NOW TV interview with Crown Wine Cellars
“Air-Raid Bunkers in the Downtown Area”
Hong Kong’s vibrant cityscape hides many historical secrets beneath its bustling streets and lush hillsides. Sealed away for decades, a network of World War II-era air-raid shelters and ammunition storage bunkers stand as silent sentinels to a turbulent past. In a recent and thought-provoking interview with NOW TV, Crown Wine Cellars’ Company Principal, Mr Gregory DE ‘ EB, sheds light on the immense potential lying dormant within these forgotten structures, advocating for their sensitive revitalization – a cause close to his heart given the award-winning venture for which he and Jim Thompson were the project proponents.
Crown Wine Cellars is no stranger to transformative heritage reuse. Its globally acclaimed and UNESCO recognised facility is housed within meticulously restored former British military explosives magazines deep in the hills of Shouson Hill – bunkers that once safeguarded munitions now protect some of the world’s finest wines. This successful conversion serves as a powerful proof-of-concept, demonstrating that these robust, historically significant structures can be given a vibrant new life.
As Crown Wine Cellars exemplifies, the long-term benefits – heritage preservation, cultural enrichment, unique economic opportunities, and creating truly one-of-a-kind spaces – far outweigh the initial challenges. The successful transformation of the Shouson Hill bunkers stands as a testament to what vision, perseverance, and respect for history can achieve.
The interview issues a compelling call to action. Hong Kong possesses a unique and largely untapped resource in its wartime infrastructure. Rather than letting these structures crumble in obscurity, Hong Kong should embrace their adaptive reuse and unlock the potential of these hidden spaces. The bunker doors are sealed, but the vision for their future, championed by Crown Wine Cellars, is wide open.