Rebirth and High Culture: The Brand-New Chapter of Villa Haw Par

In our last post, we left Haw Par Mansion narrowly escaping the bulldozers in the early 2000s. But what do you do with an eccentric 1930s palace frozen in the middle of Tai Hang’s ultra-modern skyscrapers?

For the past two decades, the mansion has been searching for its second life. After vibrating to the rhythm of musical scales, it is now preparing for its most ambitious metamorphosis yet: its transformation into Villa Haw Par, Hong Kong’s very first “cultural villa.”

Here is the story of its contemporary transformations.

Act I: The Melodic Interlude of “Haw Par Music” (2019–2022)

After sitting closed for more than a decade, the mansion found a brilliant first calling in 2019 through a revitalization project known as Haw Par Music.

The concept was beautiful: transform the former private home of the Tiger Balm King into a world-class music school open to the community. The former bedrooms and living areas of the Aw family were converted into practice rooms. For the first time, the general public could admire the famous Italian stained-glass windows and gold-leaf ceilings up close, all while the echoes of violins and guzheng resonated through the historic corridors.

Unfortunately, running such a monument is a monumental challenge. At the end of 2022, suffocated by financial difficulties stemming from the pandemic years, the non-profit organization running the site had to step down. The doors swung shut, plunging the mansion back into silence.

Act II: The Grand Revival of “Villa Haw Par” (2026)

Fortunately, the Hong Kong government had no intention of letting this architectural jewel gather dust. Officially classified as a Grade I Historic Building, the Chinese Renaissance-style estate has been entrusted to the Foundation for Art and Culture (FAC), a non-profit organization chaired by curator and entrepreneur Arthur de Villepin and tasked with turning it into an “Embassy for Culture.”

The project officially kicked off with the start of renovations in early June 2026. The ambition? Not to create a static, dusty museum, but a “working house” of artistic exchange, modeled after famous international cultural villas like the renowned Villa Medici in Rome or Villa Kujoyama in Kyoto.

What Will This New Cultural Venue Look Like?

Villa Haw Par should open its doors in phases starting at the end of 2026, with a full rollout of programs planned through 2027 and 2028. The idea is to create a dynamic space where historic heritage constantly dialogues with contemporary creation:

• The Garden of Wonders: The very first phase will focus on the outdoor grounds. The private garden will be reimagined to echo memories of the original Tiger Balm Garden. Restored historic sculptures will stand side-by-side with cutting-edge contemporary art installations.

• Reinvented Historic Rooms: Inside, the grand spaces will be magnified. The dining room will host seasonal design pieces, while the vintage music room will become an intimate listening space for acoustic performances. Digital mapping installations (immersive projections) will also be used to tell the multi-generational story of the Aw family.

• A Complete Cultural Hub: Eventually, the villa will house creative studios for international artists-in-residence, a library, a cinema dedicated to Hong Kong’s cultural heritage, a tearoom, a café, and an art boutique.

Art as an Extension of History: Rather than freezing the building in time, the foundation wants artists to use the house itself as a blank canvas. In the future, temporary or permanent artworks—such as murals, modern stained glass, or sculptures—will be added to the property so that it continues to evolve while deeply respecting its past.

Currently, the site is undergoing its vital restoration phase, but it is already preparing a select number of exclusive previews, pilot tours, and experiences to refine the journey before its final public launch.

The Tiger Balm and music scales have made way for a global art dialogue, but the excentric, visionary, and globally-minded spirit of the Aw family is more alive than ever. We can’t wait to step through the doors of the new Villa Haw Par!