The Building opened in 1970 and was originally called Redmond Building after Emeritus Professor F. A. Redmond. Professor Redmond joined the University in 1919 as a lecturer in the Faculty of Engineering and acted as its head from September 1925 to December 1926 and then again from 1928-1951.
The Building was renamed in 1996 as a token of appreciation for a benefaction from the Yam Pak Foundation. “Yam” and “Pak” refer to Yam Kim Fai and Pak Suet Sin, two prominent local Cantonese opera singers.
Dr Pak Suet Sin (HonDLitt 2004) is a renowned Cantonese opera star who, with Ms Yam Kim-fai, undertook to improve and enhance Cantonese operatic art and nurtured young talents to ensure the continuity of Cantonese opera. She is also concerned with the education and improvement of young people, such that she made the gift to the University.