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| Yu Pang-lin (center), owner of Bruce Lee's former residence and sponsor of US$12,820 in prizes for winners of the competition, presents a mock-up check to Organizing Committee Chairman Raymond Chan (third from left) and Vice Chairman Anna Kwong (second from left). Also present were Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Rita Lau (third from right), Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce, Industry and Tourism) Yvonne Choi (second from right), Commissioner for Tourism Margaret Fong (right) and competition adviser Bernard Lim (left).
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Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Rita Lau wants fans — both armchair and professional — to submit contest entries on how to restore the former residence of the late Bruce Lee. The aim is to turn the Kowloon Tong residence into an attraction for locals and tourists to commemorate Mr. Lee’s contribution to martial arts and the film industry.
Property owner Yu Pang-lin said he hopes the community will participate so that the best ideas can be selected to restore the residence to its original appearance and to provide such facilities as an exhibition hall, audio-visual room, kung fu corner, library and souvenir counter.
The competition is organized by The Hong Kong Institute of Architects, The Hong Kong Institute of Planners and The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, with support from the Hong Kong Tourism Commission.
“We are grateful to Mr. Yu Pang-lin, the owner of the residence, for his generosity in donating the property,” said Mrs. Lau. “The support and advice given by various professional bodies, and Mr. Bruce Lee’s family, friends and supporters are also crucial to the successful launch of the competition.”
Mr. Yu has also agreed to promote the competition and to be honorary chairman of the adjudication panel, and will sponsor US$12,820 in prizes.
The competition is open to the public and comprises two categories: the Professional Group Competition, for members of professional institutes of architects, planners, surveyors, engineers, interior designers and landscape architects; and the Open Group Competition, for everyone else.
All interested participants must register with the Professional Advisor by August 31 and submit their entries by October 15. Winners will be announced by year’s end.
Representatives of Mr. Yu, Mr. Lee's family, professional institutions, the Kowloon City District Council and Hong Kong Tourism Board comprise the seven-member judges panel.
Describing the competition as an important step in collecting the community's ideas on the “hardware” of the project, Mrs. Lau said work also has started on the “software” side — with a view to enriching the contents of the residence’s exhibits.
“We are pleased that the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers, with funding support from the Film Development Fund, has undertaken to produce a film depicting the life of Mr. Bruce Lee through interviews with people who knew him well,” she noted.
Another film, “The Making of Bruce Lee’s Residence,” produced by Radio Television Hong Kong, will document the restoration of the residence. Both films will be shown on site.
Mrs. Lau said the Tourism Commission will continue to research information and source exhibits from various channels, including Mr. Lee’s family and friends, to make the renovated home a showcase of the life of the late kung fu star.
Details of the competition are available on the dedicated Web site: [www.bruceleeresidence.com].
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