Date posted: 2014.04.11

PMQ soft launches in May with showcase of Hong Kong’s young design talents

Hong Kong, 11 April 2014 – After more than two years of revitalisation, PMQ, the Former Hollywood Road Police Married Quarters, has transformed into a design and creative hub with its ‘trial operation’ on 14 April 2014. Around 30 studio units will commence operations next Monday, followed by the ‘soft opening’ on 9 May 2014. More than 100 design and creative enterprises will be stationed in the hub – almost half the tenants are in the fashion design and household product design sectors with the rest in creative design categories such as fashion accessories, food, furniture, jewellery / watches, design services and design galleries. Other commercial and food & beverage units are scheduled for phased openings. Together with the exhibition space and event facilities, it is expected that PMQ will officially open in late June this year.

Victor Tsang, Executive Director of PMQ said, “PMQ’s mission is to create a platform which strengthens collaboration between design talents and business professionals, nurtures create-preneurs, and support Hong Kong creative industries. PMQ is an open and interactive platform requiring the active participation of its community to open up new possibilities and opportunities. PMQ will start trial operations next Monday and we need valuable feedback from the public to support our commitment to continuous improvement. Designers at PMQ are ready and waiting to showcase their creativity. We hope the public can visit and show their support.”

Starting from 14 April, PMQ will partially open with trial operations, the public can not only enjoy the wide range of designs and concepts offered in PMQ’s boutique shops but can also participate in creative workshops and cultural activities especially hosted by the designers. To show support for these budding designers, 28 local and international designers have put together an elaborate exhibition called “We are PMQ”. It evokes the spirit of “co-creation” through the designers’ original interpretations of the three letters, P, M and Q. The aim is to encourage the young designers to use PMQ for boundless exploration.

PMQ will also provide Fixed-Point Guided Tours from April 19 to 21 and April 26 to 27. On-spot interpretation guiding service will be available at seven historical spots by docent/event helper. The Fixed-Point Guided Tours are free of charge. From 25 April onwards, a Night Market will be opened at PMQ on a regular basis on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, providing the community with a venue for weekend leisure. For more information please visit the PMQ website: https://www.pmq.org.hk.

About The Former Hollywood Road Police Married Quarters

The Central School (Queen’s College) was the first government school in Hong Kong providing western education to the public at the upper primary and secondary levels. In 1889, the school was relocated to a site at the junction of Aberdeen Street and Hollywood Road and renamed as Victoria College. The school was again renamed as Queen’s College in 1894. The school was severely damaged during the World War II and was rebuilt as the first Police Married Quarters for married junior police officers in 1951. In November 2010, it announced the revitalisation of the former Police Married Quarters into PMQ. For the conservation of historical and cultural heritage, PMQ will build an Underground Interpretation Area for showcasing the remains of the original foundation for the Central School and it will be open to public to enable a closer appreciation.

About PMQ

PMQ is part of the government’s “Conserving Central” initiative and also one of the heritage conservation and revitalization projects under Development Bureau. Awarded with the operating rights after an open invitation for proposals, the Musketeers Education and Culture Charitable Foundation Ltd (“Musketeers Foundation”) has set up a non-profit-making social enterprise to run this project, in collaboration with Hong Kong Design Centre, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Hong Kong Design Institute of the Vocational Training Council (VTC), namely PMQ Management Co. Ltd. Not only to build this iconic design hub for the Hong Kong creative industries with the design community, PMQ also promotes “enterprising creativity”, creativity manifestation, and sets out to nurture more local designers.