Bruce Lee Residence – results announced.
I originally wrote this post in 2010 (the results were announced in January of that year) before all the kerfuffle broke out and the museum hot potato was quietly dropped by both interested parties (or perhaps more appropriately: uninterested) in the hope no one would notice.
Mr Yu (a.k.a the property owner, or as I like to call him – the sneaky two-faced lying b’stard) was the official sponsor of this completely pointless competition and was on hand at the award ceremony (it took place on Jan 23rd) to assist in handing out the prizes. The competition ran from the 20th July 2009 (the anniversary of Bruce’s death) until October 2009. Now, I didn’t attend the event – largely because there was absolutely no publicity regarding it – but I did make it to the post-awards exhibition that showcased all of the entries.
It’s a good indicator of Lee’s enduring popularity that entries were received from all over the world from a variety of individuals and companies – ranging from professional designers and architects to the simple, but artistic, man on the street. Hence why the competition was split into two groups: open and professional.
The winning entries
The main problem I had with this competition at the time was that it was nothing but a huge publicity stunt. It was staged to merely solicit ideas rather than reveal a winning design that will be implemented. It’s a shame because I went around the post competition exhibition today and there are some absolutely cracking designs on display (there were over 140 entrants). Of course, in hindsight I can see that the whole thing was just some sort of ego-massaging undertaking for a sad old man who really had no intention of donating the house at all.
What became of all these entries? Well, they had a couple of small-scale post-competition exhibitions around HK (this was in City Hall, but they were also later displayed at the TST Cultural Centre and also Shatin Town Hall) but then disappeared into the either. It will be interesting to see if any were kept and make it into the planned Bruce Lee exhibit at the Shatin heritage Museum (keep checking back on my blog for details about when it opens later in 2013).
Example entry
What has happened to Lee’s old house in the meantime? Nothing. Sneaky two-faced lying b’stard threatened to sell it again in 2012 citing that his Love Hotel tenants hadn’t paid their rent in two years, but I have since found out this isn’t the case and I suspect he was just trying to gauge the Govt (and local fans’) reactions. I think he met with stony silence. Anyway, time will tell how it pans out.
Further Links:
Competition Press link (including links to competition winners and designs).
August 18, 2010 at 10:48 am
I added a comment to the original 41 Cumberland Road entry, and then realised nobody looks there anymore.
So anyway, the recent update with the house project is that the whole thing has reached an impasse as Yu Panglin has placed certain (arguably restrictive) conditions on the donation that the Govt seem to be unwilling/unable to meet. Mr Yu wants a 3-level basement built under the house and the Govt doesn’t want to do it because it would raise the plot ratio of the property. I’m sure this isn’t the only reason. Perhaps it is the proximity to the MTR underground system that could be a problem. I don’t know how deep the MTR system lies, but if it’s anything like the London underground it could be anything from 7 to 30 metres – making such a deep excavation impossible.
I also hear some unconfirmed rumours that – allegedly – Mr Yu has been inquiring about the possibility of a land swap. Perhaps this is an alternative proposal if the Govt can’t agree to the basement. If it’s true then it kind of flies in the face of the supposed ‘donation’.
If I’m honest, I would be quite happy to just see the property restored to its former glory – how it was when the Lee family was there – and I’m sure I’m not alone in my thinking. I don’t see the point in converting it into a multifaceted complex when all most people want to do is wander around where the dude used to live (although I like the idea of part of it being turned into a cinema).
Only a few people know the truth about what is going on and whether or not this is a non-starter. Personally the more this drags on the less likely it is to happen.
So here is my alternative proposal. Everybody chips in with some dosh, we buy it off Mr Yu and get the Govt to fund the restoration without the restrictive demands currently in place. Our target? HK$100 million. I can start the kitty off with $100 – whose with me?
Anyway, until then I guess we will just have to see if any face-saving alternatives can be reached. Watch this space.
January 30, 2010 at 7:42 pm
Hi Phil,
In case you are not aware: This month, Discovery Channel’s How Bruce Lee Changed the World reveals the dedicated career of this iconic movie star and unparalleled martial artist.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/entertainment/movie/166147/bruce-lee-influence
January 30, 2010 at 8:37 pm
Hi Regis, I’ve heard good and bad things about this doc, but not yet managed to see it myself. Either way, the fact that stuff like this is still being made (and watched) is a good testament to his lasting appeal.