TAIKOO PLACE
WINTER
2014
THE SPOTLIGHT
a cappella-la-la The Art and Joy of Unaccompanied Ensemble Singing Performance art lovers, take note. From 23 January to 6 February 2015, ArtisTree will be hosting “Double Bill”, a unique series of a cappella performances that combine music veterans from Hong Kong’s first professional a cappella choral theatre company, Yat Po Singers, with talented amateurs drawn from Taikoo Place and Cityplaza office tenants. Perfectly fusing a cappella singing with body movements and dialogue, the shows will storm the audiences with an art form rarely seen in Asia.
At the master class, renowned singer-songwriter Mr. Hanjin Tan generously shared his a cappella experience and also improvised a few songs with the participants.
Each of the four 30-minute pieces that comprise “Double Bill” is created and directed by a different Yat Po Singers Resident Artist. Raoul’s piece, performed in Mandarin, reinterprets Turandot, the famous opera with a twisted ending. Ronald’s piece is a pure display of music and body movement. Sam’s piece is inspired by a Korean reality show and presents the dark side of married life. And Keith’s piece explores work life – a theme that is sure to hit home among the audience.
Rehearsals are currently in full swing, during which the Resident Artists from Yat Po Singers have worked closely with the office tenants to develop and craft the performances. On top of regular rehearsals, a master class led by producer and singer-songwriter Hanjin Tan was specially arranged to improve participants’ a cappella singing skills. The three-week casting call and auditions for “Double Bill” kick-started the project, with over 40 aspiring singers selected from 200 applicants by a judging panel that included renowned music producer Chiu Tsang Hei and artistic directors from Yat Po Singers. The successful applicants have diverse career backgrounds spanning different sectors, including banking and finance, luxury and fashion, IT, media and advertising, and they come from 40 different companies, including JPMorgan, Citi, LVMH, Tiffany & Co., Mindshare and more.
The two-day audition was a great success, office tenants underwent a series of assessments from singing to body movements where they demonstrated their great talents outside of work.
“Double Bill” is presented as part of a cappella-la-la Swire Properties’ new initiative TAIKOO PLACE PROJECT AFTER 6. This creative tenant engagement programme has enabled musically inclined office tenants from Taikoo Place and Cityplaza to learn a new art form from the masters, let off steam and enjoy some afterwork fun with their office neighbours and colleagues. Stay tuned!
SPECIAL BUZZ
A New Culture of Creativity and Innovation Swire Properties recently launched blueprint, a new initiative based in Cornwall House, Taikoo Place comprising an equity-free accelerator programme and a coworking space spanning two floors with a total area of 20,000 sq ft.
Fun illustrations in unexpected places add a hint of spirited vibe to the blueprint office.
After reviewing hundreds of applications, ten aspiring tech B2B startups will be granted free workspace to operate their business in Cornwall House, as well as mentorship and professional support from a network of 70 top executives and entrepreneurs, to help them test product-market fit, acquire customers and attract investment. Each accelerator programme will last for six months, beginning in January 2015. blueprint is also a co-working and events space designed to unite people around a shared interest in tech and serve as a platform for the exchange of inspiring ideas. Recent events such as the ‘beta blues @ blueprint’ evening on 10 November attracted some 300 guests. The biggest names in Hong Kong’s tech scene received a sneak peek into the blueprint space while still in construction mode.
From retired seating and oxygen masks recycled from decommissioned Cathay Pacific Airways planes, to cool notice board and sleek workstations, furniture used in blueprint is certainly a mixture of past and present.
Swire Properties Praised
Euromoney, one of the world’s leading financial magazines, named Swire Properties as the Best Office/Business Developer in Hong Kong in its Real Estate Survey 2014. The survey was based on the responses of real estate developers, advisors, investment managers, corporate end users and banks in over 60 countries and regions around the world. Respondents praised Swire Properties for its leading role in promoting transparent communication to investors, indicating that “the company has a clear strategy and good visibility”. In addition, Channel NewsAsia, a leading regional broadcaster, ranked Swire Properties as the 16th most sustainable company in Asia as part of the 2014
Channel NewsAsia Sustainability Ranking. Being the only Hong Kong property developer ranked within the 100 most sustainable companies in Asia, Swire Properties was recognised for its “strong commitment to investing in sustainable buildings” and its enviable environmental, social and governance performance. The ranking was compiled in collaboration with CSR Asia and Sustainalytics, a leading environmental, social and governance research provider, with a focus on Asian companies that are publicly listed on major indices across the region.
TAIKOO PLACE NEWS
WINTER 2014
HYPED UP
Fun. Festive. Sweet. Tong Chong Street in the heart of Taikoo Place came alive with the merry sights and sounds of the season at Swire Properties’ White Christmas Street Fair 2014. The candy-themed three-day community event featured live entertainment, delicious food and drinks, games and workshops, and special events including the Taikoo Place Santathon Candy Challenge and first-ever outdoor ice hockey experience. Everyone was spoilt for choice with shopping at the fair. Apart from participating retailers’ offers which included assortment of European candies, beautiful accessories and ornaments, the highlights were organic soaps, leather accessories and wine cork wreaths handmade by Swire Properties’ Community Ambassadors. Visitors enjoyed the shopping spree, with every dollar spent for a good cause! For the third year in a row, proceeds from the fair went to Swire Properties’ charity partner Operation Santa Claus.
Martin Cubbon, Chief Executive of Swire Properties; Hugh Chiverton, representative from Operation Santa Claus and RTHK’s Head of English-Language Programming; and Swire Properties’ Community Ambassadors at the Official Tree Lighting Ceremony
Office workers and residents from the neighbourhood indulged in the fun-filled ambience complemented with live performances
A festive affair with good food and shopping to enjoy
TAIKOO PLACE NEWS
WINTER 2014
THE NEWBIES Bobbi Brown
New Eats and Treats Bobbi Brown Bobbi Brown, the renowned global cosmetics brand, has landed at Cityplaza. The brand’s eponymous founder believes that “makeup is a way for a woman to look and feel like herself, only prettier and more confident”. Offering high-quality products and professional beauty and lifestyle advice, Bobbi Brown adds a touch of glamour to Cityplaza. Shop 235, 2/F, Cityplaza Francfranc With its spacious new Cityplaza location, Japanese home furnishing store Francfranc brings its casual, stylish vibe to the community. Offering products that accentuate space management combining flair and practicality, Francfranc gives shoppers a range of options to create unique and chic home interiors. Shop 210, 2/F, Cityplaza
Francfranc
SABON Israeli body care and home fragrance brand SABON, which has over 200 stores worldwide, has recently made it to Cityplaza. Covering over 600 sq ft, the store features SABON’s thematic interior design, including one-of-a-kind antique chandeliers and a unique wishing well from Israel made of Jerusalem limestone. Their signature handmade soap is based on an ancient Australian formula. Shop 210A, 2/F, Cityplaza
SABON
And Also… Here’s a warm welcome to the offices and retailers who recently joined the Taikoo Place community: AT&T Global Network Services Hong Kong Ltd, Bacardi-Martini Asia Pacific Limited, Diagnostica Stago Hong Kong Limited, D-mop select, FWD Life Insurance Company (Bermuda) Limited, Ground PUBLIC, HOM, Madia, Mitsubishi Electric (Hong Kong) Limited, PUBLIC, Quiksilver/Roxy, Salad, Setaf Asia and Zara.
ARTSY TALK
“Horse At Water” at One Island East The artesian fountain at Via Fiori outside One Island East is graced with a unique horse head sculpture made of bronze. British sculptor Nic Fiddian-Green’s “Horse At Water” was inspired by Han Dynasty depictions of horses and created specifically for Swire Properties. Fusing classical and contemporary design elements, the sculpture is positioned in the pool to create the illusion of the horse drinking. Mr Fiddian-Green specialises in making lifelike models of horses’ heads in different scales. His major monumental works have also been installed in Russia, the US, the Middle East and Australia.
© Swire Properties Limited
For enquiries about the information in this newsletter, please contact islandeast@swireproperties.com.