PRC Magazine #106 (Architecture | Building | Construction)

2021 Issue 106

Pacific Rim Construction

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Inside: Arquitectonica discusses sustainable retail in the era of Covid Urban Land Institute Greenprint New Performance Report Spatial Concept designs ‘Cities & Parks’ concept for CBRE HK USGBC: green buildings highlight carbon reduction potential Beam Society launches green building cloud data platform

ISSN 1684-1956 977168495009

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Publisher: Mike Staley, publisher@rofmedia.com Editor: info@rofmedia.com Contributing Editor: Elizabeth Dooley Editorial Team: Bryan Chan • Derek Leung • Jasper Lau • Krista Chan • Michael Hoare • Norman Yam Business Development: Bryan Chan, bryan@rofmedia.com Tel: (852) 3150 8912 Sales Director: Mike Staley, mike@rofmedia.com Tel: (852) 3150 8989 Account Manager: Alfred Ng, alfred@rofmedia.com Tel: (852) 3150 8911 Account Manager: Howard Tsang, howard@rofmedia.com Tel: (852) 3579 5572 Sales Enquiries: Yannie Yuen, yannie@rofmedia.com Tel: (852) 3150 8988 Senior Graphic Designer: Ric Sin, studio@rofmedia.com Graphic Designers: Eddie Yue, Michelle Morkel Photographer: Brian Zhang, Walter Ding Digital Media Coordinator: Jeffrey Ng Printing: Elegance Printing PRC Magazine is published by Ring of Fire Ltd. 5/F Kong Ling Building, 102 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 3150 8988 info@rofmedia.com www.rofmedia.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner, without the written consent of the publishers. All care is taken but accuracy of information rests with the client; the publisher bares no responsibility for any factual errors that may occur. The views expressed herein are not necessarily shared by PRC Magazine or its staff. © Copyright 2021 Ring of Fire Limited

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8 PRESS

AEDAS DEBUTS IM SHANGHAI - A CULTURAL COMPLEX PREMISED ON A MOUNTAINOUS CITYSCAPE FOR K2 REAL ESTATE (SHANGHAI HESHI INVESTMENT DEVELOPMENT CO.)

Earlier this year Aedas unveiled its design of IM Shanghai — a cultural complex premised on the grand unveiling of a mountainous cityscape. The development is not situated close to any of the CBDs in Shanghai. Thus, a primary and key purpose of the development is to drive business value by attracting tenants and consumers as it integrates with the surrounding context. Derived from concept of mountains, the development stands to present a stratified geology providing pinnacles, caves, rocks and waterfalls in the valleys, with geometric office towers expressing as mountain peaks and rock-shaped pavilions lining alongside the busy traffic flow in between to form a dynamic streetscape.

A cultural tower, three office towers, two exhibition pavilions and five retail pavilions within the development are strategically scattered on the site to form a layered mountainous experience of the wild nature. Ascending office towers are sculpted with powerful tapering cuts. Inspired by traditional Chinese landscape painting, layering of a mountainous contour is depicted by using Void and Solid striation, which also assist in complying with the glazing to wall ratio requirement. A sunken plaza that connects the north and south creates an illusion of a cave rift, completing the silhouette of an iconic mountainous terrain. In addition, guided by the tenets of urban regeneration and the requirements of increasingly connected digital cities, the design is rooted in the community and its sustainability. www.aedas.com

OLE SCHEEREN ANNOUNCES FIRST NORTH AMERICA PROJECT

LWKP ANNOUNCES HENGQIN TOD IN GUANGDONG - MACAU COOPERATION ZONE

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Designed by world renowned architect Ole Scheeren and developed by Bosa Properties and Kingswoord Properties, Vancouver’s most anticipated new landmark is a 42-storey luxury condominium, known as Fifteen Fifteen. The development will offer 202 residences in the heart of the city and is Ole Scheern’s first building to grace the Vancouver skyline, as well as the practice’s first architectural project in North America. Ole Scheeren’s work includes of Asia’s most iconic contemporary buildings in Asia, such as Beijing’s CCTV Tower and Bangkok’s new Mahanakhon Tower.

The development includes a collection of 18 Observartory Residences that project horizontally from the tower’s vertical mass to create the sensation of flowing high above the city, the ocean and the mountains.

Energy-efficient systems, environmentally friendly materials, and attention to indoor environmental quality—including advanced filtration systems that deliver purified air and water—support the developers’ aim of achieving a LEED Gold international sustainability certification. www.buro-os.com

The State Council of China officially announced its plan to build a Guangdong-Macau in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin in Septmber.

While Hengqin has always been a natural connection point between Macau and Guangdong, the plan is a strong statement of a synergistic future and deeper integration for the neighbours. Hengqin Port Mixed-use Development, Zhuhai, China is situated right beside the Hengqin port itself.

LWK + PARTNERS designed it as a transit-oriented development (TOD) with efficient programmes closely integrated with convenient transport, setting an excellent foundation for capturing the latest development opportunities. As a multipurpose development, the project makes an engaging urban lounge at the city’s gateway which revitalises the island community. The mixed-use development consists of two super high-rse towers standing at 203.9 and 164 metres, with a four-storety prodium and four storey basement, housing offices, a hotel, retail space and serviced apartments directly connected with the port and associated commercial facilities. www.lwkp.com

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ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS TO RENOVATE VILNIUS RAILWAY STATION IN LATVIA

The evaluation commission of the international architectural competition to select the best concepts for the redevelopment of the Vilnius railway station complex and surrounding area awarded the highest ranking to the proposal

by Zaha Hadid Architects. ZHA’s ‘Green Connect’ proposal creates an integrated transportation hub for the 21st century with new civic spaces enveloped by nature, and builds on city’s ongoing sustainability agenda that prioritises pedestrians and cyclists by incorporating a new public bridge across the railway tracks. The renovation and reuse of the original station creates a new 9,500 sq. m concourse bridge that is a contemporary reinterpretation informed by the existing heritage building. A linear skylight along the length of the bridge and glazed facades over the railway tracks provide natural light and intuitive navigation through the concourse. Meanwhile, naturebased solutions are integral to the design. Green roofs, landscaping and planting will lower temperatures in summer and provide heat insulation in the winter. www.zaha-hadid.com EEA20_180x240_BCI Asia.pdf 1 16/9/2021 4:02 PM

SWIRE CELEBRATES 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF TAIKOO HUI GUANGZHOU Swire Properties announced a series of celebrations in September to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Taikoo Hui Guangzhou, the Company’s flagship mixeduse development in the Greater Bay Area. In addition to launching a new brand slogan, “Where Time is the New Luxury”, Taikoo Hui Guangzhou is collaborating with SMG Performing Arts Group (SMG Live) to present a month-long immersive show, The Ten Gifts. Located in the heart of the Tianhe Central Business District, Taikoo Hui Guangzhou comprises a prime shopping mall, two Grade-A office towers and the luxury hotel Mandarin Oriental, Guangzhou. The mall, which is home the highest concentration of highend brands in Southern China, has recorded sales growth across 37 quarters and achieved a year-on-year sales growth of 88% in the first half of 2021. The two office towers, Taikoo Hui Towers 1 and 2, have maintained a robust occupancy rate and house a diverse range of international corporations, setting the benchmark for the Grade-A office experience in Guangzhou. www.swireproperties.com

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“NEW ERA – NEW CHALLENGE” AT CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AWARDS 2020

FARRELLS’ KOWLOON EAST REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS ‘TAKES OFF’

Group Photo of Ir Lam Sai Hung, JP and HKICM Committee Members

The Hong Kong Institute of Construction Managers (HKICM) hosted the HKICM 23rd Anniversay Dinner cum Construction Managements 2020 Presentation Ceremony on 27 August, 2021. This year’s event honoured 66 winners for outstanding achievement in construction management.

Inaugurated in 2016 the Awards aims to recognise the achievements of construction management teams and practitions, uphold the pursuit of quality service and provide motivation for industry development. This year’s event was based on the theme of “New Era – New Challenge”, with the most prestigious Excellent Construction Team Awards granted to Hip Hing Construction Company’s South Island Place project in the new Works category, and Gammon Construction’s Central Plaza Podium Extension project in the A&A Works category. Cr Chen Fai Wing Phyllis from Gammon Construction was awarded Young Construction Manager, and Cr Dr Conrad Wong received the HKICM Outstanding Achievement Award in recognition of over 30 years industry contribution, and his devotion to developing robots and AI applications. www.hkicm-cma.com

Farrells’ new Headquarters project in Kai Tak, the Kowloon East Regional Headquarters which opened for service in late 2020, was designed to complement the Energizing Kowloon East Office’s Conceptual Master Plan for the Kai Tak area. Located on Concorde Road, Farrells won the commission of this 47,000 sq m civic building project, a Hong Kong Government Design and Build contract, in 2013, as lead architectural consultant. Built on the former Kai Tak Airport police base, the new Headquarters spans 16 floors and includes offices, a vehicular area and operational base of various police units with ancillary facilities. The design of this new integrated complex combines functionality, sustainability and aesthetics and adds to the overall greening of the area. The lower building block of 5 levels houses car parking facilities and the higher building block accommodates the office and other functional units. Farrells said: “The new Headquarters is a simple urban response to a complex brief. A play of composition and façade expression helps breaking down the mass while unifying various internal programmes. https://farrells.com

GAMMON PARTNERS WITH UK DIGITAL TECH FIRM SENSAT

JERDE WINS BEST SHOPPING CENTRE AT MIPIM 2021 IN CANNES

Hong Kong-based Gammon Construction Limited (‘Gammon’) has announced a strategic partnership with leading UK digital twin technology company Sensat, to integrate all drone-captured topographical, asset, and real-time operation data into one of the world’s most advanced digital platforms. The partnership is said to held the industry deliver infrastructure projects more efficiently through visualisation of project data anywhere, anytime. Sensat’s platform is a cloudbased Common Visualisation Envioronment that allows project managers to layer, locate, and compare site data over time across teams, visualise dynamic project performance, and access site data remotely. Gammon and Sensat have been working together to perform a number of pilot projects in Hong Kong, aimed at demonstrating value to the client, and showcasing the integration with digital technologies, including the BIM Cave in the Immersive Smart Lab in Gammon Quayside headquarters. “There is a huge pipeline of infrastructure and railway developments in the Hong Kong region to meet with the rapid population growth and transport demand,” said Paul Evans, Executive Director CTO of Gammon. www.gammonconstruction.com

The Jerde Partenrship was winner of Best Shopping Centre for their project in Adana Town Centre in Turkey at this years MIPIM Awards this year, held on 8 September at Palais des Festivals, Cannes. This year’s hybrid Awards Ceremony honoured the most outstanding and accomplished proejcts, completed or yet to be built, around the world. In addition to the usual criteria, the jury aslo looked at how the project adapts to the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic on the way people live, work, shop and entertain.

“We have witnessed the evolution of the industry first-hand, and are grateful to our clients for their investment into bringing the future forward in such times of rapid change. The contextual response demonstrated in Adana is an important aspect of greater localization and focus on understanding each city and peoples, and one which we are avidly pursuing through AsiaPacific, a region we respect for its diversity and dynamism,” said Phil Kim, Shareholder, Managing Director, JERDE Asia Pacific. www.jerde.com

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10 DESIGN RELEASES NEW PLANS FOR A TRANSPORT-ORIENTED RETAIL DESTINATION

Last month 10 Design released new plans for the one of Nanging’s largest transport-oriented retail landmarks. The studio won an international deisgn competition to transform China Fortune’s 243,768 sq.m. former military airbase site into a contemporary mixed-use project in 2020. The design preserves the 2.6km airport runway as a historic feature, which has been reimagined as a multi-functional cultural boulevard with doubles as a green pedestrian axis. The development involves three interconnecting buildings, incorporating a shopping mall, retail, cultural and office spaces, along with a boutique hotel. With two underground railway stationgs embedded into the site, the design includes a central glass box corridor with key entrances positioned directly on top of the railway tracks, providing a feature passageway for commuters. The design scheme is an evolution in design of transport-oriented developments to create a high-quality retail environment that fully integrates with the rail network and the extensive public realm. www.10design.co

HKIS - BUILDING SURVEYOR AWARDS 2021 RECOGNISES COMMUNITY

URA COMMENCES NEW DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN KOWLOON CITY Earlier this year, the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) commenced the statutory planning procedures of the To Kwa Wan Road / Wing Kwong Street Development Scheme (KC-016) in Kowloon City. The KC-016 project will be integrated with the seven URA ongoing redevelopment projects in the vicinity under the district-based urban renewal approach adopted since 2016 to achieve a holistic planning for the district.

General Manager (Planning and Design) of the URA, Mr Christopher Wong said, “KC-016 is implemented under the district-based urban renewal approach in accordance with the objectives set out in the 2011 Urban Renewal Strategy, aiming to enhance accessibility and connectivity of the district and other commenced projects in the neighbourhood through restructuring and re-planning the land uses, as well as the pedestrian and road networks. It would also create a more liveable community through enhanced urban design and the provision of more community facilities.” www.ura.org.hk

ONE BILLION + SQ. FT. OF GREEN BUILDING SPACE RECERTIFIED UNDER LEED Last month the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that it has surpassed one billion square feet of LEED commercial green building space recertified under LEED. Recertification enables owners to protect their sustainability investments over time.This milestone was celebrated at the annual Greenbuild conference, held in San Diego. Over the last year, the green building industry has reached a number of milestones indicating that green building continues to be an important topic as it provides a foundation that supports people and businesses and helps us adapt during a crisis. Other milestones include 24 billion square feet of registered and certified space under LEED registered; 110,000 projects; more than 610 million square feet of LEED certified residential space. LEED, the most widely used green building rating system in the world, is available for virtually all building and interior space types. LEED provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving green buildings. LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership. www.usgbc.org

INTEGRAL ACCESS CONTROL SOLUTION FOR HOSPITALITY SECTOR

Mr Michael WONG Wai-lun, Secretary for Development, HKSAR Government, attended BSA 2021 Presentation Ceremony as the Guest of Honour

The theme of this year’s Building Surveyor Awards, which took place at the Hong Kong Exhibition Centre in June this year was “Community;We Care”. Organised the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors Building Surveying Division (HKIS BSD).

Since 2015 the BSA has set out to acknowledge excellence in the industry.

The event which took place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre included a number of new awards this year, including a “Community Caring Award”, a “Sustainability Award” and a “Value Enhancement Award”, included to commend Building Surveyors’ contributions towards sustainability, economic values and community care. The jury panel, consisting of veterans from academics and renowned industry professionals, assessed the 18 finalists’ projects. “This year we have seen an increased number of entries and overall high standards of the finalists. This shows a growing recognition of the Awards by the Building Surveying industry. Regardless of which award a finalist received, she/he is already a champion after goingthrough rigorous assessments and setting a very high benchmarks to emulate.” said Sr Daniel CHANG Wai-ip, Chairman of Organising Committee of BSA 2021. www.hkis-bsa.com

Hong Kong’s AUB door access solutions is a provider of the only integral access control solution specific to the hospitality market. The Assa Abloy’s TESA Hotel systems have been installed around the world since the 1980s. The unifying technology uses a single platform to manage each of the related systems – which includes locks, wall readers and cylinders – using wireless, BLE and RFID technologies. Solutions to the hospitality sector include a wide range of wall readers, energy savers, safes and other mechanical and electromechanical devices.

The TESA Hotel software platform is capable of managing Openow mobile access, read and write, wireless online, standalone and check-in PIN.The technical innovation delivered by the TESA Hotel system is backed by more than 30 years’ experience in the global hospitality sector.

The AUB team recommends TESA Hotel for renovations and upgrades. www.aub.com.hk

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SUSTAINABLE RETAIL IN THE COVID ERA Design Principal of award-winning Arquitectonica speaks to PRC Magazine about sustainability, the challenges of Covid and the future of retail

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t’s been almost four years since John Pauline took over the helm at awardwinning Arquitectonica Asia office in Hong Kong. As Managing Director and Design Principal, he has been a key designer of some of the world’s most high profile projects, not least the Watercube at the National Aquatic Centre, for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. As a world leader in sports design he has worked on six consecutive Olympic Games, and was the only full time foreign design consultant of every sports venue for the Beijing Organising Committee.

But John’s expertise is not limited to sports design. With offices in Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Manila, Lima and Sao Paulo, Arquitectonica is a major presence on the international stage. And whilst in Asia Arquitectonica’s portfolio also includes Festival Walk and Cyberport Technology Campus in Hong Kong, the Agricultural Bank of China and China Construction Bank headquarters in Shanghai and the International Finance Centre in Seoul, John is keen to point out that Arquitectonica’s headquarters in Miami works directly with every office outside the US. In Particular, John works with Bernardo FortBrescia, the founder and lead designer of the international practice.

The Miami office is strongly connected to all of Arquitectonica’s projects in Asia, and in terms of leadership collaborates at every level with its offices around the world.

Arquitectonica’s expertise in the design of integrated mixed use developments involve complex combinations of office, hotel, leisure, retail, residential and cultural functions, where sustainability underpins a philosophy focused on ecologically sensitive, yet commercially viable design. The practice also specialises in integrated mixed-use developments involving complex combinations of office, hotel, leisure, retail, residential and cultural functions, and is a keen advocate of sustainability, which John says underpins Arquitectonica’s design philosophy.

BUILDING ON SUSTAINABLE DESIGN Arquitectonica’s focus on producing ecologically sensitive yet commercially viable designs is widely recognized alongside the firm’s ability to create unique forms of memorable imagery in close to harmony with the environment. By exploring the complex challenges of contemporary builds and natural environments, Arquitectonica works to develop solutions that balance a modern aesthetic with an environmentally sensitive practice of creating value and identity whilst preserving a location’s geographic character.

Text: Elizabeth Dooley

Photos: Arquitectonica

Krista Chan

“My first ten years in Asia we, as architects, were pushing hard for sustainability but were often met with some resistance from clients. But in the past three to four years in Asia we’ve seen a wonderful change in direction where clients are pushing

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John Pauline

for sustainability,” observes John. “Sustainability is no longer an optional addon, and it’s something that has become a central theme in architectural design. Clients are responding to financial giants such as BlackRock and other entities that won’t even consider lending or including buildings that are not sustainable within their investment strategies. It’s a major positive for us that sustainability is no longer a trend and that clients are moving forward and adapting to it as a necessity,” he adds.

“For us, aside from an authentic design process that preserves the ecological and cultural environment, sustainability is also about the devices and tools that we use. We always try to use locally sourced materials that don’t require enormous transportation elements. This lowers the overall carbon footprint and sustainability is embedded into the construction methodology of the buildings themselves. We also work to incorporate operational efficiencies into our designs, whether it be the lighting choices or other factors that can reduce the amount of energy loads on the project.”

CHALLENGES PAST AND PRESENT Clearly sustainability has come a long way in the past few years and is no longer just a buzzword. Our ability to take on board the challenges presented by global warming and a worldwide pandemic will affect generations to come. There is no doubt that the Covid has affected all our lives and on a positive note has forced us to take a pause and take stock. Things we once took for granted have been brought into question and have forced us to change our habits, not least how we travel, work and shop.

From a retail perspective Arquitectonica works to create retail architecture that defines the destination and enhances the shopping experience. For John, this has called into question just how architects are being forced to question the intristic value of the retail experience.

“Retail was already changing even before Covid.

There was already a lot of consideration in terms of what needed to happen to retail and how it was going to change, predominantly because of the online shopping and how customers were interacting in retail more generally. The pandemic has really just accelerated the issues, and it is up to us as designers to come up with new ideas, to converse with the operators and clients to come up with the right solutions.”

Citygate Outlets and The Silveri Hong Kong – MGallery in Hong Kong, and the Podium Complex in Manila, are just two recent examples of complex retail projects we have worked on in Asia, both of which are similar in that they are situated on very complex sites.”

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CITYGATE OUTLETS AND THE SILVERI HONG KONG – MGALLERY Located in Tung Chung on Lantau Island, Citygate is a 50,307 sqm mixed-use complex that includes retail, a hotel, a public transport terminal and parking facilities. The development is connected to the existing adjacent Citygate Outlets shopping centre, an existing retail building located next to the project site.

Described as a meeting point between nature and urbanisation, the retail portion of the development symbolises the layered hillsides of Lantau Island. Meanwhile, with its glazed facades rising above the landscape, the hotel portion captures the skyline and surrounding views.

In terms of site planning, the development of the site called for the inclusion of the Public Transport Terminal or PTT on the ground floor and a commercial development above. However, the final building program developed by Arquitectonica went beyond any restrictions with a more dynamic design response to the planning criteria imposed on the developments. The proposal included a design that split the commercial component into retail and hotel portions through the creation of a layered design solution that stacks the various components, with parking and commercial access located in the basement levels, the PTT located at ground level and the retail and hotel elements above. The podium levels, which are given over to the retail development, connect back to the existing retail arcade and face inwards to the existing retail town square on the adjacent lot, are designed to further enhance a sense of destination within the community. With the retail component designed as an extension to the existing Citygate Outlets shopping Centre, shopping levels have been aligned with the existing development for a seamless integration. In addition the integration of terraces reduce building massing while going beyond general practice principles in creating unique outdoor experiences tailored to the surrounding environment.

Land Lease Conditions provided a number of challenges to the building program, from dedicated no build areas above and below grade through to the requirement for continual bus operation through the site to the adjacent existing PTT. “The complexity of building something on top of an operating transport hub, to bring it in on time and on budget is extremely challenging, especially when dealing with multiple clients,” notes John.

Arquitectonica’s solution – which was integral to completing the project on schedule and maintaining a safe environment for passersby - was to review access and egress requirements for the busses across the site ultimately to provide a revised access location for the existing PTT which would allow for safe bus operation, secure access for passengers and prevent any cross circulation issues between the bus operations and the development of the remainder of the project site.

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The fact that the retail business model and the hotel experience are generally at odds was another challenge, especially given that standard practice of retail businesses performing maintenance and shop fit out works during the evening or through the night when hotel guests are sleeping. This was a hurdle that Arquitectonica addressed through the consideration of structural borne and airborne acoustics, and ultimately how to avoid acoustic cross contamination between the hotel and retail components. The result was a two-step process utilized to separate the two through an acoustic air gap and introduction of a trip glazed façade assembly to the external curtain wall, and then separating the hotel structure from the retail structure using acoustic isolation pads. And while this technology is not new and is commonplace in bridge design, it is a new application in the building industry in Hong Kong.

“From a retail perspective we are working to design a development that optimises the opportunity to bring people together, enhance footfall. We are working to create a higher level of density and excitement within the buildings. Of course in the current climate we are looking at social distancing, so there is an enormous disparity between when you can try to achieve within a retail environment and what clients traditionally pay for. When you design a retail project, all these challenges need to be ironed out as the project moves forward, because some of them can be counterintuitive and in many way work against themselves when seeking to achieve those principles,” explains John.

And while retail planning is a complex issue, what is clear is that the opening up of the hotel onto a roof deck of retail has resulted in a development that has seen Arquitectonica successfully integrate hotel and retail while complementing the landscape, providing a point of reference for future development in the area.

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THE PODIUM COMPLEX, MANILA Located in the centre of the Ortigas District in Metro Manila, the Podium Complex consists of the 70,220 sqm Podium Mall; the 85,640 sqm East Tower, currently occupied the the Banco de Oro (BDO) Corporate Centre; and the 110, 120 sqm West Tower. Both office towers are 47 storeys tall, connected by the five storey Podium Mall, incorporating a basement supermarket and parking extending to six levels below grade. As a joint venture between one of the Philippines largest corporate entities, SM Group, BDO and Singaporebased Keppel Land, the entire project has been built in phases, starting as far back as 2002 and completed in 2019.

The masterplan arranges the towers at 45 degrees to the site in order to minimize direct views and provide a better, frontal response towards the main corner of Julia Vargas and ADB Avenue. The sculpted towers, whilst deliberately designed with distinct architectural forms to express the individual corporate identities required by the towers’ owners, are integrated in planning and materiality to create a coherent composition. Fins and frit patterns enhance the forms, and provide added solar protection, while the cut and chamfered corners reduce turbulent airflow, while also increasing valuable corner spaces. Meanwhile, the monumental greenwall façade of the Podium Mall provides an environmentally sustainable and eyecatching identify for city’s latest retail destination.

“Once again, this is a multi-client project. Not only do they want the project to be sustainable, they also want to the project to reflect that sustainability, which we achieved through the green wall of the façade,” explains John. “Low power LED lighting allows the client to draw as little energy off the grid as possible,” he adds. The mall circulation, with its main drop-off on ADB Avenue, and a secondary entrance on Julia Vargas, creates a natural short-cut between two of Manila’s main streets, while tower connections at grade and L6 are designed to maximise retail footfall. Major components include a supermarket, foodcourt and cineplex, with a variety of F&B, lifestyle and fashion offerings.

Added restaurants and bars on the landscaped podium deck provide a welcome outdoor dimension to the mix, while the Pod, a sculptural, multipurpose hall, is an eye-catching centerpiece which has become a favoured venue for private, retail and corporate events. With simple, intuitive and uncluttered interiors, Arquitectonica have successfully maximised viewlines and natural daylighting, while creating a dynamic, organic feel through free-form curves and an oval atria. The Mall’s large centre-court, designed to provide a communal hub for the whole development, is emblematic of Arquitectonica’s design philosophy of community, sustainability and vision.

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WELLNESS in a COVID-19 WORLD It is more important now than ever, to create a green and healthy workplace in the post-COVID-19 era. Since 2020, working from home has inspired many to restructure their lives to genuinely improve their work-life balance, after facing the inevitable re-evaluation of what it means to work and live a healthy life.

Most people relate Hong Kong with its iconic skyline and Victoria Harbour, but not many know that 40% of Hong Kong is covered by nature reserves.

In fact, over 70% of the city is covered by greenery. This landscape is unique to Hong Kong, where a short journey can bring you deep into nature, high atop a mountain peak with stunning, unobstructed views over the city, or to a cascading waterfall within a country park.

Spatial Concept’s objective for CBRE was to create a fully agile, activitybased workplace integrated with green elements that successfully represents CBRE’s culture and vision of supporting their employees’ flexibility, productivity, wellness and mobility. The hospitality design approach facilitates that goal, giving the space a warm and welcoming atmosphere with a variety of spaces to provide choice for teams to work, collaborate and socialise in.

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s the awareness and demand for human-centric workplaces grows in a world that is rapidly evolving, many companies are looking to accommodate these needs and align themselves with positive trends that benefit everyone. Spatial Concept’s design partnership with CBRE Hong Kong is an excellent example of taking extra steps to raise the standard of workplace design beyond aesthetics. By being attentive to the needs of employees and ensuring standards are met with precision, companies have the power to provide employees with an environment in which they can truly thrive and perform.

CBRE Hong Kong taking the lead in a new-generation workplace

Images: Spatial Concept

Many meeting spaces of the office have sitting or standing options, as well as ergonomic height-adjustable desks in individual workstations. Due to the agile design of the office, it was easy to incorporate COVID-19 preventive measures such as spacing out tables and chairs one metre apart as per governmental guidelines.

City & Parks

As one of the most influential commercial real estate services companies in the world, CBRE has adopted different designs into their global offices reflecting local culture and stories. Their Hong Kong office exemplifies the ‘City and Parks’ concept, with design elements derived from the contrast between Hong Kong’s skyscrapers and its country parks, nature reserves and urban gardens.

Text: Mike Staley

CBRE’s office employs a flexible workplace strategy which allows employees to work anywhere according to their tasks and where they feel comfortable.

There is no assigned seating and they have a clean desk policy in place, giving employees a great variety of work settings to choose from.

Jasper Lau

City aspects include the workspace, utility and locker areas, which are derived from Hong Kong’s iconic city grid, narrow alleys, neon lights and street signage. Glazed rooms are fitted with matrix patterned mullions that make conference spaces look sleek and clean. Vertical neon signs with Chinese characters light and tint smaller rooms for private calls and larger ones for group discussions.

Parks sections are communal areas such as the reception, meeting rooms, pantry and collaboration areas – spaces intended for community activities and social wellbeing. Materially, park references are represented by architectural elements juxtaposing native flora and fauna in gardens and rural areas. A

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custom-made garden moon gate crafted out of brass defines the space in a dramatic form, symbolizing the community nature of the area.

Many features are either made from recycled materials, are recyclable, or both.

Sustainability was considered as much as the vibrance and colours it brought to the overall atmosphere. The Lilypad acoustic absorption boards are made from recycled materials and the environmentally friendly terrazzo flooring in the staff area was sourced from a local supplier. The office carpet contains highrecycled content, plus the vinyl flooring of the locker area is recyclable. The brass moon gate in the communal staff pantry was manufactured locally and a local innovator was employed for the paint finish. Other decorative details such as plants, tiles etc. were also locally sourced where possible, minimising carbon footprints from shipping and transportation.

Green walls and plants embellish the office space throughout. Visitors and clients are greeted by a green wall framing the CBRE logo at the reception and to the left in the meeting room, bright green moss and upcycled tree trunks adorning the boardroom wall references maps of Hong Kong’s outlying islands.

On the Rise Café green wall, special kinetic lighting creates an illusion of plants gently swaying in a light breeze.

To encourage the production of less waste, individual bins are not provided at desks. Instead, centralized bin collections (with recycling bins) are located near utility areas. All meeting rooms including the general office have been installed with energy-saving light and motion sensors to trigger light only when there are people inside the room.

Recycling, Local Supply Chain, Energy Consumption

WELL Gold certification

The CBRE project involved a collaboration with local wood upcycling artist Parry Ling from Post Tree Lifestyle, who specialises in collecting fallen trees and upcycling them into sculptures and furniture. Ling salvaged some tree trunks that had been knocked down by a typhoon and created a few sculptural pieces for the office. First is the statement reception desk, a cocreation between Ling and Spatial Concept, which acts as a sculptural installation and focal point of the Client Area. This respect for wood and giving fallen trees a second life is a testament to CBRE’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

CBRE Hong Kong office is WELL Gold pre-certified. WELL a building standard framework that is rigorously tested and vetted to advance health and well-being around the world. The accreditation uses performancebased metrics centred around the health of building occupants to promote comfort, productivity, and most of all, reflect the values a company places on their employees. CBRE Hong Kong’s pre-certification was awarded in accordance to the WELL certification scoring system which includes many features under the categories of: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind and Community.

22 DESIGN

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24 FEATURE

KNOWING THE RISKS IN REAL-TIME A

s engineering consultants with extensive experience in delivering sustainability solutions for green and healthy buildings worldwide, we understand how important it is to know a building’s potential for airborne pathogen transmission.

BEE Incorporations (BEE) partnered with RESET, the world’s first sensorbased and performance-driven data Standard for healthy building operations, to support and advise our clients how to reduce the risk of viral infections within their spaces. This Index, now integrated within BEE Sense, allows realtime assessment of the ability to minimise infection potential from airborne transmission factors using parameters monitored by BEE Sense, such as levels of PM2.5, temperature, humidity, and CO2 data.

This indicator provides real-time information of how optimised the space is for human health. With RESET’s Viral Index integrated into BEE Sense, building operators and occupants can be informed of the risk of possible virus transmission from indoor spaces in real-time, aiding the enactment of remediation strategies expeditiously and effectively so that occupants can avoid potential harm.

Text & Images: BEE Incorporations

Krista Chan

LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE It is undeniable that buildings will not look the same after this pandemic.

People are starting to demand healthier designs and operations for their spaces. Monitoring indoor environmental quality is essential in any space as it helps us understand the sources of indoor environmental pollutants (including pathogens) and control them to prevent potential health-problems. It also helps both landlords and tenants protect themselves against any claims that might be made against them.

Green building cer tifications are moving towards the real time performance monitoring as well. LEED has launched their Arc platform and IWBI will soon release their WELL Performance Rating. BEE Sense is the only platform that’s fully integrated and compatible with both Certifications for automatic scoring.

BEE is one of the leading building engineering consultancies specialised in sustainability and technology deployment for maximising resource efficiency and health and wellness within built spaces. As the only Asia-based company recognised as both WELL Enterprise Provider and LEED Proven Provider, BEE has delivered hundreds of successful LEED and WELL projects in over 35 countries.

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bee-inc.com

26 FEATURE

FIRST INTEGRATED GREEN BUILDING CLOUD DATA PLATFORM LAUNCHED IN HONG KONG

T

he advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed a great deal of our daily life, including the work from home arrangements, with restrictions placed on face-to-face communication and project coordination.

Despite these challenges, BEAM Society Limited (“BSL”) embraces the new opportunities to step outside the comfort zone, creating a new assessment automation system for the industry at large.

What is iBEAM? Launched by BSL on 13 May 2021, iBEAM is the first-ever locally developed integrated green building cloud data platform in Hong Kong. As a state-ofthe-art platform, iBEAM collects, manages, standardises, submits, reports, discloses and processes data related to BEAM Plus, built environment and sustainable development. The BEAM Plus assessment workflow on iBEAM features intelligent project management, online real-time communication and secured data management, presenting iBEAM as a platform of high reliability, consistency and security. Project teams can thus upload all building data to a single cloud platform, which enhances transparency, security and integrity of the assessment process while reducing carbon emission towards a greener built environment in Hong Kong.

Capable of analysing 450,000 entries of project data related to the built environment and sustainable development yearly, iBEAM would promote a common data environment for the prediction of green building development trends and making visionary suggestions for sustainable development across the industry. It also enables users to step closer to a paperless process and assists in reducing our complete carbon footprint.

Text & Images: BEAM Society Limited

Mr Frankie So Hung Fai, Chairperson of iBEAM Project Steering Committee says, “We anticipate an annual uptake of 10,000 users and 200 building assessment applications upon the launch of iBEAM, with steady growth in subsequent years.” In the long run, iBEAM will facilitate the transformation of Hong Kong into a smarter, greener and more resilient city as envisioned in the Hong Kong 2030+ and the Smart City Blueprint for Hong Kong 2.0.

iBEAM provides practical solutions for public benefits The rising awareness of environmental protection and sustainable development has heralded increasing public attention to the overall quality of the built environment. To date, BEAM Plus has certified green building developments encompassing over 18.6 million square metres of space, equivalent to over 2.5 square metres per capita. This makes BEAM Plus one of the most widely used voluntary green building labelling schemes of its kind in the world on a per capita basis.

BSL commenced the design and development of iBEAM in April 2020. Five engagement talks were held throughout the development stage, garnering over 1,100 industry participants. Before the launch of iBEAM, constructive feedback was obtained from the iBEAM Xperience Studio, a flagship experiential workshop that engaged over 100 construction professionals and 14 consultancy firms in the industry, to further refine the system in terms of functionality and practicality before the official roll-out.

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Under the COVID-19 pandemic, what will iBEAM bring to society?

What are the real-life examples?

• The significance of iBEAM is not only limited to COVID-19, but also in coping with any possible disruptions resulting from the unexpected events that might emerge in the future.

• In spite of the emergence of pandemics, iBEAM and BEAM Plus seeks continuous improvement and works in coordination with the development of society and the environment.

• From the architectural perspective, how can we meet the ever-demanding public health requirements in terms of design and application with iBEAM?  Design: With expert analysis and

evaluation, data collected can be used to improve building services design.

 A pplicat ion: Chang es in Exis t ing

Mr LIU Chun-san, JP, Under Secretary for Development notes, “BEAM Society had been a close partner of the Government in promoting green building environment ever since her establishment in the 1990s. The development and adoption of iBEAM is most welcomed by the Development Bureau. iBEAM aligns with our two major visions: to develop smart, green and resilient new towns; and to adopt innovation including digitalisation technology for the construction industry as envisioned in Construction 2.0.”

Ms Ivy LEE Siu Wing, Chairperson of BSL, adds, “iBEAM is part of the green building journey. Looking ahead, BSL will continue to work closely with the governments of the Greater Bay Area and Hong Kong, as well as our strategic partners, professional and educational institutes. Working hand in hand, we will create a more sustainable and liveable environment for mankind.”

About BEAM Society Limited BEAM Society Limited (BSL) is a non-profit organisation established in 1996, which was later incorporated in 2010. Being the developer and owner of the Building Environmental Assessment Method (BEAM), BEAM Society Limited (BSL) is committed to administering and developing the BEAM Plus Assessment Tools.

BSL offers impartial assessment on building sustainability and builds capacity by providing training for BEAM practitioners – BEAM Professionals (BEAM Pro) and BEAM Affiliates. BSL has become a public body under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance since 2016.

About BEAM Plus BEAM Plus offers a comprehensive set of performance criteria for a wide range of sustainability issues relating to the planning, design, construction, commissioning, fitting out, management, operation and maintenance of a building.

BEAM Plus Assessment Tools available include: BEAM Plus New Buildings, BEAM Plus Existing Buildings, BEAM Plus Interiors, BEAM Plus Neighbourhood and BEAM Plus New Data Centres and BEAM Plus Existing Data Centres.

Buildings assessment details could be made in response to COVID-19, for example, air circulation.

• iBEAM can analyse 450,000 pieces of data from built environments and waste management, identifying a better methodology for building design in a quicker manner.

• Indoor Air Quality is crucial for disease prevention. Data can be fed into iBEAM to enable more comprehensive review of the ventilation ef ficiency and to enable managements to take appropriate precautions for potential epidemics.

• iBEAM could act as a solution provider supported by t he data collected on the platform. As such, green building development trend can be traced. It can assist developers, builders and the Government in the post-pandemic era in planning and designing a healthier and more liveable built environment.

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GREEN BUILDINGS HIGHLIGHT CARBON REDUCTION POTENTIAL AS THE CLIMATE CRISIS RINGS ALARM BELLS, AGAIN! Jing Wang, Director, North Asia, USGBC & GBCI

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T

he sixth assessment report recently released by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a red alert for humanity. It identifies the direct impact of human activity on global warming and predicts that we are likely to see a 1.5°C global temperature rise in two decades a tipping point once broken we will see increasingly extreme heatwaves, droughts and flooding. We must accelerate the pace of emission reduction while make our buildings, communities and cities more resilient.

THE MITIGATION POTENTIAL OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Achieving net zero emission is the most ambitious goal set by the entire construction industry to tackle climate change. The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group*, including Hong Kong, clearly requires to develop a pathway to achieve net zero city by 2050. According to a report by the World Resources Institute, Hong Kong needs to cut 32 million tons of carbon dioxide to achieve its 2050 net zero goal. Three key areas with the greatest potential for carbon reduction are “decarbonized energy”, “building energy efficiency” and “transport energy efficiency”. Hong Kong’s construction industry could reduce 10.6 million tons of carbon emissions by adopting energy-saving measures.

The construction industry accounts for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions and plays a vital role in the sustainable movement worldwide. Launched by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 1998, LEED standard is now used in 181 countries and territories and has become a common language in green buildings globally. LEED enables green buildings to prove their enormous potential to mitigate climate change. LEED certified buildings use less energy and water; consider life cycle impacts and embodied carbon, allowing buildings to assess the product life cycle greenhouse gas emissions from the beginning; apply sustainable strategies to promote long-term mechanisms that have positive climate impact. In addition, LEED certification system focuses on several core categories to reduce a building’s carbon footprint from various dimensions such as site, transportation, energy, materials and indoor air quality, etc. An assessment by the U.S. General Services Administration shows that compared to traditional constructions, high-performance buildings (many vof them are LEED-certified) consume 23% less energy, 28% less water and generate 9% less landfill waste.

Text & Images: USGBC & GBCI

USGBC & GBCI

Due to the outstanding performance of green buildings, LEED has become a must-to-have for developers to implement sustainability initiatives. According to USGBC North Asia, Hong Kong has been among the top 10 cities in China by the number of LEED certifications for several years. Landmark projects such as One Taikoo Place, Two International Finance Centre, K11 Musea have all been LEED certified.

GREEN FINANCE BOOSTS GREEN BUILDINGS In addition to carbon reduction, there are several factors that enhance LEED’s position to real estate developers. As Hong Kong Stock Exchange made its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) disclosure compulsory in 2016, listed developers must strengthen their efforts in green buildings and sustainable development to avoid falling behind their peers; meanwhile, in terms of green finance, green bonds, credit, funds and other green products in Hong Kong are booming. Many Hong Kong developers have begun to use green financial instruments such as green bonds and sustainability linked loans to raise funds. Green building has become a powerful tool to measure enterprise’s green performance.

On the other hand, green assets also show “excess returns” on investment value. In 2019, the “White Paper on Green Finance and Real Estate” released

by JLL pointed out that the average rent of LEED-certified office buildings is about 10% higher than non-green ones. Similar premium has been observed in en-bloc sales.

BETTER BUILDINGS EQUAL BETTER LIVES USGBC’s vision is “better buildings equal better lives”. Through carbon emissions reduction, LEED could be able to address climate change and improve the long-term well-being of our generation and future generations.

High-performance office buildings, shopping malls, restaurants, and residences enable us to enjoy a healthy and comfortable indoor environment, improving our quality of life. In 2018, USGBC launched the Living Standard campaign, aiming to attract a wider range of people outside green building field. Only when people understand the importance of green buildings in sustaining health and combating climate change, we can make deliberate choices when we choose the place where we shelter, work, learn and connect.

* C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group is a network of the world’s megacities committed to addressing climate change.

13 cities in China have joined C40, namely Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Wuhan, Nanjing, Dalian, Chengdu, Qingdao, Fuzhou, Hangzhou and Zhenjiang.

32 FEATURE

減碳潛力

綠色建築凸顯 氣候危機警報再響

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60 11.5

Million tonnes of CO 2

50 40

35.8

1.0

30 20

-27.0

10

-10.6

0 2017 emissions

Population

Ecomomic growth

Decarbonised energy

Building energy efficiency

3.1 -6.7

-1.0

Transport energy effciency

Other

2050

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STATE OF GREEN: HIGHLIGHTS AND TAKEAWAYS FROM ULI GREENPRINT’S NEW PERFORMANCE REPORT

The year 2020 was one of deep tragedy and uncertainty. It also marked the first year in a pivotal decade for the real estate industry in making the transition to a lowcarbon future. In fact, investment in and achievement of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals surged last year, according to State of Green: ULI Greenprint Performance Report, Volume 12, an annual benchmark report just released by the ULI Greenprint Center for Building Performance.

T

he report presents the most recent snapshot of best practices and progress toward long-term goals from a growing network of leading real estate owners and developers. In 2020, the collective Greenprint community of 47 companies grew to include nearly 12,000 properties in 30 countries, up from just over 10,000 properties in 2019.

The global annual benchmark report also serves as a point of reference and inspiration for the industry, showing how companies are pushing forward to develop green buildings and decarbonize the built environment. This past year proved no different: • The COVID-19 pandemic did not slow progress on sustainability indicators; in fact, carbon emissions from Greenprint properties dropped a record 12.4 percent in 2020 from a year earlier.

Text: Mary Ludgin

Images: ULI & ROF Media

Krista Chan

• Leading global real estate companies are prioritizing sustainability in how they invest and how they operate their assets, with strong financial, social, and environmental returns; Greenprint members reported engaging in 14,000 ESG projects in 2020.

• Recognizing the importance of reducing emissions as part of an ESG strategy, an increasing number of companies have taken up the ULI Greenprint challenge to achieve net-zero carbon operations by 2050, covering over $570 billion in assets under management to date.

BROAD GAINS ON SUSTAINABILITY In 2020, the Greenprint portfolio saw significantly larger reductions than usual in all sustainability indicators, with record cuts in carbon emissions, energy use, water use, and waste sent to landfills. Compared with typical cuts of 1 to 3 percent annually, the Greenprint portfolio achieved the following reductions in 2020 from 2019: • • • •

Carbon emissions—12.4 percent; Energy use—12.5 percent; Water use—8.1 percent; and Landfill waste—11.7 percent.

These improvements are likely due, in part, to the impact stay-at-home orders had on commercial building occupancy.

Though median energy use in Greenprint member offices fell by more than 25 percent in some cities, drops in energy use in both Greenprint properties and the broader market were not as sizable as would be expected. In New York City, for example, office occupancy at the depth of the pandemic plummeted to just 5 percent, but energy use in city office buildings did not drop to the same extent, as buildings kept systems running. Greenprint office buildings reduced energy use by only 17.8 percent.

Also, with more people working from home, many predicted that energy use and carbon emissions would rise at multifamily properties, but the number of residents who left major metropolitan areas may have helped keep that from happening. In fact, energy use in Greenprint multifamily properties fell slightly— by just under 3 percent.

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A TRANSFORMATIVE YEAR The past year reshaped the urban landscape, creating opportunity for sustainability.

Nevertheless, now is not the time for the industry to let up on the pressure or a sense of urgency. The need for climate action has never been greater, and there has never been such a wealth of resources to support the industry in taking that action.

Reprinted with Permission by Urban Land Institute, ©2021.

It is unlikely, however, that historically low occupancy and stay-at-home orders can explain the larger across-the-board decreases completely. Greenprint members implemented a record number of ESG projects during 2020, driving reductions in carbon emissions, energy and water use, and landfill waste across the portfolio.

“The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the remarkable potential we have to adapt, innovate, and come together to support the measures necessary to create a better tomorrow,” says Ben Myers, vice president, sustainability, at Boston Properties. “We will continue to demonstrate our commitment and capacity to conduct our business in a manner that contributes to positive economic, social, and environmental outcomes for our customers, shareholders, employees, and the communities we serve.”

INCREASING COMMITMENT TO NET ZERO During 2020, the number of pledges by corporations, cities, and countries to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 grew considerably. Greenprint was no exception, launching a goal last year of net-zero carbon operations by 2050.

To date, 17 companies—including Heitman, which has an accelerated net-zero goal year of 2030—have signed on, comprising over 709 million square feet (65 million sq m) of space, and over 3,300 properties across 20 countries. As the Paris Agreement lays out, commitments to net zero are critical to ensuring that global warming is kept below 1.5 degrees Celsius and runaway climate change avoided. As the 2020 wildfire and hurricane season demonstrated with tragic clarity, climate risks are intensifying in frequency and severity, and rapidly reducing emissions is the only way to ensure that the real estate industry—and society at large—have a viable path forward.

About ULI Greenprint: The Greenprint Centre for Building Performance is part of ULI’s research centers and initiatives focused on climate mitigation, making the business case for green buildings by tying reductions in carbon emissions to increases in asset value. The research team cover topics ranging from city/real estate climate policy to sustainable tenant fitouts to net zero and everything in between.

ULI Greenprint also includes a global membership alliance of real estate owners and developers committed to improving the environmental performance of the global real estate industry. Many Greenprint member companies have global portfolios with assets across Asia Pacific (e.g. Allianz, Brookfield, LaSalle Investment Management, Prologis, DWS, PGIM, Nuveen, Pembroke, and others), and 3 are based in the region (NEO, City Developments Limited, Asia Capital Real Estate). Through measurement, benchmarking, knowledge sharing, and implementation of best practices, Greenprint and its members strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and to achieve net zero carbon operations by 2050.

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Conran and Partners has been working in Japan for over 25 years, as well as in other parts of Asia. The most ambitious of these projects, certainly in terms of scale, is Futako Tamagawa in Tokyo.

FUTAKO TAMAGAWA C

onran and Partners won a limited competition to become master planners and design architects for Futako Tamagawa, a 13-year mixeduse project which considers an urban quarter running parallel to the banks of the Tama River in the Setagaya district of Tokyo.

Extending over 20 hectares (nearly 50 acres), and offering some 400,000 square metres of office, leisure, retail and residential floor space, Futako Tamagawa was one of the largest developments in the city in recent years. It is the first masterplan project in the world acquiring LEED Gold certification.

As both Design Architect and Design Supervisor, the practice prioritised the importance of landscaping and open communal spaces, further enhancing the fresh, open character of the riverside. The emphasis on green space within this process of place-making led to a close collaboration with landscape designers, Landscape Plus, and the broader team of local architects and consultants.

At the time of construction, the project was Tokyo’s largest single development. Split into two phases the project delivered 260,000 square metres of mixed-use development.

Text & Images: Conran and Partners

Derek Leung

In addition to the new landscape and park amenity spaces, the scheme includes two department stores, a retail galleria, a 400,000 square metre office building, three residential towers ranging from 28 to 40 storeys, as well as two low-rise residential buildings providing a total of 1,000 apartments, all connected with the local train station, Futako-Tamagawa Station, located on the north-east bank of the Tama River and served by two arterial lines.

Conran and Partnars sought to create a green steppingstone of scale, within a dense residential district, that carries visitors through to the River Tama. A generous new green landscape, with retail spaces beneath, provides a muchused amenity for the whole neighbourhood, whilst a circulation ribbon connects the various buildings from the railway station to the west through to new residential towers to the east.

The design of the buildings, which all settle on a unifying stone plateau, responds to the changing environment on this route. The feel is more solid and vibrant around the railway station, then becomes lighter and finer in detail as it moves to the east, representing the journey from the city to nature. The design concept responds to the essential elements of the site, its location on the very edge of Tokyo. The scheme reflects the site's important transitionary role at the threshold between city and nature in this popular, family-orientated neighbourhood.

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40 FEATURE

HEALING the ECOLOGY of WUHAN’S WETLAND WONDER Healing and reviving through design

Restoring flow

Designed by L&A Design, one of China’s leading land planning, urban design and landscape architects, Wuhan OCT Wetland Park is paving the way towards a post-pandemic era in the heart of the city’s ecological leisure area in downtown Wuchang District. Sustainable innovation and creative inclusion lies at the heart of the studio’s philosophy and the project sets out to reverse the effects of a failing water circulation system and poor air quality, with the aim of making the park an attractive leisure option for visitors.

L&A began with restoration of the 70,000 square metre water area of the wetland park, where silt accumulation and algal outbreak had caused serious eutrophication causing blockage to the flow of water. Working alongside water treatment company, Wuhan Zhongke Hydrobiological Environment Engineering Co., the design team began by adding a new lift pump and renovating the existing revetment via the addition of two water purification barriers. Today, the wetland park pumps 87,000 square metres of water from the city’s East Lake every year, while the annual precipitation is reported to be around 140,000 square metres. The whole park now successfully purifies around 180,000 square metres of water each year, in addition to excess overflowing rainwater.

Located in the ecological leisure area of downtown Wuhan East Lake Scenic Spot, the park had suffered from serious eutrophication, resulting in fewer birds and wildlife and poor air quality. This project was given special significance given its proximity to the outbreak of the pandemic and a desire to revitalise the natural beauty of the area.

Information & Images: World Architecture Festival

ROF Media

And with as many of the existing emergent ornamental water plants preserved as possible during this process, others were replaced by native species and aquatic plants such as aquatic canna, iris, yellow iris and willow herb. Low maintenance vegetation such as Chinese violet cress, blue grass, white clover and vervain were also planted on the waterscape islands, while on land wild plants were replanted to enhance the wetland area’s natural

41

characteristics and attract insects. With ecological stability greatly improved on-site surveys now show 29 species of waders have been recorded in the park, including swamp chickens, Chinese pond herons and Eurasian blackbirds.

Colour therapy

Within the park the original mottled paved bridge was renovated based on the principle of low cost and low impact, using simple recolouring techniques. The resulting rainbow bridge now paves the way above the greens of the wetland park, providing visitors with a calming and relaxing visual experience. Parts of the bridge deck were replaced with bamboo and wood paving, and a bird-watching platform adding at the node of the bridge.

Anti-glare illumination designed to provide pedestrian lighting with low habitat intervention was also installed.

In addition, the existing waterfront pavilion was repainted in strong reds to contrast with the abundant greens of the natural environments. Added seating is also a feature designed to attract people to interact with nature

at the water’s edge. And with the natural environment being used as a canvas, colours are added for impact, with the aim of creating a healing energy for visitors.

Previously unwelcoming viewing facilities, lacking in aesthetic and practical value, were upgraded to include recreational facilities and bird-watching equipment. Continuing the theme of low impact respect for nature, the pavilion’s façade was renovated using wood and bamboo, with a skyviewing platform combined with the rainbow corridor, is completed with the installation of telescopes to allow visitors to enjoy the park’s spectacular panorama.

The result is a healthy public space that works to restore urban vitality, optimise the natural ecology and to create an environment that harmonises man and nature whilst healing the trauma of the pandemic.

The project will appear in the Landscape category of this year’s World Architecture Festival.

42 FEATURE

The World Architecture Festival and Inside World Festival of Interiors 2021 will now take place online.

However it is not to be missed, with 18 digital crit rooms and 18 sets of international judges, the WAF 2021 The World Architecture Festival and digital edition offers the widest Inside World Festival of Interiors access tonow the largest amount of 2021 will take place online. content history the festival Howeverinitthe is not to beofmissed, with Book your ticket now at: worldarchitecturefestival.com

18 digital crit rooms and 18 sets of 1-3 December international judges, 2021 the WAF 2021 digital edition offers the widest access to the largest amount of content in the history of the festival #WAF2021 1-3 December 2021 Delegate enquiries +44 (0)20 3953 2045 info@worldarchitecturefestival.com

Sponsorship opportunities Damien St George +44 (0)20 3953 2789 damien.stgeorge@emap.com

Founder Partner

Headline partners

Delegate enquiries +44 (0)20 3953 2045 info@worldarchitecturefestival.com

Sponsorship opportunities Damien St George +44 (0)20 3953 2789 damien.stgeorge@emap.com

Founder Partner

Headline partners

#WAF2021

MAAT MUSEUM IN LISBON BY AL_A. PHOTOGRAPH BY FERNANDO MAAT MUSEUM GUERRA +INSÉRGIO LISBONGUERRA

BY AL_A. PHOTOGRAPH BY FERNANDO GUERRA + SÉRGIO GUERRA

Book your ticket now at: worldarchitecturefestival.com

44 AWARDS

WAF Reveals 2021 Timber Prize Shortlist T

he World Architecture Festival (WAF), the world’s largest annual, international, live architectural event, has revealed the 2021 Best Use of Certified Timber Shortlist, supported for the third year in a row by Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).

PEFC is an international non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting Sustainable Forest Management through independent certification. Globally, over 320 million hectares of forest area are managed in compliance with PEFC's internationally accepted Sustainability. PEFC certification provides assurances that forests are managed in line with demanding environmental, social and economic requirements.

Certified timber is now a key requirement in many building projects from structural applications such as timber frame, engineered wood products such as Glulam, Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) and Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), to components such as engineered floor cassettes, roof trusses and joinery products.

CEO of PEFC International, Ben Gunneberg, said: “While some architects chose timber for its flexibility and robustness, others appreciate its natural look and the positive effects it has for people, climate and the planet. Our expertise lies in managing forests sustainably, PEFC is pleased to partner with WAF to promote responsible timber sourcing helping architects and their clients to request full traceability as well as reduce the carbon footprint of the buildings.”

This year’s eight shortlisted projects highlight the work of practices across the world that push new boundaries in the use of certified timber, in terms of construction, sustainability and aesthetics.

IN THE HEART OF THE FOREST Another shortlisted project is Scion Innovation Hub, Te Whare Nui o Tuteata. It is a workplace located on the edge of the redwood forest in Whakarewarewa Forest Park in New Zealand’s North Island.

Text: Mike Staley

Photos: World Architecture Festival

It is an exhibition of wood-fibre technology curated beneath a trio of glulam timber ‘peaks’, making it a cutting-edge showcase for engineered timber. The three-storey, 2,000 square metre building, is believed to be a world-first for a wooden diagrid structure of its size. Diagonal grid structures (diagrids) are an efficient way to provide strength and stiffness and require less material than traditional structures.

Engineered timbers have been used for their physical properties, sustainability and environmental performance. The diagrid frames and entry canopies use Glulam and laminated veneer lumber technology. The floor beams and roof trusses have been manufactured from laminated veneer lumber. The connections between the diagrid units include a component designed to deform during severe earthquakes to protect the building. New Zealand is prone to regular tectonic activity.

Over the building’s expected life, the building is carbon neutral. The 454 m³ of structural wood in the building stores approximately 418 tonnes of CO2-e.

This is equivalent to the emissions from 160 people taking return flights from Auckland to London. New Zealand radiata pine forests can regrow this amount of wood in 35 minutes.

Traditional tukutuku weaving inspired the design on the double-skin glass façade, which provides heat recovery in winter and regulates thermal gains in summer.

Other energy saving features include natural ventilation, solar shading and LED lighting. The puhoro design on the middle peak represents speed and agility. The mang pare design on the outer peaks represents the hammerhead shark, showing strength and power.

A WOODEN VESSEL FLOATING Included this year is The Ariake Gymnastics Centre, a purpose-built venue for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, by Nikken Sekkei + Shimizu Corporation.

The 12,000-capacity building is defined by a striking timber floating vessel that wraps around it, and extensive timber throughout: a commitment to sustainability and an homage to the district’s historical connection to the timber industry.

Krista Chan

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The Centre is designed to function in two phases; initially as a temporary international sports competition facility, then, after taking out the temporary spectator stands, it will be converted into a permanent exhibition hall. The material was also selected to express the memory of this district which was once a timber storage pond. Timber is used wherever possible, specifically in the roof frame structure, facade, spectator seats, exterior walls, etc. while carefully considering the characteristics of wood in each application.

The arena ceiling is supported by a wood frame designed to reduce the weight of the overall structure. The concourse space, where spectators approach the arena, is intentionally placed outdoors. The wood facade considers both acoustic and thermal insulation properties. Function, structure, and space are tightly combined to achieve beauty and richness in simplicity, which is the essence of Japanese traditional wood architecture.

WAF includes the biggest international architectural awards programme in the world, dedicated to celebrating excellence via live presentations to an audience of high-profile delegates and international juries. WAF is where the world architecture community meets to celebrate, learn, exchange and be inspired.

To see the shortlisted projects, please visit: https://www.prc-magazine.com/ world-architecture-festival-reveals-2021timber-prize-shortlist/ Scion Innovation Hub, Whakarewarewa Forest Park, New Zealand

46 AWARDS

47

The Ariake Gymnastics Centre,Tokyo, Japan

48 INTERVIEW

HO CHI MINH CITY HIGHER / GREENER THE ECO GREEN HYATT REGENCY TOWER REPRESENTS A NEW AND EXCITING BENCHMARK FOR HO CHI MINH CITY – WITH THE RECENT OPENING OF LANDMARK81, THE CITY IS GROWING IN BOTH ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL IMPORTANCE.

D

ecibel Architecture (dB(A)) has designed an integrated resort and mixed-use complex across more than 75,000 square metres of GFA, with a single major tenant, the world-renowned Hyatt Regency occupying the entire tower with a new destination 5-Star full-service offer.

Dylan Brady, Founder and Conductor of dB(A), told PRC Magazine: “From the podium of restaurants, lounges, conference and function facilities, across the spa, gymnasium and integrated wellness facilities, and topped with a destination restaurant, bar and pool deck, the cascading podium grows into a series of mid-rise office towers, clustered around the base of the soaring hotel above.”

Rising to 275m, the hotel is topped with a Public Skydeck, taking in the views and sight of the glittering city and river laid out to the north. Above the Skydeck is a signature Skydining crown, with a rotating floor and integrated arched ceilings, opening the patrons’ eyes to the world all around.

“Sustainability is at the heart of the aspiration, with the project becoming the iconic centrepiece of the successful Eco Green Saigon development,” he adds. “The developer Xuan Mai Sai Gon has a deep belief and commitment to green design and dB(A) has the world’s highest pedigree in sustainable design, here applied in this instance to create a Platinum Rated Green Lotus project, utilising integrated district cooling, and precinct wide strategies on water recycling, energy generation and waste management.” dB(A) also recently won the adjacent 20-storey Hyatt House branded luxury living complex project, with the integration of these two projects completing the major Eco Green Sai Gon precinct that anchors and symbolises the bright future of District 7 in the growing metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City.

“It is a massive vote of confidence in the design and location, and places Vietnam firmly on the map for its commitment to designing greener, more ecologically responsible architecture.”

For more information, please visit www.db-a.co.

Text: Mike Staley Renders: Durek Visualisation + Decibel Architecture Jasper Lau

49

50 INTERVIEW

Jean Paul

TALKING SILICONE PRC Magazine talks to DOW Technologies about its commitment to sustainability in the built environment.

I

t is no secret that the built environment is responsible for a significant part of global energy consumption and carbon emissions. This is partly due to the embedded elements linked to the raw material and components needed to build, but even more due to the energy and related carbon dioxide emissions aligned to operating buildings.

At Dow Technologies, their commitment to contribute to sustainability is paramount in the production of their silicone products. While the production of Dow’s silicon products require energy, they can be used in very low quantities when it comes to applications including pre-fabricated façade elements and glass insulation thus helping to significantly improve the energy efficiency of buildings. In addition proven durability allow the insulated envelope elements to last more than 50 years, according to research. The energy or carbon ratio for Dow’s silicone sealants is also positive, conserving up to 20 times more energy achieving a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions compared to the energy needed to produce them.

But according to Jean-Paul Hautekeer, Global Strategic Marketing Director – Dow Building, Construction & Infrastructure, this is not enough: “We are currently working on technologies that also decarbonise our silicones themselves, by reducing down to net zero the carbon needed to produce the silicone polymers which are the building blocks of our products,” he explains. “We are also making progress in the development process to recycle them at the end of their lifetime so that we can completely close the loop for circularity in the future,” he adds.

Hautekeer is positive that silicone will remain the technology of choice when it comes to the assembling of buildings, not least because it is a wise choice in terms of long-term performance and carbon footprint, but also because they further enhance carbon neutrality and recyclability.

Text: Elizabeth Dooley

Images: DOW

ROF Media

EXPANDING DOW’S SILICONE RANGE Acknowledging the popularity of structural glazing in modern pure glass facades, Hautekeer and his team are confident that DOW’s silicone is chemically anchored. In addition DOW’s technologies mean that the glass panes of the insulating glass, as well as the exterior joints between large glass units, can be structurally bonded to seal and protect against wind, water and rain. And with an extensive range of high performance silicones on offer, DOW is taking its commitment to sustainability one step further, with plans to launch its DOW High Performance Building FAÇADE, the first every PAS 2060 certified low carbon silicone by the end of 2021.

“This is a huge development and a revolutionar y change that is strengthened by Dow’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) efforts, which is having a positive impact on the environment and the well-being of local communities,” notes Hautekeer. “The introduction of carbon neutral silicone materials will bring a completely new dimension to our technology offer, with externally audited carbon emission (CO2) certificates,” he adds.

Available anywhere in the world, customers can now show their own commitment towards sustainability by investing in a low carbon range for façades on a project specific basis, including silicones for structural glazing, insulating glazing and weatherproofing. And with silicone being a powerful enabling technology that is surely set to contribute to an evolution in curtain wall designs with a reduced carbon footprint, the future of energy efficient facades looks bright. And moving forward, cross-disciplinary industry collaboration will do doubt further acceleate the adoption of fully integrated designs which will play an important role in the ongoing development of low carbon solutions.

“A holistic view at the overall design and life-cycle of a building or a façade is important and sometimes forgotten building materials used in a façade design also deserve equal attention, which should include material durability, circularity, recycling and of course its carbon footprint,” explains Hautekeer.

“And given the indication that about 11% of the carbon equation are generated by building materials, carbon neutrality it is not about buying offsets. Rather it is a journey and a commitment towards continuously reducing the carbon footprint of the production of materials, and this does not happen over night.”

“Our aim is to provide enabling technologies which support energy efficiency and energy reductions during building operations, for example sealing and bonding solutions to integrate photovoltaics (BIPV) into facades.

We also seek to provide high durability innovations based on our proven silicone technology. Most, if not all of the technologies we consider for research and development investment are now screened through a sustainability lens that benefits the consumer and the planet. It’s an approach that is now not just embedded in the DNA of our teams, but is also a required by our investors and employees,” he adds.

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Build for what’s next.

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To get started now, visit procore.com/en-sg/main-contractors

53

PAPER, POINT SOLUTIONS OR PLATFORM? Why a construction management platform is needed now more than ever

T

he industry is starting to see a brighter, yet more challenging tomorrow.

Reports indicate the industry will return to pre-COVID levels by 2023 but it will be a “new normal” marked by labour shortages and other challenges. Now, more than ever, the industry is turning to construction management software platforms to provide a long-term solution to connecting remote teams so they can continue building while staying safe, from office to jobsite. The time to adopt a smarter construction solution is now–the right digital tools for the right tasks; managed centrally to maximise communications, enhance productivity and reduce costs.

When it comes to managing construction projects, not all solutions are created equal. Typically, businesses primarily rely on: Paper: Relying on manual processes often leads to data across multiple locations, delayed site-to-office communication and complex documentation.

Not only is this method not mobile, but with no document version control, teams are often left using outdated drawings–an easy recipe for quality issues and rework.

Point Solutions: Data scattered across singular-focused solutions–one for estimating, one for billing, one for scheduling, and so on–means teams must learn entirely separate systems and often risk losing information as it moves from one system to the next. Worse, they’re likely to drown in data, third-party integration costs and administrative fees.

Platform: A platform is a streamlined system that connects solutions instead of fragmenting them. All project information lives in one place. All stakeholders– from the site to the office–have one, integrated source of truth, helping ensure information is accurate, up-to-date and efficient. Businesses also reduce the risk of error and rework throughout a project–and that alone can protect profit margins in the long run.

For general contractors, having a platform enables you to manage your entire project more efficiently from the palm of your hand by replacing manual tasks with seamless and automated workflows. Ensure your owners have full visibility into daily operations so you can avoid time-consuming check-ins. It is a level of professionalism that will distinguish your company in a project owner’s eyes.

See who your most and least productive subcontractors are with visual dashboards and reports. Eliminate double entry, manual reporting and information silos that pose a risk to project schedules and budgets. Detailed record keeping that includes completed inspection forms, project photos illustrating issues and dated sign-off forms can help provide project insight. Your team can identify and resolve issues before they become bigger problems, to keep your project on time and within budget–without sacrificing your firm’s reputation or others’ safety.

The October 2020 McKinsey report, “Rise of the platform era: The next chapter in construction technology”, issued a dire warning. “Continued uncertainty on recovery timelines and the risk of virus resurgence could drive an additional wave of bankruptcies among smaller players, further accelerating the trend toward industry consolidation … The COVID-19 pandemic has only served to provide additional urgency to the preexisting productivity and data-visibility issues facing construction companies ... These investment trends, coupled with end users’ frustration with integrating the proverbial sea of point solutions, have driven a clear shift toward the development and launch of integrated platforms rather than point solutions.”

Talk to Procore today about how we can help you in the digital transformation journey or visit: https://proco.re/3CBMABK to download the FREE eBook: Paper, Point Solutions Or Platform.

Text & Images: Procore

Krista Chan

54 PRODUCT & TECH

RETROFITTING LIGHTING SYSTEMS FOR

HIGHER ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS

I

mproving the energy efficiency of large public facilities may not be as simple as making the switch to LEDs. Most LED lighting options require replacing all the property’s current fluorescent fixtures, which not only is wasteful but also costly. As not all LEDs are created equal, unsuspecting facility owners could fall victim to potential downfalls like poor lighting, inadequate light distribution, dark spots, equipment failures, and lumen maintenance issues.

When the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, the United States, planned to relamp the entire facility with a more energyefficient solution, its owner representative Daniel Paquette balked at the thought of changing all the fixtures. “We wanted the efficiency of LED lighting, but the prospect of replacing every fixture in order to achieve our goals of better light and energy savings, was not the way we wanted to go,” he said.

Text: ROF Media

Images: Building Solutions Ltd

Jasper Lau

This attitude shifted when he discovered the lighting solutions of ThinkLite, a proprietary technology that Building Solutions Ltd is implementing across Asia. The reaction of his team had been positive as the LEDs “provided more even light, increased foot-candles at court level and with no lighting hot spots.” Most importantly, the old fixtures did not have to be discarded.

ThinkLite LED lightings were retrofittable to all the light tube fixtures that originally lit the tennis courts at the Hall of Fame, saving much cost and time.

They also came with a five-year warranty that saves maintenance cost. The energy saving achieved was over 50% from the better and brighter ThinkLite lightings, complete with industry-leading 93 CRI (Colour Rendering Index.)

For Bogota Racquet Club in New Jersey, the savings in energy cost paid back the investment within one and a half year. Ognen Nikolovski, General Manager of the club, said, “We did not have to replace any fixtures with the ThinkLite solutions. This resulted in huge savings for us and we were able to complete the installation without much disruption to our members.

Keeping the old fixtures is a great differentiator for us and reinforces our green commitment as we are not retiring old fixtures to landfills to go with efficient LEDs. The ThinkLite LED lamps were so effective that we reduced the total number of lamps needed to effectively illuminate the clubs by 30%.”

55

T5 and T8 tubes

Downlight

Panel Light

By replacing the lighting in sports centres with Thinklite technology, the energy savings had turned out to be significant for Lasell University in Massachusetts.

According to Diane Parker, the university’s Associate VP of Finance, “ThinkLite’s innovative technology replaced 1000W Metal Halides with 240W high output T5 LEDs, reducing Lasell’s electric consumption by 76%.”

Carparks offer significant energy savings and environmental benefits from retrofitting ThinkLite LED lights. Joe Bertoni, Chief Engineer of Prudential Tower, Boston Properties in Massachusetts, said, “We went from 32W fluorescent to 8W ThinkLite LED with no sacrifice of light quality. That’s quite an accomplishment. For every watt we decrease, we save approximately US$11,000 in monthly lighting cost. So, to go from 32 to 8 watts is a huge financial win for us and brought our project ROI to approximately one year.”

Michael McGloin, Director of Operations at the real estate services firm Jones Lang LaSalle, said, “Boston’s well-known 1 Post Office Square was retrofitted with ThinkLite T8 LED HO tubes. All ten floors of the parking garage consisted of vapor tight fixtures with T8 Fluorescent tubes. ThinkLite was able to increase the overall brightness of the garage with their 131 Lumens/Watt high output T8 LED lamps, allowing the garage to improve their light levels by 20%, while maintaining all of the existing fixtures.”

High Bay Fixture

Solar Powered Street Light

Street Light with Smart Controls

Wilkes Passage, a premier building with luxurious condominiums in Boston, also reaped the cost benefits of using Thinkite LED lights. Brian Tripp, General Manager of Wilkes Passage, said “Last year we saved US$40,000 and this year we will save another US$50,000 just in energy alone.”

From solar powered LED street lights that completely take the lights off the grid (uses 0 Watt of electricity from the power grid), to LED panel lights for data centres, offices, hospitals and all built environments, ThinkLite LED technology offers higher energy savings, much longer service lifespan, better light quality and contributes more to the environment than other lighting products.

Building Solutions Ltd is the exclusive ThinkLite technology partner in Asia. J.S. Gan, Building Solutions Ltd’s Managing Director, said, “BSL actively develops and participates in projects that contribute towards carbon net zero. As a solution provider of proven and innovative products, we focus on contributing towards the global priority of tackling climate change.”

56 PRODUCT & TECH

57

www.hkbsl.com

58 OPINION

THE SKY'S THE LIMIT Exploring the Next Dimension in Mobility “Roads? Where we’re going, we do not…need…roads!”

It would seem celluloid has been our modern-day Nostradamus in predicting the future: one only needs to watch an episode of the Jetsons or Luc Besson’s 5th Element to realise that mankind’s desire to take to the sky via mechanised means has been a source of fascination since time immemorial.

Fiction is increasingly becoming the reality when it comes to exploring disruptive modes of transportation. And none conjures child-like excitement like the thought of taking to the skies.

Advanced Air Mobility is a fast-developing industry that will transport people and cargo by using revolutionary new electric aircraft with vertical take-off and landing capability - effectively connecting locations currently not served or underserved by aviation. It provides a new sustainable alternative to travel which will revolutionise short journey transfers across congested cities, city hubs and enable a connection between different modes of transport. Ultimately, it ushers a new spirit of aviation not seen since the bygone era of biplanes or the first jet aircraft – and a more environmentally friendly one at that.

E

very era has provided advances in mobility that have sought to provide an ease of movement for mankind to get from A to B and in turn have left an indelible mark on cities. Our streets and squares were once the arteries of movement for our horse-drawn carriages. As cities grew and populations increased, we widened streets to create boulevards for trams and buses; or we disappeared underground into public Mass Rapid Transport systems for the masses. And with the advent of the internal combustion engine, mankind adapted the city further to ensure that automobiles could be a more direct and rapid mode of personal transportation.

Text & Images: Prof Jason Pomeroy

Jasper Lau

Just think: in the space of less than half a century, the traditional city of spaces and the horse-drawn carriage was superseded by the modern city of objects and the automobile. If such disruptive technologies had such a profound impact on the ground, what will happen when we augment our mobility with capabilities that reach to the sky?

The notion of vertical air mobility may be happening sooner than you think and we have already seen such futuristic visions grace these shores. Singapore is at the forefront of this exciting transport revolution, having been the ‘living laboratory’ for electrical urban air mobility pioneer, Volocopter, and vertiport infrastructure company, Skyports, to test the world’s first passenger ‘vertiport’ in 2019. More vertiports will inevitably be planned to allow for a greater ease of movement across Singapore and beyond – tapping into its existing technology and advanced transport infrastructure with a new means of vertical transportation. Arguably, the notion of vertical air mobility aligns with Singapore’s future ready drive to being a Smart Nation and a

59

‘living laboratory’ for start-ups – especially given the government’s drive for zero-energy strategies, low carbon transportation, and accelerated circular thinking for the good of the planet. It heralds a new culture in mobility and positions Advanced Air Mobility as part of a transportation vocabulary for the 21st century.

Such aspirations may prove timely. By 2050, 75 percent of the global population will be living in cities – putting an inextricable strain on the streets that would have once accommodated 1/10 of the population. Compounded by climate change and pandemic, a revolution in mobility is required to transform cities and ensure they do not become casualties of mobility suffocation. It could be only a couple of years before electric vertical take-off and landing air-taxi’s will be as ubiquitous as its ground-bearing cousin and as such this will undoubtedly mean revisiting our spaces within the city as alternative landing zones. Disused docks, ports and the roof tops of forgotten buildings could have a new lease of life breathed into them which in turn offers prospects for urban regeneration.

Naturally, with any new disruptive technology there are legislative hurdles that need to be overcome. But if the past is anything to go by, mankind is tenacious enough to be able to find a path to both create and regulate for the good of civil society. Never has there been such an opportunity to apply technological ingenuity for positive urban disruption and for such benefit until now. As our team of experts with childlike curiosity and passion look to the future today, we are delighted to see Singapore as the launching pad for such innovation.

60 OPINION

A Sustainable Point of View and Continuing Questions of a Narrow

but Beloved City: I

am a part of the wasteful, conscious, too-ineffectual industry that talks a good game and acts too little. In a city of extreme property and finance, the direct and adverse impact to Mother Earth is severe. But I care and agonise over my fair share—I think of the rushed lunches and staring at the single-use plastic container option when I’d much rather be French and have a long slow locally sourced meal with a glass of pinot noir.

Yet, I walk this stage-set city of sloped neighbourhoods, its nooks and crannies a counterpoint, saving time while savouring the abundance of sensorial texture, all so uniquely Hong Kong. It is a fundamentally sound strategy of compact density, a lighter land imprint, fed by MTR lines resulting in key aspects to one of the most sustainable cities, but a paradoxical one. Beneath an elevated escalator at the side of a steep stair, I stopped by Penicillin, reportedly Hong Kong’s first and only sustainable bar. Admittedly, they are a not-quite-there 80% sustainable. Impressive.

Most bars, 20% at best.

Read the Chinese Version

I’m now sipping on a delicious Cradle to Cradle made by Stephanie, who used to pour me pinot grigios at the top of the Mandarin Oriental. She is fired up with purpose, scouring the neighbourhood for waste and recycled products with her boss, Agung, taking food and products—sanitized, fermented, and repurposed. My Cradle to Cradle is infused from discard bones and gin. Gross? No. Delicious and meaningful. Purposeful. This is a bar in a back alley, beneath an elevated walkway.

Hard to find. Worth discovering, observing, and seeking knowledge. A literal laboratory is the reception, a fermentation room in the back.

Circular economy. We hear these words, and automatically it confers an understanding of sustainability and responsibility. But what does it mean? For Penicillin, this is a closed loop. Impossible perhaps, in an isolated Hong Kong scaled to city proportions, but the objective is to get there. Much of net zero strategy requires financial engineering and carbon offsets to get there. Penicillin does their bit, one climate-positive cocktail at a time.

We are human. We improve, or we strive to do so; we use our education and opportunities to make ourselves and Hong Kong better, always. The other option is to discard all the opportunities afforded to us and flee. Innovation benefits from dense cities and clusters of human talent, serendipitous encounters, side conversations, the frequency of contact, and the influence of people. Hong Kong is an incredibly networked city, and is driven more than any other city to make profit…but for what? Evolution? Greatness? And where would the diversity of ideas come from? Public space is so aggressively anti-human, and the progress of the last fifty years is muddled; it is still there, but uncertain.

Virtuous public space, conscious open spaces generously offered in the wealthiest of cities are a sign of the confidence and assuredness of a clear future inclusive of all classes. We need not mimic and can make our own versions, but have revelled in the mazy back streets of Tokyo, the spectacular connected waterfronts of Sydney or the 30km bike and walking promenade of Vancouver and traditional humble villages. Name any country, Portugal, Italy, Spain—a fragrant espresso to be had at a stand-up bar, people watching a piazza proportioned to capture the sun and illuminate radiant residents in daily flow.

We have so much, but we also have narrow one-metre footpaths with improbable signposts planted in the middle, dotting much of my daily city walks.

Text & Images: Phil Kim

I think of the impossibility of disabled lives, and the denial of a flaneur’s pleasure for all except those fit for feats of gymnasts. Hong Kongers are so infinitely patient in this respect, though our reputations say otherwise. But we live longer than almost anyone. Is it the constant struggle to manoeuvre the obstacles and ups and downs of daily life, that we are constantly active, fighting the toll of a desk and chair? And how is so much walking our heated-island days way into October possible? Because Hong Kong is perpetually activated?

Using mass transit like we do, we emit 1/10th the carbon emissions of a typical car trip; when repeated a million times per day, the mathematics are impressive.

Hong Kong has historically made green choices in paradoxical forms whether conscious or not; investing in multi-modal transport options to serve extremely dense neighbourhoods in compact urban core areas that also encourage walking, preserving vast country parks and lush hills, as well as hiking trails being popularised further during the primal Covid year of 2020. General health and longevity are admirable. On this score, Hong Kong is a remarkably sustainable city.

Yet buildings are typically responsible for 2/3 of greenhouse gas emissions…

We also live also in an extraordinarily stressful and anxiety-ridden time, with a fragile sense of well-being. We are affected existentially by a confused sense of the near future, by an economy that has narrowed continually for the past forty years, and disruptions have exposed a lack of innovation, challenges to how we conceive buildings, and a responsibility beyond maximum profit as the driving motive.

Outwards and upwards, the city continues to progress. Outwards and upwards, following less a Corbusian view of planned cities and a more, peculiar, uber-dense, and dizzying collection of evermore thin and tall buildings—highly expensive, highly inefficient, and supported by the unsustainable, most expensive real estate in the world. And what to do now, having pushed, or shrunk, living to the smallest unit of measure in the world. Much of the world embraced the mechanics of

61

Phil Kim is Managing Director Asia Pacific at the Jerde Partnership, Inc. in Los Angeles and Hong Kong, pursuing place and adaptive design that draws over a billion visitors each year. He is a Founding Member of the Institute for Sustainable Urbanisation, active with ULI in multiple roles in HK and APAC, with more recent focus on interactive learning, delivered free to local high schools through a neighbourhood building exercise. a distributed city this past year; work from home, work from anywhere, save commute time, connect through all channels. But Hong Kong has returned to work for the most part. Is it impossible to live and work in a few hundred square feet with any civility?

There are examples and thought exercises to consider. I thought meetings in Japan uncomfortably warm. “Warm AC” it’s called. Little did I understand that the refrigerator city of Hong Kong is illogical. Less so now, but wearing jackets formally inside is solely for the ritual of representative success, and for thermal survival. Another impact of Covid recently seen—less formal business wear, and finally, clients listening that to be comfortable is to tangibly experience the differential temperatures between outside and in, but also of the shade and breeze, and that health and wellbeing can be, even in the fastest city, organic.

Buildings have been, essentially, hard, fixed things, not living organisms as they truly are; a conceptual failure of understanding of physics and natural forces and disconnections from the daily rhythms of our lives, unaware, uncaring, allowing machinery to force artificial comforts pushed too far. Do we now respect decades old ideas pushed by Ken Yeang, long neglected then and hard to engineer, but the fashions of current monolithic box towers being punctured to allow a building as an environment, allow breathing and adapt as places as organically respond to the daily environment and the forces of change? Even in precinct work in nine countries in the region, we are desperately seeking porosity as a fundamental urbanist tool. Then add real biomass, passively even, offset the 2/3 carbon emission that buildings, all our livelihood and passions, emit.

Design comfort and experience first, then the mechanics, then the space, then the buildings then the neighbourhood, then the precinct, then the city, then the distributed, regional connected towns and cities. This too is sustainability.

Sustainable capital. In a city where financial wizardry has come to dominate the service sector and continue to thrive, this shift to responsible multi-billion-dollar funds enforcing ESG practices downstream as a pre-requisite to place money, hit with surprise. Isn’t this merely a form of greenwashing? And not because of Covid, but the space made to intelligently consider interconnectedness has become a force, accelerated far beyond the modern understanding of sustainability in buildings and cities. I don’t really understand ESG, but is it now the real driver for change to make our city environmentally in tune? Will the financial barons do what the slow-moving industries for too long have resisted?

Confidence of a city based on social structures is constantly improving, or must.

The confidence of a vibrant city seeking its next place—GBA, China, perhaps even global, but within itself, more nurturing, more green, more generous, more accommodating. Hong Kong was, is, can be, will be, uniquely worthy of its humanity, and has yet to clearly use such vast resources towards a more complex view that rapid acceleration, rapid accumulation, and overuse of centuryold practices have brought, even if we grasp the meaning of the 4th Industrial revolution so blatantly here.

My daughter is a vegetarian. We make veggie kimchi at home as a result. Ola would love this place—but short of breaking laws and introducing her before drinking limits, I’ll bring her kimchi here. Fermented, organic, real, tasty, cultural.

I can learn from Agung and scale the issue to the rest of my daily responsibility.

Buildings in HK are easy. Formulaic. Making delicious, sustainable food is hard. A drinking establishment? The hardest of all. Penicillin can do it. They have purpose.

The rest of us are now redefining our value system. If the only upside to the turbulence of 2019 and 2020 was to tip us to the far boundary of a flat earth and allowed us to peer over the edge, then that is our mission. Commit to our city. Decarbonise. Respect our neighbours. Protect nature. Understand that everything is connected. Make humane places. Find our purpose.

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THE TWENTY is COMING!

The 20th Anniversary Issue of PRC Magazine will be published in February 2022.

We welcome architects, consultants, contractors, designers, developers and suppliers who would like to be a part of Issue #108 and celebratory events.

Contact us Now Mike@rofmedia.com +852 3150 8989 Bryan@rofmedia.com +852 3150 8912 Alfred@rofmedia.com +852 31508911 www.prc-magazine.com

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