Lilau Square | IC: Urban renovation plan not on the table

The government has abandoned an urban renovation plan for Lilau Square after the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) expressed concerns regarding the protection of cultural heritage in the area.

The plan, initially unveiled in December 2012, was intended to refresh the historic neighborhood and introduce a new dynamic to the area through a repurposing of its buildings, based on the successful transformations of historic neighborhoods in other territories.

A senior official from the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) said in 2014 that the buildings located near Lilau Square would likely have their original architecture and appearances maintained, but their purpose would now be geared toward housing the cultural industries.

However, according to information provided by the IC, the DSSOPT plan has been cancelled following concerns expressed by cultural authorities in the city.

“At that time, an urban revitalization plan was put in motion for the area surrounding Lilau Square and the Mandarin’s House by the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau. The Cultural Affairs Bureau, one of the members of the [working] group, expressed its views about the protection of cultural heritage in what concerned the plan at the time,” clarified an IC representative in the statement. “There is no renovation plan for the area surrounding Lilau Square at present.”

The DSSOPT did not reply to an enquiry by the Times by press time.

One of the most iconic buildings in the area is Lilau mansion, located on number 37-49, which will host a number of open-house events on Sunday to help with the sale of the heritage site. Bidding will start at HKD250 million which, according to event organizers iAOHiN Gallery, will make the mansion the most expensive townhouse ever sold in Macau.

The IC is rumored to be an interested buyer, partly due to the fact that the Bureau currently owns nearly all other historic buildings in that area. However, IC representatives denied having any knowledge of an intention to bid for the premises.

“The Cultural Affairs Bureau [has] not received any information regarding the sale of No. 37 and 49 galleries located at Lilau Square [and] there is no acquisition plan yet,” said a Bureau representative.

The owner of the building, local real estate developer Isabel Chiang, announced her plans to sell the two art galleries, “37” and “49,” that together comprise the mansion, as they have become too expensive to maintain.

Chiang is known for her involvement in the acquisition of several buildings in Macau’s historical areas. She has said that she wants to see the space used for cultural events and heritage seminars in the future.

As previously reported by the Times, the property had been mortgaged twice, once in 2014 and then again the next year for a combined total of HKD90 million.

Building to host series of activities

The Lilau mansion which will host a number of open-house events on Sunday

A series of cultural activities, celebrating Lilau Square’s long heritage, will be held on Sunday, including special events, a live painting demonstration, concerts, sculpture and jewelry exhibitions and a tour of Lilau mansion. Organizers explained that the activities are being held with the additional purpose of attracting potential buyers. Among the participants in Sunday’s sequence of activities there will be the president of the Association for Macanese Education, Miguel Senna Fernandes, and the architect behind Lilau Mansion’s renovation project, Francisco Vizeu Pinheiro, who will both hold talks on Macau’s cultural heritage.

A display of bronze sculptures by renowned French sculptor Jacques Le Nantec will also be exhibited at the mansion on Sunday. The sculptor has a studio in Rua de Lilau, close to the building. Moreover, a live painting demonstration by Tibetan artist Tashi Norbu has been organized for the day. The artist, who exhibited in Macau in April last year, will once again fly from the Netherlands, this time around to demonstrate live the painting of his work, “Fire Rooster,” on a large canvas.