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- Stop the tearing down of Bruce Lee's house at 41 Cumberland Road, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong !
This group is set up to urge the Hong Kong government to preserve Bruce Lee's home and turn it into some sort of monument or Bruce Lee museum.
Please send an e-mail via Ms. Vivienne Chow of the South China Morning Post (SCMP) at:
vivienne.chow@scmp.com
Let the Hong Kong government know through her that you wish to preserve the house of Bruce Lee.
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- Campaign against tearing down Bruce Lee's house in Hong Kong !
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- Entertainment & Arts - Celebrities
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- Stop the tearing down of Bruce Lee's house at 41 Cumberland Road, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong !
This group is set up to urge the Hong Kong government to preserve Bruce Lee's home and turn it into some sort of monument or Bruce Lee museum.
Please send an e-mail via Ms. Vivienne Chow of the South China Morning Post (SCMP) at:
vivienne.chow@scmp.com
Let the Hong Kong government know through her that you wish to preserve the house of Bruce Lee.
The fans of not only Hong Kong but globally... (read more) - Privacy Type:
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- ------------- NEWS 20TH. JULY 2009-------------
More news from the SCMP by Vivienne Chow
If you have an idea of how Bruce Lee's former home in Kowloon Tong should look, there is now a rapt audience that wants to hear all about it.
An international competition seeking ideas to restore the star's former home kicked off yesterday on the 36th anniversary of his untimely death - even if the funding and schedule for such works have yet to be finalised.
The "Ideas Competition for Bruce Lee's Residence" is open to local and overseas contestants.
The competition - organised by the institutes of architects, planners and surveyors - began accepting entries yesterday. There are two categories, one for professionals such as architects and interior designers, and one for the public.
"It has to include a museum, a library, a martial arts corner and a cinema," said Mr Yu, who agreed to donate the HK$100 million two-storey mansion after a public outcry pleading for the preservation of the place last year. The actor spent his last years there before his death on July 20, 1973, at the age of 32.
"Only in this way can we fully document and promote the contributions that Bruce Lee made. I have already discussed this with [Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Rita Lau Ng Wai-lan] and we have reached a consensus."
The competition's professional adviser, Bernard Lim Wan-fung, said that the award-winning designs would be taken into account in the final restoration plan.
Registration for the competition will close at the end of next month, with entries to be submitted by October 15. The results are expected to be announced at the end of the year.
However, the questions of how much the restoration would cost, who would be paying and how long it would take remain unanswered.
"It's hard to assess the budget at this stage but the government is very supportive of this project," Mrs Lau said yesterday, adding that she would not rule out the possibility of getting donations from charities.
Mr Yu hoped that the restoration could be completed as soon as possible. "I'm already in my 80s and I hope to witness the completion of Bruce Lee's residence in my time," he said.
Mrs Lau said the government has been in touch with Lee's family, including Lee's surviving daughter Shannon - who will serve as one of the advisers of the competition - and Lee's friends and colleagues, to collect memorabilia for future exhibition at the restored home
------------- NEWS 20TH. JULY 2009-------------
SCMP report by Simpson Cheung
The government on Monday invited architects, interior designers, other professionals and the public to submit ideas to help restore the former residence of Bruce Lee...
Rita Lau Ng Wai-lan, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, told reporters that suggestions from members of the public were welcome.
“The aim is to turn the residence into an attraction for locals and tourists to commemorate Mr Lee’s contribution to martial arts and the film industry.”
She also said the government had also begun searching for other properties owned by Lee. It is also organising for the possessions of the late kung fu expert to be displayed in the museum.
The owner of the HK$100 million property, billionaire philanthropist Yu Panglin, earlier agreed to allow 41 Cumberland Road home to become a Bruce Lee museum.
Mr Yu will be the promoter of the design competition and chairman of its adjudication panel. He will also sponsor HK$100,000 in prizes for the winners.
Other members of the adjudication panel will include members of Bruce Lee’s family.
The competition is open to everyone - both in Hong Kong and overseas.
Registration is open until August 31. Entries should be submitted by October 15 and results will be announced by the end of the year.
Details of the competition are available on the website: www.bruceleeresidence.com
------------- NEWS 3RD. JULY 2009---------------
SCMP reports today that the Kowloon City district council members in general support the proposal to turn Bruce's former home into a museum. Concerns have been raised by local residents about how an increase in traffic would impact the local area, but the museum would raise the tone of the area and is much preferable to having a love hotel.
The council has discussed using the museum to detail Bruce's life in HK as a boy and to perhaps create a walking tour that would link up locations near to the house that were associated with Bruce's life.
The design competition for the museum is still open to all applicants and more details will be released about the project later this month.
------------- NEWS 7TH. MAY 2009-------------
from the BBC, full article found here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8020263.stm
Raymond Chan, a member of the Town Planning Board that has been entrusted with the house, has created an email address: bruceleehouse@gmail.com
This address will be used as the main contact point for all proposals and plans submitted for the house development.
A committee is currently being formed, consisting of architects, planners, government representatives and others, to work on moving the project forward
It is still undecided whether the house will be run and maintained by the Govt, or by a private trust.
------------- NEWS 28TH. MARCH 2009 ------------
Following meetings with Yu Panglin an open competition, to design how the new Bruce Lee museum should look, has been announced and is open to both local (HK) and overseas designers.
The design should encompass the restoration of the old house and also take into account that a cinema and library will be built next door to it.
It is hoped the competition will help provide a consensus for the eventual look of the property and overseas interest is expected.
Meanwhile the Govt have already started a process to investigate traffic arrangements for the area as well as how to best expand the space within the property. They have also been contacting people who were involved in Bruce's life and career while he was alive e.g old classmates and old actors and film industry players.
------------- NEWS 23RD. MARCH 2009 ------------
Vivienne Chow has reported in the SCMP that Rita Lau (Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development) has not ruled out Yu Pang Lin's vision of expanded floor space at the property and says that this could be achieved with minimum impact to the surrounding area by building basement floors. This would allow certain features proposed by Mr PangLin - library, souvenir shop, exhibition space - to be included in the building.
Rita Lau also mentions the possibility of building on top of the roof, in an artistic way, to enhance the buildings facilities and aesthetics.
The Govt is still in the process of indentifying suitable partners for the project although Shannon Lee has already pledged support in researching the original look of the house.
Rita Lau will meet Mr Panglin this week to firm up some plans, and as long as all parties are in agreement, details of the project could be announced following the meeting.
--------------NEWS 23RD. FEBRUARY 2009---------
"Bruce Lee's daughter to help research star's former home for memorial hall"
Vivienne Chow reports in the SCMP 23rd Feb 2009 that the HK Govt has asked Shannon Lee to help them research the history of 41 Cumberland Road to ascertain its original look.
The Govt has also been looking for like-minded partners to share their view of the project and to discuss ways in which the place can be managed.
Wong Yiu-keung, chairman of the HK based Bruce Lee Club is also forming a committee of public figures to help monitor the restoration process because there is concern that the Govts plans may not be in-line with the community in general.
-----------------NEWS 8TH. JANUARY 2009---------
Ms. Vivienne Chow of the South China Morning Post:
Shannon Lee, Bruce Lee’s daughter, fully supports the Chinese government's museum proposal for the restoration of her father's home in Kowloon Tong. "I do think restoring the residence is enough if there is also room on the property for a small eatery and gift shop, which I believe can be done in the current space." After Yu Panglin, the current owner of Bruce Lee's property, decided it would be best to preserve the home as is instead of adding a movie theatre and martial arts center, plans of the Bruce Lee museum was actual coming true.
In October of 2008, Shannon visited the home she left 35 years ago where she lived with her family. Her visitation also included meetings with Mr. Yu and the Tourism Commission and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Shannon also plans of building a Bruce Lee museum in Seattle, Washington USA where Bruce and Linda lived from 1959 to 1964. "I would very much like for this Hong Kong museum to be affiliated with our US museum. I think if the two museums can share collections and support one another, there is a better chance for each to thrive." Shannon also iterated that in order for the two museums to be successful, there must be a solid programme of rotating functions on the property.
Nevertheless, fans from local and overseas alike are fully supporting the two museums to be built. Steve Kerridge, British author of "Bruce Lee: Legends of the Dragon" stated that restoring the home in the Kowloon Tong residence in its original glory is the best idea. Wong Yiu-keung, chairman of the Bruce Lee Club, was proud that renovations were on the way and will provide the Chinese government and the Bruce Lee Foundation with any information and help if needed.
---------------------NEWS 7TH. JANUARY 2009-------------
Latest news from "The Standard" journalist Adele Wong:
“The government has Yu’s agreement to return the estate to its original state” stated Yu Panglin’s interpreter, Michael Choi Ngai-meen, after a closed door meeting with Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Rita Lau Ng Wai-lan. Yu Panglin, a very well known philanthropist in China, has finally agreed to donate Bruce Lee’s Kowloon Tong residence that he owns to the government.
Earlier last year in 2008, the people of China requested that the property and building that was once owned by martial art’s master, Bruce Lee, be turned into a museum honouring Bruce Lee’s work and contribution to Chinese martial arts. So far things were headed in the right direction until new plans for the museum developed.
Yu was highly concerned about the site’s exterior. If the process of building the Bruce Lee museum was going to proceed, Yu’s suggestion was to expand the site by adding constructed venues such as a library, martial arts center and a cinema. The Chinese government stressed to Yu that the museum, or the even the original building itself, would draw more people to the site rather than Yu’s constructive insight. Yu finally agreed and since there isn’t a determined time when the Bruce Lee museum would be built, Yu stated “as soon as possible”.
Michael Choi Ngai-meen, Yu’s interpreter, explained that once Yu has fully donated the residence to the government, it will be up to the government to decide how everything will turn out. “Yu is very happy about the government’s suggestions so far,” Choi said.
-----------------NEWS 6TH. JANUARY 2009---------
SCMP journalist Vivienne Chow reports today that the Hong Kong government has just agreed to support the restoration of Bruce's former home in Kowloon Tong !
---------------- NEWS 25TH. AUGUST 2008 ------------
By South China Morning Post (SCMP) journalist Enoch Yiu:
Yu Panglin, Billionaire philanthropist, might be having doubts ofdonating Bruce Lee's Hong Kong home, which resides on Cumberland Road in China, to the government if they do not accept his recent proposal."I will only donate the property on the condition that the government agrees to allow me to add a new complex to house a cinema, a library and retail outlet to show the belongings, materials and movies of Bruce Lee," Mr Yu said. Mr. Yu's researched brought him to realize that in order to keep a museum open, especially one that is dedicated to a celebrity, revenue must be established.
A month before, Mr. Yu decided to sell the home that was once owned by Bruce Lee, for HK$100 million. The money was planned to be donated to the victims of the Sichuan earthquake, an earthquake that happened earlier this year. The plans were scrapped unit the people of China requested to have the home be turned into the museum, honoring the legendary martial artist, Bruce Lee.
"It makes sense to turn his old home into his museum", Mr. Yu stated,"His widow and daughter have contacted me to see what they can do to help the project. His daughter may come to see me in coming weeks to discuss the plan and may donate some of Bruce Lee's clothes, personal belongings and other materials for the exhibition."
---------------- NEWS 25TH. JULY 2008 ----------------
By South China Morning Post journalists Joyce Ng and Vivienne Chow on July 25th 2008
There is no architectural value on Bruce Lee's home and the government will not swap land with the owner Mr. Yu Panglin to save it. "The building is a residence of a simple style without unique architectural elements. Houses like this are very common in the neighbourhood," the Antiquities and Monuments Office said in an assessment submitted to the council. "Overall, Bruce Lee's former home is of no value architecturally," it concluded.
Through the years after Bruce Lee lived at the residence there have already been done major alterations and renovations had been made to the interior and exterior of the hose at 41 Cumberland Road - which had greatly affected its appearance. The front exterior with the veranda, for example, is now completely gone and sealed up by a wall.
Hong Kong Bruce Lee Club President and Chairman Wong Yiu-keung said architectural value should not be the only criterion when looking at the proposal. "The value lies in where Bruce Lee really spent time at that two-storey house and that is a kind of cultural heritage," said Mr Wong. Michael Tien Puk-sun, a consultant to the club, said the owner never intended to seek any economic support from the government if he donated the property for a museum. "The only kind of support we need is to allow the change of land use and increase in the [permitted maximum] floor space," Mr Tien said.
The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said it would continue to listen to public opinion and consider the owner's museum proposal. John Wong Yee-him, the councillor who raised the issue yesterday, does not oppose turning the house into a museum, but he said the public should be consulted since a museum complex would bring heavy traffic flow and disturb the quiet neighbourhood.
---------------- NEWS 20TH. JULY 2008 ----------------
By SCMP reporter Ms. Vivienne Chow:
Former close friend to Bruce Lee and Hong Kong movie actress, Ms. Betty Ting Pei, agrees with those who say the two-storey house at 41 Cumberland Road, Kowloon Tong, where Bruce Lee spent his last years should be preserved. “This house has its value and it should be kept because he was such an important and unusual character," said Ms Ting, who dated Lee for more than a year before his death in 1973. "In fact, all the buildings that he spent time in and all the paths that he walked on should be preserved.” She continued that the Chinese people first earned international recognition because of Bruce. He has an important place in history. Ms Ting also says she has been leading a quiet life since giving up her movie career in the 1980s. But the debates about Lee's legacy and proposals to turn the house into a museum complex have caught her attention. "Bruce had a great impact on my life," she said. "I'm a responsible person and I'm willing to take up the responsibility. I hope to try my best to make some contribution. Now we just have to wait and see how this will develop. I hope people can co-operate and work together to come up with a perfect solution. It's all about promoting the spirit of Bruce."
---------------- NEWS 19TH. JULY 2008 -----------------
By South China Post (SCMP) journalist Ms. Vivienne Chow:
There is now a ten days Bruce Lee exhibition going on in Hong Kong – between the 18th and 28th of July – to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Bruce Lee’s passing on the 20th July in 1973. This exhibition also is to rally a public support for the conversion of his former 41 Cumberland Road, Kowloon Tong residence into a museum. The organiser of the exhibition is Mr. Wong Yiu-keung who also is the president and chairman of the Bruce Lee Club. He said he hopes that the exhibition and future memorial museum would allow people to learn about Bruce Lee as a person and a human being. "It is important that people like him not just because he was a great martial artist and international movie star," Mr Wong said. "The museum will allow memories of Bruce Lee to become accessible." He said the government should try to restore Lee's former home to its original look, including the gym, park, main gate and interior design.
The owner of Lee's former residence, Mr. Yu Panglin, who recently met the government and proposed turning 41 Cumberland Road into a museum complex, said a HK$100 million trust fund should be set up by the government to pay for operation and maintenance. Mr Yu said Lee's widow, Linda Lee Cadwell, and daughter Shannon have now been in contact with him.
---------------- MORE RECENT NEWS ON 9TH JULY 2008 --------
Journalist Mrs. Vivienne Chow reports in South China Moring Post:
Family members of Bruce Lee may get involved in the museum complex proposed for the site of his former Kowloon Tong home. Bruce Lee's widow, Linda Lee Cadwell, and daughter Shannon Lee have asked a Hong Kong law firm to make contact with billionaire philanthropist Yu Panglin about his future plans for the 41 Cumberland Road. They have been following the news reports and they are very curious to find out what is being proposed. Bruce Lee's other family members - his younger brother Robert Lee and older sister Phoebe Lee - were prepared to make donations of Lee's belongings to the museum. "They will include clothes, family photo albums, furniture that Bruce Lee used during his childhood," said Wong Yiu-keung, the chairman of the Bruce Lee Club in Hong Kong, for which Robert Lee serves as an honorary chairman.
--------- RECENT NEWS 9TH. JULY 2008 --------
Recent news by Mrs. Olga Wong:
Bruce Lee's Kowloon Tong home should be saved, members of the town planning and antiquities advisory boards agree, but they voiced doubts about the owner's proposal to expand it to house a museum. Ng Cho-nam, who sits on both boards, said the proposed development was well-intentioned but excessive. Kowloon Tong was a garden city and allowing the six fold expansion of floor area that owner Yu Panglin proposes could set a precedent. Adding structures above the house would undermine its character, he said.
Greg Wong Chak-yan, vice-chairman of the planning board, said: "The house is not a monument, but the fans might want to retain its original appearance." Further he said the planning board might have to seek the views of the Antiquities and Monuments Office before approving any development.
But a heritage conservation expert at the University of Hong Kong, Lee Ho-yin, said the house, built in 1965, was of little architectural or historical value and under the grading system for historic buildings it risked being torn down at any time. That was because the system was not fully applicable to intangible heritage such as kung fu star Lee's life and work, he said. The only reason to preserve it was for its social value and community attachment to the place, factors the system did not consider.
------------ RECENT NEWS 8TH JULY 2008 ------------
Recent news by Mrs. Vivienne Chow:
Billionaire and philanthropist Mr. Yu Panglin has reviled that he has BIG plans for the site of Bruce Lee’s last home in Hong Kong. The owner has said that only a complex of "great scale, great space and great content" could properly tell the story of Hong Kong’s Number One Son: Bruce Lee. "We have to make it the best" said Mr Yu.
Mr. Yu Panglin not only wants to build a Bruce Lee museum, but to also include a martial arts training center, a library and a cinema on the 41 Cumberland Road address property – and to do this he would need a much bigger building complex and bigger site to make this happen.
The original two-storey 5,699 sq ft house on the 9,000 sq ft property site is not enough for his plan. He said this would require an extension of the land use from residential to other purpose, and he has estimated that the bigger complex in his plan that would occupy 30,000 sq ft, which require a new building with 25,000 sq ft of floor space. The Hong Kong planning rules only allow a house of 5,350 sq ft on the 9,000 sq ft site, so this means that Mr. Yu need the government to allow him to construct a 25,000 sq ft building on the 41 Cumberland Road and extra property sites.
Mr Yu said he would form a taskforce with us Bruce Lee fans to raise funds and discuss the details of the future plans of 41 Cumberland Road !
------------ BREAKING NEWS 7TH. JULY 2008 ------------
Great news from Ms. Vivienne Chow:
The owner Mr. Yu Panglin has today officially decided to donate the 41 Cumberland Road back to the community and turn it into a museum !
Mr. Yu Panglin said that he will play a leading role in the project and hopes to get as many opinions as possible from fans around the world.
Please e-mail Vivienne Chow your opinion and ideas at vivienne.chow@scmp.com and she will pass it on to the owner !
------------ NEWS FLASH 5TH. JULY 2008 --------------
"No cash to buy Bruce Lee home: minister"
By Vivienne Chow - 5th. July 2008
The Hong Kong government has ruled out the idea of using public money to buy Bruce's home at 41 Cumberland Road today - but there is still hope as the owner Mr. Yu Panglin will announce his plans for the Cumberland Road property on Monday 7th. July 2008 !
------------ LATEST NEWS JUST IN 4TH. JULY 2008 --------------
More news from Journalist Ms. Vivienne Chow of HK newspaper South China Morning Post !
She has written two new articles:
The first news posted today is that Hong Kong Bruce Lee Club President Mr. W. Wong has been approaching professional engineers, architects and financial experts to seek their support and help in drafting a proposal to the 41 Cumberland Road house and garden property owner Mr Yu Panglin after Mr. Yu withdrew it from sale yesterday and said he would consider donating it to the community for a Bruce Lee museum !
The second article is about the fans that have been emailing her and posting their concerns on forums around the world with emotional pleas for Bruce Lee's home to be preserved as a museum !
A meeting with Mr. Yu Panglin will be held on this Monday the 7th July – So we have to keep the emails and petitions coming in regards the government / HK tourist board funding the project.
Once again, the best way to support this cause is to send your plea to Journalist Ms. Vivienne Chow at:
vivienne.chow@scmp.com
Please keep it going !!