An eight-by-eight-metre relief above the main entrance of North Point’s Grade I State Theatre Building has been removed, leaving a white wall. The building was completed in 1952.
New World Development Company Limited said inspections found severe weathering inside the relief and rusted supports, creating structural problems and a risk of collapse. The company said the lower-middle section had previously been converted into a ventilation opening.
The company said it applied to the Buildings Department in 2025 to remove the relief, received approval and then took it down. The relief has been stored, and the company is studying possible restoration methods and whether restoration is feasible.
The relief depicts an episode from Romance of the Three Kingdoms and includes motifs such as a Greek goddess and Burmese dancers.