PRC Magazine #87 ( architecture | building | construction )

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Mar / Apr 2017

Issue 87

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SOUTH ISLAND LINE BEGINS OPERATIONS, KEY SECTION designed by Atkins

Hong Kong MTR’s new South Island Line, for which Atkins was the detailed designer for a key section, started operating on 28 December, 2016, serving the 350,000 residents in Southern District. The new line runs in a combination of underground sections and on elevated structures, with five stations in total. Atkins was appointed by the MTR Corporation to provide the detailed design for two elevated new stations at Ocean Park and Wong Chuk Hang, 1.9km of new elevated viaduct, a new 247m bridge spanning the Aberdeen Channel Bridge, noise barriers, widening of a major open nullah for drainage, slope works, complex utility diversions and other associated works.

A key aspect was to ensure that the visual impacts of the above ground structures were sensitively treated. The noise barrier design is fully integrated with the overhead line and trackside auxiliary system which allows a noticeable reduction in the overall width and height of the railway viaduct. This minimises the disturbance to the existing properties along the alignment. Reduced steelwork, structural envelope and maintenance requirement for the viaduct led to significant cost and time savings during the construction.

Atkins’ director for transport in Asia Pacific, John Blackwood, said: “We’ve been working with MTRC for over 40 years but it’s always a thrill to see a new line come into operation, providing significant benefits to the community along the alignment. As the South Island Line is an elevated railway on the densely populated Hong Kong Island, it was a particularly challenging project as it is becoming progressively more difficult to build above ground railway lines in Hong Kong.” In 2014, another Atkins-designed railway project – MTR’s Island Line extension to Western District - was officially opened. The 3-km railway extension of Island Line from Sheung Wan to Kennedy Town provides convenient transportation for commuters living and working in the Western District, with an average of 200,000 passengers using its 3 stations daily since the commencement of service.

JEB AND VITRA ANNOUNCE EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP FOR SOUTHEAST ASIA AND CHINA

Specialty furniture suppliers Jeb have recently announced a strategic and exclusive partnership with Swiss and family owned design company Vitra - a merger intended to better spread the work of the two groups across South East Asia and greater China, executed via way of several new showrooms in Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Beijing, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Manila. The partnership, which combines JEB’s partitions and Vitra’s furniture, will provide clients in the commercial, residential, institutional and public sectors with accessible world-class solutions to suit their corporate requirements. More information at www.jeb.com

BROADWAY MALYAN COMPLETES BUSINESS PARK FIRST PHASE AT CIBIS TOWER 9 A new office building designed by Broadway Malyan has recently been completed in Jakarta, offering high quality business space in the city. Tower 9, part of CIBIS Business Park, comprises 55,000m² of office and ground level retail space and includes the largest Grade A space available in the city, with floor plates of 4,000m². The completion marks the first phase of the business park that is being delivered by PT Bhumyamca Sekawan.

The aim of the project being to provide international standard office space to attract new companies and provide better options for existing businesses looking to improve and upgrade their current premises.

Ian Simpson, Director of Broadway Malyan said: “The challenge was to balance what would be viewed as an ‘international style’ office building with the local Indonesian culture. When buildings are designed without that local context in mind, it is very difficult to deliver something appropriate for the surroundings.” The tower has received LEED Platinum Pre-certification due to a number of sustainability-focused initiatives in the design. This includes a green roof, which reduces storm water run-off and ambient temperatures, and rainwater management systems to collect, store and purify water for other uses.

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NOBEL MUSEUM STOCKHOLM HOLDS DUBAI EXHIBITION FOR CHILDREN

WOMEN IN ARCHITECTURE AWARDS FOR MEXICAN ARCHITECTS CARRILLO AND MONTIEL

Rozana Montiel

The Children’s City in Dubai recently presented “Understanding Matter – The Nobel Prize in Physics”, an exhibition in two languages, Arabic and English, designed by Atelier Brückner. A collaboration between the Nobel Museum, Stockholm, and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, the exhibition’s intention was to allow children playful access into the world of Physics, show how the discoveries of Nobel Laureates has broadened knowledge and just how their research has impacted upon daily life. A mystical space, designed in dark blue colours with light and shadow, offers open and round themed stations, which provide interactive access to Physics for young museum visitors. Themes such as “What is Physics”, “Matter”, “Electronics” and “The Stars and the Universe” are explored and in total the exhibition focuses on around 100 Nobel Laureates. Arno Penzias and Robert Woodrow Wilson, Nobel Laureates for Physics in 1978, are for example related to the microwave. In the area “Electronics” Herbert Kroemer and Zhores Alferov, Nobel Laureates from 2000, are related to the exhibit of a mobile phone. Their lives and research results are graphically presented on transparent panels. The Nobel Prize for Physics has been awarded annually in Stockholm since 1901.

Until now, there have been 203 Physics prizewinners, mainly from Europe and the USA. More information at www.Atelier-Brueckner.com

The Architectural Review and The Architects’ Journal have announced two Mexican architects as winners of their 2017 Women in Architecture Awards. This year’s Architect of the Year was awarded to Gabriela Carrillo of Taller Mauricio Rocha + Gabriela Carrillo, while Rozana Montiel Estudio de Arquitectura’s Rozana Montiel was named the Gabriela Carrillo winner of the Moira Gemmill Prize for Emerging Architecture. Both women were selected for demonstrating “excellence in design and a commitment to working both sustainably and democratically with local communities.” Montiel said:‘All architecture is political. We can read in daily spaces the political priorities of our society. Architecture has the power to shape civic behaviour because, more than laying bricks, it lays the founding principles of public and social exchanges.”

WOODS BAGOT TEAMS UP WITH HAZENS REAL ESTATE GROUP IN SHENZHEN

KNIGHT FRANK APPOINTED SOLE AGENT FOR PUBLIC SALE OF PRIME CBD ADDRESS

Located on a 393,000m2 site in Longang District, Shenzhen, the Woods Bagot designed Shenzhen Longgang District Longteng mixed-use project is central to the rejuvenation of a river park area that runs throughout the city. It was developed to follow principles of community, sustainability, connectivity, retail experience and modern lifestyle, coupled with the local characteristics of Shenzhen. The project has a GFA of more than 1.5 million m² which includes a shopping mall and retail space of 852,000m², 300,000m² of office space and more than 90,000m² of green and public space. One of the main design challenges was to find a response that could blend these programs together into a new lifestyle and community vision. The site characteristics were key in defining the design approach. Having a river winding through the site, providing an opportunity for creating a new retail destination seamlessly connected to a large residential neighbourhood. The north shore, connected to subway and facing the main crossroad, became the commercial focal point and leisure destination of the project, with the south shore becoming a community of residential towers connected by retail podiums and green spaces. Woods Bagot states: “This is a masterplan for a new generation of urbanites, a glimpse into Shenzhen’s future identity.”

More information at www.woodsbagot.com

Global property consultancy firm, Knight Frank has been appointed the sole sales agent to arrange public tender sale for 2 On Lan Street in Central. The property is situated in an area zoned as Commercial, is one minute away from the Lan Kwai Fong district, has an approximate site area of 88.7m², including the existing scavenging lane, and a maximum GFA of 470m². Surrounded by grade A offices and 6-star hotels, the property occupies a prime position in the CBD. The site has excellent transportation links and is within three minutes from Central MTR Station.

It is to be sold on an ‘as-is’ basis, with the existing tenancies. Tender submissions will close on 27 April, 2017 at noon. Recently, Knight Frank announced a series of measures in response to the government’s housing and land strategies via way of their 2017 Policy Address on Housing and Land Strategies with highlights including: to increase housing supply over the short, mid and long term; further develop Kowloon East and to develop rock caverns, underground spaces and brown fields. More information at www. knightfrank.com.hk

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ALL PHASES COMPLETE AT ICONIC FARRELLSDESIGNED KENNEDY TOWN SWIMMING POOL

MIXED PURPOSE ENTERTAINMENT VENUE BY 4N OPENS IN WAN CHAI

Following multiple site adaptations, the second and final phase of the Kennedy Town Swimming Pool, designed by Farrells, has recently opened. Featuring two new indoor heated pools, measuring 50m and 25m respectively, as well as a jacuzzi, the swimming pool’s completion it is the capstone of the Kennedy Town MTR Station project. During construction of the MTR West Island Line, the site adjacent to the first phase of the swimming pool was home to a shaft for the removal of underground spoil. After the railway line opened in 2014, construction on the pool’s second phase began. To draw residents to this neglected corner of an otherwise vibrant neighbourhood, the site demanded a memorable icon, since likened to a futuristic spaceship by the South China Morning Post. The low-lying form of the building respects the panoramic views that nearby residents enjoyed prior to the development and draws inspiration from its proximity to the harbour. The development has already won awards and citations including Large Project of the Year 2016, awarded by the New Engineering Contract (NEC) of the UK’s Institution of Civil Engineers.

More information at www.farrells.com

1563 At The East, a 650m² venue dedicated to dining and live performance designed

by Hong Kong practice 4N Architects recently opened in Wan Chai. Engaged by a local developer, the design team was armed with the brief to create a space that wasn’t “just another music venue or restaurant”, but a location to support the development of local music where nonmainstream musicians can perform in Cantonese.

Originally a Chinese restaurant, the site was repurposed to include various zones including a fully-equipped Asian cuisine kitchen catering to 200 or more patrons, restaurant, entrance hall, concierge area and spaces for events and preshow functions. Upon entry, a contemporary stonewall mirrored with Chinese inspired timber lattice works, resembles Hong Kong’s rich Chinese and British history with the design purposely blending eastern and western cultures in a nod to the local district’s heady history as Hong Kong’s original melting pot. With music being a major focal point, great thought has been given to acoustics throughout. More information at www.4N.com.hk

LINDEN COMANSA INTRODUCES LCL700 LUFFING-JIB CRANE

THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF SURVEYORS ELECTS GENERAL COUNCIL

Linden Comansa has launched the LCL700. With a maximum load capacity of 64 tonnes, this latest and largest addition boosts the company’s range of products and responds to the construction industry’s growing demand for high-tonnage luffers.

Owing to the use of prefabricated components and extremely large steel beams due to their ability to reduce project-completion times, the LCL700 is also suitable for projects involving spatial constraints. It is becoming increasingly common in the world’s largest cities, where large cranes with luffing jibs are required to lift heavy loads while avoiding cranes and nearby buildings. One of the many advantages of the new model is its ease of assembly due to pre-made luffing reevings, which allow on-site erectors to work faster and assembly line times to be reduced. Two versions of the LCL700 will be available on the global market from March 2017 with maximum load capacities of 64 and 50 tonnes. The hoist motor of the crane allows speeds of up to 170m per minute and features a high-capacity hoist cable drum that enables the construction of buildings over 1,000m. The crane’s minimum reach is just 4m while the maximum reach is 65m. More information at www.lindencomansa.com

At the HKIS December AGM, Sr Thomas Ho was elected as the President of the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS) for 2016 2017, taking over from Sr Lau Chun Kong, who retires as Immediate Past President. It was also announced Sr Dick Kwok would serve as Senior Vice-President, with Sr Dr Tony Leung and Sr Dr Lesly Lam elected as Vice-Presidents, and Sr Tony Chan and Sr Billy Wong elected Honorary L to R: Immediate Past President Sr Lau Chun Kong Secretary and Honorary Treasurer, and Incoming President Sr Thomas Ho respectively. Sr Thomas Ho is a Fellow of the HKIS. He served as Chairman (2011-12) of the Quantity Surveying Division and is currently the Managing Director at TLS & Associates Ltd. He has been involved in building and infrastructure works for many years, also is an accredited mediator, overseeing several construction and financial dispute cases. In addition to his service with the HKIS, Sr Ho holds a number of roles at various organisations in the surveying industry and helps to nurture juniors of the profession by providing mentoring to younger leaders in the industry.

BENOY APPOINTED TO FUTURE REDEVELOPMENT OF HEATHROW AIRPORT British design firm Benoy will join the team delivering the Commercial Master plan for Heathrow’s ambitious expansion plans which will see it transformed into a next-generation, world-class airport. Supporting the lead architect, Grimshaw Architects, Benoy’s commercial master planning scope will be site-wide and keenly consider enhancement opportunities across each of the terminals. Benoy was one of four British firms shortlisted by Heathrow, alongside Grimshaw, Zaha Hadid and HOK, to deliver bold new ideas and conceptual designs to push the boundary of what Heathrow could be as the country’s global aviation gateway. Speaking on behalf of Benoy, CEO Tom Cartledge commented, “From the start of the selection process, we have shared and believed in the same outlook as our client; to blend a powerful people-centered approach within a convincing commercial and urban matrix. We are committed to seeing Heathrow continue to become a fully integrated and sustainable airport which will drive innovation and showcase the best of British design.” Benoy has been strengthening its presence in the Aviation sector since its work on the Hong Kong International Airport enhancement in 2010.

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AEDAS DESIGNS A NEW GATEWAY TO CHINA’s ANCIENT MARITME SILK ROAD

JW MARRIOT OPENS FIRST LUXURY HOTEL ON PHÚ QUÔC ISLAND,VIETNAM

Aedas has designed the Nansha Kingboard Free Trade Zone mixed-use project, located in Guangzhou, the starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road. Located on an elongated, irregular-shaped plot, the site offers fantastic views of the Jiaomen River and Phoenix Lake. The architecture presents a sense of grandeur much like a gateway to the Belt and Road. The building form, a series of stacking geometric blocks, enables a diverse range of silhouettes from different perspectives and capitalises upon the surrounding river and lake views. The skin is simple and elegant in contrast to the complex building form. The horizontal fins act as sun-shading devices to moderate the internal environment. While the project is situated in a prime location, the irregular-shaped plot and proximity to metro tracks posed challenges to the design. As a solution, the upper portion of the building rotates by 45 degrees to maximise views and the gross floor area, while meeting local setback requirements and fire codes. More information at www.aedas.com

The flagship of JW Marriott Hotels and Resorts in Vietnam, JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort and Spa opened its doors in January, making it the island’s first international luxury hotel. Offering a selection of 243 lavish rooms, suites, apartments and villas, the resort was designed by American architect Bill Bensley, renowned for designing some of the region’s most luxurious hotel properties.

The emerald colour of the ocean paints a perfect backdrop to the palate on which the architecture thrives. The design narrative is based on a mythical academy of learning with each building on the premises modelled after an academic department. Each detail has been carefully crafted with no two spaces alike.With a minimum space of 54m², the resort’s guest rooms provide generous space for indulgence. More than half the island is national park and the resort offers an array of nature-based and cultural experiences. Guests will enjoy a variety of contemporary restaurants and bars, outdoor pools, spa and recreational facilities and a private, pristine stretch of beach. More information at www.marriott.com/pqcjw

LUXURY RENTAL RESIDENCES CASTLE ONE BY V OPENS IN PRIME MID-LEVELS LOCATION

OSMO RETURNS TO SHANGHAI WITH DOMOTEX EXHIBITION

Castle One by V is the latest in a series of residential offerings by the V Group, founded by local developer Ms Vivien Chan. Since 2006,V Group has specialised in developing and operating a dynamic range of serviced apartments branded as V Serviced Apartments.

V Group actively seeks out opportunities to acquire, develop, operate and manage with the highest standards, quality residences and serviced apartments across the region. The launch of Castle One by V, the first bespoke residential project solely developed and managed by the Group also marks their 10th Anniversary.

In response to China’s increased need for more “green products” to address environmental and sustainability issues, OSMO will return to the 19th Domotex exhibition 22 to 24 March, 2017.With an increasing number of factories seeking wooden products and finishes of the highest calibre due to government bans on environmentally compromised and dangerous products and chemicals, the demand for OSMO’s high quality products is growing. Founded in 1878, OSMO is regarded as market leader, both for their production of wood and creation of wooden protectant finishes. Focusing on both ‘form’ - for technical demand and ‘colour’ for ecological cleanliness, all of OSMO’s products are developed to find the perfect balance between treatment, functionality and customer demands. OSMO’s unique micro porous coating system allows wood to breathe, is harmless when dry, manufactured without formaldehyde and is safe for use on food containers and children’s toys. More information at www.osmochina.com

THE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE’S 2017 ASIA PACIFIC SUMMIT ANNOUNCED

Castle One by V is the embodiment of V Group’s aspirations; customer-oriented and in constant pursuit of high quality and detail. 112 stylish residences, ranging from 37m² to 98m² duplexes and triplex feature full height windows, bespoke joinery and materials and are fitted out with Varenna designer kitchens and Miele appliances, exhibiting an elevated level of luxury and exclusive city living in MidLevels West, just moments from the iconic Central Escalator. The residences feature a concierge service and 24-hour security, a 23m outdoor pool and jacuzzis and a state-of-the-art gym. Residents can also host their guests at the terrace garden or the VIP function room with private kitchen and dining. More information at www.thev.hk

More than 500 of the world’s top leaders in real estate and land use will convene at the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) 2017 Asia Pacific Summit, from 6 to 8 June, 2017 at the Fullerton Hotel, Singapore. One of the region’s most popular real estate events, ULI is a platform that enables industry experts to connect, share and gain insight into current industry trends. In accordance with the theme, “The Future is Now, Are you Ready?”, the summit will explore a wide range of topics. Highlights include a ministerial keynote address from, Minister for National Development & Second Minister for Finance, Lawrence Wong, on ‘Creating Competitive and Innovative Cities’ and Chief Operating Officer of GIC, Goh Kok Huat, one of the world’s largest global investors, who will talk candidly with Global Chief Executive Officer of the Urban Land Institute, Patrick Phillips, about ‘Driving Innovation and Growth in the Digital Age’. On Singapore as a summit location, ULI Chief Executive Officer, John Fitzgerald, said: “The city’s transformation from a third-world port city to a modern world-class metropolis offers inspiration to leaders in business and government.The ULI Asia Pacific Summit is a signature real estate event that attracts over 500 decision makers from across Asia Pacific and beyond. The summit brings together the whole industry under one roof, including institutional investors, funders, developers, advisers, planners, architects and city leaders.”

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KATUAQ CULTURAL CENTRE CULTURAL ICON FOR INTERNATIONAL INUIT

Winning an international design competition for the Katuaq Cultural Centre (KCC) in 1992 gained renowned designers of high profile architecture, Schmidt Hammer Lassen, their first major international project which this month celebrates 20 years since opening. Inspired by the dramatic Greenlandic landscape of winding fjords moving glaciers, icebergs and in winter the inspiring, undulating northern lights, KCC perfectly reflects these elements: the surging, bright, timber-clad façade, with its luminous skylight symbolizes the northern lights - the triangular, monolithic dark body of the building represents the iceberg - the interior bright, white foyer space with its independent volumes of theatre, cinema and café reminiscence the spatiality of the fjords and mountains, snow and ice. With its organic, natural, appearance the building hit directly into the soul of the Greenlandic people having created a sense of ownership that reaches deep into society.

Built to survive Greenland’s unforgiving climate, today the centre stands as a dynamic meeting point, catering for a diversity of activities whilst providing a cultural and artistic meeting place for locals, the international Inuit community and visitors from all over the world. Events staged in the centre are regularly broadcast from the building’s own TV studio. Bringing the Inuit culture to every home, the Katuaq building has become an icon for the Greenlandic community and beyond, spreading as far as Canada,Alaska and Russia.

Two decades on Schmidt Hammer Lassen remains committed to Nordic architectural traditions based on democracy, welfare, aesthetics, light, sustainability and social responsibility.

ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS TO DESIGN CARBON FRIENDLY FOOTBALL STADIUM

DUPONT™ CORIAN® LIGHTS UP THE FACE OF NEW MOTEL ONE, LONDON Taking the place of a run-down office building, the recently revealed “Motel One” building by Mackay + Partners features an innovative use of Corian® high-tech surface as an illuminated façade. The first commercial building in the United Kingdom to adopt this application, the structure introduces a sparkling new exterior to the heart of the financial district, set within the historic Minories neighbourhood. A new four-star facility, the latest Motel One operation hosts 291 bedrooms.

The building is comprised of two forms - a seven storey “decorative cube” fronting the street and a sixteen-storey glass tower to the rear. A high standard of sustainability was met in all aspects of the development which has achieved a BREEAM excellent energy rating.

Key to this was the design of a façade with excellent thermal performance (and just 35% glazing) plus the specification of heat recovery systems and green roofs to further enhance efficiency and mitigate rainwater run-off. The exterior cladding was created using approximately 1000m2 of Corian® high-tech surface in a 12mm thickness and by exploiting the brand’s unique 1500mm width sheet to reduce the necessity for additional joints. More information at www.dupont.co.uk

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In 2016, China’s total overseas investment into commercial real estate set a new record high of US$38.3 billion, up 49% from 2015, according to China Outbound Investment Capital Watch Q4 2016, released by DTZ/Cushman & Wakefield, a global leader in commercial real estate services. The U.S. was the top overseas destination for Chinese investors, recording a more than fourfold increase from 2015 to US$18.3 billion. Chinese investment also increased in Hong Kong, South Korea, the UK, Canada and Germany. In the UK, investment volume jumped 32% y-o-y on the back of investors taking advantage of a weak pound. The office market absorbed the lion’s share of Chinese outbound investment at just over 45%, according to the report. Hotel deals surged 13 percentage points over 2015 to capture a 27% share of investment at US$10.3 billion, a surprisingly high level that may be difficult to match in 2017.

DTZ/Cushman & Wakefield’s Managing Director Research, Greater China, James Shepherd, said: “Many Chinese investors believe there is still some growth left in the U.S. dollar’s appreciation to the yuan whereas some other major global currencies may seem to carry more risk of decline. At the present time it would appear that for major corporate investors the U.S. will see a greater impact on real estate investment volumes from China depending on the stance adopted towards China and Chinese investment by the incoming U.S. President.”

More information at www.dtzcushwake.com

DEUTSCHE ASSET MANAGEMENT ACQUIRES TWO AUSTRALIAN LOGISTICS FACILITIES

Following a seven-month international competition, Forest Green Rovers (FGR) has selected Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) for design for its new football stadium in Stroud, UK. On the appointment, Dale Vince, Ecotricity founder and FGR chairman said: “The really standout thing about this stadium is that it’s going to be almost entirely made of wood – the first time that will have been done anywhere in the world. The importance of wood is not only that it’s naturally occurring, it has very low embodied carbon – about as low as it gets for a building material.” Jim Heverin, Director at ZHA said: “We are very proud to be selected to design the new home for FGR that will not only be a new stadium but also an important addition for the community. The club’s heritage, ambition and vision reflect our own, combining the latest material research and construction techniques with new design approaches to build a more ecologically sustainable and inclusive architecture.” The winning design retains and enhances to existing landscape of the site whilst adding the stadium and other functions for the town.

Embodying low carbon construction methods and operational processes, FGR Eco Park Stadium will be the first all-timber football stadium with almost every element made of sustainably sourced timber. More information at www.zaha-hadid.com

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Deutsche Asset Management (Deutsche AM) has announced the acquisition of two logistics facilities located in Derrimut in Melbourne and Parkinson in Brisbane, for AUD 73.1 million, in an off market transaction on behalf of a German institutional client. The cold logistics facilities were purpose built in 2010 for a leading provider of refrigerated interstate transport and warehousing services. Comprising two single storey warehouses including administration offices and parking, the Derrimut site occupies over 34,000m2 and the Parkinson site over 30,000m². Both are well located within their respective markets, situated in key locations and are well connected to local port, airport and railway stations in both Melbourne and Brisbane via major expressways and road networks. Nationally, Melbourne remains the manufacturing centre and distribution hub as home to Australia’s largest port, whilst Brisbane has a growing industrial precinct. The acquisitions follow on from the recent purchase of GLP Narita, a modern grade A logistics warehouse in Greater Tokyo, as Deutsche AM continues to increase its sector exposure to logistics in Asia Pacific.

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報 導 15

16 EVENTS

08 – 11 May 2017 HOFEX 2017

Hotel 2020 – The Future of Hotel Design

HKCEC, Hong Kong

09 May 2017 (16:00 - 18:30pm) @ HOFEX 2017

HOFEX – Asia’s Leading Food & Hospitality Tradeshow, has been taking the industry on numerous extraordinary journeys of culinary delicacies from all over the world in the past 30 years, bringing the most comprehensive selection of food and drinks, hospitality equipment and supply products to Asia. www.hofex.com exhibit@hkesallworld.com

Pre-register: www.hofex.com/register/

With new hotels and freshly renovated hotel properties opening all around us on a regular basis, do you ever wonder what new experiences are in store for us in the hotels being designed today? Join us at Hotel 2020 where designers of some of the region’s leading hotel properties will share their first hand insights on the technologies, guest amenities and customer experiences that will define the modern hotels of tomorrow.

Seats limited, reserve your place now: www.hofex.com/hospitality-design-forum/

20 – 23 Apr 2017

18 – 20 May 2017

09 – 12 June 2017

HKTDC Hong Kong Houseware Fair 2017

ISH China & CIHE 2017

Guangzhou Electrical Building Technology

HKCEC, Hong Kong

With over 28,000 buyers coming from 114 countries and regions in 2016, the renowned Hong Kong Houseware Fair is Asia’s largest event of its kind. Coming to its 32nd edition, it is expected to welcome over 2,100 quality exhibitors, presenting a comprehensive selection of products for your home, revealing trendy, chic ideas fresh in the market. https://goo.gl/THW0Es exhibitions@hktdc.org

16 May 2017 BEC EnviroSeries Conference 2017: Circular Economy:Towards a Resource Efficient Hong Kong – Managing Waste, Driving Growth

Ballroom, JW Marriott Hong Kong

Circular Economy is gaining the significance for businesses to shape a sustainable business model. This first-ever conference on Circular Economy organised

by Business Environment Council will bring together well-known industry experts, thought leaders and key policy makers from Hong Kong and overseas to examine opportunities, strategies, innovative technologies and collaborative initiatives in promoting circular economy. It aims to inspire our audiences to optimize the utilization of assets by adopting the circular business model for enhancing not only environmental protection, but also the competitiveness and economic growth of Hong Kong. w w w. b e c . o r g . h k / ev e n t s - c u r r e n t / b e c - e nv i ro s e r i e s conference-2017-1 cathy@bec.org.hk

New China International Exhibition Center, Beijing

ISH China & CIHE – China International Trade Fair for Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning, Sanitation & Home Comfort Systems is one of the most well-known exhibition platforms under the ISH brand. It has a stellar track record in gathering the world’s leading brands within the HVAC and plumbing industry. ISH China & CIHE also fosters industry development in China currently the world’s biggest emerging market. www.ishc-cihe.hk.messefrankfurt.com info@ishc-cihe.com

China Import and Export Fair Complex

The 2016 show welcomed 200 exhibitors from all over the world. Together with the Guangzhou International Lightning Exhibition 2016, the two shows welcomed 145,080 visitors from 137 countries and regions. www.building.messefrankfurt.com.cn info@hongkong.messefrankfurt.com

13 – 15 June 2017 Retail Asia expo 2017

HKCEC, Hong Kong

05 – 07 June 2017 The World Sustainable Built Environment Conference 2017 Hong Hong

HKCEC, Hong Kong

Co-organised by the Construction Industry Council and the Hong Kong Green Building Council, the World Sustainable Built Environment Conference 2017 Hong Kong (WSBE17 Hong Kong) will take place from 5 to 7 June 2017 in Hong Kong, bringing together 1,800 industry experts and leading academics from around the globe. www.wsbe17hongkong.hk/wsbe17 wsbe17@wsbe17hongkong..hk

For nine years, Retail Asia Expo has gathered the industry’s most influential retailers and buyers under one roof. The award-winning exhibition consists of three focus areas: Retail Technology, Retail Design and In-Store Marketing and Internet Retailing. The expo showcases retail solutions from over 170 local and international exhibitors. To perfectly compliment the needs of every retail professionals, various educational features and networking opportunities are available, including seminars, gala dinner, cocktail reception, and retail awards. In 2016, the show attracted 8,633 visitors from 60 countries,representing over 3,300 companies and organisations. www.retailasiaexpo.com info@retailasiaexpo.com

Experience Industry’s Latest Innovations at R+T Asia 2017 R+T Asia is not only an efficient way to find buyers and sellers of key products, but it is also the place where visitors and exhibitors can see the newest products and discuss the latest trends in the door, gate, and sun protection industry.

R+T Asia meets the customers’ ongoing demand for innovative products, higher energyefficient products, and smart solutions.

One of show’s successful programs is the InnovAction campaign, which allows exhibitors to launch their latest products online before the show.Visitors can then identify appealing products and arrange on-site meetings using an online “match-making” system.

During the show, these special InnovAction products are showcased in a unique display, where companies such as Warema, Hoermann, Nice, Lutron, Gliss, and Neher will showcase their featured products.

Company:

WAREMA Sunshading Systems (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. WMS WebControl

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Serge Ferrari Batyline AW

Booth No. N5A01-E Warema develops and produces sophisticated control and monitoring systems. WMS WebControl is the convenience app (iOS/Android) to match smart home requirements.With your mobile phone, you can control the tilting of blinds.

Booth No. N5B01 Batyline AW provides a combination of acoustic comfort and sun-shading for new buildings and renovation projects with different light systems.This shading solution meets the requirements of architectural aesthetics and technical solutions and is free from the effects of dampness, chlorine erosion, and microbiological issues, and is resistant to temperature changes.

Company: Product:

Company: Product:

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Lutron Electronics Battery-operated wireless roller shade

Booth No. N5A01-C The new battery-operated Roller Shade provides silent and precise control of daylight. Its wireless design is perfect for retrofit projects. A wide variety of fabrics is available in different colours and patterns and in Kibe drapery, curtain track systems, pleated shades, roman shades,Venetian shades and more.

SOMMER ENTRAsys FD

Booth No. N1A23 The ENTRAsys FD is a reliable biometric access control system. House doors can be opened with an unique authorization access – the users’ fingerprint.

Due to the intuitive navigation the operation is simple and up to 4 channels can be controlled (e.g. house door, gate operator, lighting, alarm system.)

Magnificent Materials at R+T Asia Together with MATERIA, R+T Asia 2017 will be showcasing its Magnificent Materials collection. This exhibition features 250 beautiful materials for interiors and architecture, including natural cork, raw concrete, shining cheerful plastic, fragile subtle silk, industrial metal, luxurious natural stone and more. The modern and innovative versions of these materials are multifunctional, smart, original, sustainable and beautiful. Whether used for furniture, interiors, exteriors, or window coverings, the possibilities are endless. To see these new and extraordinary materials, visit the Magnificent Materials display at R+T Asia 2017 in Shanghai.

The online InnovAction display is available for every pre-registered visitor.

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Scan this code to learn more about the newest InnovAction products for 2017.

R+T Asia’s special exhibitions, networking opportunities and educational events create an ideal environment for learning, socializing, and building your business. Be there when the entire industry comes together!

21 to 23 March, 2017 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre Sibu-multistyle-pla 878-9

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More information is available at http://rtasia.org/en/

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Strategically located within the upcoming global technology epicentre, the Multimedia Super Corridor and just minutes from Putrajaya, an administrative town housing over 500 local and multinational technology firms, it is the work of Australian, Singaporean and Malaysian practice, AK+ Architects, whom actively highlighted the site’s existing environment and sought to organise it by emphasising the interaction between buildings, landscaping and facilities.

The pre-existing depression and basins found at the centre were eagerly enhanced, a decision that organically led to the layout’s core - the connection of multiple water bodies. The presence of which have been put to thoughtful environmental, landscape and recreational uses, but also towards creating a pattern of movement within the site, and thereby influencing the circular geometry of the housing units.

With equal importance placed upon sustainability and cost management, AK+ Architects initially intended to foreground the site’s natural attributes, the approach of which subsequently formed the premise of the overarching design response.

More so, the sensitive requirements of Malaysian culture and religion played an important role in determining the architectural response with a combination of both single occupancy and apartments required. Seemingly a radical juxtaposition of building types, both in terms of housing mix and residential density, the single occupancy tenancies were allocated to 68 low-rise town houses, with 413 larger apartments contained within high-rise buildings.

Text: Amanda James Images: MK+ Architecture

: Jasper Lau

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Encouraging interaction Residents are able to move freely within the site, and encouraged to congregate within multiple spaces. For practicality, the placement of greenery works to create movement networks within the site for pedestrians, vehicles and maintenance.

Through strategic orientation and articulation, regardless of size, all are afforded democratic access to lights, views and natural ventilation, components integral to modifying the effects of a tropical Malaysian climate. The high-rise buildings are double loaded and the apartments separated, thereby allowing internal shading and introducing greater airflow into individual tenancies. In the case of the townhouses, their curvature is achieved by the introduction of wedge shaped garden spaces between; this breaking down the linearity often associated with linked terrace housing.

The high-rise apartment blocks sitting at the exterior of the site, taper in height, a decision that breaks down their monolithic form and assists in making a transition down towards the smaller sized and scaled townhouses. The building blocks vary in elevation, with all allowing clear views of the nearby Putrajaya Lake, as well as over the roofs of the townhouse units below.

Intensive and abundant landscaping serves to not just prevent direct visibility into other tenancies, but to manage the interface between public places and private spaces. More so, the landscaping both shrouds and highlights the large water bodies, serving to create a wetlands ecosystem that is both unique and practical, working to offset the heat and humidity of the tropical climate.

Salt-water swimming pools coupled with constructed wetlands, holding ponds and aqua purifiers flow throughout the lush and intensively landscaped 12.14 acres, which offers leisurely appeal as well as environmental intent and sensitivity.

These water bodies, combined with the inclusion of recreational and athletic facilities, encourage interaction and the forming of ties between the newly settled and culturally diverse community of 1,600. Not only do these boost connection, but coupled with the project’s landscaping, form the core of an open space network and further contribute to the legibility and appeal of the project.

It might be said that one of the most striking feature of Mirage by The Lake is that of the architectural image itself. The buildings and landscaping are fore grounded in a strategy of understatement, with great restraint being used in the application of elements and choice of detail.

From research to execution, there is clarity of purpose in the architecture, which ultimately differentiates the project from other housing developments in the region elevating the appeal of the address to new residents and potential investors.

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www.akpl.us

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Great architectural practices create buildings that respond to their environment and feel more at home in their setting as time marches on. Arquitectonica understands this better than most and have offered a case study in delivering high-quality, sensitive architecture with the Alba residential complex in Singapore.

The 18-storey development was completed at the end of 2015 and was one of the city’s most talked about developments last year. Now that the initial public relations buzz has softened, it’s clear that the building is indeed a thoughtful work. Designed for the Far East Organization, the country’s biggest private developer, the Alba responds to the programme and site with a fluid combination of function and aesthetics. The result is a generous building that conveys real architectural merit.

The Alba is part of the cohesive design language the Miami studio has developed since it was formed by Bernardo Fort-Brescia and Laurinda Spear four decades or so ago. With their rectilinear forms, often softened by organic curved features, the connection between Hong Kong’s Le Meridien Hotel and Novotel Citygate Hotel, and The City of Dreams in Macau, is apparent.

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Arquitectonica’s response was an 18-storey development on 9,400 square metres. The Y-shaped layout limits the number of units on a typical floor to three, but means each unit has the best-possible view. It is also an exceptionally efficient layout that minimises any non-saleable common areas.

Market leadership More mainstream design concerns for a Singaporean luxury development see private lift and foyer areas leading into homes with an open-plan design.

Common features include concierge, waiting area and fully furnished gym that open directly onto the building’s recreational areas, themselves richly appointed with massage and treatment areas, open sun decks, two swimming pools, outdoor barbecue and teppanyaki deck, and the landscaped gardens.

Even one year into their life, the interiors are a peak example of the best of Singapore’s condominiums. Standard are powder rooms, wet kitchens, a laundry area, separate maid’s room with bathroom, walk-in closets and en-suite bathrooms.

The larger units, as well as the townhouse-inspired layouts on the lower floors, have studies located off the entrance foyer to take advantage of Singapore’s Urban Redevelopment Authority’s Home Office scheme.

A more recent example is the Mount Parker Residences at 1 Sai Wan Terrace on Hong Kong Island. This stunningly designed development by Arquitectonica and DLN moves this design language further forward. The Mount Parker Residences strike a healthy balance between the organic shapes increasingly championed by Peter Brannan, the head of the architecture, design and planning practice in Hong Kong, and the need to create a building that maximises the land upon which it sits.

At Alba, the latest iteration of the practice’s sensitive organic design moves ahead again.

Progressive response The Alba adopts a similar language but boosts the building’s green and luxury credentials by instigating an innovative Y-shaped plan. The building’s mass takes its cue from the plan, but cleverly splits into two asymmetrical L-shapes, one of which projects slightly higher than the other. From the exterior, the L-shapes are emphasised by wrapping a solid white ribbon around them, which gives the composition a sense of fluidity and movement. The ribbon motif is repeated in the frame and trellis that wraps around the larger units at the base of the building units and the outdoor area.

The architects were briefed to deliver a memorable composition for an upmarket audience. The site in the City State’s Cairnhill Road area posed its own limitations. Cairnhill is hilly by Singaporean standards, hemmed in by heavily trafficked highways and the Orchard Road strip, is subject to restrictions due to its proximity to official government buildings, and has heritage sensibilities, since it is home to a number of shophouses and terraced housing developments that date to the early 20th century.

The five-bedroom townhouse units on the lower ground level are loft residences with double-height living spaces, private gardens and direct access to parking and pool decks, Finally, a five-bedroom penthouse, with family and study room, gymnasium and Jacuzzi, also has a 15-metre-long rooftop lap-pool.

“The foundation for the design must come from our understanding of the site,” Brannan says. “When delivering high-end residences, the concerns are beyond the size of the swimming pool and carpark. The experience is key and the key to the experience is creating spaces that feel homely but retain their power to pleasantly surprise.”

Brannan is an advocate for using every available resource to its fullest.

The living roofs the practice has installed for commercial commissions at Guangzhou’s Taikoo Hui and the SM City North EDSA mall in the Philippines are evidence of that. It is not surprising that Arquitectonica’s Alba is Building and Construction Authority GreenMark certified, representing best practices in sustainable design. From the building’s efficient control of sunlight and crossventilation, energy-efficient fixtures and materials, and sensitive landscaping to conserve and foster existing vegetation. It’s notable that the building incorporates Building Information Modelling technology and design, and has a modern building management system in place.

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You might wonder where a design and architecture firm with a handful of clients and even fewer years of operation under its belt gets off on issuing an uncosted manifesto for a carbon-neutral transport network around Victoria Harbour. The HarbourLoop proposal from 2015 is a stunning idea to create a 23km active pathway, connected with a bridge and cable car, around Hong Kong’s iconic harbour. It was from leftfield and from Lead 8.

Lead 8 was launched in April 2014, taking its name from the acronym of living environments, architecture and design; combined with the numeral representing the eight founding members of the firm. The company’s founders had worked together in Asia for more than 12 years at an international architectural practice.

If there was any doubt about their credentials to start pumping out bold proclamations about Hong Kong's future and one of its greatest natural assets, it became increasingly clear Lead 8 was the real deal when BuroHappold got in touch and asked if they could get involved in HarbourLoop. It's a matter of folklore and university undergraduate case studies that the British engineering consultants delivered The High Line in NewYork.

In establishing Lead 8, its team of eight founders wanted to be a new kind of design practice, one based on an integrated approach but also a firm that would leverage their core values of openness, creativity and teamwork. This was to be a flat, more collaborative organisation, built on a bedrock of culture. The result is a team with the desire to discover, define, design and deliver the best solution for every site, says Co-Founder and Executive Director Simon Blore.

“From some early wins with new clients, followed by support from past clients, we have migrated from meetings in coffee shops, drawing at home, working

Text: Michael Hoare Images: Lead 8

with a virtual server, then a six person office, with 15 in it at one point, to studios in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, London, and Singapore,” he says.

A purpose-designed warehouse space at the eastern end of Hong Kong Island in Quarry Bay is the home for the studio. From here, the founders apply their combined experience of more than 150 years in directing a team of more than 140 staff members (called “leaders”) in architecture, interior design, master planning, urban design, repositioning and renovation, environmental graphics, wayfinding, signage and branding.

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As with some of the best organisations on the planet, Lead 8 has a missionary’s zeal in its work and an insider’s language that is all its own.

There are the previously mentioned “leaders”, who are staff otherwise empowered to do their work; and the leaders work at a studio – most definitely not an office.

“When we set up Lead 8 we were aiming to create a ‘studio’ rather than an ‘office’, and feel we have successfully achieved the former,” says Lead 8 Co-Founder and Executive Director John Denton. “To our minds, a studio is a creative working space, and one that manifests and expresses the personality and culture of our brand. Being in a converted warehouse unit in a district of Hong Kong that still has character and local flavour has a certain honesty to the geographic location of the company.”

Speak to any of the company’s “leaders” and you come to begin to understand that the open-plan studio has come to define their approach.

Teamwork is a key value. Collaboration within the company and with the client is the standard, not the exception. Ideas are fostered. Flexibility is demanded.

“Creating a workspace that benefits everyone comes as much from the physical organisation of the space as from the management structure that enables our staff to grow and develop,” says Lead 8 Co-Founder and Executive Director Christine Hau, adding that the building represents a marriage between the physical and the philosophical.

Much as the built environment contributes towards defining us, Lead 8 is defined by its surroundings, and equity is essential. “Leading by example on a personal level transfers to a corporate level and becomes part of our reason for existing, affecting the way we interact with our clients, consultants, suppliers and contractors alike – fairness being key,” says the studio’s Creative Director Alex Brazier.

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Lead 8 positions itself as specialist in transit oriented developments or TODs. High-density TOD’s are the fastest growing sustainable solution for mixed-use environments, says Lead 8 Co-Founder and Executive Director David Buffonge.

With the mass migration from the countryside to the cities in full swing in the mainland, dealing with densification should be a pressing concern.

“The traditional TOD model has ‘live, work and shop’ components positioned over a rail station or transport interchange, but as these developments become larger, it is our responsibility as architects and designers to incorporate the necessary ingredients that would enhance well-being and the personal experience of users and occupiers,” he says.

The organisation says its process differs from a more typical conceptualisation of a mixed-use development. The basis for the design finds its roots in a functional planning diagram that plots a chart of how people move through the area, both ideally and actual. There is a considerable emphasis placed on the entry and exit experiences, the connections and wayfinding to achieve the ultimate pedestrian convenience. The appropriate distances are calculated to determine the appropriate distances between vertical circulation nodes. The ingress of natural light is fostered or curtailed.

Lead 8 has codified its method in a five-phase design process that prescribes but never proscribes its operation. Context, community, client, ambition and legacy may be the stopping off points in the process, but a philosophy of holistic thinking, identifying unique opportunities and working together is the practice’s path to end-product.

After the influence of culture, process and a collaborative approach to work are applied, Lead 8 says it goes out to build better working relationships by embracing inclusion and teamwork.

Their work has won plaudits from Allan Zeman, the Chairman of the Lan Kwai Fong Group, for “simplicity, clarity and holistic design”. Kenneth Gaw, President of Gaw Capital, calls the practice’s work innovative and “out of the box”. Lead 8 has worked on a number of projects for the private equity fund management company, including on the repositioning of Pacific Century Place in Beijing and the recently opened design for Cross Tower in Shanghai.

“What if we re-create our streets and bring back the joy of spending time outside, dining in a park, looking at terraces of activities beyond, simply bringing people together into our projects?” asks Simon Chua, another of the Lead 8 Co-Founder and Executive Director. Simon believes that the Lead 8 difference lies in engineering quality spaces with real emotional appeal. The creation of community spaces must come from fusing exterior and interior spaces and enriching the visitor’s experience, he says.

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It’s a creative-led approach to architecture and design which illustrates a longterm concern for people. The studio’s senior members believe that this more “human” technique is not necessarily the generator of greater costs, since delivery on time and on budget is the studio’s mantra. But there are other ideals the studio lives by.

“Mixing uses rather than zoning is a must, and it is no coincidence that our favourite urban places accommodate a wide community cross section, and also complementary uses; all within an easy stroll,” says Lead 8 Co-Founder and Executive Director Chris Lohan.

“We advocate the principles of ‘walkable’ cities, where transit nodes and retail and workplace opportunities are all within a 300 to 1,000 metre radius of all homes, and as well as creating vibrant communities, this also allows an option for cars to be left at home.”

“We are not advocates of urban design guidelines being too prescriptive either, as we have seen through our project work in Asia how tightly controlled masterplans can inhibit the amalgamation of plots, or density.”

It’s a rational, sensitive approach to the administration of land, one of the biggest issues that faces Hong Kong. And, as with all things tied to Lead 8, there’s a thoughtfulness and cohesiveness to the thinking that is hardwired. Lead 8 has been surprisingly successful in the first (almost) three years of its life.

Some of Lead 8's current projects include Shanghai Xujiahui Centre, TODTOWN in Shanghai, Harbour North in Hong Kong, Nanjing IFC, MixC Shenzhen Bay and MixC Jinan. That it has been such a breath of fresh air comes down to its unique culture, depth of experience and the power of its lateral thinking. If the HarbourLoop comes to fruition, it will be a lasting, exciting, net positive for Hong Kong. It may even become a defining moment for architecture. It will also be a fitting tribute to the power of eight.

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ow we work has always shaped the places where we work. Today’s

Hworkplace is one that is digital, team-oriented and sustainable;

designed to support a collaborative and mobile world of work.

The today’s offices will accommodate the workers of the future. How they are designed will impact productivity, employee engagement and the environment.

The challenges faced designers and builders have elements that are local, as well as those that are some universal, including a need in the Asia-Pacific region to make the most of scarce resources, to respond to the needs of its community and contend with its responsibility to the environment as a whole.

New office developments are increasingly embracing a sense of the place in which they are built. Combining a mix of office, residential and retail options in one interconnected space has proved to be an effective strategy for developers to maximise the value of their asset and enrich the community. Establishing a new build as a landmark, in tune with the culture and consciousness of its setting, will help forge a truly memorable building.

Civic amenities and public transport hubs adjacent to a workplace are attractive to potential employees. They are also part of a commitment to sustainable design. This, as well as efficiency of construction and environmental management systems, should be a focal point of every developer’s design philosophy. With rising costs, dwindling natural resources and building codes increasingly demanding greater environmental performance, groundbreaking sustainable design elements are essential.

The first of many challenges for designers to tackle is human. As the earliest members of Generation Z, those born between 1994 and 2010, start entering Text: Joe Wyatt

Images: World Architecture Festival 2016

Jasper Lau and Richard Lee

the workforce, organisations must harness their prowess with technology.

The rise of the online marketplace, among other technology-led factors, will affect design. Integrating these elements into the workplace means finding and retaining dynamic, tech-savvy employees will be much easier.

The conventional cubicle can be isolating, while open-plan configurations lack privacy and leaves workers in the path of distraction, Creating flexible spaces that blend concentration and communication to maximise productivity is an emerging trend. Accommodating the rise of the global nomad, or those working from home and utilising the power of video conferencing and social media, can ensure greater efficiencies and longevity.

The organisation that delivers on employee wellbeing is an attractive option to staff. It is inspiring innovations such as the rise of biophilic design, a practice that reintegrates nature and the outdoors into the work environment.

Introducing plants, natural light and air filtration systems into the workplace fosters a positive work environment and is an investment in the long-term performance, wellbeing and engagement of employees.

The development of green spaces is known to vastly reduce particulate matter in the air, enriching the environment to the benefit of the community at large.

Giving access to these spaces offers invaluable respite for employees from the pressures of work and the modern city.

In this feature is a selection of projects from around the world that approach these issues. How these innovative design solutions respond to their environments will be central to the future of the workplace.

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T

he new Port House in Antwerp was a derelict fire station until the Zaha Hadid Architects plan for turning it into the headquarters of the city’s shipping industry was put into action.

Port of Antwerp president Marc Van Peel says: “There was only one rule: the original building had to be preserved. All five shortlisted candidates combined the new with the old, but [the] Zaha Hadid Architects design was the most brilliant.”

Antwerp has 12km of dockside, making it one of the largest ports in Europe.

The port handles 26 percent of the containers shipped into or out of the continent, and the annual throughput of cargo exceeds 200 million tonnes. The Port of Antwerp directly or indirectly keeps about 150,000 people in work. It has ambitious plans for expansion.

A ZHA study of the history of the site was the foundation of the firm’s design.

Research uncovered the original plans for the fire station, which show the building crowned by a tower, which was never built. Giving the building the tower it never received became a focus of the ZHA design. The rehabilitated building has an extension that seems to float above the original structure, reaching the full height of the tower shown in the original plans. Like the bow of a ship, the new extension points towards the Scheldt, connecting the building with the river that gave birth to Antwerp.

The operator decided in 2007 that the port needed new offices; a sustainable workplace for its 500 employees. The operator chose a site on Mexico Island in the Kattendijk dock on Quay 63, which was occupied by a disused fire station.

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The design meets high standards for the sustainability of buildings. Chilled beams and ceilings in the original and new parts of the building are supplied by a borehole energy system for efficient heating and cooling. Waterless fittings in the lavatories and motion detectors reduce water consumption to the minimum. Automation makes the most of daylight so the least possible artificial light is required. The site was by the water, so the materials used in the rehabilitation could be brought in that way. All this earned the ZHA design a BREEAM environmental rating of Very Good.

The central courtyard of the old fire station is now roofed with glass and serves as the central atrium of Port House, through which visitors can reach the public reading room and library in what was once the hall for fire engines.

The reflective façade of the extension seems to ripple like the waves on the water that surrounds the building. The façade also appears to sparkle. This and the daylight playing on the sharply cut shape of the extension as the sun makes its way across the sky remind the beholder of Antwerp’s fame as a centre of the international trade in diamonds.

The calibrated combination of transparent and opaque triangular facets admits sufficient sunlight but moderates solar load to guarantee a pleasant working environment inside the building. The alternation of transparent and opaque panels gives people looking out changing panoramas of the Scheldt, Antwerp and the Port of Antwerp.

“The architectural style of the original building, a replica of the former Hansa House, recalls the 16th century, Antwerp's golden century,” Van Peel says. “A contemporary structure in shining glass has now been built which, I am sure, represents a new golden century for Antwerp.”

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For detailed project information please visit the official GBA 2016 Website at www.gba.org.hk. www.gba.org.hk。

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