PRC Magazine #112 (Architecture | Building | Construction)

2023 Issue 112

Pacific Rim Construction

Uhub HOUSE DESIGN EXPERIMENT CREATES A VERTICAL URBAN MICROSPACE IN GUANGZHOU

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Hong Kong / PRC $60

Otis HK @135 - Vertical transportation leads the world higher Gensler unveils ROBOVERSE Sanlitun Experience Centre ZHA employs digital design tools, robotics, 3D printing, AI & VR Peak Tram relaunched after substantial $700 million upgrade The Quality Building Award readies for launch of QBA 2024

ISSN 1684-1956 977168495009

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air-lux is providing outstanding performance also under extreme weather conditions.

Patented air-sealing technology against driving rain, air-infiltration and noise.

Now also as Curved Sliding system for single or bi-parting openings.

ARTISTIC GLASS COMES TO LIFE

Glass offers countless creative possibilities. It can be crafted into pieces with multiple patterns, textures and designs to suit any decor concept.Versatile yet timeless, it provides endless inspiration for diverse usage.

Orientop is favoured by the building industry for creating contemporary decorative glass. In the design of commercial buildings, their products add a wealth of solutions to any endeavour and are invaluable for residential use, injecting vitality and artistry into every project.

ONE INNOVALE Located in Fanling, this residential project’s glass partition of the unit’s washrooms feature a frosted luminous gemstone pattern which transmits warm light and presents the effect of a light box. It is more distinctive than o rd i n a r y s t o n e w a l l s and makes the beautiful space come to life.

OCEAN PRIDE

Decorative glass is used to create the characteristic walls of this impressive residential clubhouse, with a mix of patterns and textures combined with craftsman-like flair, forming a unique decorative wall to impress every visitor!

This decorative, durable glass features throughout the project, including ceilings, in reception and the stylish mailbox area of the lobby.

MONACO The exclusive lifestyle of Monaco was the developer’s design inspiration, mirroring the project's superior location on Kai Tak's Promenade , creating a dynamic nautical aesthetic. From the clubhouse facilities to the interior design of the units, refreshing ocean elements are thoughtfully worked into the interior design.

In Monaco’s lobby, clubhouse and swimming pool of, Orientop’s glass is featured throughout, the designs and ripple-patterned glass walls reflecting the project’s themes of blue sky and sea which is featured on the wall adjacent to the swimming pool, elevator and the doors of the washroom. Bespoke-designed glass walls feature patterns which include the texture of hemp rope and the map of the Monaco seaside, enhancing the feeling of living on a yacht. The iconic glass is all designed and manufactured by Orientop so each is spectacular and unique.

SOLARIA In this Pak Shek Kok residential project, the kitchens incorporate floor-to-ceiling glass, instead of the traditional walls. Glass on the upper par ts is fully transparent and the lower part is opaque but is the laminated glass with sheer.

The corners are designed with curved (R200mm) glass, which has a streamlined appearance. Such use of glass is dynamic, more modern than traditional kitchen and greatly increases the sense of space.

For more information, please contact: Celia Chan at celia@glasslam-asia.com Tel: (852) 9866 8480

TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY

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Sep - Oct 2023 Issue 112

46 Cover photo: UHUB HOUSE Designed by: Wutopia Lab

Publisher: Mike Staley, publisher@rofmedia.com Editor: media@rofmedia.com Contributing Editor: Elizabeth Dooley Editorial Team: Bryan Chan • Billy Leung • Derek Leung • Jasper Lau • Julienne Raboca • Kay Chan • Lakshmi Chirumamilla 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 Photographers: Raymond Tam, Walter Ding Data & Publishing Administrator: Joey Yeung Printing: Asia One Printing Limited PRC Magazine is published by Ring of Fire Limited 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 2023 Ring of Fire Limited

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HONG KONG’S LARGEST, MOST ADVANCED COLD STORAGE FACILITY

Chinachem Group (Chinachem), in partnership with ESR Group (ESR), APAC’s largest real asset manager powered by the New Economy, have broken ground to begin the development of a prime cold storage and logistics facility in Kwai Chung, the first-of-its-kind and the largest to be built in Hong Kong in the last 20 years.The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Secretary for Transport and Logistics, HKSAR Governmen, Lam Sai Hung, Chinachem Executive Director and CEO, Donald Choi, ESR Group Co-founder and Co-CEO, Jeffrey Shen and others.

Slated for completion in 2027 (with a new 50-year lease expiring in 2072), Kwai Chung Cold Storage Logistics Centre (Cold Storage) will play a major role in pioneering the future of logistics in Hong Kong and consolidating the city’s leadership as a regional logistics hub. ESR contributes its extensive experience in sustainable development such that Kwai Chung Cold Storage will have the highest green building standards, with the objective of attaining LEED Core and Shell Platinum and BEAM Plus New Building Platinum certifications. To promote

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green transport, Chinachem, ESR and CLPe will explore EV Charging as a service to cater for future demand of electric commercial vehicles. Cutting-edge green and sustainable building features have been embedded in the building design, including 300+ electric vehicle (EV) charging points, a rainwater harvesting irrigation system, photovoltaic (PV) panels, and other renewable energy solutions. Additionally, 30% of the site area is designated for greenery.

Upon its completion, Kwai Chung Cold Storage Logistics Centre will embody industry best practices in its digital and automation technologies, operational flexibility, energy management and modern design to enable tenants to achieve greater efficiency and lower environmental impact. www.chinachemgroup.com, www.esr.com

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ZHA UNVEILS WUHAN TAIKANG FINANCIAL CENTRE, WUHAN

AN INTEGRATED MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT REJUVENATING THE PROSPERITY OF XI’AN

Founded in 1996, Taikang Insurance Group has grown to become one of the largest providers of insurance, asset management, health and elderly care in China.The new Taikang Financial Centre (TKF) will be a centre of excellence, collaborating with leading civic, academic and corporate institutions to develop effective systems and networks that will provide a new ecosystem of support for people of all ages across China. Informed by Wuhan’s position as a central hub of China’s transport networks, Taikang Financial Centre’s design is a circular composition of three interconnected towers within the Hankou Riverside Business District urban masterplan that integrates the Yangtze River parklands and wetlands to the east and the city’s new Central Park to the south. These new public areas of nature are integral to Wuhan’s Sponge City Programme that enables the natural storage and infiltration of rainwater to slow its release and aid flood prevention while also facilitating its reuse.Targeting LEED Gold certification from the USGBC, the circular composition of the TKF’s three towers provides self-shading throughout the day. External fins with a tapered profiles extend from each glazing mullion for additional façade shading whilst maintaining unobstructed views of the city. The centre’s high-performance envelope ensures natural daylighting throughout each floor while reducing the centre’s heating and cooling requirements. www.zaha-hadid.com

Aedas-designed Xi’an Lovi Center opened in June 2023, serving as a new urban oasia. Located in Xi’an, the project comprises a shopping mall, office and hotel towers. Designed to be a vibrant mixed-use destination, Lovi Center has instantly become a unique retail-recreational attraction through the hybrid of public space and greenery. Injected with vitality and envisioned as a garden city, Lovi Center is filled with 100% natural greenery and flowers through podiums, gardens and green belts, marking itself as a lush people-centric location with diverse commercial activities. Immersive experiences include art and cultural exhibitions, delivering an interactive, inspiring journey. Featuring a mix of leisure and recreational brands, Lovi Center is slated to be an iconic retail hub, appealing to the needs of all-age groups, especially the upwardly mobile. Global Design Principals, Christine Lam and David Clayton, enthused: “We have designed the project with bold aesthetics and modern functionality and brought vitality to the city. We are delighted to see Lovi Center realised and look forward to seeing the hotel completion in 2024.” www.aedas.com

WAF 2023 SHORTLIST REVEALS INSPIRING PROJECTS AROUND THE GLOBE

ESTÉE LAUDER’S CHINA INNOVATION LABS OPEN IN SHANGHAI

The most inspiring architectural projects from around the world have been revealed as the shortlist for the 2023 World Architecture Festival (WAF) is announced.This is ahead of the live event which this year will take place in Singapore, at Marina Bay Sands, from 29 November – 1 December.WAF represents the world’s biggest live judged architectural awards programme, where all finalists present their projects to a panel of judges at the international festival. The shortlist celebrates the best new completed buildings and landscapes as well as the most inspiring future architectural concepts, across 33 categories, ranging from residential, to cultural, to creative re-use. The international judging panel for this year’s awards consists of more than 140 industry experts, representing 43 countries, and will include Lily Jencks, Nigel Coates, Rafiq Azam, Albert Williamson-Taylor,Tracy Meller, Jason Bruges, Annette Fisher, Roland Schnizer and Issa Diabaté.This year’s finalists span the globe, with the top ten shortlisted countries including China, Australia, United Kingdom, India, United States, Iran, Thailand, Singapore, Canada, and Japan. www.worldarchitecturefestival.com

The new Estee Lauder China (ELC) Innovation Labs has opened in Shanghai.

Designed by Gensler, the new facility is a five-storey, 11,868 m² state-of-the-art research and development facility. The ELC China Innovation Labs is the first international ELC facility to have end-to-end innovation in one location, including research, ideation, insights, clinical, sensory and performance testing, formulation, packaging, and engineering. The facility has an experienced and diverse team of local Chinese scientists, engineers, and product developers. The facility will be ELC’s first LEED & WELL Platinum-certified building and is expected to drive the company’s sustainable innovation by focusing on green chemistry, responsible sourcing, sustainable packaging, and more. Gensler Greater China, Regional Managing Principal, Xiaomei Lee, said: “The opening of The Estée Lauder China Innovation Labs marks another milestone for ELC in China. From conceptual design to implementation, the success of the project is inseparable from the collaboration of all teams working together to create a sustainable, high-quality spatial environment.” www.gensler.com

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THE CATHAY GROUP TO PURCHASE UP TO 32 NEW SINGLE-AISLE AIRBUS AIRCRAFT The Cathay Group has announced its intention to purchase up to 32 Airbus A321neo and A320neo aircraft as it continues to invest in expanding and modernising its fleet, and growing flight connectivity at the Hong Kong international aviation hub. This will bring the Group’s new aircraft deliveries to up to more than 70. These aircraft are expected to be delivered by 2029, and will join the fleets of Cathay Pacific and HK Express, principally serving destinations in the Chinese Mainland and elsewhere in Asia.

Cathay Group, Chief Executive Officer, Ronald Lam, said: “We are committed to investing in the long-term future of the Group and the Hong Kong international aviation hub, which is expected to grow exponentially with the operation of the Three-Runway System. As we strive towards achieving our vision of becoming one of the world’s greatest service brands, we remain committed to continuously investing in our customer experience. These aircraft feature the latest technological enhancements to provide a quieter, more comfortable and more fuel-efficient journey for our customers.” www.cathaypacific.com

ANA TO OFFSET EMISSIONS THROUGH DIRECT AIR CAPTURE Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) will offset part of its greenhouse gas emissions through a carbon credit trading system underpinned by a new technology known as direct air capture (DAC). ANA said it has signed a contract to purchase 30,000 tonnes’ worth of carbon trading credits from 1PointFive of the U.S. The American company will in turn use DAC to absorb that amount of carbon dioxide directly from the air over three years from 2025. ANA plans for carbon dioxide removal to account for 10% of its reduction in emissions by fiscal 2050, and sustainable aviation fuel 70%. The deal makes ANA the world’s first airline to sign a contract to purchase credits involving DAC technology. In DAC, high-powered fans draw air into a processing facility where the carbon dioxide is separated out through a series of chemical reactions, according to 1PointFive. The CO2 is either securely stored in underground reservoirs or used to produce fuels or industrial materials. In 2022, major airlines such as Air Canada, Air France-KLM and Lufthansa Group signed letters of intent with Airbus to negotiate the possible pre-purchase of carbon removal credits starting in 2025 through to 2028. www.ana.co.jp/en/hk

INNOKLUSIO - AN EXHIBITION ON INCLUSION AT WORK

ATELIER BRÜCKNER has designed INNOKLUSIO, an exhibition on inclusion at work, sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. The mobile exhibition offers five walk-in, freely combinable cubes with interactive media stations and learning games on the theme of inclusion.

Questions printed in large letters on the outer walls of the cubes help to orientate and arouse curiosity; accompanying portrait photos make them appear as a personal address. The cubes differ in colour and theme. They are accessible at ground level and, like inviting portals, can be entered from two sides. Guides, with and without disabilities, accompany visitors through the exhibition and offer the opportunity to ask questions and engage in conversation. Individual visits are also possible. The exhibition is in German, English, German sign language and braille. All stations are designed to be inclusive. “Every sixth person in Germany lives with a disability. And only 57 percent of people with disabilities of working age are integrated into the labour market,” according to available data from Dialogue Social Enterprise GmbH, which developed the content of the exhibition. www.atelier-brueckner.com

“GRASSLAND VILLAGE” FUTURE SCHOOL DESIGN AT THE HEART OF HANGZHOU

FIRST VOLVO ELECTRIC TRUCK DELIVERED IN TAIWAN Volvo Trucks is pleased to announce the first delivery of an electric truck in Taiwan to WRC PACIFIC, Ltd. (WRCP).

The delivery took place at Taikoo Kaohsiung Flagship Service Center, belonging to national dealer Taikoo Commercial Vehicles. WRCP becomes the proud owner of a Volvo FE electric truck, demonstrating its firm commitment to green transportation and recognizing the leadership of Volvo Trucks in electric trucks and Taikoo in the supply of commercial vehicles. WRCP, Volvo Trucks and Taikoo Commercial Vehicles are joining forces in Taiwan to move towards a zero-emissions future.

Volvo Truck’s electric lineup offers a wide range of options to meet various industry transport needs. These include the Volvo FE, which is an 18.5-tonne electric medium-duty truck equipped with a highly efficient electric motor, ensuring quiet and zero-emission operations that can reduce energy consumption costs by up to 80%. Its new-generation, high-efficiency battery has a 42% increased capacity, enabling a total driving range of up to 300 kilometres. www.volvotrucks.com/en-en

International architecture practice 10 Design (part of Egis Group) has won the competition to design a major 74,000 m² school project within Qianjiang New City of Hangzhou, China. 10 Design envisages an innovative educational hub for 2,000 elementary school students which doubles as an accessible and childfriendly public space for the community. Led by Design Principal Peby Pratama, the “grassland village” concept of the future school breaks away from the traditional primary school layout within a singular institutional building. “Our vision is to create a learning environment that facilitates environmental education and social interaction for our future generations. The design, emphasising openness, vitality and sustainability, is an organic response as well as a celebration of nature in the new city of Hangzhou,” shared Peby. The new campus maximises the waterfront site by introducing an undulating green deck at the heart of the design which bridges the urban green corridor in the west to the high-rise residential community in the east. Acting as a floating oasis within the dense urban context of Hangzhou, the ergonomic deck ties the functional clusters together, while providing ample green outdoor space to facilitate the interaction between landscape, teachers and students. www.10design.co

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ARCHIDEX 2023 ATTRACTED THE LARGEST NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS EVER!

The 22nd International Architecture, Interior Design and Building Exhibition (ARCHIDEX) 2023 has returned larger than ever, captivating industry players, professionals, and enthusiasts alike with its innovative future forward technology and an array of sustainable construction materials to propel the industry towards the nation’s agenda of creating a greener built environment with lower carbon footprints. Taking place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from the 26th to 29th July, this year’s edition boasted an overwhelming response from both local and international exhibitors, showcasing the latest advancements in building materials, construction technologies, interior fittings, and sustainable solutions.

Occupying 10 halls housing 1,400 exhibition stands from 600 exhibitors representing 15 countries and regions, ARCHIDEX 2023 proved to be an unforgettable journey into the transformative power of architectural innovation.

Industry players, professionals, and enthusiasts from around the world converged at ARCHIDEX 2023 to witness first-hand the cutting-edge technologies, revolutionary designs, and sustainable solutions that are shaping the future of architecture and design. ROF Media was honoured to continue our partnership as Hong Kong media Partner to ARCHIDEX, one of the region’s most important building industry events. www.ARCHIDEX.com.my

WKCDA VISITS SHANGHAI AND GUANGDONG-HONG KONG-MACAO GBA

AN ENGINEERING CONSULTANCY THAT AIMS TO TRANSFORM THE WORLD Multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy, Cundall, in July, publicly committed to achieving net zero carbon on all its projects by 2030. The pledge recognises the critical need for practical, science-led action to transition all buildings, infrastructure, and human settlements to net zero carbon as rapidly as possible. The global practice, which has 25 offices worldwide, will collaborate with our clients and industry to deliver energy and carbon solutions necessary to minimise the impact of global temperature rises. After 2030, Cundall will only work on design projects that are net zero carbon. Cundall Asia-Pacific Managing Director, Julian Bott, said: “We know that buildings are one of the fastest and most effective levers available for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

As the latest IPCC report stressed, there is no time to waste, and we must start now. That includes addressing our existing building stock as well as new buildings.” Partner, Julian Sutherland, added: “When we began our Zero Carbon Design 2030 journey in 2021, we had to start from the ground up to understand exactly what it would entail. Changing the world isn’t easy, and in an industry wedded to tradition where multi-disciplinary science dictates design solutions that are passed from one generation of engineers to the next, creating change is a challenge. But engineers are also inventive problem solvers and finding answers to the current unknowns is part of our DNA and our professional job description.’ www.cundall.com

KOHLER CELEBRATES 150 YEARS OF INNOVATION AND HERITAGE Kohler, founded in 1873, announces the Heritage Colours campaign worldwide, a year-long series of celebratory initiatives paying homage to an innovative movement within the Kohler design legacy and its introduction of vibrant, colourful products that began to great acclaim in 1927. This heralded moment created a cataclysmic shift within residential design, moving turn-of-the-century America away from the utilitarian white fixtures of the day by introducing colour into bathrooms and kitchens – bringing warmth and personality into every home – and gracious living into everyday life. Honouring the company’s colour story that has been almost a century in the making, Heritage Colours are represented through six curated shades hand-selected from the Kohler archives. The six vintage colourways – Spring Green (1927-1944); Lavender (1927-1944); Peachblow (1934-1973); Sunrise (1953-1969); Avocado (1967-1979); and Pink Champagne (1973-1979) – comprise Heritage Colours and although the palette is drawn from Kohler’s past, the shades remain remarkably fresh and of-the-moment. www.kohler.com.hk

INTRODUCING THE KEF LS60 WIRELESS LOTUS EDITION The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) delegation visited Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Dongguan in July and August 2023. They engaged in in-depth exchanges with the local performing arts venues and cultural institutions, sharing best practices and updating each other on the latest developments.The delegation met with Mr. Fang Shi-zhong, the Director General of the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, and Mr. Li Bin, the Director General of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province, to explore a wide range of cooperation opportunities between the WKCD and mainland provinces and cities in the areas of arts, culture and tourism. WKCDA Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Betty Fung, said: “Shanghai and Hong Kong are both cultural metropolises. WKCD has developed a close and long-time relationship with Shanghai: since 2016,WKCDA has signed cooperation agreements with various institutions including the Shanghai Museum, Power Station of Art, Shanghai West Bund, and SMG Performing Arts Group. WKCDA looks to strengthen cooperation between WKCD, the iconic cultural landmark of Hong Kong, and Shanghai’s arts and cultural institutions.” www.westkowloon.hk

Building on the success of the KEF in-car audio system for Lotus, these two iconic British brands are teaming up once again to introduce the KEF LS60 Wireless Lotus Edition, a ground-breaking floor standing speaker system that embodies the companies’ shared passion for engineering excellence and design innovation. The KEF and Lotus journey began with the introduction of exceptionally natural and pristine sound within the Lotus Emira sportscar and the Lotus Eletre Hyper-SUV. The next step in this exciting venture, which has always centred on enriching the future of a high-performance lifestyle, was to create the ultimate allin-one Hi-Fi speaker system for the home. From this intention, the LS60 Wireless Lotus Edition was born – a versatile speaker that seamlessly combines the latest technologies with excellent sound, inspired by one of Lotus’ heritage colours - British Racing Green. With an ultra-slim and contemporary design, combined with a classically sleek finish, the LS60 Wireless Lotus Edition fits effortlessly into a wide range of living spaces. https://hk.kef.com

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SOM AND FIELD OPERATIONS’ DESIGNED HIGH LINE – MOYNIHAN CONNECTOR OPENS

The High Line – Moynihan Connector—designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and James Corner Field Operations and led by Empire State Development, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Brookfield Properties, and Friends of the High Line—is part of a long-standing vision to create safer, more enjoyable pedestrian access, connect people to transit, and seamlessly link public open spaces and other community assets in the neighbourhood. As the latest chapter in the evolution of Midtown West, the Connector forms a link between a series of civic spaces all the way from Midtown West to the West Village.

The Connector creates an extraordinary pedestrian experience, composed of two bridges running above Dyer Avenue and West 30th Street. The new bridges create an elevated, accessible, and episodic urban journey from the doorstep of Moynihan Train Hall to the contemporary public spaces of Brookfield’s Manhattan West and the verdant gardens and historic structure of the High Line. The 260-foot-long

RECOGNISING SURVEYORS’ ROLE IN BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS) proudly announces that applications are now open for HKIS Awards 2024, a biennial event that recognises the invaluable contributions of surveyors in the construction industry. With their unwavering commitment to excellence, surveyors play a pivotal role in ensuring the success and sustainability of building projects.

Under the theme “Surveying for a Sustainable Future,” HKIS Awards 2024 aim to celebrate outstanding achievements in development projects that prioritise sustainability and contribute to a greener and more eco-friendly environment.

Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations, the Awards seek to emphasise the crucial role of surveyors in sustainable development, fostering a culture of sustainable practices in the industry and promoting a sustainable future for Hong Kong. Additionally, the HKIS Excellence in Surveying Award will be presented to the project with exceptional overall quality, deemed the best among all the Grand Award Winners. The award opens applications from now until 15 December 2023. www.hkis.org.hk

Timber Bridge, a glulam Warren truss made from sustainably sourced wood, offers an inviting space protected from the traffic emerging from the Lincoln Tunnel.

This structural solution requires minimal connections to the ground, allowing the existing roads to remain undisturbed, and maximises the use of renewable materials.The 340-foot-long Woodland Bridge introduces the immersive landscape of the High Line with deep and continuous soil beds built into the structure, supported by architecturally exposed weathered columns and angled bracket arms that vary dynamically with soil depths.These support large trees characteristic of an Eastern Deciduous Forest that will grow into a lush landscape for birds and native pollinators, provide shade, and shield pedestrians from traffic below. Responding to the site and context, the two bridges have their own architectural and structural expression and experience, and they are aesthetically united by a warm material palette of weathered steel decking and bronze handrails. www.som.com

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The Chevalier Group recognises outstanding engineering students The Chevalier Group places great emphasis on talent development, particularly on bringing new impetus to the industry through education and training.

A presentation ceremony was held to present scholarships to awardees for the 2022-2023 academic year. Since the inception of the Scholarship in 2018, a total of 200 students have benefitted from the programme.

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n 2018, the Group established the Chevalier Group Scholarship for full-time Vocational Training Council (VTC) students of Higher Diploma and Diploma of Vocational Education in the Engineering disciplines.

Over the past four years, 160 outstanding engineering students have been awarded the Scholarship totalling HK$4 million. A presentation ceremony was held earlier to present scholarships to the 40 awardees for the 2022-2023 academic year, accumulating the number of benefitted students in five years to 200.

The Chevalier Group Scholarship aims to recognize VTC engineering students who excel in their academic studies and are eager to advance their professional skills, with scholarships of HK$10,000 and HK$40,000 granted to Diploma and Higher Diploma students respectively.

At the presentation ceremony, Chairman and Managing Director of the Chevalier Group, Mr H S Kuok, said: “The Chevalier Group Scholarship has entered into its fifth consecutive year since its establishment in 2018, making this year a remarkable one. While the number of students benefitted from the Scholarship is reaching 200, the Group this year has extended our support to the programme through sharing our over 50 years wealth of experience in the industry with the students, in addition to the annual Scholarship of HK$1 million.”

The construction industry is currently undergoing transformation among which the MiC (Modular Integrated Construction) technology has brought significant changes to the entire sector. With the aim of promoting the latest MiC technology, a seminar and visit on the topic of MiC were organised for VTC engineering students.

The two activities have seen the keen participation of more than 150 lecturers and students, with feedback being highly positive.

Mr Kuok continued, “Going forward, the Chevalier Group will continue to maintain our close collaboration with VTC to explore the possibility of further joint efforts.

We aspire to work hand in hand to groom engineering talents for the Hong Kong construction industry. I hope that the Scholarship will be a strong boost to encourage the awardees to get equipped with the latest knowledge and experience and contribute to the development of the engineering and construction industry in Hong Kong.”

16 GREEN

CHAMPIONS OF DECARBONIZATION! GBACNA (Greater Bay Area Carbon Neutrality Association) is a non-profit association, aiming to provide members with design, consultancy, assessment, certification, rating, valuation, advisory, training services on sustainability, decarbonization and carbon neutrality.

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bacna promotes information exchange of latest technologies within the building industry and academia, and facilitates international collaboration on projects, green finance and capital marketing operations, etc., facilitating a green and low carbon lifestyle.

As an example of GBACNA’s advocacy and consultation services providing members with carbon reduction solutions, support for investments in carbon technology, the sharing of cutting-edge technologies and information on carbon neutrality, and promoting carbon trading, the Association produced the Low Carbon Buildings Top 100 Photobook. This was launched in the summer of 2023 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre.

The Photobook highlights the success of award-winning low-carbon buildings that promote decarbonization in the building sector and contribute to achieving carbon neutrality in the Greater Bay Area, acknowledging role models of lowcarbon buildings for their dedication to accelerating the transition to a carbon neutrality region and promoting decarbonization in the building sectors. The Photobook showcases the success of the awardees and their achievements.

The GBA Low Carbon Buildings TOP 100 Award Photobook Launch & Awardees Sharing event brought together awardees to deliver a variety of carbon building case sharing and Guests of Honour to share insights on how to transit to decarbonization in the built environment in the region and accelerate carbon neutrality through collaborations.

PRC Magazine as the official media partner to GBACNA was present at the launch, which was organised and emceed by GBACNA Founding President Dennis Wu and delivered to a full house.

Guests of Honour at the event included Mr Wong, Cheun-fai, J.P., Commissioner for Climate Change and Mr Chan, Pak-cheung from Architectural Services Dept., both from the Govt HKSAR; and Dr Cheung, Tin-cheung from Hong Kong Green Building Council.

During a sharing session, Mr Wong said: “The country has made it clear that it will achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and Hong Kong will also halve its carbon emissions from 2005 levels by 2035.

“All goals require the active participation of the building industry, the adoption of green building design, and regular attention to building energy efficiency management during operations.”

He also stated that electricity consumption in some government buildings decreased by approximately 7.8%, saving over 110 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, between 2015 and 2020. Building on these encouraging results, the government is working to further improve the energy performance of its buildings.

While sharing insights, Mr Chan told the audience: “The Architectural Services Department is committed to leading and encouraging low-carbon practices in the construction industry and promoting low-carbonization through strategies.

“These include incorporating low-carbon elements into projects and promoting sustainable synergies in the value chain, including positive impacts on upstream and downstream stakeholders, with a view to cultivating a low-carbon building ecosystem.” He added that innovation is the key to achieving carbon neutrality.

Keynote speakers included Johnny Yu, Ching-yan from Henderson Land Development Company Limited; Dr Raymond Yau, Man-hung from Swire Properties; Don Tse from Hongkong Land Limited; and Lewis Lam, Y.H. from Kai Shing Management Services Limited.

Mr Lam, Deputy General Manager (Property Management) of Kai Shing Management Services Co., Ltd., – which is a member of Sun Hung Kai Properties – told attendees that the property developer has “a clear green policy for sustainable development in its operations to save resources for the next generation.”

B u i l d i n g s i n H o n g Ko n g a c c o u n t for about 90% of total electricity consumption, and more than 60% of carbon emissions are related to power generation. To help achieve carbon neutrality in Hong Kong, the government plans to reduce electricity consumption in commercial buildings by 30% to 40% and in residential buildings by 20% to 30% by 2050.

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Text: ROF Media

Photography : GBACNA

Kay Chan

18 EVENTS

ARCHIDEX 2023 ATTRACTED THE LARGEST NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS EVER! The 22nd International Architecture, Interior Design and Building Exhibition (ARCHIDEX) 2023 has returned larger than ever.

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his year’s edition, the first since the disruptions of the global pandemic, captivated industry players, professionals, and enthusiasts alike with its innovative future forward technology and an array of sustainable construction materials to propel the industry towards the nation’s agenda of creating a greener built environment with lower carbon footprints.

Taking place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from the 26th to 29th July, this year's edition boasted an overwhelming response from both local and international exhibitors, showcasing the latest advancements in building materials, construction technologies, interior fittings, and sustainable solutions.

Occupying 10 halls housing 1,400 exhibition stands from 600 exhibitors representing 15 countries and regions, ARCHIDEX 2023 proved to be an unforgettable journey into the transformative power of architectural innovation. Industry players, professionals, and enthusiasts from around the world converged at ARCHIDEX 2023 to witness first-hand the cutting-edge technologies, revolutionary designs, and sustainable solutions that are shaping the future of architecture and design.

This year, the 100th anniversary of the Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) added further excitement and significance to ARCHIDEX. In a momentous celebration of architectural achievements, the industry’s steward hosted the inaugural “Gallery in an exhibition” featuring glass in all its glory. PAM is steadfast in propelling the industry forward, as it continues to provide a stage for the industry to drive the growth and advancement of the architectural industry, empowering professionals to push boundaries, explore new possibilities, and shape the future of architecture.

Minister of Local Government Development, Malaysia, YB Tuan Nga Kor Ming, said at the opening ceremony: “I am deeply honoured to be invited to officiate the opening of ARCHIDEX 2023 and it is a great pleasure to be back as your guest of honour to welcome all the key industry players who are here today.

Information: C.I.S

Photos: C.I.S / ROF Media

I was already impressed by the depth and scope of achievements made by ARCHIDEX over the last two decades when I was here for the preview, earlier this March.

“Congratulations to the ARCHIDEX joint organisers, PAM and C.I.S for establishing the Asia’s leading and most established exhibition for the architecture, interior design and building industry, together with the Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival 2023 (KLAF).

“It is always a challenge to start a new initiative, and it takes a far greater effort to bring ARCHIDEX to its 22nd edition to the architecture, interior design, and building industry. I wish to also, offer a double round of applause to PAM’s 100th Anniversary this year. It is indeed a major milestone, and I am very proud to stand here today to commemorate such a momentous event with you.”

ROF Media was honoured to continue our partnership as Hong Kong media Partner to ARCHIDEX, one of the region’s most important building industry events.

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ARCHIDEX 2023

www.ARCHIDEX.com.my

Quality Building Awards 2022 Promotes Professionalism and Competitiveness With nominations soon to open for Quality Building Award (QBA) 2024, PRC Magazine takes a look back at the one that almost got away, QBA 2022.

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his biennial industry award has become one of the highlights among building industry professionals, as well as interested stakeholders in the community, as it acknowledges excellent teamwork in the design and construction of quality buildings.

Smart | Sustainable | Superior In Q2, the Award Presentation Ceremony for QBA 2022 was finally held at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. Guest of Honour was Secretary for Development, Development Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government, Ms Bernadette Linn Hon-ho, JP. At the ceremony, Organising Committee Chairman of QBA 2022, Cr TANG Chi Wang, thanked Ms Linn and Jury Panel Chairman, , Director of Buildings, Buildings Department of the Hong Kong SAR Government, Ms Yu Po Mei, Clarice, JP, for their support, and offered his congratulations to the award winners.

“Jointly organised by nine leading professional institutions and organizations of the property and construction sector in Hong Kong, the biennial Quality Building Award recognises the extraordinary efforts behind the design and construction of quality buildings. Now in its 11th edition, our winners have demonstrated each element in the award’s theme of Smart | Sustainable | Superior. Although the pandemic has wreaked havoc in Hong Kong and the world in the past three years, our industry has risen to the challenge and proactively engaged pioneering technologies in design and construction in order to minimise the pandemic’s impact,” said Cr Tang.

InnoCell wins big The participating projects were entered into seven award categories. After months of stringent assessment by the jury panel, comprising 15 industry leaders, the top honour went to InnoCell at the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park in Tai Po. By deploying the modular integrated construction (MiC) method and leveraging state-of-the-art smart technology provision, tenants are able to enjoy a comfortable living environment and superior leisure facilities. It strikes a chord with the smart innovative theme of the Award, making it the winner of the supreme Quality Excellence Award and the Grand Award for Hong Kong Residential (Single Building) category.

Furthermore, QBA 2022 noted the Hong Kong SAR Government’s advocation of Construction 2.0 and its policy direction in sustainable development by presenting two special awards: the Innovative Project Award for the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre, as well as the Sustainable Development Award for Central Market which sets an example in balancing the goals of conservation and revitalisation to attract the public’s attention and consumption.

Both projects have adopted the MiC method.

The next edition of Quality Building Award will be presented in 2024 with the Hong Kong Construction Association as its Chairing Organisation. Nominations are expected to open in late 2023.

For more information, please visit www.qba.com.hk

Information & images: QBA 2022

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22 AWARDS

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Central Market

24 AWARDS

26 INTERVIEW

OTIS VERTICAL TRANSPORTATION

LEADS THE WORLD HIGHER

S

kylines of cities around the world are constantly evolving, reaching ever higher. In addition to excellent architectural design, the ability to grow also depends on the application of state-of-the-art electromechanical technology to develop living and working spaces to meet the needs of the 21st Century.

This is why the invention of the elevator is so fundamentally important. It can even be said that if there is no elevator, there will be no skyscrapers!

PRC Magazine was honoured to meet Otis Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan’s newly appointed Executive Director and Managing Director, Mr. Michael Lee. He has been responsible for new installation, service business departments and many world-renowned projects. Lee has worked at Otis China for the past 13 years and joined Otis over 29 years ago.

GROWING WITH HONG KONG Otis Elevator Company, established in the United States 170 years ago, is the world's leading provider of elevator and escalator manufacturing, installation and maintenance services, and is committed to developing safe and reliable vertical transportation systems. The company currently has offices in more than 200 countries and regions, and this year marks its 135th anniversary in Hong Kong.

Otis’s first project in Hong Kong was to install their hydraulic elevator for a 6-storey Hong Kong hotel in 1888. Since then the company has grown in step with Hong Kong. The company has contributed to a multitude of projects, including such icons as Two IFC, Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Xiqu Centre, as well as providing elevator services in many local private and public housing projects, bringing Hong Kong’s population excellent elevator experiences for more than a century.

Lee said proudly: "In Hong Kong, there are many advanced buildings that use Otis products. As long as the design meets Otis' Three Absolutes: Safety, Ethics and Quality, we will try our best to meet the client's requirements."

REVOLUTIONARY INNOVATION The earliest elevators were all hydraulically driven and manually operated. In the early 20th century, Otis introduced electric elevators to Hong Kong. In the 1950s, the first escalator was installed in Hong Kong, since then the company has been continually innovating to provide the best elevator solutions. In the 1980s, an era when the world was developing at breakneck speed, Hong Kong also developed rapidly into the world-renowned financial centre we know today. Buildings were growing taller and taller and Otis kept pace with the times and continued to develop and innovate. This led to a gearless design and then high-speed elevators and double-deck elevators, making it possible to build super highrise towers, transforming the city’s real estate forever. And passenger capacity has continued to increase.

From the turn of this century the world began to pay greater attention to environmental protection, and Otis, launched a series of environmental protection solutions.

Lee says, "Traditional elevators need to be pulled by steel rope. To operate smoothly, the steel rope must be lubricated regularly. Therefore, Otis developed the Gen2TM elevator, where the steel rope were changed into a flat coated steel belt, eliminated the use of lubricating oil. Plus, the volume of the belt is thinner and combined with the ReGen® driver, reduces energy consumption by as much as 75%.

“Two years ago, we launched Gen3 TM, more advanced with smarter connections which increases how the company can imagine greater possibilities to meet the needs of customers and passengers in the digital generation."

Text: Bryan Chan

Images: Otis

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"INNOVATION WILL NEVER STOP. WE LEARN AND USE THESE NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN THE FUTURE TO KEEP GOING AND IMPROVE OUR SERVICES." Michael Lee

Executive Director and Managing Director Otis Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan

MOVING FORWARD This year, to celebrate the 135th anniversary since the first project by Otis in Hong Kong, the company launched the campaign named: Leading the Way: Past, Present and Future.

million people every day. During the construction process, in-depth research and perimeter planning was necessary. At the same time, professional engineers from other regions also participated so that the project was completed smoothly and on time.

DRIVING FORCE WITH ESG

Lee explained: "Past looks back on the success of Otis, growing together with society; Present focuses on how we have launched so many products and services, and have to study how to develop and integrate these with the community; Future is how we look forward to meeting new challenges, in line with the direction of the world's development, leading to a new generation of intelligence."

Michael Lee believes that innovation and environmental protection is a prerequisite of the elevator business. In fact, when these issues are brought together, they can lead the company to go further, faster, and be more competitive.

"In addition to the innovation of elevator technology, we have also put a lot of effort into how to optimise the installation of elevators. In recent years, the Hong Kong government has vigorously promoted Modular Integrated Construction (MiC), so we started working with contractors to study how to integrate elevators into the construction to contribute to building faster and more smoothly over the last few years.”

Lee explains: "How to use innovation to maintain the company's competitiveness and how to use technology to promote environmentally friendly practices are the two most important directions for us in the future.

We will elevate environmental protection, society, and corporate governance (ESG) to a strategic level to reduce carbon emissions and the impact on the climate, as one of the defining challenges of our time.”

Passenger experience is an area that Otis attaches great importance to. How to seamlessly connect passengers and the environment, make the vertical transportation system more intelligent and personalised, and integrating with the overall urban environment has always been one of the company’s primary goals.

The principles behind ESG have been woven into Otis' business culture for decades, as the company is committed to the health and safety of their colleagues and passengers, whilst striving to reduce the environmental impact of their products, operations, and services. To foster a culture that embraces all voices and diverse perspectives, Otis is actively engaged in serving the community, upholding the highest standards of rigorous governance, ethics and integrity.

“Otis ONE™ is an intelligent IoT solution that connects the elevator to the cloud. With real-time data analysis and remote monitoring, it can detect potential problems in advance and make adjustments or schedule repairs when appropriate. It helps to optimise the management and greatly increases the performance of the elevator. At the same time, it also ensures the safety of the maintenance staff, and the passengers will also feel at ease because of the highperformance management system,” says Lee.

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE The project of the East Rail Line Cross-harbour Extension, completed and put into use in 2022, won recognition for Otis in the World Elevator Magazine Awards. This project was very challenging. Passengers currently see rows of 25-meter-long escalators on the Admiralty Interchange platform. To install these without affecting passengers using the station was a very difficult task. Admiralty is one of the busiest stations of the Hong Kong’s MTR, used by over one

Lee said: "I have worked at Otis for so many years. I like the company culture the most. What I am most proud of is the company's system of treating all employees equally, which allows all the employees to have the opportunity to utilise their talents. Currently half of the management at Otis Hong Kong are women. The company does not tolerate any discriminatory attitudes and hopes that everyone can work and develop their talents in a fair environment.

“For the future, we must keep pace with the times and lead the team to progress together with society. Past success does not mean that we will be successful in the future. What is more important is how we improve and challenge ourselves to integrate with the needs of future generations. I don’t know what the future will be like, but we need to keep exploring and improving, and in the process learn how to use new technologies to make us more capable whilst continuing to grow.”

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30 FEATURE

More than a pop of

colour!

UHUB HOUSE GUANGZHOU P

opped Orange - Uhub HOUSE, in Guangzhou’s T.I.T Creative Park is an open design experiment. Digital fashion brand, ifanr, commissioned Wutopia Lab to create a vertical micro social complex. It opened in late 2022.

The revitalised 177.8m2 urban microspace has with a light tower as the hub and facilities include a coffee bar, theatre, exhibition space, functions as a party space boasting sightseeing over the city outside. The thought leaders behind this project refer to the experience as KEEP PATCHING – “an urban community and lifestyle renewal activity.”

It takes two!

Ifanr founder, Wilson, believes that life is inevitably a patchwork process, with the idea of self-augmenting representing his life philosophy. “In a sense, this unprecedented ability of human beings to self-augment themselves has led to the evolution of modern Homo sapiens and the development of civilisation.”

This idea is abstracted into the value proposition of ifanr, covering five fields: Tech, City, Tool, Art and Voice. ifanr focuses on these fields to explore the questions of what is a smarter and more efficient life, what is a more sustainable life?

Wutopia Lab founder, Yu Ting, believes that the new paradigm of complex systems can break the state of unhealthy competitions in architecture with classical mechanics as the basic paradigm.

Text: Wutopia Lab

Photographer: Wu Siming

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“I believe that community experimentation is both a way for us to explore future life, and a way of actually living.”

“I have always seen commissioned projects as complex systems with hyperlinks.

Architecture is not just about the clichés we are used to discussing, it is connected to diverse and multiple identities and lives and even to the various thoughts and vast virtual spaces we try to conceal. Architecture exists not as objects but as events.”

The two founders of Uhub HOUSE hail from different realms. Wilson and Yu Ting’s thinking is at times different and yet similar, with both finally deciding to collaborate after many philosophical discussions on the project conceived and successfully delivered, Uhub HOUSE.

Innovative design doesn't necessarily mean, risky On one side of the Uhub HOUSE is the T.I.T Creative Park, which was transformed from the former site of the Guangzhou Textile Machinery Factory and on the other side is the Guangzhou Science and Technology Museum, a large urban public building to be built as an art museum. It is located right at the border. “You can think of Uhub HOUSE as an orange patch in the iteration of urban renewal: between the past and the future, across online and offline.”

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"It's not about designing islands that can be visited only once by 1 million people, but planning islands that can be revisited 100 times by 10,000 people." Yamazaki Ryo, Japanese community designer.

The design duo decided to create an abstract and pure oval island,White Garden, in the rich and diverse growing T.I.T Park.

This was the original plot they set up, for which they didn't intensify every detail, since the project is also an open design experiment. “It has simple rules. It can accommodate mistakes and it can accommodate different people's opinions, and even small emotions. It can be upgraded and can create events beyond our imagination.”

Diverse and pluralistic, by “patching”, it's a design experiment that never ends. Uhub HOUSE as a plot, is the foundation program of this complex system. It can be constantly patched, updated and upgraded. There are fixed parts and growing extensions, the design code is organically assembled to form a sustainable complex system with a complete image but constantly expanding and growing.

“Wilson sent me a photo of the white façade of the Uhub HOUSE. I suddenly changed my mind and changed the white façade to the colour orange, distilled from the ifanr logo.

White is a shade everyone can think of, but orange requires the courage to argue. In the end, it was Popped Orange that leapt out of the grey industrial site,” adds Yu Ting.

As a basic program, Uhub HOUSE has three layers The center island circular bar inside the first floor of Uhub HOUSE is the protagonist enhancing social atmosphere throughout the space. Seating is freely arranged around the bar in which interior space can accommodate about 60 people. When the folding doors open, the coffee space and the white garden merge into one, turning it into a party venue with a capacity of 180 people. This way the usage scenario will be more flexible and diverse.

Sunset represents a shift between day and night, and as night falls, the lights turn on, and the coffee bar transforms into "Young Girl on the Threshold of the Garden at Bellevue". The gentle light in the night mode, bouncing back from the wall and through the wine on the cabinet, lights up the mood at night. The daily operations on the first floor are TALLLK Coffee, Black Host (hand-pressed coffee), and Spirit Line (wine). Special operations can be held in this venue based on different brand collaborations/pop-ups to experiment with multiple businesses and operations.

The middle floor is an orange cube floating above the white garden, which is the main form of the building, symbolising ifanr's slogan "A good product is a candy," and the Uhub HOUSE is an orange fruit candy in T.I.T Creative Park. The

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second floor is flexible and changeable according to the operation demand, no fixed partition is set up. The daily operation on the second floor is the Air Show rooftop gallery (exhibition space), which can be transformed into a live performance space and party venue.

The roof is a garden and a secret party playground that lets people see the trajectory of the moon at night. Wutopia Lab designed two paths to reach the roof, offering multiple circulations to fit flexible activities on the rooftop. The roof is a Secret Garden. It is a fun, futuristic space accommodating various parties for dancing and barbecuing.

Mutual Respect Open design means making adjustments without changing the original frame of the design in response to the on-site situation at any time, which is patching.

“The client dominates the designer like a king, or in contrast, the designer stubbornly rejects any of client's opinions - these are both dysfunctional relationships,” offers Yu Ting.

“Despite my somewhat renowned reputation, I am happy to learn and listen to Wilson's many interesting ideas that go beyond architecture. I appreciate his trust, and I take his ideas to inspire my own unexplored thinking to create work beyond his imagination. This relationship of mutual understanding and respect between the two parties is what ensured the success of this project.”

The Popped Orange / Uhub HOUSE is an aspirational community where likeminded souls can meet and get to know each other, and where fresh ideas and inspiration are constantly coming out. The day it was completed was just the beginning of something more interesting, as Wutopia Lab and ifanr Candysign released a limited-edition charging head. This charging head, which absorbs the visual characteristics of the Uhub HOUSE, is a souvenir of the architectural design.

“In the future, architectural design will not be limited to the so-called physical space but will be able to influence us by entering our lives with more subtle touches,” says Yu Ting.

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36 FEATURE

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38 FEATURE

The ROBOVERSE

has landed in Beijing

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idu is an automotive robot startup founded in March 2021, committed to delivering the world's best autonomous driving experience through research and development in humancomputer interaction technology engineering. Their aim is to create a revolutionary automotive robot with emotions and intelligence.

As the pioneer of a new generation of "automotive robot", Jidu seeks to define a new concept of intelligent car research and development with high-cognitive intelligent driving ability and highly intelligent interaction ability to deliver free movement, natural communication, and self-growth.

Jidu unveiled the ROBOVERSE Sanlitun Experience Centre at Taikoo Li Sanlitun, a next generation brand experience centre for the intelligent car 3.0 era that is focused on realising an extraordinary vision of reality where digital intelligence comes alive, to unite people, art, and technology. A collaborative work between Jidu and Gensler, the Jidu ROBOVERSE Sanlitun Experience Centre is a hybrid physical-digital brand building experience. It is an experiential space that aggregates product experience, digital experience, brand display, a Robo-Car art space and other functions.

Information and Images: Gensler

Photography: Charlie Xia

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Entering a new dimension Immersed in the values of Jidu, this space unites the brand, the Robo-Car, and the digital experience, creating an imagined new world that is an extension of the Robo-Car – reaching into the fourth space between the digital and physical world. It represents the brand’s commitment to explore the boundary of human-computer interaction.

The experience centre creates a disruptive presence in Sanlitun, changing the gravity of the urban centre, inviting visitors into the ROBOVERSE of Jidu. From the street level, the view is captured by an ultra-futuristic interior, entrancing lights and animations framed by a minimal metallic facade, a machine revealing its pulsating soul.

Upon entry, the visitor is prompted to make their own Robo-Self, a virtual avatar that will accompany them on their virtual journey through the Experience Centre’s vision of the ROBOVERSE . This Avatar interacts with the many digital touchpoints that follow throughout the space. Immersed in a digital environment, the Robo-Car is teleported to worlds both real and digital. Flanking this experience are subtle concealed details and cabinets that reveal the many customization options possible with the Robo-Car, a high-tech solution for a minimal space.

Arriving on the second floor from a floating metal stair, the visitor discovers the RoboCafe. Dynamic digital content backdrops a robotic arm that creates customized coffees, a warm welcome to an art space that features the multimedia works of artist Liu Di. Behind the Robocafe, in the dominant window display of the second floor, is an artwork inspired by the works of Cixin Liu. This artwork entitled “Manifesto Stone of Autonomous Vehicles” is a pulsing futuristic expression of the possibilities of Jidu and the technologies of tomorrow.

Following the Robocafe is an art space that can transform into an event space through adaptable sliding walls, breathing and flexing with the needs of the brand and the store, including a multimedia room that provides a rich immersive driving experience of the Robo-Car. A modular digital fixture becomes an experiential zone where visitors can discover the Jidu lifestyle through purchasable accessories, introducing the ROBOVERSE into the user’s daily life. The furniture throughout these spaces act as technological extensions of Jidu’s vision for a digital future.

Gensler Shanghai Studio Director and Retail Practice Area Leader, Richard Chang, said: “The future of retail is about delivering experiences and designing spaces for social connections. The key is creating space as a multi-sensory ecosystem with a digital first mindset, which allows consumers to experience a continuous flow of information between the physical and digital worlds. At Gensler, we are seeing a design trend for environmental psychology, which will undoubtedly transform retail experience in the next chapter.”

The dynamism of the Robo-Car is everywhere in ROBOVERSE. Digital reflections, futuristic aesthetics, adaptable spaces, and interactive metaverses represent the spirit and forward thinking of the Jidu brand. A wide and diverse team of experts across creative industries collaborated alongside Gensler to generate a truly one-of-a-kind experience in Beijing and China, setting a new benchmark for the possibilities of retail.

The Sanlitun Experience Centre of the Automotive Robot Universe, as the entrance to the digital world of Jidu, will bring innovative experiences to users online and offline, creating a "fourth type of space" that integrates the digital world and reality.

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42 FEATURE

An Urban Paradise: Shenzhen’s

Great City Bay

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reat City Bay in Shenzhen provides a glimpse into the future of the Greater Bay Area, a future park-oriented, mixed-use, urban paradise that is being designed by Lead8.

“The evolution of our urban spaces is bringing forth a new generation of design that will redefine how we can experience and delight in nature in the future.

Lead8 is proud to be part of the Great City Bay team to deliver this truly innovative, biophilic multi-forest development that will create an unforgettable experience in Shenzhen,” said Simon Chua, Co Founder & Executive Director at Lead8.

The scheme is being developed by Gemdale Corporation and will become a 24hour open urban space and a borderless commercial environment once complete.

The design of the mixed-use development focuses on the indoor and outdoor space experience, creating an immersive and experiential ecological environment.

NATURE FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE Architecturally, the scheme takes a people-oriented approach, emphasising the interconnection between the development’s sites, and organically connecting each plot through transportation, underground corridors, indoor and outdoor bridges, and importantly landscape. The design establishes a multi-ground-floor, all-weather, all-traffic, and all-environments destination.

The development’s commercial space is defined by an extensive garden, a living urban forest that is blended through the scheme. An external exploration path acts as a way for visitors to navigate the landscaped retail and commercial offering, traversing levels via staircases to reach the roof garden where the green views can be taken in from different perspectives.

“Cities need the relaxed, slower pace of forests; refuges integrated within our busy lives. These ecological spaces bring new life, create diversity, rejuvenate the land, and allow for healthier lifestyles to flourish. Great City Bay offers the best of modern convenience and integrated mixed-use development set within a biodiverse realm of multiple forests and gardens, allowing the community to build a life within and around nature,” continued Chua.

EVOLVING URBAN SPACE Lead8 will deliver the retail architecture for the mixed-used development that is also being designed in accordance with the highest three-star standard of green building in China.

The environmentally-friendly design comprehensively considers the needs of building users, from lighting to building energy consumption, air circulation, and the application of green building materials. Contributing to the sustainable development and healthy life of the city, Great City Bay uses technical means and measures to collect, recycle and reuse rainwater.

Great City Bay hopes to drive, influence and encourage similar development in its surrounding areas, contributing to the evolution of urban space so our cities can become even greener, more livable and benefit from the power of biophilia.

The scheme is currently under construction.

Information & Images: Lead8

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The evolution of our urban spaces is bringing forth a new generation of design that will redefine how we can experience and delight in nature in the future.

Simon Chua, Co Founder & Executive Director at Lead8.

44 FEATURE

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 29 November – 1 December

See you after the crit

Meet the architects behind the world’s most innovative projects.

An awards programme with live judging is at the core of WAF. Experience the live crit presentations of hundreds of renowned architects and up-andcoming designers.

In addition to the awards, there will be keynote talks, a product exhibition, and networking opportunities.

See you in Singapore

founder partner

Headline Partners

Book now worldarchitecturefestival.com insidefestival.com

46 FEATURE

New BOOKING.COM HQ Attracts Global Talent to the Heart of Amsterdam From the outset, when Booking.com and Bouwfonds Property Development selected UNStudio to design their new City Campus in central Amsterdam, the goal for the buildings was to create a healthy community to bring employees together and attract new talent from across the globe.

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ooking.com was keen for their headquarters to be a reflection of their leading position in the tech world and therefore considered the building to be an important tool in attracting and retaining top young talent from the industry.

This goal served as the starting point for the design. During the research phase, visits were made to other successful tech company buildings, however, Booking.com wanted their building to provide a truly unparalleled experience for their employees, so a completely new, out-of-the-box and unique concept was required.

With the completion of City Campus, all 6,500 employees of the Dutch travel platform, who were previously spread out among numerous locations across the city, can now work in the same building for the first time in more than a decade.

CLEAR OBJECTIVES Booking.com, Director of Real Estate and Workspace Services, Marnix Mali, said, “Our aim from the outset, was to create an inclusive and sustainable space, where our colleagues from all over the world would feel inspired to do their best work, all under one roof. UNStudio completely understood our vision and played an integral role in transforming our dream for the Campus into a reality.”

Ben Van Berkel, the lead architect of UNStudio’s design team, said, “We wanted to create a building that could also operate as a ‘recruitment machine’. The focus was on serving the needs and behaviour of Booking.com employees, from the moment they walk in, to the end of their working day, and all the activities in between. Rather than designing a typical 20-storey office building, where you are met by an impressive lobby and then led directly to the elevators, we opted to follow the model of a state-of-the-art university campus.”

Both the architecture and the interiors of the 65,000m² campus are primarily designed to ‘connect’ - to create a healthy and sustainable architecture of inclusion that supports diversity and stimulates serendipitous encounters among Booking.com employees, visitors, residents and the wide array of people who live, work or visit the Oosterdokseiland in the centre of Amsterdam.

UNStudio’s design for Booking.com’s City Campus also needed to strike a balance between the small size of the plot on Amsterdam’s Oosterdokseiland and the company’s growing employee base. The result is an ultra-compact building that accommodates 73,500m² on a 6,000m² ground floor plan.

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“While the individual interior spaces enjoy a truly international flavour that reflects Booking.com’s core business, we wanted the overall concept for the building to serve as a reflection of Amsterdam – its location and the Dutch travel company’s homebase since its inception,” adds Van Berkel. “The architecture therefore combines the robust qualities and the industrial history of the harbour, with glazed detailing that reduces the overall immenseness of the building and gently reflects the glistening of the water and sky.”

The organisation of the interior meanwhile, is designed to characterise the vibrancy of Amsterdam’s lively central neighbourhoods. To penetrate deep into the building, UNStudio decided to utilise a triple-glazed-window with a low glare value for the façade for maximum daylight gain. Here, UNStudio used 2.4m-by3.6m floor to ceiling glass façade elements, which service the floorplates that are over 20m wide. Additionally, the ceilings fold up at the façade to gain even more daylight within the building. While the clear height is actually 2.8m, it feels as though it is 3 metres due to semi-transparent ceilings and a stretched metal look.

The design is closely related to this very dense, central part of the city.

The architecture combines the robust qualities and the industrial history of the harbour, while the glazed detailing of the facade reduces the overall immenseness of the building and gently reflects the glistening of the water and sky. From the inside, the sweeping views over Amsterdam offer an almost cinematic experience, noted Van Berkel.

INNOVATING A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT The Booking.com campus is a state-of-the-art sustainable and healthy place to work. All installations have been designed to support a fully flexible workspace.

UNStudio used Under Floor Air Distribution, eliminating the need for ducts on the floorspace, while allowing a demand-controlled supply of fresh air. Radiant ceilings are used to allow for very comfortable heating and cooling. Split into three zones, the entire system is controlled through a grid network that ranges from 2.4m to 4.8m. Additional heating and cooling comes from an Aquifer thermal energy storage system within the building.

UNStudio continued to design for post-occupancy, including a Connected Building management system that features multisensors for occupancy, IR temperature, light levels including a very efficient lighting system with less than 4W/m2 of lighting, smoke detection, climate control, fire detection, access control, and exact 3d indoor positioning sensors for variety of future-proof usecases to enable a frictionless space for all employees and operations staff alike.

The design also includes 1,500 PV panels for power generation for the building.

UNStudio also reused piling from the foundation of previous buildings, helping to reduce the amount of waste created during the construction phase. As such, Booking.com City Campus achieved a BREEAM Excellent design certificate.

The new campus is also state-of-the-art in terms of all sustainable solutions and achieved a BREEAM Excellent design certificate. In addition, a connected building management system is incorporated to enable a frictionless space for all employees and operations staff alike.

The overall design of the campus reflects the functional, transparent and connected way of working at Booking.com and creates an integrated, flexible urban campus that reflects how we will work, live and connect in the future.

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50 CITIES

ZHA MARKS 15 YEAR JOURNEY IN THE PRC WITH THE NEW WORLD EXHIBITION Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) is celebrating their 15- year journey in China, a significant milestone, with The New World exhibition of their work and research at the Guardian Art Centre, Beijing, running from July until 20 October 2023.

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HA redefined architecture for the 21st century with a repertoire of projects that have captured imaginations across the globe. Building upon Zaha Hadid’s revolutionary exploration and research in the interrelated fields of urbanism and architecture, ZHA’s work integrates advances in design and construction technologies; responding to the increased complexities of contemporary life with fluid geometries informed by the logic and coherence of structures and systems within the natural world.

In 1983 Hadid explained, “Technology’s rapid development and our ever-changing lifestyles have created a fundamentally new and exhilarating backdrop for architecture, and in this new world context I felt we must reinvestigate the aborted and untested experiments of Modernism - not to resurrect them, but to unveil new ideas.”

Within this new world context outlined by Hadid twenty years ago, The New World exhibition details the evolution and of ZHA’s work since opening their first office in China; charting the development and future of ZHA’s architecture within the exhibition’s ten different zones that showcase specific aspects of their work.

ARCHITECTURE CONCEIVED OF ADVANCED ANALYTICS Completed in 2010, the Guangzhou Opera House was ZHA’s first building in China. Another 14 pioneering Chinese projects have since opened, including Beijing’s renowned Leeza SOHO tower and Daxing International Airport. The New World exhibition revisits these seminal projects, together with a further 25 projects currently in development throughout the country.

Looking to the future, the exhibition examines ZHA’s detailed research and multidisciplinary approach to their work. New digital design tools, robotics, 3D printing, artificial intelligence and virtual reality are changing how ZHA designs and constructs; developing efficiencies in design, construction techniques and materials that reduce the environmental impact of their architecture while enhancing the performance of each building.

Information and Images: ZHA

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Presenting ZHA’s research into continual improvements for the construction industry, the exhibition studies ZHA’s collaborations with leading scientific institutions around the world in the development of award-winning innovations in sustainability strategies and materials, as well as the studio’s applications of advanced data analytics and agent-based modelling which enable their architecture to address both individual and overall wellness.

The exhibition also explores ZHA’s new virtual architecture within the metaverse that is informationrich and socially engaging. Using photo-quality, 3D and multiplayer online video-game creation tools combined with high-speed network and cloud technologies, ZHA’s virtual environments focus on user experience and interaction.

Powered by parametric design technology and incorporating community-forming social infrastructure, ZHA’s virtual environments are enhancing communication and collaboration around the world.

Outlining ZHA’s perspective on the future of cities, the exhibition’s ‘Building the Future’ zone presents a selection of forthcoming projects throughout China where their work assimilates local cultures and sensitivities to site-specific conditions. Showcasing ZHA’s unwavering optimism for the future, The New World exhibition examines the consistently inventive nature of their architecture.

Marrying advancements in design technologies with ecologically sound materials and sustainable construction practices, ZHA does not look at the disparate parts, but works to understand them as a whole to meet the aspirations of each new generation.

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UPGRADE PROJECT

Text: Mark Lomas

Images: Gowan Projects

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at the site of the new Lower Terminus Platform. Early discussions were held with AMO regarding the infrastructure of the Peak Tramway, and, during the construction period, the Barker Road Station structure was declared a Grade 1 Monument.

But perhaps the most significant statutory process was for the certification and approval of the tramcars, haulage and control systems. Since 1989 much had changed. The team made technical visits to some of the most recent funicular installations in Europe to determine what was possible and what features the new systems should employ, and EMSD were able to update the Code of Practice that governs the construction of the Peak Tramway taking account of the latest technological advances, safety features and regulatory aspects from Europe and North America.

The tramcars, haulage and control systems could then be designed and manufactured by the specialist Swiss contractors, but the new tramcars needed to be special. The Peak Tram team and their Tram Design Advisor worked with the Swiss contractors to create a modern-classic, with more glass, better views and finely detailed seating.

T

he Peak Tram has proudly served Hong Kong for over 130 years and was successfully relaunched in 2022 after a substantial upgrade project. The project cost of more than HK$700 million was privately funded by The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels Limited which owns and operates the Peak Tram under a renewable operating-right issued by the Hong Kong SAR Government.

The Peak Tram was previously upgraded in 1989, when the first twocompartment, articulated, burgundy-coloured 5th generation tramcars were controlled for the first time by a microprocessor-driven system.

In the years that followed, it became one of Hong Kong’s most popular tourism attractions, with a patronage of more than 6 million per year from 2013-2018.

However, the increase in passenger numbers lead to increasing queues and waiting times, particularly at the lower terminus on Garden Road where waiting times could be over two hours at busy periods.

A CAPACITY UPGRADE WAS ESSENTIAL Peak Tramways started the upgrade project back in 2012, carrying out investigations and feasibility studies. In late 2015, the Government granted Peak Tramways the right to operate the Peak Tram until 2035, and the project was able to move into scheme and detailed design.

The consultant team was formed, and an inter-departmental working group was convened to discuss and advise on the various aspects and submissions that might be required. Back in 1989 the statutory process appears to have been far simpler than that faced by the 2016 team. It was perhaps the Peak Tram’s uniqueness that had made it an incredibly complex project, and this was also the case for the statutory approvals the project would require. For many of the submissions that would need to be made, there was no precedent.

The existing tramway varies in slope from four to 25.7 degrees, and a funicular railway by its very nature is designed to run up such a slope. For a project spanning over such a slope, there can be no fully compliant scheme for Barrierfree Access. The team carried out consultation with various stakeholder groups representing people with disabilities. As a result, the design was able to accommodate many well-received improvements from the 1989 version, including step-free access from the main entrance to the platforms, wider tramcar doors with roll-on / roll-off levels, dedicated vertical lifting platforms at the upper and lower terminus and a dedicated wheelchair entrance at the lower terminus.

There were also historical and heritage-related issues to accommodate, with declared monuments either side of the tramway adjacent to Tramway Path

Extensive prototype testing was also undertaken on some of the new features of the Peak Tram. These included the comfort-cooling system that was installed for the first time. A full-scale prototype of a section of tramcar with five rows of seats was tested in Europe, to fine-tune the onboard ventilation system, and a separate prototype was built in Hong Kong for the bespoke automatic airvent docking device. The comfort-cooling system provides welcome relief for passengers during the hot summer months.

The downhill-facing seats are an extremely popular enhancement to the Peak Tram experience, and again, the Peak Tram team undertook extensive design, physical modelling and testing both in Europe, and in Hong Kong where two pairs of prototype seats were made. The Peak Tram would finish service around midnight, then the team would remove two rows of seats, bolt in the test seats, run full-speed tests with their designers, funicular experts, and client teams, to determine the best shape, pitch and angle for the fixed seats including footrests and handrails. Following these tests, the final seat configurations were designed and crafted in Switzerland.

The Upgrade project was carried out in two discrete phases. A First Suspension period in 2019 allowed the construction of a temporary platform some 70m uphill, along with the necessary adjustments to the track and controls, for the burgundy-coloured 5th generation tramcars to continue service. This allowed works to commence on the downhill track and building areas. Once the tramcars and equipment were ready for delivery, and the civil and building works were sufficiently advanced to receive them, the Second Suspension was commenced and the old tramcars, haulage and control systems were removed.

One notable new feature of the project was the new Main Entrance to the Central Terminus at Garden Road, and the Artwork. Commissioned by Peak Tramways, the Eye of Infinity was created by artist Lindy Lee and provides both a sense of place and a landmark entrance feature for the new Peak Tram.

Despite a significant effort to manage risk and look at ways of reducing downtime during the suspension periods, the continuing Covid-19 pandemic affected many aspects of the project. From factory closures and lockdowns in Europe that affected new tramcar and equipment delivery dates, to difficulties in getting building materials and systems from Chinese mainland factories into Hong Kong delaying the building works, combined with local effects on the workforce through isolation, infection and social distancing.

The Peak Tram Upgrade has significantly improved the passenger facilities and reduced passenger waiting times, through station and trackwork improvements and new, bespoke tramcars.

The Peak Tram upgrade project was unique in many aspects. The end result is a testament to the hard work, professionalism, flair and sheer perseverance of a great number of people, who formed the consultant, contractor, regulatory and client teams over the last 10 years. The new Peak Tram marks a significant milestone as an integral part of Hong Kong’s history, and is sure to remain a beloved icon for years to come.

For much of the project, the project team have been followed periodically by a film crew and key moments have been captured for a documentary that will be released later in 2023. Mark Lomas was Project Director for the Upgrade Project. Since the completion of the project, Mark has set up Gowan Projects, a bespoke PM advisory company.

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www.gowanprojects.com

Open for Entries

Live Green, Build Smart, Be Recognised!

Click for More Details Jointly organised by Build4Asia and PRC Magazine, Build4Asia Awards 2024 celebrate design excellence, innovation and achievements in sustainability.

Building and Innovation categories honour developers, architects, interior designers, contractors, engineers, manufacturers who have demonstrated professional excellence in delivering projects and services that have contributed to a quality and sustainable built environment.

New Categories in 2024 include: Architecture

• Retail / Shopping Mall • Hotels / Resorts • Boutique Hotels • Non-Commercial

Special Jury Awards: Excellence in Sustainability Award

Interior Design

Presented to the project that demonstrates the highest achievement in sustainability

• Clubhouse • Restaurant / Bar • Flagship Store

Social Impact Design Award

Excellence in Façades

Presented to the most innovative project that contributes to the health of the local community

Lighting and Lighting Design–

Entries close on 20 December 2023 Awards Presentation Ceremony at Build4Asia Exhibition, HKCEC, 9 May 2024

Contact us for more details: www.PRC-Magazine.com +852 3150 8988 media@rofmedia.com Organisers:

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