Amid the glitzy skyscrapers and towering housing estates of Hong Kong sits a cavernous Roman-style reservoir that records show dates back to the early 1900s.
The recently-discovered structure, with its brick arches and towering pillars atop a hill in the Kowloon area of Shek Kip Mei, was put in the spotlight for the first time when authorities—unaware of its cultural significance—slated the reservoir for dismantling.
As the public called for the architectural wonder to be preserved as a heritage site, the government announced on Dec. 29 that the demolition work would be halted so experts can conduct an evaluation of the colonial-era reservoir.
Orient Occident Atelier, a local design and research studio, has created a series of pictures and videos re-imagining the century-old structure during its heyday.
Also check out the studio’s 360-degree panoramas and virtual reality simulation here, created using 3D rending software Enscape.
