PRC Magazine #108 (Architecture | Building | Construction) by ROF Media

2022 Issue 108

Hong Kong / PRC $60

Pacific Rim Construction

ISSN 1684-1956 977168495009

108

Congratulations to PRC Magazine on its 20th Anniversary

Architecture | Planning | Landscape JERDE is a visionary urban design studio creating signature places that deliver memorable experiences and attract more than a billion people each year. For 43 years, JERDE has pioneered the concept of “Placemaking” with more than 120 major projects on six continents. Headquartered in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, each JERDE client works closely with an equity partner to take a boutique, collaborative approach to the creative process of design and architecture. JERDE places attract people providing lasting social, cultural and economic value, spurring further investment and revitalization. JERDE is one of only a few architectural firms awarded six ULI Global Awards for Excellence in addition to many of the industry’s other highest honors and recognitions. JERDE has designed mixed-use, hospitality, and retail destinations throughout the world including Langham Place in Hong Kong, Roppongi Hills in Tokyo, D-Cube City in Seoul, and more recently the Grand Hyatt Haitang Bay in Hainan, China, a MIPIM Asia Gold Award winner for Best Hotel & Tourism Development. More recently, new and vibrant residential and workplace precincts are under construction in Sydney, Shenzhen, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, that will redefine experience.

CREATING SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST MEMORABLE PLACES DAELIM HANNAM, SEOUL

OXIGENO COSTA RICA, 2019

JOY BREEZE BEIJING, 2020

BUKIT BINTANG CC KUALA LUMPUR, 2022

HENGQIN VILLAGE ZHUHAI, 2022

ZHEJIANG SIX FLAGS ZHEJIANG, 2022

THE GARDENS FOSHAN, 2022

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Orientop designs and manufactures premier decorative architectural glass. As Asia’s leading decorative architectural glass specialist, Orientop’s in-house designers create exquisite, impeccable designs in glass, fulfilling designer’s unique ideas and concepts. Their glass can be found in Hong Kong, Macau, mainland China, Singapore and throughout Southeast Asia. New markets are currently opening up in Dubai, Japan and Australia. Orientop owns two state-of-the-art factories in China, located in Xinhui and Taishan, employing over 300 talented staff, with the production team overseeing a production process that frequently incorporates more than ten individual procedures into the manufacture of each distinctive glasswork.

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The Oki Islands in the Japanese Prefecture of Shimane are recognised as a UNESCO Global Geopark. Hotel Entô, the first full-scale Geohotel in Japan, opened in 2021 as a “base facility” and the design by Mount Fuji Architects Studio is intended to create the feeling that visitors are in the heart of the Geopark landscape that spreads out before them. Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) construction method was used, bestowing the building the natural warmth of wood. To amplify of the texture and charm of the wood itself, custom-colour Osmo finishes were applied to the interiors, exterior, as well as to the European oak flooring. With over 140 years of experience, Osmo products were selected to showcase the natural characteristics of the wood used extensively throughout Hotel Entô. Developed from natural oils and waxes, Osmo finishes place emphasis on the wood’s grain and natural characteristics. The microporous finish allows wood to breath and reduces the risk of swelling and shrinkage. Water-repellent, extremely weatherproof and UV-stable, surfaces will not crack, peel, flake or blister. Osmo finishes are ideal for all wood in indoor and outdoor areas.

Photography: Kenichi Suzuki Photo Office

TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY

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Jun - Jul 2022 Issue 108

60 Cover photos: Previous front cover projects, L to R: Two IFC, 2002; Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 2002; Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, 2016; Xiqu Centre, 2019; Hysan Place, 2012; iSquare, 2010, AIG Tower, 2005; Langham Place, 2005; One Hennessey, 2019

24-25 AUG ASIA WORLD EXPO

Publisher: Mike Staley, publisher@rofmedia.com Editor: media@rofmedia.com Contributing Editor: Elizabeth Dooley Editorial Team: Bryan Chan • Derek Leung • Jasper Lau • Krista Chan • Norman Yam • Billy Leung 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 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: DG3 (Asia) Ltd. PRC Magazine is published by Ring of Fire Ltd. 5/F Kong Ling Building, 100 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 3150 8988 media@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 2022 Ring of Fire Limited

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10 PRESS

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS AND AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION JOIN FORCES TO RECOGNISE EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN AND COMMUNITY

A - Cruzen-Murray Academic Library Each year the American Institute of Architects and the American Library Association honours a number of libraries for their design achievement in terms of their “sense of place, purpose, ecology, environmental sustainability, and history”. Notable winners of the 2022 AIA/ALA Library Awards were as follows: A - The 5,575m² Cruzen-Murray Academic Library at the College of Idaho for the transformation of its signature building into a 21st century light-filled, energy efficient, glass curtain-walled exterior, using a geothermal heat pump system to reduce operating costs by up to 67.7%. Set across three floors the insulated glass curtain wall is designed to let in natural light into the interior spaces of the building throughout the day, with public spaces facing west towards the existing campus quadrangle and quiet study facing east. An open flexible floor plan promotes the use of state-of-the-art technology within a sustainable distribution of ventilation and utility resources.

B - Olathe Indian Creek Library

C - Adam Street Library

B - The Olathe Indian Creek Library by Gould Evans is set across two levels of an empty big-box retail structure. Daylight and nature are the design primary inspirations, with the existing grocery store façade being removed and replaced with a transparent façade. The new western facing façade is protected by a sunshade system that replicates the shading and dappling of light that occurs when walking through a park setting. These characteristics are carried to the interior where dappled light and sun-like beacons enhance the user experience. C - Located in Brooklyn, New York, Adam Street Library was designed through extensive architect-led community outreach in several diverse Brooklyn neighbourhoolds and housing authority developments. With children and community at the centre of the design intention, the library is rife with spaces for learning and features technology and a wealth of programming opportunities for teens and young adults, and is an example of the library system’s goals to expand its network through modern and inspiring spaces. Housed in an industrial building dating back to 1901, the building has served a wide variety of purposes and today is a mix of residential apartments and commercial spaces with the library occupying the ground floor. D - The new 929m² Asante Branch Library by Richard Kennedy Architects set on a 12-acre park in Arizona, which currently serves as a regional retention basin that drains along the regional greenbelt. Built to accommodate a growing community the library used an interactive design process where all decisions were based upon the value added to the project and relative cost impacts. Highlights include an open reading room with full-height glazing and views of the mountain range, as well as core programmatic functions, which are organised inside a solid core with aluminium composite wall panels which act as the entry façade and backdrop for an extended outdoor plaza. Interior spaces are designed to be flexible and sustainable for community interaction, and incorporate the latest technologies.

D - Asante Branch Library

Congratulations to PRC Magazine on it’s 20th Anniversary

12 PRESS

ALEXANDER WONG WINS BEST LUXURY RESIDENTIAL INTERIOR DESIGN

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS WITH INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY

BMW Museum, Munich, Germany Photo: Marcus Meye Alexander Wong was awarded Best Luxury Residential Interior Design in Hong Kong 2022 in the 14th Luxury Lifestyle Awards (USA). The designer was recognised for his project titled “The Natura”. One of the principle inspirations is derived from Alvar Aalto’s Villa Mairea in Finland. Its unique ambience established by the wood grain timber walls, flooring and ceiling evokes a modern Scandinavian aesthetic that is calmly soothing and almost timeless. Colourful modern and abstract art also plays a big part at The Natura with inspirations coming from many modern masters. The Natura also takes its inspiration from connectivity to information and technology and communications. The Natura is natural yet functional, colourful and warm, calming and exquisitely beautiful. It provides a revolutionary and unique way of living for the 21st century and beyond. www.alexanderwong.com.hk

ATELIER BRÜCKNER celebrated its 25th anniversary by taking part in International Museum Day with an Open Atelier. Established in 1997, Atelier Bruckner is one of the world’s leading offices for exhibition design – with 120 employees at the company’s premises in Stuttgart and Seoul. The Open Atelier allowed visitors to enjoy insights into some of the projects and processes of ATELIER BRÜCKNER in the form of designs, models, test structures, material patterns and animations that portray the profession of the exhibition designer. “Discovering museums with pleasure” was the slogan of International Museum Day. It was organised by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) – in 2022, for the 45th time. In Germany, it is coordinated by the Deutscher Museumsbund and traditionally takes place on a Sunday. ATELIER BRÜCKNER is a member of ICOM Germany. www.atelier-brueckner.com/en

URBAN CONCEPT IN MEXICO THAT COMBINES ART AND WELL-BEING

COMANSA BUILDS BESPOKE TOWER CRANE FOR NORWEGIAN YARD

The future of the Nuevo Polanco area in Mexico City is Neuchâtel Cuadrante Polanco, a real estate complex owned by Ivanhoé Cambridge and developed by MIRA. The complex is centred on mobility, art, urbanism, design, efficiency, and community creation. Focused on improving the quality of life of the habitants of Mexico City, the development will house The Eye of Mexico, Latin America’s first Artificial Intelligence work of art. Strategically located in the heart of the capital, in one of the most important cultural corridors in Mexico City, Neuchâtel Cuadrante Polanco is an unprecedented mixed-use complex that has been designed to redefine the concept of community, which generates a positive impact on the city’s inhabitants. An urban community composed of blocks, streets, avenues, a plaza, public areas, recreational zones, and crosswalks, all intertwining to offer an ecosystem where daily life transpires, the project is born in response to Mexico City’s new urban reality, and seeks to restore a sense of belonging to inhabitants through an integrated, connected, and walkable urbanism. Its development is undoubtedly a milestone in terms of transforming the residential dynamics of the area. www.massivart.com

Comansa has built a customised 50-tonne capacity tower crane. Used in the client’s largest project to date it has been designed to lift loads 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Its 80 metre boom length has made it possible to reach the entire platform with a single tower crane, and withstand 400 tonnes per corner originating from a crane of more than 90 metres in a D25 wind zone. Comansa built the reinforced portal of 10 metres. 250-micron paint was used to prevent corrosion and safety features include vision camera on the trolleys to view the loads and the environment more safely, alarm signals, high-luminosity LED lights on the boom for the area workstations with on/off from the ground, signalling lights pursuant to the EN14439 standard, counterweights protected with galvanised steel frames, stainless steel electrical cabinet, activation of the wind-release system from the base of the crane. www.comansa.com/en

14 PRESS

FARRELLS-DESIGNED EXHIBITION CENTRE STATION OPENS IN HONG KONG

Hong Kong’s East Rail Line Cross-harbour Extension commenced service on 15 May 2022, marking an important milestone in Hong Kong’s railway development. Located next to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai North, the three-level underground station includes allowance for a future North Island line with convenient cross platform transfers. Farrells, who took on the project in 2012, designed the station with property enabling works to fully integrate the future topside commercial development and passenger transport interchange. Design elements include artwork entitled “Water Memory” by local artist Leung Chi-wo, consisting of 1,200 photos taken of the harbour at different times of the year, which is displayed on the walls of all three floors of the station interior facing the harbour. Exhibition panels detailing the East Rail Line’s history of over 100 years are integrated into the walls and exhibits showcasing the challenges posed during construction are displayed, including the casing of a World War II bomb discovered in the course of excavation work. www.farrells.com

SOM SOARING AERIAL WALKING WELCOMES INTERNATIONAL PASSENGERS

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) led the design team, replacing a 50-year-old arrivals facility with a dynamic structure nearly five times bigger, dramatically improving the passenger experience.The International Arrivals Facility comprises an aerial walkway—the longest of its kind in the world—a Grand Hall, and a secure corridor to increase the number of international-capable gates.The aerial walkway encompasses 360-degree views of Mount Rainier, and the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges, spanning 780 feet across an active taxilane. The walkway then connects to IAF’s Grand Hall – an expansive, light-filled space with floor to ceiling windows. The building’s sweeping roofline tilts and arcs reflecting the motion of a landing airplane. Site-specific artworks include “Magnetic Anomaly,” a set of three kinetic artworks created by Ned Kahn, suspended overhead and a colorful five-piece sculpture by Marela Zacarías, “Chalchiutlicue,” that floats above baggage claim carousels. The interior design references elements of the Pacific Northwest–its plant life, terrain, and topography. www.som.com

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PRC MAGAZINE 20th ANNIVERSARY

THE EXCEPTIONAL LITTLE TRAIN THAT CHANGED THE GAME! Back in 2019, a new tourism train was rolled out in Taiwan and was immediately criticised by large swathes of society as being unsightly and excessively expensive.

nter JC Architecture (JCA). Instead of jumping on the bandwagon and adding to the stream of negative commentary, the practice wrote an open letter, encouraging and positive in its tone, letting the community know that Taiwanese designers were capable of making positive changes for the benefit of society. This ultimately led to the opportunity for JC Architecture to design Taiwan’s first ever tourist train, “The Future,” a project which was ultimate awarded the Japanese Good Design Award.

CHANGING IMPRESSIONS

JCA has helped the public to reimagine their impression about the once maligned train, building the first railway kitchen in Taiwan, now named, The Moving Kitchen. The train’s logo, “R”, stands for Restaurant, Railway, Reimagination. “We want to create the language that connects the culture but also brings excitement with a new experience to the people,” stated JCA founder, Jonny Chiu. The Moving Kitchen is a restaurant that can accommodate 54 patrons. It includes a full-size kitchen, bars, lounges, two-seater and four-seater dining arrangements. “Instead of investing in brand new train carriages from foreign companies, the Taiwan Railway Administration gave us the opportunity and the courage to use 70-year-old railcars, and refurbish this old heritage with new programmatic possibilities,” says Chiu However, moving a restaurant into the old train had its challenges! It required boosting available power by three times to accommodate modern kitchen requirements for state-of-the-art cooking. The seating was redesigned so that the old, fixed chairs were more comfortable and easier to get in and out of. Chiu enthusiastically states that one of the project highlights and most technically challenging aspects, was the redesign of the cabin lighting. “We took care to redesign the lighting system, making sure it highlighted the food, as well as complementing the scenery outside so diners could enjoy a full sensory journey, marrying great food with Taiwan’s beautiful landscapes. Playful metallic sculptural light fittings have been installed onto the carriage walls to create a fun reference to nature, also allowing diners to mould their shapes for a fun interactive experience. “ Unable to alter any of the train’s structural profile or insert beautiful skylight windows which was an early aspiration of the design team, through research they noticed a unique character of trains in Taiwan. That is, the train always travels the island with mountain on the right side, and ocean on the left side. To reflect on the beauty of both views, the team created an asymmetrical ceiling design, to open up the windows with black frames on the ocean side, while using natural wood elements to compliment the mountain side. With the same asymmetric design, JCA concentrated lighting, air condition and speaker system, into a single profile line, which also acts as a guide path to lead passengers throughout the train. “We want to create a unique railway dining experience that you can only experience in Taiwan,” said Chiu. “We believe that for the first time in the 132-year-old history of the Taiwan Railways Administration, a new self-identity has emerged to bring confidence and hope to an out-of-date company, reviving a conventional railway with innovative design concepts that work on a national level. The team at JCA is very proud of this project!”

Text: Mike Staley & JC Architecture

Photos: Kuo Min Lee for JC Architecture

PRC MAGAZINE 20th ANNIVERSARY

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2022 / 11/ 16-18

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Featuring 重點推介

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Feedback from 2020 Exhibitors 2020參展商評價 We take part in Build4Asia every time. This is one of the most important industry exhibitions from our point of view. We demonstrate various Products & Solutions from our premium partners including HART, EFAFLEX, GILGEN and many more. It is most important for us to meet our clients and friends. Participation in Build4Asia has become a good tradition over many years. Mr. Andreas Brechbuhl, Managing Director, AUB Ltd

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PRC MAGAZINE 20th ANNIVERSARY

BESPOKE INTERIORS FOR A BRAVE NEW WORLD Atelier Pacific celebrates 25 years of design excellence in Asia with a dedicated new office in Shanghai and an expanded studio in Hong Kong

25th anniversary is a milestone. For a company, it implies that the business weathered cycles of good and bad times, prospering while adapting to new normals. For architecture and design firms, a silver anniversary is remarkable as the profession demands that each project be better than the last one. For companies that specialise in commercial projects, seismic shifts such as online shopping, DIY content and work from home have transformed retail and cultural interiors into a completely unrecognisable landscape.

anyone with ambition and talent willing to work hard can be a boss. By retaining loyal staff members and nurturing one-to-one relationships with clients, many return to Atelier Pacific’s expert guidance for expansion or renovations. Its client roster includes the Hong Kong government, big name corporations and niche brands. The common denominator is that they all seek professional design services with transparent fee structures and aesthetics that reflect their company’s DNA.

Atelier Pacific believes its ability to adapt to changing times and climes contributed to the firm celebrating its 25th anniversary. Ever since it opened its doors in 1996, the studio prided itself on designing projects ranging from infrastructure to boutiques. It witnessed luxury retailers explode in popularity as shoppers streamed across Hong Kong’s border with Mainland China, and designed their spaces according to their aspirations. It contributed to the Hong Kong’s cultural renaissance with helpful wayfinding to enhance discovery of the city’s heritage through revitalised museums and new galleries. It boasts loyal clients that continue to seek the firm’s expertise, of which a few currently working with Atelier Pacific date back to the very first days of its inception.

Atelier Pacific began working with European and American luxury brands in the 1990s and this has continued until today. For many of its clients including Tiffany & Co., Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana and Salvatore Ferragamo, Atelier Pacific acts as the local coordinating designer and architect. The studio helps brands develop details and select materials that reinforce clients’ story yet suit local markets. Its expertise allows it to come up with tailored solutions for new brands enter those market. For example, Atelier Pacific designed the first store outside of London for British jewellery brand Annoushka in Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, followed by additional boutiques in IFC Mall and Harbour City.

Today, Atelier Pacific remains steadfast in its pursuit of design excellence with a personal touch. Unlike many of its competitors that depend on a cult of personality or a singular house style, Atelier Pacific is proud to support individual and independent thinking amongst its colleagues. Solutions for each project are bespoke and reflect a specific brief, site, context, client ideal, user need, or some permutation and combination of these elements. Every project looks different because every project is different—rooted in time and space, with details carefully nurtured by talented designers that understand any successful firm with longevity is about we, not me.

For clients that extend their retail offerings to encompass a holistic experience, Atelier Pacific’s market knowledge helps it deliver appropriate concepts. It envisioned a two storey spa for L’Occitane in Hong Kong’s Starstreet Precinct that reflects the French body and fragrance brand’s roots in Provence. Most recently, it created a public signage and wayfinding system for high-end mixed use complex K11 Victoria Dockside to reflect the tastes and shopping habits of Millennials and Gen Z.

Atelier Pacific’s methodology simultaneously allows it to operate as a boutique studio where clients communicate easily with lead designers while manifesting big company traits such as its recent ISO9001 certification. It implements its methodology by retaining colleagues that see a clear career path forward:

Atelier Pacific draws upon its retail design experience to create impactful commercial projects such as for Bank of Communications. Faced with a limited budget and other challenges, it nevertheless delivered on-point aesthetics for the bank’s North Point, Hung Hom and Central retail branches. For West Kowloon Government Offices, it integrated wayfinding with interior spatial designs for the twin tower entries, public lobbies and select offices.

Luxury Retail Brand Office, Jardine House, Hong Kong (Image: Atelier Pacific)

HKIA East Hall Retail (expansion of the retail area in Terminal 1 of the airport), Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong (Photographer: John Butlin)

Text: Rebecca Lo

Photos: as shown

Catherine Cheung

Bank of Communications, Hung Hom, Hong Kong (Image: Atelier Pacific)

M+ Museum (the largest museum of modern and contemporary visual culture in the world),West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong Kong (Photographer: Andy Kwan)

“Our base in Shanghai has allowed us to serve clients throughout China at a time when many other studios have been unable to travel or even follow-up on their projects.” Joey Tam - Director, Atelier Pacific Shanghai For cultural projects, Atelier Pacific acts as their design or project consultant depending on specific circumstances and scope. It was the local design architect on the prestigious Gagosian Gallery in the Grade I listed Pedder Building. For Hong Kong Fringe Club, it provided full design and architectural services on renovations for the 19th century former Dairy Farm storage facilities. More recently, it designed appropriate signage and wayfinding for both Hong Kong Museum of Art and M+ to help legions of new art and culture aficionados navigate through the sprawling complexes. Even as Atelier Pacific continues to build upon its core project disciplines, it cemented its commitment to China by establishing a permanent Shanghai studio in April 2021. Helmed by Shanghai-based director Joey Tam, the dedicated studio allows ‘on the ground’ designers to devote the necessary support to clients in Mainland China and North Asia. This follows years of successful projects in China including a sensitive restoration of the former Rong’s Residence into a Prada Epicenter and redesign of the hotel entrance and public spaces for the iconic Shanghai Center. More recently, it provided full services from concept to realisation for a Hermes pop-up store in the adjacent Plaza 66, Shanghai. Atelier Pacific is currently working with the French luxury brand on significant projects in Beijing.

Despite the pandemic-induced disruptions over the past three years, Atelier Pacific has grown stronger. To facilitate a steady stream of projects, it expanded its Hong Kong studio in 2022. To commemorate its success and as part of its silver anniversary celebrations in 2021, it partnered with Hong Kong Tramways. The result was an eye-catching fantasy of the Hong Kong cityscape illustrating key projects Atelier Pacific completed within the past quarter century. The art tram was a lively yet socially distant way for the firm to say thank you to Hong Kong while offering a nod to one of the city’s most beloved icons. Managing director Glory Wang notes that “there are not many boutique design firms such as ours that successfully reach their 25th birthday. We were excited that we were able to have some fun celebrating with the art tram.” Founding director Nic Banks adds that “we get to have the big party when we are 30 years ...young !" With Banks, Wang and Tam joining fellow director Mandy Yip in the continued steerage of Atelier Pacific, the next 25 years shine brighter than ever.

PRC MAGAZINE 20th ANNIVERSARY

Gagosian Gallery (a private modern and contemporary art gallery), Pedder Street, Hong Kong (Photo credit: Gagosian Gallery) (Photographer: Gagosian Gallery)

Annoushka (the British jewelers first retail mall store in Asia), IFC, Hong Kong (Photographer: Andy Kwan)

Hong Kong Museum of Art (the first and main art museum of Hong Kong), Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong (Photographer: Atelier Pacific)

Atelier Pacific 25th Anniversary Art-Tram (Directors: Nic Banks, Glory Wang, Mandy Yip & Joey Tam), Hong Kong (Photographer: Andy Kwan)

PRC MAGAZINE 20th ANNIVERSARY

DEFINING WORLD FIRSTS

IN ASIA'S WORLD CITY E

ckersley O’Callaghan is an international structural and facade engineering consultancy with an award-winning reputation for innovative design and technical excellence.

Since Brian Eckersley and James O’Callaghan founded the company 17 years ago, it has expanded to over 120 staff based in 10 offices worldwide, including their London headquarters and offices across Asia-Pacific in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Sydney.

ECKERSLEY O’CALLAGHAN A GLOBAL COMPANY WITH LOCAL EXPERTISE

Eckersley O’Callaghan has developed a reputation for technical excellence, which can be attributed to knowledge accumulated through incremental innovation and challenges the firm has undertaken since formation. An example of which is their work in cutting edge glass design; their story runs in parallel with some of the most significant advances in glass technology. Many of these advances have been a result of their long-term collaboration with Apple, which has shaped and refined their approach and culture. This specialism of technical excellence has been applied most recently to Sky Pool in London, where they provided structural engineering services for the world’s first fully transparent swimming pool, which spans between two apartment buildings ten storeys in the air. It’s this kind of thinking that allows them to punch well above their weight, affording them the status to compete with firms whose staff number is in the thousands. Clients rely on their specialist engineering expertise, having an enviable reputation which is also grounded in their commitment to R&D. Their engagement with global manufacturers enables them to explore innovative applications of their products.

establish a permanent Hong Kong base, reaffirming our commitment to our clients in the region. I believe our clients and collaborators here value our appreciation of integrated design and our proven abilities in solving complex, technical challenges.” When it comes to engineering in Hong Kong, Lau believes it’s unlike anywhere else. “It has always been an exciting market for us,” he says. “Balancing high architectural ambition with one of the most stringent building approvals processes in the world really keeps us sharp! I believe we have redefined what is possible to build in Hong Kong on several occasions.” “We have become adept at navigating the very specific approvals and building codes required by the Hong Kong authorities,” continues Lau. “For example, Apple IFC Central lay well outside the conventions of facade and glass engineering in the city. Our engineers provided extensive justification of the design, through analysis and through both large and small-scale performance tests. Our experience with this project allowed swift approval of our subsequent designs for Apple Causeway Bay – which utilised some of the world’s largest glass panels ever fabricated.” More recently, Eckersley O’Callaghan completed the glass tubes facade at K11 Musea, a truly unique composition that pushed the boundaries of glass fabrication technology to the very limit. Meanwhile, the highly efficient facade designed for Swire Properties’ Two Taikoo Place development contributes to a sustainability strategy that will set new standards in Hong Kong. The lobby is a 15m tall glass wall with a world-first tension rod system embedded within the depth of the glass – there are no protruding glass fins or mullions.

As a result, the consultancy has worked on projects for some of the world’s most valuable companies, including Apple, Google, LinkedIn, and Twitter, collaborating with prestigious architectural practices such as Foster + Partners, Zaha Hadid Architects and Heatherwick Studio.

REDEFINING LANDMARKS IN HONG KONG

In 2017, Eckersley O’Callaghan opened their Hong Kong office, led by Yanchee Lau. In Hong Kong, clients include Henderson Land, Hongkong Land, New World Development, Swire Properties and Wing Tai Properties. “Eckersley O’Callaghan has actually been working on projects across Asia since the company was first founded,” says Lau. “So, it made sense for us to

Text & Photos: EOC

Krista Chan

Kris Provoost K11 Musea,Hong Kong the rooftop sculpture terrace provides magnificent views out across the city harbour

Kris Provoost K11 Musea,Hong Kong

PRC MAGAZINE 20th ANNIVERSARY

Anthony Wong, Associate in Hong Kong, is looking forward to what’s coming next. “The next few years are going to be really exciting,” he says. “We have some fascinating projects coming online soon, and others that are already under construction. Prestigious office towers, such as Two Taikoo Place and The Henderson, which are going up right now, will create new landmarks in the city and have already been recognised as Grand Prize winners at the 2021 Green Building Awards. "We are the consultant engineer for the feature event space at the top of The Henderson building, known as the Banquet Hall, as well as the new pedestrian walkways above ground level the city" “And then there are other feature projects near Hong Kong airport, over in Macau, and the expansions of the HK Science Museum and HK Museum of History. We also believe there is huge potential here for refurbishment projects.” BRINGING EFFICIENT, SUSTAINABLE DESIGN TO THE HONG KONG MARKET Like the rest of the world, Eckersley O’Callaghan is at a crossroad that has truly redefined its purpose like many other organisations – the construction industry’s response to the climate emergency. In Hong Kong, the challenges they are now presented with are accentuated by the unique combination of landscape, climate and tall buildings. As an organisation, Eckersley O’Callaghan recognises that urgent behavioural changes are needed to combat climate change and the impact it is already having on the planet. A commitment to reducing the industry’s environmental impact is embedded at every level of their business, from individual engineers, to specialist design and research groups, and across all the firm’s global practices. Their team is passionate about discovering new tools, new methods and new efficiencies that can help tackle the Climate Emergency. Their research projects with academic institutions like Politecnico di Torino and TU Delft mean they are directly involved in the development of the very latest sustainable technologies, while close collaboration with trusted industry partners, including architects, contractors, fabricators, and installers, ensures the sustainability measures devised are practical, economical and buildable.

Simon Kennedy Sky Pool, UK The lack of visible structure gives the Sky Pool a magical quality

Simon Kennedy Sky Pool, UK The world’s first fully transparent, suspended swimming pool, spanning between two buildings,10 floors up

Sky Pool, UK Analysis of natural frequencies of the pool structure and water sloshing frequencies. These were compared to each other to assess whether interaction of the vibration modes was likely

SHoP | BVN Visualisation of 40-storey high Atlassian HQ

Atlassian Central, Australia

Company co-founder, James O’Callaghan, a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a recipient of the Institution of Structural Engineers Gold Medal, is one of the most decorated engineers in the industry. James is passionate when it comes to sustainability and he believes that their work in Hong Kong can contribute to a drive towards more sustainable buildings in the area. “If Hong Kong is to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, as mandated by China’s signing of the Paris Agreement, we must act immediately,” says O’Callaghan. “Unless the Hong Kong industry also actively and earnestly engages in the discussion now, we will all be scrambling to get ready when statutory compliance for energy reduction is aimed in our direction. Facades are an easy target – we must step up to demonstrate our value through our ability to lead and drive the agenda.”

When it comes to implementing sustainable practices in Hong Kong, Eckersley O’Callaghan is in a strong position, having worked on revolutionary projects like Atlassian Central in Sydney, which recently received a HOLCIM Award for Sustainable Construction. At 180m, it will be the world’s tallest hybrid timber tower. Construction of the tower will involve 50% less embodied carbon than a conventional building of the same size, it will consume 50% less energy in operation, and will run on 100% renewables from day one – some of which will be produced by the building’s own facade. The material innovations and facade strategies developed on these groundbreaking projects are carried over and developed further in their other projects around the world. Turning attention to Hong Kong, Eckersley O’Callaghan can deliver elegant, efficient and more sustainable design solutions that will benefit the whole city.

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NBBJ Two Taikoo Place, Hong Kong Visualisation of 195m tall Tower Eckersley O'Callaghan Render of mullion detail Two Taikoo Place

Eckersley O’Callaghan Two Taikoo Place, Hong Kong Deflection analysis of the 15m tall pre-tensioned rod facade under typhoon load

Eckersley O’Callaghan Two Taikoo Place, Hong Kong Curtain wall detailing

Arqui9 The Henderson, Hong Kong Visualisation of 190m Murray Road THHower

PRC MAGAZINE 20th ANNIVERSARY

MAKING A STAND FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION

Leigh and Orange (L&O), a 145-year-old award-winning international architectural and interior design practice, has left its mark across diverse range of building projects in Hong Kong and across the world. As the company continues to expand its portfolio and footprint beyond its offices in Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, Fuzhou, Macau and Qatar, its architectural approach has also evolved to make sustainability, technology, design and construction innovation core foundations of every design solution. The company has recently won multiple awards in the Green Building Award 2021 (GBA 2021) - Two Grand Awards, two Merit Awards, and a Special Citation on UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). This recognition demonstrates L&O’s steadfast commitment to achieve the ultimate goal of carbon neutrality in both project design and business operations.

JOCKEY CLUB I-VILLAGE, HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Illustrating L&O’s approach to technological innovation and recognised as a Grand Award winner in the New Buildings Category at the Green Building Award Year 2021. The Jockey Club i-Village situated at the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology (HKUST), is a student residence designed in collaboration with Zaha Hadid Architects.

Located at the southeast of the HKUST campus, the new halls of residence are designed to house more than 1500 students. Built across a steep slope with a level change of approximately 25m, the halls are laid out in a hexagonal configuration to create four separate courtyards. Dormitory rooms face outwards overlooking green open spaces and are complemented by communal areas designed for optimal living, learning, recreation and leisure.

Text: Elizabeth Dooley

Photos: Leigh & Orange

Billy Leung

Due for completion approximately in Year 2023, one of the architectural highlights is the shaded outdoor areas which allow students and teachers to socialise. The residential block connects to the academic area of the campus via a rooftop walkway, sparing users from traversing the hilly terrain, whilst allowing them to enjoy the natural environment. Building Information Modelling (BIM) has been adopted in the design, planning and construction stages of the project reinforces the university’s mission to harness technology and innovations to solve pressing global ecological issues which has been recognised as Silver Award winner in the Private development projects category at The Hong Kong Institute of Building Information Modelling Year 2021.

ADVANCING NET ZERO IDEAS COMPETITION, HONG KONG In the commercial sector, L&O was recognised with a Merit Award In the “Future Building Category” of the Advancing Net Zero (ANZ) Ideas Competition. The competition, which invited selected industry leaders to contribute ideas on how to move Hong Kong’s construction sector towards carbon neutrality through reimagining how high-rise urban offices of the future could be designed, was jointly organised by the Hong Kong Green Building Council and Swire Properties in 2021. L&O’s entry submission, in collaboration with Buro Happold, consisted of a Module Integrated Construction (MiC) design solution, which aimed to mitigate its carbon impact, while also enhancing design and construction creativity and improving occupants’ well-being. One of the key strategies was to reduce the embodied carbon by using less materials through developing a flexible layout plan. L&O examined how by

developing a timber MiC solution it would possible to create open cuboid prefabricated timber MiC modules, with each module consisting of a crosslaminated timber (CLT) roof and floor slab, timber overall structural frame. Concrete filled steel (CFS) columns were proposed as support for the main building structure around its perimeter. True to the brief of competition, the adoption of MiC demonstrated that an estimated 50% reduction in construction time, 12% reduction in capital cost and 80% reduction of construction waste were all possible. This meant that the estimated embodied carbon per CFA for the structural elements is just 313kg CO2e/m2, much lower than a traditionally designed building. Another key feature of L&O’s design was the adoption of a Closed Cavity Façade (CCF) system comprising single glazing on the exterior skin that protects the building management system controlled blinds within the internal cavity. The CCF also ensures low thermal conductivity and a vastly superior acoustic performance to a more traditional curtain wall solution. On the south elevation, the façade is shingled so that the inclined sky-facing surface can incorporate BIPV for the upper most portion of the building where the solar load is the highest. The sloping vision panels were implemented on the southern elevations to minimise the solar impact. Jockey Club i-Village, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Zen Garden

Other innovative design aspects included an organic vertical farm, sky gardens, biophilic staircases, a thermal buffer zone and a column-free floor plan layout.

PRC MAGAZINE 20th ANNIVERSARY

InnoCell, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong

INNOCELL, HONG KONG SCIENCE PARK

Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) was also one of the key design features of InnoCell. This high-rise residential project, designed by L&O, pioneered a smart living and co-creation space and was the first high-rise residential building completed in Hong Kong using the MiC technology. This project, which consists of 392 fully furnished units for local and overseas talent in Hong Kong Science Park, represents a breakthrough in terms of design, statutory and construction technology and site logistics while showcasing the potential of MiC through actual implementation. The project successfully illustrates how the use of MiC design approaches can result in shortened construction time, lower capital cost, improved fit-out quality, waste reduction and how to reduce on site construction through advance planning. The project also highlights improved design coordination and work planning, which contributed to improved construction safety. The visionary design of InnoCell is to create a self-sufficient community where residents will enjoy living in their modular units whilst being closely connected with other residences to participate in a diversified “Co-working & Co-living” lifestyle 24/7, as a prime example of the “Work.Live.Play.Learn.” InnoCell won a Grand Award and was honoured with a Special Citation on UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) in GBA 2021. The judges noted that the project provided an inspirational, contextual and responsible design solution with due consideration of the sustainable outcomes and benefits which could be achieved.

HANGZHOU WANGJIANG NEW TOWN PROJECT, HANGZHOU

L&O has been actively involved in the design of transit-oriented developments and mixed-use projects in mainland China over a large number of years all with the vision of creating a connection between people and place, inside their own communities. Just one example of this type of development is the masterplan for the massive Hangzhou Wangjiang New Town project, situated in the capital and the most populous city of Zhejiang province. The project which stand adjacent to one of Hangzhou’s high speed railway stations provides an integrated community focal point. “Art-People-Nature” is a key design element woven into the project to showcase a vibrant and artistic culture of the area. The three-dimensional greening concept coupled with the optimisation of opportunities generated by a transit-oriented development (TOD), it was possible to energise the local community in ways not previously possible. The project highlights L&O’s capacity to incorporate modern urban design seamlessly within this historic district without overpowering it, while at the same time breathing new life into the Hangzhou Wangjiang New Town. L&O’s vision for this masterplan features a central green avenue surrounded by several discrete functional zones. Beneath the whole avenue is a huge retail space that is publicly accessible around the clock and allowing a direct connection between Metro Line 1 at Wujiang Lu Station and Line 7 at Changzhan Station. This seamless connectivity between the railway transportation hubs with a multipurpose and vibrant TOD district creates a new sense of placemaking and community focus.

PRC MAGAZINE 20th ANNIVERSARY

Jockey Club i-Village, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Central Spine

PRC MAGAZINE 20th ANNIVERSARY

ACT NOW FOR NET ZERO: REMODELLING EXISTING BUILDINGS Retrofit proposal by LWK + PARTNERS turns high-rise office building into urban forest paradise

he threat of climate change is imminent, and we must act fast. In Hong Kong, China, commercial buildings currently take up the highest percentage of electricity use and its ageing building stock is seriously holding back the city’s transition to carbon neutrality by 2050. LWK + PARTNERS, one of the city’s leading architectural practices, recognises an urgent need to reduce carbon emissions throughout the whole building life-cycle and works actively to respond.

The design also recommends a range of active gears to maximise thermal comfort. To improve the air ventilation in the car park or foyer, a black-painted solar chimney can be introduced to quickly heat up the air inside, create an updraft of air and draw it outside, increasing air circulation and cooling the building. Other energy-saving devices may include big ceiling fans, reflective pools, and anidolic light pipes which capture daylight and transfer it to indoor spaces.

It recently won a Merit award in the Hong Kong Green Building Council’s Advancing Net Zero Ideas Competition with a future-ready retrofitting proposal for Oxford House, which envisions to turn the office building into an urban forest paradise in a high-rise, high-density city context, promoting thermal comfort and wellbeing while significantly cutting down on energy consumption through active and passive design strategies.

INTEGRATION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS

While much discussion in the industry focuses on new buildings, attempts to upgrade existing buildings into green, energy-efficient structures has a great potential to revolutionise the way our cities approach sustainable development by keeping both embodied carbon (by reusing building materials) and operational carbon (by changing how the building operates in the future) in control. The firm’s design proposal for Oxford House has provided timely insights on the topic.

MINIMISING HEAT GAIN

The first step for lowering energy use in buildings is to reduce heat gain. LWK + PARTNERS proposes to reuse and convert the existing façade of Oxford House into a green façade with a setback design. The façade is set back while leaving the floor slab extent unchanged, resulting in projecting floors that double as a shading device for the floors below. This reduces the need for new material for building shading. The setback also creates a double-skin façade, which consists of an external glazing, an intermediate cavity and an inner façade. The external glazing provides protection against weather, while the intermediate cavity would act as a thermal cushion with planters for additional shading and solar absorption. The inner skin, which is the existing low-e external glazing, protects against indoor thermal losses and facilitates the control of permeability for natural ventilation. To produce a stack effect, which enhances natural ventilation, voids are opened in existing floor slabs to allow for hot air to move up creating negative pressure to draw the air inside.

PUSHING BACK THE LINE FOR ENERGY CONSUMPTION AREA

As air-conditioning is a major source of energy consumption, pushing back the line for air-conditioned area is a major sustainable design strategy. In response to Hong Kong’s subtropical climate, LWK + PARTNERS proposes a hybrid ventilation approach for Oxford House involving a combination of natural ventilation and auxiliaries. The ground-floor entrance space is fully opened up to omit air-conditioning altogether, a pair of escalators is replaced by stair seating and an existing connection is turned into a semi-open Green Link. Cross ventilation is encouraged in common areas like entrances, lobbies and shared corridors, through operable openings and open façades.

Text & Photos: LWK + PARTNERS

In the future, low-carbon or even zero energy buildings will not only be defined by the amount of energy they save, but also how much clean energy they generate to offset their own consumption.

One way is to install a diversity of photovoltaics (PV) to generate solar power. Bifacial panels generate power from both sides of the panels while acting as shading devices. They should ideally be installed on white reflective surfaces for utilising the rears. Building-integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) maximise sunlight reception by using PV panels as construction materials for the building envelope including the façades. It is an immediate cut-down on the materials cost and requires minimal care and maintenance compared to conventional materials like tiles and glass, therefore lowering the long-term lifecycle cost. Solar tiles can even double as roof tiles and PV panels, with finishes that can mimic the appearance of stone or ceramic tiles.

MAXIMISING ACTIVE CARBON CONVERSION

Designing buildings with extensive greenery and landscaping can maximise active carbon conversion. Communal sky gardens with open-sided areas allow cross ventilation to mitigate the heat island effect while enhancing the building’s visual permeability. Green roofs, edge planting and vertical greening also work as a natural air-filtration system for the health and wellbeing of occupants. To raise people’s awareness and participation of low-carbon living and waste recycling, spaces can be reserved for urban farming and low-carbon restaurants to popularise the concepts of shorter supply chains, less packaging, lower energy consumption and reduction in food waste. Occupants can be encouraged to take part in electricity generation through energy floor systems which turn footsteps into electricity, which could then be used on things like smartphone charging packs for occupants.

ENERGY AND WASTE MANAGEMENT

Much energy and materials in daily building operation are wasted due to lack of management. The energy management programme that LWK + PARTNERS proposes for Oxford House includes highefficiency LED lighting, solar-adaptive window blinds with automatic shading system, regenerative lifts, AI-based energy optimisation solution (AI-EOS) for HVAC system, high-volume low-speed fans or displacement ventilation with temperature setback, and chilled beam system plus raised floor displacement ventilation. To minimise wastewater emissions, low-flush toilettes and dry urinals can be installed, while alternatives to fresh water sources include rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse. Our high-density urban habitats are now packed full of inefficient built structures in want of redesign and upgrades. To advance net zero, future architecture must take more heed to remodelling or modifying existing buildings as much as building greener new ones to cut back energy consumption.

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Text: Elizabeth Dooley

Photos: Kerry Properties Limited

Billy Leung

PRC MAGAZINE 20th ANNIVERSARY

DOW CELEBRATES

125 YEARS

IMAGINING A BETTER FUTURE ON THE ROAD TO CARBON-NEUTRAL

ounded in 1897 and headquartered in the Michigan in the US, Dow Chemical operates 104 manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 35,700 people. In 2021, the company delivered sales of approximately $55 billion. For Jim Fitterling, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dow, hard work, determination, and an unwavering allegiance to the core values of integrity, respect for people and protecting the planet lie at the heart of Dow’s heritage. “We have spent more than a century establishing a foundation that is a catalyst for something more. Our heritage, team, and purpose have all played different but equally important roles in building the last 125 years at Dow, and they will continue to strengthen us through the next 125 years,” he says, noting that with experience comes responsibility and the opportunity to address new or growing challenges. “Capturing the combined power of science and sustainability to propel innovations in both products and systems, we are partnering across the value chain to accelerate our growth while committing to multi-decade targets to put us on a path to achieving carbon neutrality and eliminating plastic waste,” he adds. So what does the future hold? And what does it mean to imagine a better future? Creating a more sustainable and equitable world and continuing to cultivate a culture of ingenuity in an inclusive environment and to challenge the status quo and partner with others around a shared purpose is one answer.

But beyond the corporate taglines, what does this mean for the construction industry and more specifically for the Greater China market? Indeed, while reductions in operational carbon – or the energy used to power, heat and cool a building – have been tackled through energy efficiency measures made by policymakers, developers, architects and engineers, what of the remaining carbon emissions - or embodied carbon - that come from building materials and construction, which can account for up to half of the total carbon footprint over the lifetime of the building and are more difficult to quantify? And what of the various tools emerging to measure embodied carbon following the push of architectural societies, building owners and property developers to meet the leading green building sustainable certifications (such as LEED or BEAM, etc.) through more challenging standard lifecycle assessment calculations?

OFFSETTING THE CARBON FOOTPRINT

For Sammy Hui, Dow’s Senior Business Development Leader and current Vice President of the Hong Kong Façade Association the answer is clear: “Dow takes a leading role in supporting the development and implementation of a more circular economy, taking into account a product’s lifecycle – from creation to use to disposal – in everything we do and generate”, he says, pointing to the company’s focus on developing sustainable raw materials and sustainable production to reduce its footprint through various environmental, social and governance (ESG) investments and the launch of Dow’s world first commercially available carbon-neutral silicone materials. Designed for use in structural glazing, insulating glass unit and weather sealing, the new range, he says, is perfectly aligned with the Hong Kong government’s 2050 carbon-neutral target, which was introduced last year to support decarbonisation strategies. “Developed with advanced silicone technologies, our DOWSIL portfolio of products can help to decrease the environmental impact of building façades, critical to achieving the majority of net zero emission goals.” Dow’s technological advancements are timely, particularly given that the United Nations-backed coalition Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) has observed that building operations and construction now accounts for nearly 40% of global energy-related carbon emissions. Indeed, the high level emission of many existing buildings can be traced back to a lack of sustainable façade design, he adds. And while concrete, glass and aluminium are prized for their structural strength in supporting the building envelope, few building materials have factored in a low carbon footprint into their design.

Text: Elizabeth Dooley

Image: DOW

ITS

Backed with PAS 2060 certification, the only recognised international standard for carbon neutrality, Dow’s silicone-based sealants for façade construction come with an Environmental Product Declaration or EPD that communicates transparent and comparable information relation to the lifecycle of their environmental impact. And with products applicable to a broad range of components used in curtain walls and building façades, from coated glass to galvanised steel, masonry and other porous and non-porous substrates, Hui believes that silicone will remain the technology of choice for the construction sector, not only due to its long-term performance, but also because it “equips buildings with enhanced performances in reducing energy and greenhouse gas emissions and therefore, their carbon footprint.” Citing examples of buildings where Dow’s construction technology has been applied recently including SkyCity at Chek Lap Kok International Airport, 2 Murray Road, Taikoo Place 2 and Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong, and in Australia, Crown Towers Sydney and Kuala Lumpur, Merdeka PNB 188, Hui notes that Dow’s carbon-neutral silicones not only contribute to a sustainable construction design through their sourcing and production, but also through their use to transform the city skyline. Indeed, as a global market leader Dow is the first silicone manufacturer able to offset the carbon footprint for the silicone used on a project-by-project basis, through the supply of registered carbon offsets that will net zero the carbon footprint of the material used, thereby neurtralising the silicone sealant’s contribution to the building’s Scope 3 emission. In effect, Dow’s carbonneutral silicones can help to enable a sustainable design through material and energy efficiency, where operation and embodied carbon saving can be achieved in new high-performance façade design and in existing building stock through a combination of design and engineering carbon-neutral silicones.

Sustainable raw materials

“Our carbon-neutrality program for Dowsil silicone materials and their proven durability that allows the insulated building envelope to last more than 50 years is a definite advantage for architects, engineers, contractors and building owners, and the key to achieving significant carbon reduction. It also allows industry professionals to design with more freedom by engineering less impact. This is a definite plus for the future of sustainable design,” he concludes.

PRC MAGAZINE 20th ANNIVERSARY

EXPERIENCING THE EXCEPTIONAL AT THE HEART OF DESIGN FOR LEAD8

or the past two years people around the world have faced almost unimaginable challenges due to the global pandemic we have come to know as Covid-19. Nothing could have prepared us better or brought to the front of our minds the power of experience and the power that designers have on our lives. For almost a decade, Lead8 has created a name for itself for collaborating with some of the region’s and the world’s leading property developers, owners and operators to create built environments that redefine their sectors, places and the experiences of the people who interact with them. As the company reaches its eight anniversary in 2022, PRC takes a look at some of the designs that are pushing the agenda for ‘experience’ in our cities, and what that means for the future of architecture and the way we live. With a portfolio of designs that are future-ready, resilient, adaptable, and collaborative, Lead8 is connecting people to nature, culture and a sense of place in new ways unimagined just a decade ago.

REGENERATING THE URBAN EXPERIENCE For Simon Chua, Co-Founder and Executive Director, regenerating the urban experience holds a key in the call to ‘future-proof’ our cities moving forward, and Lead8’s work on two major urban regeneration projects he says “brings a new perspective to how we are readying and preparing our cities for generations to come.” So how is Lead8 helping to ensure that our cities live up to the demands and visions we have of them as we move further into the 21st century?

Text: Elizabeth Dooley

Photos: Lead8

Derek Leung

“Creating cities is not all about building new; it is also about evolving along the way,” explains Chua. “Urban regeneration helps us to protect and preserve parts of our urban environment while helping to give them new life,” he adds.

In Shenzhen, the protection and transformation of one of the city’s oldest villages into a new regional landmark designed to ensure the long-term success of this important cultural site for the city and its citizens is just one example. As one of the largest urban regeneration schemes in the city, the Hubei Coordination Urban Renewal Scheme sets out to protect and transform the 500year old ‘Old Hubei Village’ as part of a major regional cultural, commercial and tourism destination for which Lead8 was appointed to deliver the overall retail planning and retail architectural design. The result is a platform that links the Old Hubei Village with a mixed-activity development that features more than 25 commercial, residential and hotel towers across 400,000 sqm, directly connecting to five subway stations. With an expected completion date of 2024, the project successfully explores the area’s ancient history within a modern context, maintaining the balance between the regeneration and protection of the old village and defining itself as one of Shenzhen’s most significant regeneration undertakings. Meanwhile in Beijing, Lead8’s role as masterplanner for the Shougang Park Urban Weaving District and the delivery of the architectural design of the first phase transit-oriented mixed-use scope of the overall urban generation masterplan sees the transformation of the 100-year-old Capital Steel Factory Park into a thriving multi-activity destination. Comprising retail, office, hotel, entertainment, public transport interchange and MICE, the scheme is targeting high-tech firms as future tenants. Due for completion later this year, the project

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“Successful design connects people to the world around them. For Lead8, promoting social engagement, discovery and exploration within the spaces we deliver is key. Now more than ever, we need collaborative and experiential design to deliver new opportunities and platforms for communities to grow and thrive together.” Claude Touikan, Co-Founder & Executive Director is set to become a future flagship transit-oriented development in the city’s new Shougang North District, and thanks to Lead8’s placemaking strategy will see the integration of nature, landscape, culture and technology integrated across the 938,000 sqm development. Designed to meet the China 3-Star Green Building Standard, it is set to become one of the most iconic mixed-use and urban regeneration developments in the region, and provide a new gateway to the Beijing Winder Olympics site, while celebrating the site’s industrial past.

THE POWER OF BIOPHILIA

Chua is a firm believer that “good design puts people at its heart”. In 2021, Lead8 celebrated the opening of The Ring in Chongqing, a groundbreaking ecological retail destination featuring one of China’s largest botanic gardens. For Chua, the project, which comes to life with a 42m high botanical garden, interactive sports and culture, and a creative tenant mix, sets a new benchmark for experiential destinations in Chongqing and China. “Truly innovative, the vision seeks to deliver a new-generation social destination, an urban natural community and a landmark regional commercial centre. The power of biophilia and our desire to be close to nature is front and centre, pushing the agenda forward for future commercial developments,” says Chua. As the first development to be completed within Hongkong Land’s ‘The Ring’ retail series, the scheme is located in the Jingzhou Business District, set within Chongqing’s residential centre, next to the picturesque Zhaomushan Forest Park. Occupying 430,000 sqm, with approximately 154,000 sqm dedicated to the seven-level mall, 14,000 sqm to the retail street, 111,000 sqm to the super grade A office building and 6,000 sqm to the indoor botanical garden, The Ring has direct connections to the city’s Metro and brings a transit-oriented approach to deliver convenient access across the city. With interior design centred on a ‘Mountain City’ concept, bringing together natural environments with enriched engagement, experiential opportunities and cutting-edge environmental protection technologies, The Ring is an emblem of Lead8’s commitment to helping to meet the demands of changing consumer preferences and the integration of nature into our daily lives.

Indeed, the practice have also explored new typologies for urban city realms through their competition design of the Urban City Cultural Place, which looks at how the built and natural worlds can come together in a modern city context. Unveiled at the beginning of 2021, the proposal reimagines the relationship between the local landscape and the commercial development of our cities, and how integrating architecture, technology and ecology could influence the future of our cities. Based on a waterfront area in a primarily commercial district, the project examines the dialogue between the site’s existing development and undeveloped parkland. Local biodiversity protection, rainwater collection, greywater recycling and energy consumption minimisation were all factored into the design, which won a Platinum Award in Architecture (Concept) at the MUSE Design Awards, and a Silver Award in Conceptual Architecture at the International Design Awards.

THE RISE OF COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENTS The appointment of Lead8 as Lead Consultant for Interior Design, Masterplanning and Architecture for New World Development’s HK$20 billion mixed-use destination ’11 SKIES’ at Hong Kong’s SKYCITY arguably put the practice on the map. As Hong Kong’s largest hub for retail, dining and entertainment (RDE) and the first to combine wealth management and wellness services in one complete ecosystem for people in Hong Kong andhe Greater Bay Area, the project is testament to the commitment, creativity and expertise of the team. For Claude Touikan, Co-Founder & Executive Director, the project is one example of partnerships influencing design. “Across societies, industries and organisations, we are experiencing a collaborative movement that is only just beginning,” he says. “The power of collaboration has taken on a new significance in a world seeking to understand and redefine the way forward. A richer range

PRC MAGAZINE 20th ANNIVERSARY

of experiences blending retail, music, dining, culture, leisure, wellness and entertainment is starting to take shape. We should expect this collaborative effect to lead to the creation of environments and experiences not yet seen before, where the result is not only more than the sum of its parts but the creation of entirely new typologies,” he adds. Approaching the completion of the first phase in 2022, the destination features a mind-blowing 2.66 million sq ft dedicated to dining and retail outlets, and 570,000 sq ft for experiential entertainment facilities. Opening in phases from 2022 to 2025, 11 SKIES will feature over 800 shops and more than 120 dining concepts, and entertainment including the first Greater China launch of KidZania, SkyTrack, the world’s largest indoor and outdoor karting track, a flying theatre, digital media performances and immersive educational experiences. Also in Lead8’s portfolio of collaborative environments is MixC Ningbo, an experiential retail destination within central Ningbo, which opened in June 2021. With a brief that included creating a sanctuary within the bustling city, Lead8 looked to enhance the quality of experiential developments by designing spaces for families, open civic spaces for the community, and capturing the imagination of the people of Ningbo. A key feature of the development is the 24-hour public ‘Sky Walk’ complete with a landscaped and leisure-animated roof boulevard that leads to the city’s first ferris wheel within a retail scheme. Drawng inspiration from the city’s heritage, the architectural design celebrates the historic sloping rooves, showcased in a striking house-shaped curtain wall façade. Inside the development a Tree House atrium anchors the main communal area, while skylights provide glimpses of the outdoor entertainment and activities.

PRC MAGAZINE 20th ANNIVERSARY

A Decorative Life! What is decorative plaster?

Can we use decorative plaster in our daily life? Or is it a product that only the biggest companies can afford to create a textured wall in a commercial space?

KC, Creativo Managing Director

RC Magazine sat down for an exclusive interview with Creativo Managing Director, KC, who shared his more than 20 years of experience working in the decorative plaster business.

KC and his partners founded Creativo in 2010. They have been active in the decorative plaster industry and are well-known in the local building industry. Their portfolio includes many different projects in the commercial field such as shopping malls, hotels, restaurants and offices. Creativo’s residential works cover home interiors, the clubhouses of luxury apartment and even feature on a swimming pool ceiling, an ideal place for their team to create and demonstrate their prowess. “Decorative plaster first appeared in Europe and was introduced to Hong Kong more than 20 years ago, but it wasn’t until 10 years ago that decorative plaster became well-known for its myriad potential applications, become a popular choice of designers ever since,” said KC. At first, decorative plaster was mostly used in commercial projects, frequently for textured walls in hotels and shopping malls. In addition to offering many and varied colour choices, decorative plaster also create a three-dimensional beauty applicable for normal walls throughout many interior environments. “Today, many residential interiors are also pursuing different design effects, such as making a feature wall to add some unique beauty to the resident’s home. Due to the diverse range of design possibilities, clients are also becoming more imaginative in their requests for what can be achieved using this versatile product.”

Text: Bryan Chan

Images: Creativo

Variety and environmentally friendly KC explained that decorative plaster is a general term, which can contain different raw materials and use different splatting techniques to create textured effects, such as wood grain, stone grain and marble patterns as well as many shiny and glamours styles. Latex paints cannot offer so much variety of finishes. Decorative plaster can also create unique wall and finish patterns according to the requirements of designers or householders, which can meet the overall requirements of interior design. In addition to the usual use on walls, it can be used on ceilings, cabinet doors, and even tabletops, to bring all surfaces to life with unique, tailor-made patterns and finishes. There are even some special kinds of decorative plaster that can be used outdoors, such as on external building walls, terraces and even platforms and stages. Decorative pains plaster can create industrial style effects such as stone patterns or rough cement which is a popular choice for designers and the operators of entertainment venues. Visually, it is exactly the same as stone, and there is no space limit at all or logistical challenges, such as the heavy weight of actual stone panels and slabs.

“The main raw materials of decorative plaster are sourced from Italy, and are mixed with natural mineral materials, ensuring it can be used in different environments and climates, such as Hong Kong’s particular humid summer weather. Since the material are made using natural materials, the product does not release harmful substances like ordinary paint, are free from VOCs, such that decorative paint is one of the building materials that can be specified in environmentally friendly buildings,” adds KC.

Passion for innovation

Challenges and opportunities "With more and more people are joining the decorative plaster industry now, competition has certainly increased, but in the long run, it will be a good for the market, because more competition means more demand, and maintaining competitiveness drives us to continue to grow and to challenge ourselves creatively. The pursuit of progress is the driving force to keep improving products. For example, creating different patterns and effects, so that users can find exactly the right effect for their projects,” adds KC.

KC is obsessed with architectural art aesthetics, and pursues perfection in every project. There are many unforgettable projects in his memory, but the most unforgettable project is not in Hong Kong, rather this was a renovation of an exterior wall of a commercial building in Singapore. Since this is the first time for this type of project, he was very impressed, because the first step was to combine the decorative plaster on an aluminum plate and then transport it to Singapore for installation, which greatly complicated the process. From design, production to construction, it is necessary to communicate closely with customers, and because the location is overseas, the difficulty in quality and installation control was increased as well. “I am very proud of this project!” he states.

In the future, he believes that feature texture walls in the home will be a major trend, because they can embellish any living space, are durable and made from natural materials, so they are the perfect choice for those who desire wellness and the pursuit of healthier living.

As for innovation, KC mentions the design of the washbasins for K11 Musea, which is a work made of decorative plaster combined with fiberglass. It depended on the trust of the customers to accept Creativo’s novel concept which was to add some unusual design to a venue with a truly artistic atmosphere. “The finished product is also quite satisfactory.”

In terms of commercial projects, says that that the customisation of prefabricated components will increase, and there should be room for further development in the use of buildings’ exterior walls.

Spreading the word

Regarding the company's future, KC says that there are three major directions, Hong Kong is still the foundation, the home base and continuing to develop commercial and residential projects is the main goal here. Next is the mainland market, because the mainland market where the competition is more intense, but the quality is relatively uneven, so having certified Italian imported materials is an absolute advantage for Creativo! The third area of focus is to strengthen the development of the Southeast Asian market, with the hope of expanding the company’s territory to include Malaysia and Singapore amongst other places.

To promote the use of decorative plaster, Creativo invited traditional painters to participate in a project’s production from time to time. In addition to communicating with each other, they also let the professionals use decorative plaster, understand its characteristics and application methods, and bring it to a wider application level. At the same time, KC also cooperates with paint shops on the market to promote decorative finishes and introduce the store staff to what decorative plaster is. In the future, he hopes to hold courses to make relevant knowledge more popular, so that people who are interested can also learn the intricacies of using of decorative plaster and it’s many potential benefits to designing perfect interiors.

However, KC believes that at the moment, Hong Kong customers tend to be overly simply and not necessarily imaginative. Such that simple Japanese styles, marbles and cement textures are the go to choices for many local clients. “Hopefully as the products become more widely used our clients will show even greater creativity and really stretch the limits of what can be achieved.”

The future

“In fact, we have already cooperated with several local companies in the region. I aim to continue to promote the wonderful qualities decorative plaster products farther afield throughout Asia.”

PRC MAGAZINE 20th ANNIVERSARY

Instagram-worthy interior design a key to competitive success Keeping up with community and social trends is the secret to commercial design success for JATO Design International Limited, an award-winning international design firm operating in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

ccording to Kali Chan, Vice General Manager, Design Director – Interior at JATO Design, it has been the company’s regular practice to incorporate Instagram-worthy design features in its shopping mall projects. The core strengths of JATO Design lie in architectural, interior, graphic design and signages.

void edge that make selfie-snappers feel as though they are standing inside a 9-metre-high kaleidoscope. At the Fortune Metropolis foodcourt, there is a LED screen composed of recycled glass bottles in the function area to project large, low-resolution messages. The space is available for booking by companies looking to stage mini events such as press briefings.

RIDING THE SOCIAL MEDIA CRAZE

CREATIVE PROCESS AROUND DESIGN BRIEF

“The idea is to create instagrammable spots in the shopping centres we design, where customers are inspired to take selfies and photographs with their friends and post them on social media. This, in turn, will generate publicity for the malls and make them instantly recognisable in association with the photogenic spots they feature,” said Ms. Chan, citing two recent design project - Shimao Xiamen Shopping Centre in Xiamen city, mainland China and the food-court of Fortune Metropolis mall in Hung Hom district, Hong Kong.

JATO’s social media -inspired tactic does not make its design projects look formulaic though. “We are involved in the design of a lot of malls. But the interior design we develop for the different shopping centres is uniquely one of a kind and based strictly on the client’s design brief,” said Chan.

Take for example the “Dynamic Node” feature in Shimao Xiamen, which showcases a LED screen ceiling and triangle-shaped mirror stainless steel

JATO approached the Shimao Xiamen project first by investigating the surrounding community in which the mall would stand. The site, it discovered, stood in the Jimei district, one predominated by several postsecondary colleges and university. Upon being completed, the mall was expected to be a regular hangout for university students and middle-aged customers, who are residents of the area.

Text: Norman Yam

“As we grow, we seek to improve ourselves and our lives,” said Ms. Chan, putting herself in the shoes of the varsity students. “Mimicking a centre of learning, the mall embraces the “infinity of knowledge” concept, with an entrance designed like an open book and a “tree of knowledge” arch.

Images: JATO

Krista Chan

SPATIAL CONNECTIVITY The main entrance to Shimao Xiamen is to the north, which is the central part of the mall, and on the south is an event atrium named “Garden of Wisdom” with a stage for performances, workshops and sharing. An internal staircase has been built to connect the first and second levels. Movement of shoppers traffic is further facilitated by the staircase leading to the roof garden on the fourth level and sky garden at the fifth level. “Between the western and eastern parts of the mall is a small, passive atrium space for mini exhibitions to be held,” said Chan. “Spatial planning at the mall is aimed to provide a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, echoing the concept of information and knowledge sharing,” she added. The same spatial fluidity permeates the Fortune Metropolis food-court area designed by the JATO design team. Unlike the many staid public dining areas in Hong Kong, this food court is characterised by a light-heated colour scheme and irregular seating arrangements but what really sets it apart is the presence of community tables, complete with electrical sockets and all, for users to carry out work on personal computers. Not far from the food stalls is a “party room”, function space for commercial use or private party, which can easily revert back to a dining area.

CULTURAL DIFFERENCES Having worked in Hong Kong and mainland Chinese cities including Xiamen and Shanghai, Chan appreciates the uniqueness and differences in working culture that make each of them a vibrant design hub. “Contrary to the beliefs of many locals, our mainland Chinese clients are more receptive to new ideas than those from Hong Kong. However, they often operate with lower budgets. What’s great about them is their liberal mindset, allowing us to experiment with bold design concepts and ideas.” “Sometimes, when we are given a tighter budget to design the interiors of shopping malls there, we will keep 70% to 80% of the area simple but welcoming while reserving 20% to 30% of the remaining space for the “wow” factor to capture visitors’ attention. For example, we may design a playground for kids, incorporate outer-space elements with a spaceship image or design an indoor area like an outdoor street.” By comparison, Hong Kong offers a smaller market but the city’s global outlook makes it an equally fulfilling place to work in. “Here, we enjoy unrestricted access to global information and put much emphasis on originality and creative thinking”.

PRC MAGAZINE 20th ANNIVERSARY

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PRC MAGAZINE 20th ANNIVERSARY

BUILDING A WORLD OF

LUXURY SPA EXPERIENCES G

rand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau is the newest milestone development of SJM Resorts, S.A. (SJM) in the Cotai district, and also the latest integrated resort of the widely-recognised Lisboa brand.

Inspired by the monumental European buildings of the Neoclassical to Belle Époque periods and traditional Chinese motifs, the resort celebrates the grand union of the best from East and West as it honours the legendary, cross-cultural heritage of Macau. Continuing the Lisboa brand's dedication to perfection, the resort sets a new, elevated standard of hospitality excellence, with close to 1,900 rooms and suites across three distinct and exciting hospitality propositions: the five-star Grand Lisboa Palace Macau, Asia's first Palazzo Versace Macau, and the world's first THE KARL LAGERFELD. It is also the very first integrated resort in the world to house two fashion-branded hotels under one roof.

RESPLENDENT AND INDULGENT

Renowned worldwide for his aspirational, cosmopolitan and cutting-edge approach to style, fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld's visionary aesthetics and ethos extended beyond clothing and accessories to interior design, furniture, photography, and even sculptures. Discover his unrivalled creativity and rock-chic attitude in a lavish and unique blend of Chinese and Western aesthetics at THE KARL LAGERFELD, the world's only hotel tower with the interior entirely designed by and bearing the name of the fashion legend. Text: Mike Staley

Photos: SJM Resorts

Billy Leung

Karl Lagerfeld's lifelong fascination with design and style runs through the interiors of THE KARL LAGERFELD, combining bold colours and patterns with tailored silhouettes and an incomparable vision. Entering the lobby, guests are met with a reception wall covered with over a thousand keys, inspired by the movie The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), forming a unique KARL Kameo artwork. Throughout the hotel tower are custom-made Chinese-style porcelain vases, handmade in Jingdezhen, with the tallest one standing at 3.5 meters high in the hotel lobby. Their unusual proportions represent Karl Lagerfeld's sophisticated reimagining of modern Chinoiserie via traditional craftsmanship. Every aspect of the 271 rooms and suites at THE KARL LAGERFELD showcases the designer's inimitable style, from specially commissioned furniture to circular room dividers inspired by traditional Chinese moon gates. The Chinoiserieinspired room décor, such as eye-catching cherry blossom wall designs, blends effortlessly with Western art deco elements, embodying Karl Lagerfeld's contemporary residential sensibility and distinct aesthetic vision with absolute hospitality and style. The Spa at THE KARL LAGERFELD on Level 3 of the hotel tower fuses fashion, luxury and beauty into a one-of-a-kind experience that reflects the world of Karl Lagerfeld in unconventional dark and gold tones. Across six elegant treatment suites, guests can enjoy therapies that focus on prevention rather than cure, using science-based, precision products from award-winning skincare brand 111SKIN in their Macau debut, for an exclusive spa experience unlike any other. For guests seeking further relaxation, the temperature-controlled indoor and outdoor swimming pools offer an oasis of style and well-being, with décor incorporating overscale traditional Chinese elements and custom mosaics. In addition, the Gym combines Karl Lagerfeld's rock-chic aesthetics with advanced cardiovascular Technogym® equipment, where guests can train their stamina in an invigorating environment. The Spa at THE KARL LAGERFELD reflects the fashion legend's unrivalled creativity and singular vision. Black marble and gold mosaic touches blend stunning elements of Chinese and Western Art Deco throughout the spa, interweaving Karl Lagerfeld's signature modern flair into an environment that induces a true state of relaxation and beautification. Barr+Wray is responsible for providing the interior design layouts for the spa’s wet areas, which are beautified with black marble and gold mosaic touches. Drawing on his passion for the charm of minimalism, Lagerfeld’s aesthetic vision for the spa was to sensitively blend elements of traditional Chinese and European Art Deco design. Bearing his signature modern flair, the spa’s six treatment suites offer a unique spa experience that fuses fashion, luxury and art to induce a state of relaxation, for guests to enjoy inspirational face and body treatment services. On completion of its engineering consultancy services for the hotel’s spa, Barr + Wray secured contracts for the supply and installation of equipment including fully ozonated vitality pools, saunas, steam rooms, ice fountains and steam shower within the VIP treatment suite.

EXPERTS IN EVERYTHING WATER

Standing on Asia's center for tourism and leisure on reclaimed land between the islands of Coloane and Taipa, Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau offers over 1,300 contemporary designed guestrooms in three beautiful hotel towers. At this elegant destination for health, beauty and wellness, the rich Chinoiserie interiors exude an aura of luxury refined, interwoven with subtle Baroque and Chinese design elements that reference the long tradition of Sino-Western cultural exchange in Macau. Equipped with 14 private treatment rooms lavishly accented with white gold mosaic wall tiles, the facility provides a relaxing sanctuary for guests to enjoy personalised facial treatments and therapeutic massages that incorporate luxury skincare technology from France. Barr+Wray was responsible for providing interior design layouts for the spa’s wet areas together with engineering consultancy for the wet areas, VIP steam showers and the health club. As well as delivering engineering consultancy for the spa and health club, the company was approached to supply and install equipment including fully ozonated vitality pools, UV treated spa pools, 4 saunas, 4 steam rooms, 2 ice fountains and 3 Vichy steam showers.

Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau

Dubbed the “experts in everything water” Barr+Wray has established a strong presence in the pool and spa business around the region, since its establishment a decade ago. Targeting the region’s hotel and casino resort sector, the company specialises in both the design planning and subsequent installation of steam, sauna, ice and refreshment thermal experiences. Barr+Wray’s brand-named clients hail from all over the world.

PRC MAGAZINE 20th ANNIVERSARY

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Build4Asia Awards 2022 Open for Entry Now! Jointly organised by Build4Asia and PRC Magazine, a ROF Media publication, Build4Asia Awards 2022 celebrate the most exemplary developments, innovations and standards of excellence achieved within the building industry. After the success of the inaugural Awards in 2020, the second installment is now open for nominations and will e bigger and better than ever, with all new judges, a Special Jury Award and Awards for Best Overseas projects.

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