The seven-storey building housing the SCAD Hong Kong was formerly the North Kowloon Magistracy. Designed by Palmer and Turner Architects and built in 1960, the building functioned as the magistrate’s court and offices for various government members until it ceased operations in January 2005 due to consolidation of magistracies. In 2010, the heritage-listed building was revitalized by SCAD to become SCAD Hong Kong, a tertiary institution offering international recognized degree programmes in the fields of art and design.

The revitalization retains important historic elements of the building, including courtrooms and prison cells. Court No. 4 is used as a classroom and the former prison cells are converted into offices with the cell bars left intact. Court No. 1 is now a lecture theatre, and both the magistrate’s bench and benches on the public gallery have been preserved. The prisoner’s dock has been kept intact, as has the original bronze signage on the west elevation of the building. The building was recognized with a 2011 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation.Many university events such as guest lectures and speaking events are free and open to the public.