Rob Bell's Engineering Reborn

In Hong Kong, a former Second World War detention centre has been repurposed as a university, providing higher‑education facilities within the historic building. In Wisconsin, USA, an old power station has been re‑engineered to function as a student facility, offering modern amenities for campus use.

The episode is a collaborative programme that brings together the University of Chicago’s Hong Kong campus, Beloit College and the Convent de Sant Francesc. Presented as a single instalment, it follows the work of these three institutions as they document the conversion of historic sites for contemporary education. In Hong Kong, a former Second World War detention centre has been repurposed as a university campus, providing modern facilities within a building once used for wartime confinement. Across the world, in Wisconsin, USA, an old power station has been re‑engineered to become a student facility, giving new life to an industrial structure that once generated electricity. The episode records the practical process of turning these heritage buildings into active learning environments. It shows how the Hong Kong site’s wartime past and the Wisconsin building’s industrial origins have each been reshaped to meet the needs of present‑day students, illustrating a shared commitment to preserving history while creating functional academic spaces.