neo-gothic architecture and height of the building make it distinctive amongst the office buildings nearby. The building stands at 30 Queen's Road Centr ...
, Citic Tower
CITIC Tower ( zh, 中信大廈) is a 33-storey office building on Tim Mei Avenue, Admiralty, Hong Kong. It is the corporate headquarters of CITIC Pacific Ltd, a conglomerate publicly traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and listed on the Han ...
and Central Tower were completed. China landmarks such as the Oriental Plaza in Beijing, Harbour Ring Plaza, Citic Square and Raffles City in Shanghai were also completed. Shanghai office was opened.
2000s–present: Globally growth
Middle East and Vietnam offices and additional China offices were opened. The firm global employees reach 1000 in 2007, now about 1600.
P&T Group has expanded from a small firm to one of the largest international consultancies globally. It now has 14 offices in China, Singapore, Thailand, Middle East, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia; a team of more than 1600 architects, engineers, and designers; and projects carried out worldwide in over 100 cities. In 2018, P&T donated a collection of historical architectural archives to the University of Hong Kong
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) (Chinese: 香港大學) is a public university, public research university in Hong Kong. Founded in 1887 as the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese, it is the oldest Higher education in Hong Kong, tertia ...
and M+ Museum
M+ is a museum of visual culture in the West Kowloon Cultural District of Hong Kong. It exhibits twentieth and twenty-first century visual culture encompassing visual art, design and architecture, and moving image. It opened on 12 November 2021. ...
.
Projects
Hong Kong
Notable commissions in Hong Kong include:
* Hong Kong Club Building
The Hong Kong Club Building () is a 25-story office building located in between Chater Road and Connaught Road Central at the junction of Jackson Road, in Central, Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Club Building is currently in its third generation, in i ...
(second generation, 1897)
* Mountain Lodge
Mountain Lodge was the former summer residence of the Governor of Hong Kong on Victoria Peak on the Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. The second building was a two-storey Renaissance style home and was demolished in 1946. The site is now the V ...
(second generation, 1900)
* Victoria Hospital (1903)
* Alexandra House
Alexandra House () is an office building in Central, Hong Kong near Central station.
The building has 37 levels. It hosts a shopping arcade, Landmark Alexandra, and it is connected to the Central Elevated Walkway. The block formed by Alex ...
(first generation, 1904)
* Rosary Church (1905)
* Netherlands India Commercial Bank
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(1906)
* Victoria Theatre (1911)
* No. 27 Lugard Road (1914)
* Rutton House (1923)
* Shek-O Clubhouse (1924)
* Hop Yat Church
A hop is a type of jump.
Hop or hops may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Hop'' (film), a 2011 film
* Hop! Channel, an Israeli TV channel
* '' House of Payne'', or ''HOP'', an American sitcom
* Lindy Hop, a swing dance of the 1920s ...
(1926)
* The Falls
The Falls may refer to:
* ''The Falls'' (Oates novel), 2004 novel by Joyce Carol Oates
* ''The Falls'' (Rankin novel), 2001 crime novel by Ian Rankin
* The Falls (mall), an open-air shopping mall in Kendall, Florida
* The Falls, Nova Scotia, a s ...
(1928)
* St. Stephen's College (1929)
* SCMP Building (1932)
* Pedder Building
The Pedder Building, located at No. 12 Pedder Street, in Central, Hong Kong, is a historic commercial building built in the Beaux-Arts style. Built in 1923 (1932)
* Ko Shing Theatre
Ko Shing Theatre (), in Sheung Wan, Central and Western District, was Hong Kong's second indoor opera movie theatre.
The theatre was built in 1890 (other sources mention earlier dates). It was rebuilt and renovated several times and was finally de ...
(1932)
* Bank of Canton
Bank of Canton () was established in 1912 in Canton but registered as a British company in Hong Kong. This made it the first Chinese-owned bank in Hong Kong. At the time, all the other banks in Hong Kong were foreign, primarily British, including ...
Building (1932)
* War Memorial Hospital
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
(1932)
* Kau Yan Church
Tsung Tsin Mission of Hong Kong Kau Yan Church is a church in Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong. The building is located at Western Street, between Third and High Streets. The church was established by the Basel Mission and is now succeeded by the ...
(1932)
* Bank of China Building (Hong Kong)
Bank of China Building () is located at no.2A Des Voeux Road Central, Central, Hong Kong. It is a sub-branch of Bank of China (Hong Kong).
History
The site was originally occupied by the eastern part of the old City Hall, which had been bui ...
(1933)
* HKSBC Head Office (third generation, 1935)
* Maryknoll School & Convent (1936)
* Hillcrest Apartments
Hillcrest Apartments is a historic three-story building in Ogden, Utah. It was built in 1923 for investor Charles Reveliotis, an immigrant from Greece who became a wrestling and boxing impresario in Ogden. With Reveliotis, also known as Revell, ...
(1937)
* Eu Gardens
The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are located primarily in Europe, Europe. The union has a total area of ...
(1938)
* Marina House
A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : ''marina'', "coast" or "shore") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.
A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger shi ...
(1939)
* Holland House
Holland House, originally known as Cope Castle, was an early Jacobean country house in Kensington, London, situated in a country estate that is now Holland Park. It was built in 1605 by the diplomat Sir Walter Cope. The building later passed ...
(1939)
* Hong Kong Hilton
Hong Kong Hilton was a hotel in Central, Hong Kong. Built in 1963, the 26-storey hotel was initially the only 5-star hotel on the island side of the territory. It closed in May 1995, and was demolished soon thereafter along with Beaconsfield Ho ...
(1963)
* Jardine House
Jardine House (), formerly known as Connaught Centre (), is an office tower in Hong Kong. The building is located at 1 Connaught Place, Central on Hong Kong Island. It is owned by Hongkong Land Limited, a subsidiary of Jardines. At the time ...
(1972)
* Hong Kong Polytechnic University
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is a public research university located in Hung Hom, Hong Kong near Hung Hom station. The University is one of the eight government-funded degree-granting tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. Foun ...
(1972)
* Exchange Square (1988)
* Standard Chartered Bank Building
The Standard Chartered Bank Building () is a skyscraper located in Central, Hong Kong. The tower rises 42 storeys and in height. The building was completed in 1990. It was designed by architectural firm P & T Architects & Engineers Ltd.
His ...
(1990)
* Hong Kong Science Museum
The Hong Kong Science Museum is a science museum in Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon, Hong Kong, located next to the Hong Kong Museum of History.
History
The Hong Kong Science Museum was first conceived by the Urban Council in 1976. The council hi ...
(1991)
* Entertainment Building
Entertainment Building () is an office building in Central, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The neo-gothic architecture and height of the building make it distinctive amongst the office buildings nearby. The building stands at 30 Queen's Road Centr ...
(1993)
* Central Elevated Walkway
The Central Elevated Walkway is an extensive footbridge network spanning Admiralty, Central and parts of Sheung Wan, near Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong.
The system was built in phases by the Hong Kong Government and various developers, such as ...
(1970s-2000)
* Hong Kong Design Institute
Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) is a design school in Tiu Keng Leng, Tseung Kwan O, Hong Kong. It was founded by the Vocational Training Council in 2007 and moved into a purpose-built campus in 2010. The school offers higher diplomas, acade ...
(2007)
* Harrow International School Hong Kong
Harrow International School of Hong Kong is a British international boarding and day, all-through school in Tuen Mun, Hong Kong. When it opened on 3 September 2012, it became the first British boarding school in Hong Kong. It was also the th ...
(2012)
* Jao Tsung-I Academy (2012)
* Hong Kong Velodrome
Hong Kong Velodrome is a velodrome in Tseung Kwan O, Hong Kong. It has a 250-metre cycling track and spectator facilities for 3,000 people. It opened on 30 December 2013 next to the Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground.
History
The Hong Kong govern ...
(2013)
* Metroplaza
Metroplaza () is a shopping centre and office building developed by Sun Hung Kai Properties, officially opened in January 1993. It is located in Kwai Fong, Hong Kong and is opposite to Kwai Fong station of MTR. The mall is a shopping hub of adja ...
(2017)
* Malvern College Hong Kong
Malvern College Hong Kong () is a British international school in Pak Shek Kok, Hong Kong, China. The school is an affiliate of Malvern College in Malvern, Worcestershire, United Kingdom.
The college's affiliated preschool and kindergarten, Ma ...
(2018)
* Ying Wa Girls’ School
Ying may refer to:
People
* Yíng (嬴), a Chinese surname, the ancestral name of Qin Shi Huang, first Emperor of China in the Qin Dynasty, and some contemporary rival royal families such as the Zhaos
* Yīng (应), a Chinese surname from the Zh ...
(2019)
China
Notable commissions in China include:
* Peace Hotel
The Peace Hotel () is a hotel on The Bund in Shanghai, China, which overlooks the surrounding areas. The hotel has two different buildings. The Sassoon House, originally housed the Cathay Hotel and is today the Fairmont Peace Hotel run by Fairmon ...
, Shanghai (1926–29)
* Raffles City, Chongqing (2019)
Singapore
Notable commissions in Singapore include:
* Rediffusion Building, Clemenceau Avenue (1948–49)
* MacDonald House
The MacDonald House is a historic building and monument in Singapore, located at Orchard Road in the Museum Planning Area, within the Central Area, Singapore, Central Area. It was the first building to be fully air conditioning, air-conditione ...
, Orchard Road (1949)
* Sandes Soldiers Home, Portsdown Road (1949)
* Odeon Cinema, North Bridge Road (1953)
* Bank of China Building, Battery Road (1953)
Taiwan
Notable commissions in Taiwan include:
* Far Eastern Plaza
The Far Eastern Plaza () is a set of twin skyscrapers located in Daan District, Taipei, Taiwan. The buildings are each in height 41 floors above the ground. The towers, designed by the Taiwanese architect Chu-Yuan Lee and the P&T Group, were com ...
, Taipei (1994)
* Polaris Garden
Polaris Garden, also known as Bao Lai Garden Square () is a 27-story, tall residential skyscraper complex located in Xinyi Special District, Taipei, Taiwan. Designed by the Hong Kong based architectural firm P&T Group, the residential building w ...
, Taipei (2007)
* King's Town Hyatt
King's Town Hyatt () is a 35-story, tall residential skyscraper located in Qianjin District, Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung City (Mandarin Chinese: ; Wade–Giles: ''Kao¹-hsiung²;'' Pinyin: ''Gāoxióng'') is a special municipality located in ...
, Kaohsiung (2009)
* Panhsin Twin Towers
The Panhsin Twin Towers () is a skyscraper in Banqiao District, New Taipei, Taiwan. It is the sixth tallest building in Taiwan and the tallest in New Taipei City. The height of building is 180 m, the floor area is 100,670.03m2, and it comprises 3 ...
, New Taipei (2009)
* BELLAVITA Shopping Center
The Bellavita Shopping Center () is a luxury shopping mall in Xinyi Special District, Taipei, Taiwan that opened on September 21, 2009. It is rated amongst the top luxury malls in Asia.
History
Bellavita Shopping Center, which costs about NT$ ...
, Taipei (2009)
Significant works
File:HKClub 1928.jpeg, Hong Kong Club Building
The Hong Kong Club Building () is a 25-story office building located in between Chater Road and Connaught Road Central at the junction of Jackson Road, in Central, Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Club Building is currently in its third generation, in i ...
(second generation, 1897)
File:Pedder Building01.jpg, Pedder Building
The Pedder Building, located at No. 12 Pedder Street, in Central, Hong Kong, is a historic commercial building built in the Beaux-Arts style. Built in 1923 , Hong Kong (1923)
File:Bund at night.jpg, HSBC Building, Shanghai
HSBC Holdings plc is a British multinational universal bank and financial services holding company. It is the largest bank in Europe by total assets ahead of BNP Paribas, with US$2.953 trillion as of December 2021. In 2021, HSBC had $10.8 tril ...
, Shanghai (1923)
File:ShanghaiBundCustomsHouse.jpg, Customs House, Shanghai
The Custom House () is an eight story building on the Bund, Shanghai. Built in 1927, the building remains a customs house today. Together with the neighboring HSBC Building, the Custom House is seen as one of the symbols of the Bund and Shanghai ...
(1927)
File:Peace Hotel.JPG, Sassoon House, Shanghai (1929)
File:HK old BOChina Bldg.jpg, Bank of China Building, Hong Kong (1952)
File:Bankofchina-sg.JPG, Bank of China Building, Singapore
The Bank of China Building is a development consisting of two skyscrapers located in the central business district of Singapore. It is located on 4 Battery Road, adjacent to 6 Battery Road, Maybank Tower, and roughly 100 metres from the Fullert ...
(1954)
File:HK Princes Building.jpg, Prince's Building
Prince's Building is an office tower with a six-level shopping centre, known as Landmark Prince's. Located along the western side of the southern section of Statue Square in Central, Hong Kong near Central station, the building is connected to ...
, Hong Kong (second generation, 1965)
File:HK Jardine House.jpg, Jardine House
Jardine House (), formerly known as Connaught Centre (), is an office tower in Hong Kong. The building is located at 1 Connaught Place, Central on Hong Kong Island. It is owned by Hongkong Land Limited, a subsidiary of Jardines. At the time ...
, Hong Kong (1972)
File:HK 香港理工大學 PolyU 紅磡 Hung Hom campus morning October 2018 SSG 14.jpg, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is a public research university located in Hung Hom, Hong Kong near Hung Hom station. The University is one of the eight government-funded degree-granting tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. Foun ...
, Hong Kong (1972)
File:HK Exchange Square.jpg, Exchange Square, Hong Kong
Exchange Square () is a building complex located in Central, Hong Kong. It houses offices and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. It is served by the Central and Hong Kong stations of the MTR metro system.
Most part of the Exchange Square is owned ...
(1988)
File:Standard Chartered Bank Building.jpg, Standard Chartered Bank Building (Hong Kong)
The Standard Chartered Bank Building () is a skyscraper located in Central, Hong Kong. The tower rises 42 storeys and in height. The building was completed in 1990. It was designed by architectural firm P & T Architects & Engineers Ltd.
Hi ...
(1990)
File:M&s.JPG, Marks & Spencer
Marks and Spencer Group plc (commonly abbreviated to M&S and colloquially known as Marks's or Marks & Sparks) is a major British multinational retailer with headquarters in Paddington, London that specialises in selling clothing, beauty, home ...
, Hong Kong
References
External links
*
{{coord, 22.2922, 114.2067, display=title
Companies established in 1868
1868 establishments in Hong Kong
Architecture firms of Hong Kong
Engineering companies of Hong Kong