Guess the purpose of this structure.

Yang Hao · Apr 4, 2015

This is a structure located in Harbin China about 5 minutes walk from my home. Harbin is in the North East of China.
The structure was built in the 1930s by the Japanese during the Japanese occupation of the city.
It is currently being used as a storage place for street cleaning equipment however that is not what it was designed for.
What do you think this structure's original purpose was.
Any guesses? BTW i do know what its original purpose was.

Front

Back

Side

Molewacker · Apr 4, 2015

My guess - Coop/Aviary for messenger pigeons.

luvsdux · Apr 4, 2015

Tower for dropping and forming lead shot.
luvsdux

Red James Cash · Apr 4, 2015

Considering how the japanese treated the chinese i could only guess.

gordonquixote · Apr 4, 2015

Maybe there were two with a set of gates between them?

Keppy · Apr 4, 2015

OUTHOUSE>>

RW · Apr 4, 2015

Good guesses but I like the homing pigeon tower theory best. Would it be too easy to guess sentry tower?

joesmarbles · Apr 4, 2015

Torture chamber!.....Joe McDonough

mandad76 · Apr 4, 2015

Bomb shelter

kingskid1611 · Apr 4, 2015

Fraidy hole?

Dr. Witty · Apr 4, 2015

Menstrual Hut?

pkb · Apr 4, 2015

first Jack in the Box there ? LOL

diverrick · Apr 4, 2015

jail.

BosnMate · Apr 4, 2015

Don't keep us in the dark. I'd like to know. They must have thought it was a good idea at the time.

Dr. Witty · Apr 5, 2015

Looks like he stepped into that Japanese thing-a-ma-jig and was transported to another place and time. Now we'll never know...

BigWaveDave · Apr 5, 2015

Brothel.

Yang Hao · Apr 5, 2015

BosnMate said:
Don't keep us in the dark. I'd like to know. They must have thought it was a good idea at the time.

Well I was going to wait for a few more days but I guess I could tell you now. Although all the answers were interesting and the carrier pigeon structure was an awesome guess. However the answer is... It was used as an electric power substation. As you can see from the three holes at the top the power lines would run through those. In fact there are still 2 more in the city. All being used to store street cleaning equipment.

frankie · Apr 5, 2015

Looks like it's for animals down below. And the top was living quarters with gun holes. That's a lot of bird holes and I don't see any bird mess around. Pigeons come back to where they were born or live. No pigeons around and to many holes. The side door was for lifting heavy things up. My guess is a small fort.