Sham Shui Po Public Dispensary in Kowloon

Aptly located on Yee Kuk Street, meaning ‘street of a medical institute’, the two storey Sham Shui Po Public Dispensary building is one of Hong Kong’s few remaining art deco-style buildings.

After an influx of immigrants from mainland China settled in Sham Shui Po during the early 20th century, the district’s previous clinic was deemed inadequate. Funding for a new facility was raised by a wealthy local businessman, with the dispensary building opening in 1936. It continued as Sham Shui Po’s medical center until 2002, when it was converted to serve exclusively as a methadone clinic.

The building still retains many of its original art deco features, such as its decorative motifs, ornamental ironwork grilles and covered walkway. Also visible on the grade 2 listed building’s exterior are the verandah’s bamboo-shaped ceramic balusters, and the facility’s Chinese name inscribed on the parapet, giving the building a tinge of east meets west.