No. 170 Yee Kuk Street, Grade II historic tenement building in Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong.
No. 170 Yee Kuk Street is a six-story residential and commercial building with a shop space on the ground floor and housing units above. This mixed-use layout reflects how neighborhoods developed in early Hong Kong, blending retail and living spaces.
Built in the 1920s, this structure rose as Hong Kong's neighborhoods expanded rapidly and mixed-use buildings became the standard. The tong lau style was the defining architecture of the city's early growth period.
The building once housed Suen King-sun, a picture framer whose hand-painted calligraphic signs still mark the facade. These marks show how shop owners of that era left their personal touch on their storefronts.
The building sits in a busy area with good access to public transport and is surrounded by local markets and traditional shops. Since interiors may not always be open to the public, it works best to view the exterior architecture and preserved details from the street.
The wooden windows and building details date to the 1920s and remain in their original form on the structure. These elements offer a rare look at the craftsmanship and materials used when Hong Kong's early urban buildings were constructed.
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