The Helena May
梅夫人婦女會
1916, Institutional 機構建築
Constructed in 1916, The Helena May on Garden Road was instigated by Lady Helena May, the wife of the fifteenth Governor of Hong Kong, and funded by local philanthropists including Sir Ellis Kadoorie, Lau Chu Pak, Ho Tung and Ho Kom Tong. The Helena May was established to provide hostel residence for European single women. Since 1985, women of all nationalities are accepted. Constructed in red bricks and concrete, The Helena May is a Neo-classical architecture. As a membership club, public are relatively unfamiliar with the building, except for the signature white exterior of its Main Building, which is a declared monument. In fact, the Helena May arranges regular guided tours once a month on Saturdays, to invite members of the public to visit the site and enjoy the equally graceful architectural details of its interior.
位於中環花園道的梅夫人婦女會，建於一九一六年，由第十五任港督梅含理夫人（Lady Helena May）倡建，並由當時一眾慈善家嘉道理、劉鑄伯、何東及何甘棠捐贈。婦女會初時只為單身的歐籍女性提供宿舍，但自一九八五年起，住宿的女性已無分任何國籍。建築由紅磚牆及混凝土樓板結構建成，屬新古典主義風格。由於屬私人會所，仲然年近百歳，除了那塗了白色、被定為法定古蹟的正立面外，大部分市民對這建築物都可能不太熟悉。其實，婦女會每月均有一個星期六提供免費導賞，讓大家可以欣賞與立面同樣精彩的室內空間。
文及攝影：洪彬芬 (香港註冊建築師)
http://www.etnet.com.hk/www/tc/diva/art_hkac_detail.php?id=29075&page=1
