Oil Street Art Space is an open-air museum connecting public with art, it is also a node connecting the neighborhood with the harbour.
 

The project includes an additional two-storey exhibition block and outdoor activity spaces next to a historic building in the Eastern District of Hong Kong. The historic building, built in 1908, is a former yacht clubhouse, currently used as an Art Space named as “Oi!”.

Situated in downtown, the Art Space is a precious breathing space and oasis in the midst of dense urban fabric. The project strives to maintain tranquility, while providing new spaces for art display and activities by strategically locating the new exhibition block and outdoor interventions. 

The open spaces are designed for open air exhibition, outdoor theatres and other multicultural activities. The concrete planes act as urban screen walls for embodying the urban spaces in forms of outdoor rooms.  It frames and un-frames, creates an architecture as an urban theatre, a setting for different festivities to occur.

The main exhibition gallery, located on the upper floor as a transparent block, acts like an elevated stage, recalling the spatial planning of the historic building, where “piano nobile” with open balcony is provided. The new sloped roof and brick façade, echo the design of the historic building in a contemporary way. 

The site opens its perimeter to encourage access and draw connection with adjacent new developments to improve permeability.  Four-fifth of the site area are open to public around the clock.  The previously congested Electric Road and Oil Street are now widened combined with open space to improve safety and walkability.   

On environmental consideration, fence walls are fenestrated to allow air flow at pedestrian level; apart from access path, lawns and on-grade gravel pit are used to enhance continuity and introduce the imminent “sponge city”.