Richards Basmajian

Newsletter: 2012 | Q4

Richards Basmajian

The Crowne Plaza Hotel The new Crowne Plaza Hotel Hong Kong Kowloon East, a collaboration between IHG and Sun Hung Kai, is a 359 room, five star hotel located above Popcorn shopping centre and near Shaw Studios and TVB City in Tseung Kwan O. The hotel offers King and Double Rooms with Garden, Executive and Deluxe Suites. F+B options include The Lobby Lounge for drinks and light meals, The Chef’s Table, an all day dining buffet restaurant and the Tze Yuet Heen Cantonese restaurant. The Fitness Centre features a gymnasium and Sense of Touch spa with seven private treatment suites. The hotel has one of Hong Kong’s largest, most well equipped ballrooms, capable of accommodating 1,000 guests.

Superior King Room. Vivid colours abound, a signature element of Crowne Plaza hotels

Executive Suite lounge and study

A cabin-in-the-woods theme for the spa treatment rooms

The Grand Ballroom with hand blown glass light sculpture of shoaling fish. The ballroom sub-divides into 3 function areas

The Tze Yuet Heen Chinese Restaurant. Themed on water and fish, the curved backdrop suggests a slow moving brook from which carp emerge; the carpet a Chinese watercolour

Richards Basmajian

Newsletter: 2012 | Q3 Power Shift New 120,000 square foot headquarters for utility company China Light & Power (CLP) have recently been unveiled in Hung Hom. This energy saving and cost efficient office now occupies the majority of a previously under-utilised retail podium, much of which first had to undergo external and internal renovations that were carried out under separate contracts.

These improvements, timed to overlap with the interior design, included new thermal and photo-voltaic exterior glazing, a necessary mechanical and electrical upgrade, and the addition of a connecting bridge across an existing atrium for more direct circulation from one side of the refurbished building to the other.

Reception area at Level 1 of the new CLP Headquarters in Hung Hom

CafĂŠ outside Conference Suite benefits from late afternoon sun and views to a nearby park

Visitors enter the headquarters via a prominent main entrance at one corner of the oblong site. After passing through the required security checkpoints, escalators provide direct access to Reception, the Conference Suite, the Cafe and Staff Amenities at Level 1, although the upper floors remain off limits to all but staff.

The atrium brings daylight to much of the workspace and executive areas on the 50,000 square foot floor-plates at Levels 2 and 3, as well as to the mall that remains in operation at the lowest level of the podium.

Main entrance

Generous floor-to-floor height at Staff Canteen

Richards Basmajian

Newsletter: 2012 | Q2 Sotheby’s An event at Sotheby’s galleries in their new 35,000 square foot home in Pacific Place can take many forms. Principally a space for the display of art, the gallery may need to transform in a matter of hours for a new show or change entirely for an auction which could be in a traditional classroom format or a dining setting for vintage wines.

While some areas have been developed with a particular focus in mind, almost all of the spaces must be capable of being used in a variety of ways to suit the occasion.

The Gallery during a contemporary art exhibition

Main Gallery: The open ceiling supports track for mobile screens and lighting constellations

Vintage Wines and Sotheby’s Diamonds

The Reception Area outside major exhibition event

Along with the change in space comes the need to reconfigure lighting. Its quality, intensity, direction, focus and colour must be tailored to its subject.

The remodeled lift lobby creates an immediate visual impact on arrival and, from here, space flows effortlessly in a progression of areas furthering ease of movement through the galleries.

Subjected as they will be to intensive use, materials must be durable, look good from the outset and remain so, be elegant and simple and not compete with the primary visual focus, the art itself.

The Gallery Entrance in the course of an exhibition

Immediate impact in the Lift Lobby leading directly into Gallery space

The Conference Room opens out into the reception/gallery

Newsletter: 2012 | Q1

Richards Basmajian

Vinson & Elkins Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Vinson & Elkins’ first foray into the Hong Kong office market saw them occupying a half floor of space at Gloucester Tower, The Landmark, for several years.

When a (nearly) full floor became available one level below, the firm quickly mobilised for a move and, within six months, the lawyers were ensconced in their new home.

The office comprises 28 fee-earners’ rooms, Boardroom, a teleconferencing centre and various sized meeting rooms, as well as the usual complement of secretarial workstations and other ancillary facilities essential to a modern law practice.

Part of the move to the new floor also included provision of a sublettable area for another company, with provision of a demountable, but acoustically private barrier between the two tenancies that can be easily removed when the time comes for V&E to expand.

Pictured below are two views of the Boardroom, which is fitted with a double-glazed electronic glass partition and doors that can be switched on, for the view, or off, for privacy. The reception area incorporates woven leather as a backdrop to the company logo and an unusually dramatic marble at the front of the counter.

Small meeting room off reception

Electronic glass installed at Boardroom double-glazed partition and doors provides privacy, or an open view, depending on the occasion

Custom meeting room signage from Coyle Graphics incorporates room status indicators

The Boardroom wall is bowed to provide 5’ circulation on all sides of the table, a firm standard

As at all other V&E offices worldwide, the decision was made early on in the design process to augment each large meeting space with fluorescent lighting and to specify stone, rather than timber veneer, table tops. These two features are company standards, provided in anticipation of the lengthy meetings that characterise the contemporary legal profession.

Richards Basmajian

Newsletter: 2011 | Q4 a Family Friendly company Massachusetts senator Paul Tsongas is credited with the lines “Nobody on his deathbed ever said ’I wish I’d spent more time in the office’”; the obvious suggestion here is that he wished that he’d spent more time at home with his family. But should career success be no more than a guilty pleasure, pursued at the expense of domestic happiness, or is there a balance that we can make between the desk and the sofa? We think so.

The office toy box And so does our administration. The Family Council, an advisory body to the Hong Kong Government, is promoting the adoption of family friendly policies through the launching of an Award scheme for companies demonstrating such practices.

We are delighted and very proud to announce that Richards Basmajian have received the ‘Distinguished Family-Friendly Employers’ award for:

‘…demonstrating impressive practices in the implementation of family-friendly employment policies and practices and in the promotion of family core values.’

Bowling day brings the office and family together . our field, professional and support staff In are our greatest asset and we recognize all of their considerable talent, hard work and contribution to the success of our practice.

By allowing them to better manage the potential conflicts between home and work, we believe that we can all benefit together.

Team building in Shenzhen

and then again, some of us never grow up

Flexi-time has been a core amenity for the last 20 years or so allowing staff to match their work day with family needs, in particular, with children and schooling.

Unexpected events occur within all of our lives, some happy and others not quite so and we are always understanding of the need to take ad-hoc time off. Some choose to pursue further education and may need to spend more time at study as exams loom.

As a company, we are always seeking to build a genuinely collective spirit through the organisation of team building events, some formal and others as and when an opportunity presents itself. And when we can, it is always good to bring the children in on the game. Big ones and little ones.

Office outing to Shanghai Expo

Richards Basmajian

Newsletter: 2011 | Q3 Valais Nestled on the banks of the Beas River in Hong Kong’s Northern New Territories, Valais in every respect takes advantage of the lush tropical landscape as a reference point in the design of the interior. The project, a spectacular development of townhouses by Sun Hung Kai Properties, went on sale in 2010 with occupation of the first phase scheduled for early 2012.

The development comprises a total of 330 individual three storey homes set in richly landscaped parks. Residents are able to enjoy the facilities provided by two clubhouses within walking distance.

Lounge Area with ‘Living Wall’ The interior design theme developed by Richards Basmajian for the interiors of the two Clubhouses takes every opportunity to reflect the rich natural setting. A warm beige coloured travertine limestone is used as a backdrop throughout all the signature areas of the main clubhouse against which a number of elements continue to build on the theme. The ‘living wall’ around the lounge area adds a particularly dramatic touch as does the custom designed mosaic tile ‘foliage’ at the bottom of the indoor pool.

In other areas, furnishings, in an array of natural hues and tones of browns and greens, enhance the design intent; the ceiling sculpture in the bar lounge suggests a fresh bloom of spring ‘sakura’; free standing floor lanterns could sit as easily within the adjacent outdoor landscape as within the Clubhouse itself. With daylight streaming in on all sides, the overall effect is that the transition between indoor and out is blurred, leaving the impression of not being quite sure which is which.

Bar Lounge with ‘sakura’ ceiling sculpture

Club Entrance in Travertine

Indoor Pool with mosaic tile ‘foliage’

Richards Basmajian

Newsletter: 2011 | Q2 On Top of the World

The new CITIC Bank International Corporate Headquarters at 79F and 80F International Commerce Centre (ICC) in Kowloon occupies 70,000 square feet near the very top of what is currently the tallest building in Hong Kong and the 4th tallest in the world.

The project entailed, among other things, construction of an interconnecting stair, a 60-position Trading Room, a 30-person Board Room and eleven other Meeting Rooms, including a flexible multi-function space for client receptions and other large events. In a break from traditional office planning, virtually all of the accommodation for the 400 staff at this headquarters is open-plan. There are very few enclosed offices and most of these are located against the core walls rather than at the exterior.

Twilight view of Main Lobby and Boardroom at 80th Floor ICC with The Peak in the distance

Breakout Area at 80F

Detail of typical fabric panel reveals

Oversize door at Boardroom entry

A major concern at the outset was that there would actually be too much daylight at such a very high level of the building; this was successfully resolved, however, by the selective addition of special roller blinds to augment the translucent grey sun shades at the perimeter of each floor.

The new premises includes a 60-position Trading Room at Level 80, with views to West Kowloon

Richards Basmajian

Newsletter: 2011 | Q1 A Breath of Fresh Air St Teresa’s Hospital was founded by the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres with the mission to provide a competent, high-quality health care service to the sick and needy of Hong Kong through the Christian Spirit of Faith, Hope and Love.

As a result of continued expansion, it had become evident by 2009 that the hospital’s 7th floor VIP Wards were in need of a fresher look. At that time, the administration interviewed and decided to appoint Richards Basmajian for the replanning and redesign of this facility.

The brief called for the complete refurbishment of nineteen VIP Rooms, a Deluxe Suite and a Premier Suite.

Semi-enclosed Family and Patients’ Lounge at Deluxe and Premier Suites

Detail of Room Signage

Five of the nineteen VIP Rooms can accommodate two patients, in separate zones, each of which is provided with its own bed-head trunking. The Premier and Deluxe Suites can also be combined with attached guest rooms for visiting family members, via inter-connecting doors.

The major materials are hospital-specific throughout: vinyl floor and wall coverings; sheet and solid core laminate cabinetry; and stone, glass, stainless steel and timber veneers in the public spaces.

Nurses’ Station and Lounge at Deluxe and Premier Suites

Typical En-Suite Guest Bathroom

The Serpentine 7F Concierge Station and Waiting Area Beyond

Richards Basmajian

Newsletter: 2010 | Q4 Making an Entrance The remodeling and enhancement of the office entrance to The Hong Kong Club Building is the initial phase of a major facelift and the first since the Club re-opened on this site in 1983.

The main objective driving the design was to provide a prominent street presence for the office tower, distinct from the Club, conspicuously absent in the original design. While the new entrance required a strong statement, it also needed to respect the forms of Harry Seidler's original architecture and, upon completion, look as if it had always been there. The new canopy facing Chater Garden does just this while at the same time making reference to the Club entrance facing Statue Square.

The journey from entrance to lifts was previously not a joyous one but this has now been vastly improved with taller spaces, lighter finishes and better lighting. Again, interior elements pick up on the curved building forms in the serpentine walls and scalloped ceilings.

New Canopy to Office Lobby Facing Chater Garden

A major element in the new experience is the addition of a commissioned art installation along the wall leading into the building. The Club approached art consultant Alison Pickett and, upon her recommendation, French artist POLO’ set about the design and crafting of a monumental stone sculpture, depicting the metamorphosis of the old, classical Club building, which occupied the same site up until 1980, to the new form of the Club. The design of the sculpture and interior form evolved together and the play between wall and ceiling, in particular, reflects this. Drama is added with raking light casting deep shadows across the bas-relief surface of the wall, which is some twenty metres in length.

With the sculpture taking such a prominent role, other parts of the lobby are played down and addressed in a clean, cool and contemporary manner. Elements such as management counter, office directory and news screen, as well as the lift lobby itself, use back painted glass as a contrast to the stone. The journey finishes with a panel of abstract art, which can be changed with the seasons, as a focal point and a full stop at the end of the lift lobby.

Stone Sculptured Wall with Scalloped Ceiling

Lift Lobby: Clean, Cool and Contemporary

Richards Basmajian

Newsletter: 2010 | Q3 Hill Paramount Henderson Land have recently launched their latest residential development, the quality of which reflects the very high standards that we have come to expect from this developer. The Clubhouse interior, designed by Richards Basmajian, provides an impressive array of recreational facilities offering all family members the chance to relax, unwind, play and live a little.

Lobby Bar

Overall, the Clubhouse has a dark, cool theme, a respite from Hong Kong’s often withering heat and sultry humidity.

Entrance Lobby to Apartments

The entrance to the clubhouse leads straight into a casual reception and bar area. Function rooms radiate from here: a banqueting room, karaoke lounges, mini cinema and sports lounge. For those seeking more physical challenges, there is a large, fully equipped gymnasium along with studio space for group exercise including yoga, pilates and aerobics. For the more energetic still, there is an indoor ski simulator and, for those less so, a billiards room. After all that physical activity, there is the spa lounge with saunas, steam baths, experience showers and ensuite massage rooms.

Function Room overlooking the pool

Hill Paramount, as the name suggests, is located in one of the more mountainous areas of Hong Kong in the hills overlooking the town of Shatin. The Clubhouse itself is set within a richly landscaped garden with pools, fountains and outdoor recreation areas, views over which are enjoyed by many of the interior Club facilities including function rooms, lounge and gymnasium.

Club Lounge

Spa

And not forgetting the kiddies who have their very own space where they can escape from the pressures of Hong Kong academic expectation. Follow the White Rabbit and soon you’ll find yourself far away in your very own wonderland, among familiar friends with their own magical kind of madness and where the Cheshire Cat will put a smile on your face.

Billiards Room

Gymnasium

Mini-Cinema

Children’s Club

Richards Basmajian

Newsletter: 2010 | Q2 And now for something completely different…

It’s not every day that we’re asked to refurbish a bowling centre, least of all the mammoth 60 Lane South China Athletic Association (SCAA) facility in Causeway Bay. But we do love a challenge, so, when presented with this opportunity in late 2008, we assembled the appropriate team and embarked on design and detailed planning. The completed product was fully unveiled in early 2010 and the response has been overwhelming.

The success of the renovation was due in large part to a close working relationship with the Client and the main contractor, and careful phasing that allowed at least 20 lanes to remain open for business and tournament play at all times. The project also required coordination with other key parties, including Brunswick, who supplied new state-of-the-art lanes, seating, scoring machines and ancillary furniture. The only part of the old facility that wasn’t renewed was the pin setting machines, which were still in good working order.

In an effort to be as environmentally friendly as possible, the decision was made early on to re-use, rather than discard, most of the existing, solid timber lanes as flooring for the renovated café.

The effect is spectacular: instead of winding up in a landfill, the refinished timber has been given a new lease of life, neatly contrasting with the open ceiling, new dining furniture and Barrisol umbrellas.

The first 40 lanes comprised Phase 1 of the refurbishment

The single most iconic element in this project, however, must be the pop-art bowling pin light fixture suspended from the ceiling of the main entry.

Even old bowling pins were creatively incorporated into the new design. Several hundred were used to form a feature-wall backdrop in the private dining room, reminiscent, perhaps, of the target for a giant ‘ring toss’ game at a bygone county fair or amusement park.

Fitted with LED strips at both its outer edges and inner valleys, this multi-finned item, more than anything else, announces to all and sundry the nature of the exciting new space within.

Detail of the bowling pin feature wall

The new Bowl Bowl café extends the life of many old, solid timber bowling lanes

The LED Bowling Pin light fixture

Richards Basmajian

Newsletter: 2010 | Q1 Centres of Business Commonalities also include:

- Floor and wall finishes - Lighting - Platform meeting tables by Salotto - Eames conference chairs - Aeron task chairs - Black tinted glass reception counters A different arrangement at Central Tower

- Silver travertine logo walls - Fully equipped pantries Common Features Floor and wall finishes Eames conference chairs Aeron task chairs Platform meeting tables by Salotto Silver travertine logo walls

Video conferencing facilities at Bridges Executive Centre in Lippo Tower II

An increasingly popular alternative for companies seeking to establish a presence in Hong Kong without incurring the expense of signing a two or three year tenancy agreement, not to mention the additional costs of deposits, fitting-out, furniture and IT and telecommunication systems, is to rent temporary space in one of the many Business Centres that have sprouted up around the city.

These facilities are well-suited to start up companies, generally comprising a variety of offices that can be leased for anywhere from a week to a year. In addition to providing individual workspaces, the centres also provide receptionists and waiting areas, secretarial pools, meeting rooms, copiers, printers and facsimile machines, audio/visual facilities and fully stocked pantries and breakout spaces.

Over the years, we have also completed business centres for Drake, CentrePoint and the Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Singapore

For those who do not require an actual ‘room with a door’ some business centres even offer a virtual office package, whereby a designated telephone number is answered in your company name, mail and messages are forwarded to your physical location and access to secretarial and meeting facilities is still provided on an ad-hoc basis.

An example of one of these service providers, Bridges Executive Centre is featured this quarter. Bridges, who already had a well established presence on a full floor of Central Tower, recently appointed Richards Basmajian to both create a new centre in Admiralty and to upgrade their existing Central Tower facility.

As the Admiralty facility at Lippo Tower II was the first to be carried out, the design was prototypical and intended to be replicated, with minor modifications, in the Central Tower space. The result is a makeover of Bridges’ old look with a distinctly new emphasis on clean lines and transparency.

Each centre now features at least one large conference room equipped with side by side LCD screens recessed into fabric wrapped feature walls for state-of-the-art, 24/7 video conferencing. These rooms are also double glazed for acoustic privacy, an expenditure we always encourage our clients to consider in situations where both transparency and sound attenuation are of great importance.

Over the years, we have also completed business centres for Drake, CentrePoint and the Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Singapore.

The breakout and reception areas share space at Lippo Tower II

Richards Basmajian

Newsletter: 2009 | Q4

Louis Vuitton Stores

LOUIS VUITTON

The Peninsula, Hong Kong The Landmark, Hong Kong

No other brand has established quite the cachet that Louis Vuitton have in the luxury retail market. The quality of their products is reflected in all they do, which includes the design and detailing of their stores throughout the world.

Mix C Mall, Shenzhen Pudong IFC, Shanghai Elements, Union Square Mezzanine Floor: Hong Kong Peninsula

Working with signature designer Peter Marino, the Louis Vuitton studio in Paris and their regional project office in Hong Kong, Richards Basmajian develop the designs from concept to construction documentation and oversee the projects once work begins on site. As well as store interiors, our scope includes interior arcade shopfronts and, for the larger flagship stores, bespoke exterior faรงades.

Although different, each reflects a graphic theme from the brand identity.

Deji Plaza, Nanjing The Four Seasons Macau LVMH Group Offices Dorset House, Hong Kong Devon House, Hong Kong The Gateway, Tsimshatsui Manila

Watch and Jewelry Counter: Nanjing

Macau

Antique Steamer Trunk on display at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum

Double Height Display: Hong Kong Peninsula

Reception Area: LV China Offices, Hong Kong

Conference Room: LV China Offices, Hong Kong

We also provide full design services for group offices around the region. This includes offices for the flagship company LVMH well as for Celine, Fendi, Guerlain, Kenzo and Loewe. Designed primarily to house general office functions, they are also furnished with conference and display facilities for promotional events.

Display Case: Elements, Hong Kong

Elsewhere, we were pleased to have been able to incorporate some antique Louis Vuitton artifacts in the Hong Kong Maritime Museum, emphasising the longevity of the brand and its relationship with the history of Hong Kong.

External Faรงade: Shenzhen Mix C Mall

Richards Basmajian

Newsletter: 2009 | Q3 Nip

Tuck

Once again, we journey into the realm of plastic surgery, this time in Shatin at the Union Hospital and its newly completed Plastic and Aesthetic Centre.

As many of our readers will no doubt recall, we also designed the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Centre at the Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital in Happy Valley several years ago.

Although the project illustrated here has similarities to the earlier work, this newer facility is even more cutting edge. It also benefits from being housed in a low-rise, sky-lit structure that allows daylight to flood into the main corridor separating the private waiting rooms from the consultants’ offices behind.

Sky-lit corridor to Consultants’ Offices

Interior of a Patient Waiting Room

Entry to Operating Theatre

In addition to the normal back-of-house staff facilities, the Client’s brief included: • Reception • Breakout Area • 5 Waiting Rooms • 4 Consultation Rooms • VIP Room • 2 Operating Theatres • 3 Recovery Rooms

Curved forms define the reception area, which gives direct access to the private waiting rooms

VIP Room finished in warm, neutral tones

Colourful wall graphics extend into the staff facilities

The result is a clinical facility of unusual clarity and character. The fluid form of the reception counter is the first hint that patients have entered an environment that is both pristine and youthful. The entrance gives direct access to five waiting rooms, each designed to evoke a bright and hopeful future, with colourful wall graphics and built-in LCD screens, the latter of which are used to brief patients on the surgical process ahead.

From here, it is but a short walk to a consultant’s office across a daylight filled corridor, or to one of the state-of-the-art operating theatres nearby.

Mindful of the need for maximum privacy in this most delicate sector of the medical profession, a separate route has been designated to allow patients discrete egress from the centre. Another more selfcontained area has also been created to cater to VIPs and celebrities.

Richards Basmajian

Newsletter: 2009 | Q2

The ground floor lobby is the window into the company. It is the main reception and gives access to an exhibition area with a display model of the terminal and extensive audiovisual facilities to communicate company objectives, achievements and aspirations. Leading from here there is a cluster of conference rooms offering a great deal of flexibility with options for spatial reconfiguration and with the ability to open out into the general areas.

Modern Terminɑls The Modern Terminals project has been a long time in the making. It was not a project driven by lease expiry dates nor indeed by any time critical element but rather by a desire by the company management to improve the working environment of all of their staff. To this end, Modern Terminals appointed Richards Basmajian in 2006, for the redesign of the Modern Terminals 62,000 square foot facility in Kwai Tsing.

Richards Basmajian worked closely with staff at all levels to determine what were the areas in which they would like to see improvement in their working environment.

This process, lasting six months, led to the development of a detailed brief.

Flexible Conference Rooms

The design developed initially through a process of benchmarking space standards alongside comparable standards from shipping line and other container terminal operators. Planning options were then compared and eventually prototype areas representing alternative options were assembled. The Y-shaped 120 degree desks won favour overall, scoring particularly well in achieving an open, egalitarian and flexible layout allowing good communication within teams. Mock-ups of finishes in office areas as well as break-out rooms and washrooms were an integral part of the design process, engaging the end-users throughout.

Lift Lobby

Boys | Girls

Washrooms

Reception

After detailed discussions with end-users, we identified the following primary target areas for improvement: The establishment of more consistent space standards The arrangement of desks to facilitate better communication Less compartmentalisation; more openness A more egalitarian access to daylight and views

General Office Areas with the Y- shaped Desk

Entrance Gallery

A flexible and adaptable planning approach to accommodate future change The introduction of hot-desking to improve use of space A move towards group rather than individual filing Better lighting levels and improved indoor air quality Use of natural textures, tones and colours and indoor planting Break-out areas rather than narrow pantries to encourage communication Good quality washroom and individual locker facilities

Exhibition Space

Newsletter 2009 | Q1

Richards Basmajian

Legal-ease It is rare to work with a law firm that has a real sense of adventure when it comes to the design of their own premises, yet this is exactly what happened in the case of this quarter’s featured project for a major group of American attorneys.

With headquarters in Chicago, the company’s first Hong Kong office was a temporary space previously occupied by another law firm that vacated in 2006.

When the time came to fit out their new home at The Landmark, Richards Basmajian were first enlisted to provide test fits and pre-lease advice and were then appointed to carry out the entire project on a design and build basis.

Although the site had originally been promised as full floor, vacant possession, a last minute change-of-heart by another tenant occupying part of the floor meant that the project had to be reprogrammed into two phases. Worse still, the sitting tenant’s main entrance is immediately off the passenger lift lobby, leaving the newcomers with a long but wide corridor access into their own space. This seeming drawback, however, was turned into a plus: the corridor entry was transformed into a gallery featuring a series of stunning black and white Hong Kong photographs by Peter Steinhauer.

An even bigger departure from the design of most other law firms was the decision to expose the slab and building services in the public areas, where intermittent planes have been installed instead of a continuous ceiling. These elements serve to rhythmically punctuate the journey from the front door as well as to define various spaces as being more intimate than others.

The gallery, featuring four views of Hong Kong by Peter Steinhauer

Reception, waiting area and meeting room with teleconferencing link

Other early design decisions were to feature boldly patterned bamboo flooring and bamboo veneered, portable meeting tables from Germany. Normally, the tables are linked together in groups of up to ten, but, as they are centre-foldable, they can be easily wheeled away to create open space for large office functions. The conference room walls themselves are fitted with double glazed sliding doors that can be opened up, patio style, for such events; for daily use they are equipped with horizontal blinds so that privacy and discretion can be assured to the firm’s clients at all times.

Doors open on main conference room

2008: Fourth Quarter

Richards Basmajian

Macau…

Rome wasn’t built in a day but Macau’s city fathers have overseen the closest the modern world has come to mirroring the near achievement of its classical mentor. Attracting almost every style and statistical superlative, Macau now stands far ahead of its global gaming rivals in almost every respect.

The events of 2008, however, have forced the former Portuguese territory to take a deep breath, and this seems an appropriate time to review our involvement there.

Recent Work We have been active in Macau since before its return to China in 1999, but the post-handover surge in development has raised our profile in the enclave.

In 2005, we began working with Macau Land on The Manhattan residential development - which celebrated its completion in late 2006 - providing planning services for the Clubhouse and the design of apartment core facilities. Morton’s Steak House, located within the gaming hall of the Venetian opened in August of 2007 while the Louis Vuitton store at the Four Seasons Hotel opened early last year, in the DFS area.

Within the corporate sector, we have completed offices for Celebrate Macau Corporation, the entity responsible for many of the restaurants and bars at Fisherman’s Wharf. Micros-Fidelio provide IT support for the hotel and food service industry worldwide and Macau Dragon will soon operate the newest addition to rapid ferry services directly to the Cotai Strip.

10F

Our featured project is the Mansion Suites at Ponte 16, a development along the northwest shore of the old town of Macau.

This complex boasts a shopping centre, a casino and hotel, designed by American architects, The Jerde Partnership.

The owner’s brief called for four distinct and contrasting styles, to provide guests with a degree of choice. The design team was thus tasked with sourcing a far larger than normal range of finishes and fixtures for a project of this size, the results of which are shown here.

The Mansion Suites share amenities with the main hotel, the Macau Soffitel, but are larger and more exclusive, comprising 19 apartments ranging in size from 1,800 to 2,500 square feet. Each unit has 1, 2 or 3 bedrooms, large living and dining areas, a pantry, sumptuous bathrooms, walk-in closets and, of course, a butler’s room. The biggest has a fully equipped karaoke room while many are in duplex arrangements connectable with others to provide even more generous, family-style accommodation.

The suites are organised around a central atrium, a key element of our design concept.

This space makes more than passing reference to the former Bella Vista (Boa Vista) Hotel, once a landmark of colonial Macau. Access to each of the suites is achieved via continuous verandas overlooking the courtyard, at the base of which is a lotus pond with hand-crafted glass leaves and flowers sourced from the Czech Republic; these reflect natural light from the glazed roof by day and glow in the warmth of submerged light fixtures by night.

2008: Third Quarter

Richards Basmajian

The Hong Kong Cricket Club: Two New Restaurants

The Long Room: Fine Dining

Spinners: Coffee Shop

Howzat?

2008: Second Quarter

Richards Basmajian

New Digs!

This edition of our newsletter comes to you very late indeed, but there’s a good reason for our tardiness: After nearly 18 years in our former premises at the Tai Sang Commercial Building in Wanchai, we are now ensconced in a spacious new home on Wing Lok Street in Sheung Wan. Needless to say, we are more used to being the consultant in our normal, daily lives, and the team assigned to this project found it both strange and somewhat exhilarating to also have to wear the Client hat for a while. This was true during the search for our new space and, moreover, during the planning, design and contract administration stages of the fitting-out.

Having considered about ten different locations, from Kennedy Town in the west to Shaukiewan in the east, the space that finally won us over turned out to be just a stone’s throw from Central. Here at New Victory House we have finally been able to consolidate our office space and library on one floor (at last…), with ample studio space for more than 50 staff in open plan accommodation.

Welcome to Sheung Wan: Visitors are immediately greeted by the only slightly enlarged visage of the namesake Directors

How green is my studio…?

The colour palette is equally restrained and straightforward: predominantly white and black, with a brightly lit fabric feature wall in the corporate magenta and spring green system furniture panels throughout the studio. And, on the subject of system furniture and the age old dilemma of whether to opt for more privacy and more storage (high panels) or less privacy and more openness (low panels), we opted for the latter and are very glad of it. Storage is achieved with the provision of below worktop shelves, nearby individual filing cabinets and pre-assigned open shelves running the entire length of the studio.

Come visit us at:

…and in-house cafe?

1st Floor New Victory House 93-103 Wing Lok Street Sheung Wan

:

Ceilings? Who needs ‘em?

As with our old office, there are no ceilings here; rather, the slab and all of the services are left exposed, except in those few areas where floating planes are employed to house lighting, to help distribute air conditioning or to create a more intimate atmosphere.

Signs of the Times: The main conference room now features floor to ceiling glass whiteboards (left) and an LCD screen

2008: First Quarter

Richards Basmajian

Here’s To Your Health An increasingly important component of our growing Interior Architecture portfolio is Healthcare Design, which we have been actively engaged in for nearly a decade.

Our initial involvement came about through the Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital (HKSH) in Happy Valley, when we were asked to design a 100 seat auditorium and adjacent multi-purpose lecture halls. This commission turned out very successfully and was followed by further appointments, in rapid succession, for the hospital’s: • Health Assessment Centre • Women's Wellness Centre • Radiotherapy Department • Oncology Department • Maternity Ward • PET Scan • Plastic Surgery Department • Obstetrics / Gynecology / IVF Centre • CT Scan

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department

Admissions Office

Auditorium

Radiotherapy Department

In conjunction with the recent topping-out of the twenty floor addition to the Li Shu Pui Block, the main building at the HKSH campus, we have also embarked on the planning and design of a new Physiotherapy Centre, as well as an expanded Administration Office, which will occupy the top floor of the extended tower.

Offshoots of this work have included the revamping of the GF to house a Coffee Shop/Waiting Lounge, the refurbishment of the Admissions and Cashier Offices, and of the Lifts and Lift Lobbies throughout.

Partly as a result of our extensive experience at the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, we were approached by Henderson Realty in 2005 for the design of a four storey addition to Union Hospital in Shatin. This project, which also features a minimally invasive surgical centre, was completed in early 2006 and caters to patients from throughout Southeast Asia who are seeking a higher standard of private health care. Notably, the building and its interior have been short-listed for a prestigious Quality Building Award 2008.

Most recently, we have been working with the Adventist Hospital (Tsuen Wan) and with the Baptist Hospital, in collaboration with MGI, for the design of operating theaters at both institutions, while also completing a Plastic Surgery Department for Union Hospital, now in construction.

Union Hospital: Presidential Suite

2007: Fourth Quarter

Richards Basmajian

Fun and Games!

In our industry, there is no greater compliment than having a satisfied client re-appoint us when the time comes to expand or relocate. Such was the case with the two projects featured this quarter: Electronic Arts (EA) and Glu Mobile.

We had previously designed ‘debut’ premises for each company when they first opened their doors in Hong Kong, EA at IFC Two in 2003 and Glu Mobile at Times Square in 2006. EA, of course, is the world’s pre-eminent electronic game developer with titles such as SimCity, Medal of Honor, Crysis and Need for Speed, to name just a few (see also www.ea.com). Glu Mobile (www.glu.com) is a publisher of mobile phone games (Diner Dash, Call of Duty and White House Rumble, among others) and similar entertainment, downloadable to cell phones virtually anywhere on the planet.

EA Experience display at Centennial Tower, Singapore; note sound domes over seating area

Stuart Woods

Rapid expansion led to the need for new 15,000 SF premises in Singapore, for Electronic Arts, and 8,000 SF in Beijing, for Glu Mobile. Each company returned to Richards Basmajian when the time came to bring a design consultant on board, and the results can be seen here.

Caddyshack Meeting Room

and Tax, to Packaged Goods and a Studio, where software writers toil into the night to develop new games. The entrance is finished in bamboo flooring with a carpet-tile ‘road’ leading to a screening area for new product launches and cocktail receptions.

Open plan accommodation comprises 3, 6 and 9 person clusters, in 120° desking arrangements, while curvilinear walls at meeting areas throughout the office feature EA game imagery enlarged to supergraphic proportions.

PGR graphic on wall to Breakout Area

Reception duplicates the look of the Hong Kong office

Meeting room with Shadowalker image on glass

Glu Mobile - Beijing Completed on a design and build basis, the new office for Glu Mobile in Beijing seats 90 people, all in, mostly at bench type workstations for maximum efficiency.

Ancillary facilities include conference and meeting rooms, a large server room and a breakout area complete with a pool table.

In addition to normal office equipment and

filing areas, the brief included the requirement that storage be provided for up to 1,600 cell phones, which are housed in purpose-built drawers modelled on a similar company installation in the UK. This ever expanding collection is used by Glu Mobile staff to test each of their latest games and downloadables on every cell phone platform

available, before they are made ready for sale to the public.

To replicate the concrete finish at the Times Square reception area in Hong Kong, the raised floor in Beijing was fitted with Cemboard panels cut to 1m x 1m squares.

Super-graphics from the Glu Mobile catalogue of games complete the look.

Kim Daniel Arthur

The ‘road’ through the Need for Speed Cafe

Electronic Arts – Singapore* An open ceiling in the reception area dramatises the sense of space at the new EA premises in Singapore, which occupies nearly the entire 20th floor of Centennial Tower. Space is provided for 112 staff in departments ranging from Finance, Legal

*With ORB Associates

2007: Third Quarter

Richards Basmajian The first significant exhibit is the dramatic reconstruction of the 1926 machine room using original machinery augmented with replica sections built using photographs and technical drawings from that period.

A Story to Tell With the continued disappearance from our cityscape of many historical references, it is refreshing when a few noteworthy individuals decide that there is indeed a story to tell about Hong Kong’s past, as these two projects illustrate.

Moving along we see a partial replica of the original tramcar used when The Peak Tram first opened in 1888.

Entrance to the Modern Gallery

The Han Dynasty Showcase

The selection of finishes and the design of interior architectural elements makes reference to a variety of maritime themes.

While warm timber finishes and fabrics predominate in the ancient gallery, the modern gallery, by contrast, is a more contemporary environment with metallic elements and cooler colours.

A series of showcases then tell the story of the construction of the tramway in the context of the historical development of Hong Kong and the technical challenges necessary to bring about this engineering feat. We also see how the system operated, the people involved and look at how it has emerged in popular culture both locally, overseas and on the silver screen.

The Hong Kong Maritime Museum celebrates two years since its launching in September 2005. It is located within one of Hong Kong’s very few remaining architectural gems, dating from the mid 19th Century. Murray House, with its deep history and connection to the early trading days of Hong Kong, renders itself a perfect setting within which to celebrate the seafaring history of the region.

Coincidentally, Murray House was built at the cusp of the evolution of shipping from wind to fossil fuels and this division is reflected in the two galleries that now occupy the ground floor of the building.

Replica of the Original 1888 Tramcar

Container Shipping

Lighting and strong graphic backdrops play an important part in emphasising these two themes. In addition to the scholarly texts and chronological storyline, there are numerous interactive exhibits which provide opportunities to learn about subjects as diverse as the principles of wind on sail, to the stacking of containers on sea-going vessels.

Engine Room Detail

The Lower Peak Tram Terminus re-opened its turnstiles this month with an exhibition that tells the story of The Peak Tram from the first spark of an idea to its Replica of The Key-Ying: ¼ Size

position as an icon of Hong Kong’s culture and infrastructure.

Both featured projects were designed in collaboration with Minick Jiao Design who were responsible for graphics and signage, exhibit setting and played a leading role in historical research and exhibit sourcing.

The ancient gallery, located on the northern side of the building, documents the maritime history of South China from the Han Dynasty up to the mid 19th century, following the arrival of European traders in the region.

The modern gallery begins with the advent of steam power and concentrates on passenger and commercial shipping through to the present day, examining, along the way, Hong Kong’s status as a container port.

The 1926 Reconstructed Engine Room

Display Cases

Richards Basmajian

2007: Second Quarter We have always maintained that design is a process that begins as a thoughtful interpretation of end users’ needs and thus provides solutions uniquely tailored to the specific requirements of each individual client.

Two recently completed contrasting projects boldly illustrate this point: A well established local bank redefines itself as it moves to a new location, while one of the world’s best recognised corporate icons seeks to reinforce its already very strong public identity through the design of its new headquarters.

Chong Hing Bank Ground Floor Banking Hall

Moving from their former location at New World Tower in Queen’s Road Central, Liu Chong Hing Bank are now comfortably housed in their own purposebuilt bank headquarters under the renamed banner of Chong Hing Bank.

Occupying the entire 26 storey building, with over 60,000 square feet of space, all of the bank’s central operations are now grouped under one roof, with the first floor double-height banking hall opening directly onto Des Voeux Road Central.

First Floor Banking Hall

Third Floor Client Dealing Area

Ceiling Detail

Reception Area

Sub - dividable Conference Room

McDonald’s Restaurants A colourful contrast to the Chong Hing Bank Headquarters, the new McDonald’s Restaurants office occupies two plus floors of Dorset House in Quarry Bay. The design of this project makes liberal use of the imagery so familiar to all of us from McDonald’s outlets around the world, while also incorporating state-of-the-art technology for audio visual display systems in the public and semi-public areas.

Both projects were tendered and completed on a Design and Project Management basis.

2007: First Quarter

Richards Basmajian

Overview The first quarter has been extremely busy, beginning almost as soon as the new year countdown ended. There have been numerous fresh instructions in almost all sectors, including Corporate, Hospitality, Retail and Healthcare. Much of this activity has been generated by new clients, while we have also continued to enjoy the good favour of returning custom for a significant part of our work.

Healthcare: We embarked on two new healthcare projects in this period: an Obstetrics and Gynaecology centre for the HK Sanatorium & Hospital and a surgical centre for the Adventist in Tsuen Wan. Retail: Two new Louis Vuitton Stores are under way, one of which, in Nanjing, is already on site while the store at the Venetian in Macau will open in early 2008.

Reception and Waiting

The new space benefits from a feature virtually unheard of in Hong Kong: a 12’ (3.65m) ceiling throughout. Coupled with the use of translucent, horizontally-lined glass as well as with timber and stone, bamboo flooring and distinctive lighting, the design marks a radical departure from the previous ST&B ‘look’ and has been hailed by the partners for achieving a much more contemporary, yet still very solid image, in keeping with the firm's tradition.

Hospitality: The Morton’s Restaurant in Macau is almost finished. We have also begun to work on two private clubs in Hong Kong, on significant improvements and overhauls of their facilities and infrastructure.

Residential: Vision City in Tsuen Wan is virtually complete and we have now embarked on a prestigious residential development for Henderson Land in Shatin.

Break-out Area

Corporate: New work in the corporate sector has come through returning clients, including Pinsent Masons, Electronic Arts in Hong Kong and Singapore and Glu Mobile in Beijing.

We have since begun working with Simpson Thacher and Bartlett in Beijing on their new mainland base. Phase I of this project is currently under construction and Phase II is scheduled to be completed within the next few months.

Featured Project

Indoor Air Quality

The new Simpson Thacher & Bartlett Hong Kong office occupies 16,000 square feet at 35F ICBC Tower. This project is a relocation of the American law firm from two half floors at a lower level in the same tower, where they had resided for a number of years.

While the people of Hong Kong ponder the potential detrimental effects of atmospheric pollution, much has also been discussed in the press of late on the subject of Indoor Air Quality, both in our homes and places of work.

Reception Counter

As consultants, we have two areas of concern. Firstly, there is the specific nature of pollutants that are still present in the air immediately after the construction of new premises. To address this, we now maintain standard procedures to purge the office space of pollutants prior to occupation, following guidelines published by the Hong Kong Government. (Guidance Notes for the Management of Indoor Air Quality produced by the Indoor Air Management Group of the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region)

The second issue is the level of pollutants to which we may be vulnerable during the ongoing occupation of our work space.

Over the last few months, Richards Basmajian participated in an evaluation of the effectiveness of Nano-Confined Catalytic Oxidation (NCCO) air purifying systems within our own studios. With environmental testing carried out before installation to establish a benchmark, readings were than taken a few weeks after the units had been up and running.

Following installation, we saw a dramatic reduction in formaldehyde and other volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) as well as major reductions in airborne bacteria, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. The tests highlighted a build up of carbon dioxide not reduced by the new units which can be improved by addressing our fresh air intake. Apart from the carbon dioxide levels, all readings, together with respirable suspended particulates and radon, now fall within the Good or Excellent band classifications.

The units are ceiling mounted (though mobile units are also available) and can be fitted within suspended or ‘open’ ceilings if space is available. Sadly, neither these units nor any other technology currently available can address the sometimes alarming levels of hot air drifting around the typical office.

The Cricket Match While the world’s best continue to do battle in the West Indies, Hong Kong played host to an equally fearsome contest as an invitation Armenian team took on a Welsh side at the Hong Kong Cricket Club. With Wales ahead after the first match, Armenia leveled the series after Wales were unable to overhaul a target of 310. As honours are now even, plans are afoot for a decider.

Armenian players James Callowian, Iain Chapmanian and Simon Reid-Kayian with Captain Peter

Armenia facing a fearsome Welsh attack

Richards Basmajian

2006: A Year in Review

A Challenging Year

Sports Sponsorship

2006 has been an eventful year for the practice in many ways and has brought a number of new and unexpected challenges, some welcome and others not.

The year opened with our sponsorship of the Hong Kong rugby tens. We later traded in our oval balls for the harder seamier sort as we undertook the sponsorship of the cricket section at the HK Cricket Club in Wong Nei Chung Gap. We've enjoyed this immensely, particularly the warmth, gratitude and bonhomie of the players.

Straight bats the lot of them.

We have been extremely busy in all of our sectors of work and we begin by taking a look at each one of these and how they have developed throughout the year.

Presidential Suite at The Mansion, Ponte 16, Macau

The Workplace

Website Hospitality and Lifestyle Our work in this sector through these twelve months has been as varied in nature as it has been in size. Following on from our success with the Four Seasons Hotel, we are now working on a similar basis on the new W Hotel with designers Glamorous, from Kobe in Japan, who are taking the lead design role.

Projects within the corporate field remain the mainstay of our activities. Although there has been a lot of activity in this sector, it is still a competitive market. To a greater extent, however, it is becoming apparent that quality and design innovation separate the leaders from the pack.

The much publicised development at Vision City in Tsuen Wan, for which we are interior architects for the clubhouse, will be completed in the second quarter of 2007.

Our work at the Mansion building for the Ponte 16 development in Macau is also scheduled for completion by the middle of the year.

We continued to work with a strong portfolio of existing clients and welcomed many new names during the year including:

Also in Macau, we are now working on the design of the new Morton’s Restaurant at the Venetian which will be opening in July.

IMG

Bose Cathay Pacific Edipresse Fitch Ratings Gard IMG Norton Rose McDonald’s MEAG Modern Terminals One Energy Osram Simpson Thacher & Bartlett UBS Vinson & Elkins

After much anguish and debate, we finally launched our revamped website. Like many of us, it was in dire need of a facelift and has been substantially expanded. Please take a look at www.rb.com.hk

Union Hospital Reception Area

Peter No review of this year would be complete without reference to Peter and his heroic ongoing recovery from a major surgical procedure in early October. He continues to impress his doctors with his progress and we have seen him of late buried under discarded reels of yellow tracing paper at the office churning out sketches.

Quarterly Newsletter

Vision City

Healthcare

Beginning next year, we will be launching our new quarterly newsletter. In so doing, we hope to keep you informed of developments within the office. We will also be looking at issues within the design field as they affect those who enjoy the fruits of our labours. Hopefully some useful information as well as the not so useful.

We continue to develop our healthcare consultancy services which began in 2001 with the on-going enhancement of the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital. The work, which has already received numerous design awards, progresses.

‘Tis the season of Goodwill

One Energy

On the other side of the Harbour, the new wing at the Union Hospital in Shatin was completed in September with the opening of the facility by Dr. Lee Shau Kee in front of a host of Hong Kong's great and good.

…and we wish you all the very best for Christmas and the New Year and look forward to keeping in touch over the next twelve months.