A Touch of the Romans in Hong Kong — Architecture at the Ex Sham Shui Po Service Reservoir

In 1904, the Ex-Sham Shui Po Service Reservoir completed. It served the water needs of residents in Kowloon Tong, Sham Shui Po and Tai Hang Tung.

The Service Reservoir comes in a round structure. A simple mathematical truth explains this design – the circumference of a round structure enables a larger volume than a rectangular structure with the same perimeter.

The top vault of the Service Reservoir is also built in concrete. The rounded arches, along with the brick walls, allowed the loading to be transmitted onto the side structures, then onto the foundation. This is how the structure was able to hold its weight. There is tar on the ground, further sealing the space and prevent cracks.


Originally there were 108 granite pillars with red brick arches. After the new wall, there remained 78 pillars. Our tour guide emphasized a few times that, contrary to popular perception, the interior architecture of the Ex-Sham Shui Po Service Reservoir is not of Roman style. It merely imitates the Roman Style. I asked what distinguishes a “truly” Roman and a mere imitation. He said that, in a truly Roman style, there would be no flat surface. The arched tops are curved throughout.

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Post by Helen Yu (Chestnut Journal) | Mar 1, 2025