Description

By Nobel Key

Have you ever seen a red brick building in the core of Kowloon? Is this the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the Harry Potter? Or it is a castle? Can you guess the answer? It is a school named Maryknoll Convent School.

Located in130 Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon . Maryknoll Convent School was actually first established at Austin Road in 1925 as a kindergarten by the Maryknoll sisters who had the mission to preach and serve the destitute people.

Till the year of 1931, with the growing number of students, the school moved to the 248 Prince Edward Road. Soon enough, with the decision of the school management, a new campus was going to be constructed. Being a developing district, Kowloon Tong appeared to be an ideal place for the new campus and the construction was commenced in 1933.

Four years later, the new campus at 130 Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong was completed. Since then , it became the current campus providing education from kindergarten to matriculation.

Meanwhile, the Second World War broke out. The sisters of the school had to leave Hong Kong because of Japanese Occupation in 1941. The School was taken over and used as a military hospital from 1942 to 1945.

Being one of the landmarks of the Kowloon Peninsula, the school truly have something exceptional with its layout .Built of red brick, with a strong European classical architectural style ,the school incorporates various kinds of style on its layout which includes the architectural features of Art Deco, Romanesque, Neo-Georgian and Gothic Revival. It was modelled after the Maryknoll Motherhouse in New York with an open peristyle courtyard surrounded by cloisters.

A school hall with vaulted ceiling of Romanesque style, the granite staircase facing Boundary Street, pointed arches, hipped or gambrel-shaped roofs and the single tower at the façade, all are the architectural features of the school which appears to be quite eye-catching in Kowloon Tong or ever among all schools in Hong Kong.

On 25 January 2008, the school was announced to be one of the declared monuments because of its well-maintained campus and precious historic value. Being one of the earliest founded girls’ school in Hong Kong, Maryknoll plays an important role in the development of education in the city. It provided education for girls in the 20’s till present and turns out cultivating women who are responsible to the society.

Furthermore, the historic buildings witness the important events and changes of Hong Kong over the twentieth century. For instance, it came thought the hard time of Japanese Occupation. Besides, the school proves the role of Hong Kong as a center of cultural exchange. The sisters who came from aboard had the mission to preach and serve, set up the school and used it as a way to transmission English and religious faith to local citizens.

Last but not least, the buildings are the combination of several types of architectural features which is rare among school architecture in Hong Kong and it is hard to find another similar example in Hong Kong.