GLOBALIZATION:
CENTRAL
中 環
ARCH2058 Modern Architecture ASSIGNMENT 3: GUIDEBOOK
| Fall 2021
Globalization: Serviced Accommodations in Central CHUNG Yuen Yee (3035800057) POON Hon Yin (3035742451) Leung Hoi Ching (3035664790)
CENTRAL TOUR The flow of people is a primary feature of globalization. A wide range of serviced accommodations is, in turn, built to serve visitors of any reason, may it be business or entertainment. Because of that purpose, the lodgings usually seem disconnected from the rest of the neighborhood. As part of the exploration on the relationship between serviced accommodations and the city - if there is one, this walking tour covers five hotels and serviced apartments of various luxury levels in Central, home to multinational corporations’ headquarters, consulates, and Lan Kwai Fong. Central is the international hub of Hong Kong and can represent the city better than any other district.
1 Aveny Serviced Apartment As one of the earliest colonial streets, Wyndham Street has the benefit of being close to central nodes of financial and cultural landmarks, for example Lieutenant William Pedder’s office, Grand Hotel de L’Univers, and the Central Police Station Compound (current day Tai Kwun),th e area was part of the centre of Victoria City’s commerce during the beginning of colonisation. During the early 20th century, Wyndham Street was filled with flower stalls set up by local merchants and was also known as “Flower Street”. With the impetus of affordable travel, and also the Central Elevated Walkway, SoHo developed a reputation in the late 20th century for being a trendy expatriate and tourist oriented area hosting a multitude of restaurants and pubs. The Aveny is a conversion from an office building built in 1993 to a ‘hotel’ building (as classified in building department documents even though it currently functions as a serviced apartment). Conversion permits began in 2007, to alter the office building into The Mood, until it was bought by American real estate private equity firm AEW and refurbished into serviced apartments. This building caters to mostly working financial professionals, and the average unit rental per square foot is 30 percent higher than the average residential rental in the surrounding
area, rooms are also only offered one per floor, suggesting its position as a premium accommodation. Located at the corner of the street block, The Aveny consists of two major parts, the original office building built in 1993, and a newer glass structure with glass cladding which now houses a restaurant and public space, creating a high-low typology. To facilitate the change from hotel to an exclusive dwelling, the interior was drastically altered, additional wall openings and sanitary fitments were made, floorboards were thickened, and the basement level’s glass was replaced with black cladding. Like many transitioned buildings, the exterior of the building did not undergo drastic changes even when its function changed. The observed geometric facade was already there in 2009 when it existed as The Mood Hotel. Upon observation, it could be noted that the Aveny’s form and also repetition of windows share similarities with the building to its left. To separate its function from the mixed use building to its left, The Aveny sports a white curvilinear aluminium facade superimposed on a glass cube. Contemporary geometry, an emblem of 21st century parametric design, is another product of the globalisation of ideas with the proliferation of the computer.
The superimposed curvilinear aluminium cladding seems parametric through its geometric logic and continuous shapes. At an international scale, parametric architecture became popular in the 2000s after software was more easily accessible, and calculus was used as the computing basis, explicitly merging science and mathematics together; the modern universal has an undeniable role in fostering individual appropriation in their own contexts. Globalisation can be similarly observed through the use of material, typology and visual architecture. Concrete is used in many conventionally modern and international building typologies, and is a material emblematic of globalisation as it concerns both international and local scales. Additionally, the building has a 4 storey tall advertising LED billboard, a rather capitalist convention, it serves as a form of visual architecture. Through form and visuals, this building reflects the change from Euro-centric buildings of the colonial times in the SoHo region to harbouring American-centric influence that continues to inform architectural design into 21st century Hong Kong. The combination of American influence both in the real estate acquisition process, billboard, and parametric design is a testament to the interdependence of cultures in developing the modern world.
2 The Mood Lyndhurst Named after John Singleton Copley Lyndhurst, an Assistant Magistrate, Lyndhurst Terrace connects Wellington Street to the East and Hollywood Road to the West and intersects Pottinger Street. It meets Gage Street, Cochrane Street and is right underneath the Central-Mid Levels Escalator, making it one of the busiest areas in the mid-levels. Historically speaking, it became the home to the earliest Western brothels in Hong Kong during the mid-nineteenth century, and numerous stalls were set up to sell flowers to the pleasure-seekers for pleasing the prostitutes. It is believed to be the origin of the terrace’s Cantonese name, meaning flower arrangement. But even amid all the vibrant buildings and traveling vehicles, the Mood Lyndhurst catches attention from afar. The complex was comprised of a slender tower covered with a white rose petal-shaped facade, a nod to the street’s Cantonese name, and a three-level structure for dining and wellness.
Unlike other stops in the tour that are either refurbished or repurposed, after the Magusta Group had purchased the land, it demolished the existing tenement building at the site and build the newly-designed Mood Lyndhurst. It is intentionally proportioned to carve out a quiet space in the busy Central district. The leaner structure, made with a black reflective material with the white facade as a contrast, consists of the serviced apartments, and the ground to podium levels enjoy a glass exterior - a very classic combination of modern architecture materials. This type of parametric architecture is popularized and a product of globalization, and has a high level of versatility for users to express individuality, such as the case here at The Mood Lyndhurst.
3 Madera Hollywood Hotel Hollywood Road was the second road established after Hong Kong was colonised by the British. Before coastal reclamation, the road provided close proximity to the harbour and created an ideal setting for trade, especially antiques and artefacts from China. This growing ubiquitous streetscape was quintessentially ‘Hong Kong’, and this image of Hollywood Road was exported overseas through travel posters and cinematography, such as Richard Quine’s 1960 historical romance The World of Suzie Wong. With the impact of urbanisation, current day Hollywood Road has dramatically altered and the majority of stores in this SoHo district are now boutique restaurants, hotels and art galleries with tong laus becoming the minority. Located at the corner of pedestrian crosspaths, The Madera Hollywood is a conversion from an office tower into a hotel. This increasingly common trend of office towers transitioning to hotels reflects the growing market for development in accommodating the tourism trade in the Central mid-levels district in the age of globalisation and the zenith of Hong Kong’s tourism trade in early 2010s. The building completed construction in 1993 and served its identity as a office tower under the identity of Time Centre until alterations and addition work in transitioning it to a hotel building began in 2014.
Like much of the architecture on the street, the hotel has a shop house interface which allows the building to be opened up to pedestrians for social inclusion. An interesting point to note is that during alteration works, the shops were untouched and remained in business, and this shophouse interface still remains today. Unlike the Minihotel, this hotel’s relationship to the ground is more pronounced owing to its position at the corner of the block. Therefore, it has heightened exposure to pedestrian traffic. The hotel is managed by the Madera Group, which is under the local conglomerate Hip Shing Hong (Holdings) Company Limited established in 1948. Hotels managed by this group boasts highly rated locations and has numerous accolades granted by organisations such as Hotels.com, the Michelin Guide, Tripadvisor and Traveller Reviews Award. The group has a “robust portfolio of real estate in response to dynamic market trends”, and manages core businesses of commercial, retail, industrial, residential, and serviced accommodations. With valuable experience, the organisation understands the role of globalisation in the hotel trade.
The building’s design is simplistic and blockish in form. Prior to alteration works, it camouflages comfortably as an ‘ordinary’ building in the streetscape. Sleek concrete with rounded corners and sunken in windows, the building’s look does not carry the distinct brut concrete significant in Brutalist architecture, it’s treatment of the windows could be deemed as Brutalist as they are treated as holes or voids into the solids of the walls, there is also no “skin” in this building, rather the smooth solidity of concrete form. Alteration works did not drastically change the form of the building, but the new facade painted over the original checkered pastel pink and orange tilework. Vivid colours were painted onto the facade of the building and bring out the almost art-deco-esque qualities of the streamlined building with its recti-linear lines creating horizontal bands, cohering with the hotel’s theme of the Golden Age of Hollywood, which is also portrayed through the interior design in Hollywood Regency style. Large mural paintings of Hollywood icons; Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and Charlie Chaplin further play into the hotel’s theme of Hollywood’s Golden Age, paying homage to the name of the road it is situated on. Hotel Madera Hollywood is an interesting example of globalisation through the transplantation of Americana in theme and architectural influence in readaptation.
4 The Murray The Murray, a former Hong Kong government office building which housed the Public Works Department, is now Hong Kong Island’s first five-star luxury hotel in ten years. Its location is considered the creme de la creme. At 22 Cotton Tree Drive, the hotel offers close proximity to the Peak Tram Garden Road lower terminus, embassies, the Government House, Hong Kong Park, and Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens. Originally built in 1969 by Architectural Service Department worker Ron Philips, it is known for its grandiose arches and award winning passive solar design. Briton Philips was educated under the Bauhaus modernist doctrine which espoused the idea of the uniformity of art and architecture. As a former government building, its design is austere and grand, and this was consolidated with its inaccessibility to pedestrians. Before the refurbishment, it was impermeable to visitors, further consolidating its hierarchy in the city. Its circulation was originally planned around the car and is situated on an island site. The refurbishment aimed to re-establish the connection with pedestrians and the hotel, this was achieved by creating large open floor spaces which are accessible to those who are not residents of the hotel, and the vehicle ramp which has now transformed into pedestrian use.
More importantly, the dialogue created in opening government buildings to public use opens up the relationship of the building with the wider public. This method of redeveloping land to be accessible is also a modern quality where design allows for flexibility in function. With the government services moving to Tamar Park in 2011, The Murray was left vacant until it reopened in 2018 as a hotel .Part of the Conserving Central Project, and the new design focuses on balancing staying true to the heritage structure and changing it to fit new functions. The refurbishment employed talents from Foster + Partners, and also the original architect himself, Ron Philips. The collaboration retains the iconic white concrete blade facade which oriented windows to avoid direct sunlight. Its design still functions brilliantly today, as it reduces the need for air conditioning. A new frontage was set up to reconnect the hotel to the rest of the neighborhood. Local engineering and architectural firm Wong and Ouyang, were the consultants to the project, the classification of globalisation in this project can be interpreted through the cross-cultural importation of architectural theory adapted for use in local contexts.
5 MiniHotel Central The Minihotel is situated between two heritage sites of considerable historic value and social status; Bishop’s house (erected 1848, grade I historical building), and Old Dairy Farm Depot (erected 1893, grade II historical building). The continued existence of early colonial buildings provides rare physical context and an interesting perspective into the development of the streetscape and how Minihotel was conceived. Globalisation can be explored in this site through two major scopes; the historical context, and through architectural style. Ice House Street was a direct product of urbanisation through the British Colonial Government and was and still is an important urban nexus which housed legal chambers, central government offices, and also warehouses for a very important trade back in the 19th century; cold storage houses storing an essential product for the affluent; ice. Currently, this location remains a retail and financial nexus and is a stone’s throw away from entertainment hubs with buzzing nightlife and financial district during the day.
As advertised on their website, the locally managed brand offers a chic ‘motel-like’ experience due to the demand for budget-friendly yet comfortable abodes for the temporary dweller in the 21st century, however, the original building was not built with the intention of being a hotel. The building’s plans were submitted in 1978, approved in 1981, erected in 1983 and existed as an office building until 2011 where it was converted into the Minihotel. Like many office to hotel conversions, the exterior and form of the building was maintained with changes in the interior due to programme changes. The icehouse’s (former name of the building when it existed as a commercial building) carpark has now transformed into a dining area, and glass encases the once open lobby as the reception area. Fluidity of programme reflects the successes of the globalisation of modern architecture to be a vehicle of flexible building design.
Minihotel’s architectural style is an example of the hybridity of local architecture with canon architecture, suggesting globalisation in informing architecture design and intention, yet is a reminder of architectural homogeneity under globalisation. The exterior expression of the glass curtain wall and the bronze and black colour palette seems to elucidate a faint impression of the functional aesthetics Mies van der Rohe’s glass skyscrapers of the 20th century pertains to. Yet the elegance of the glass structure is interrupted by the solidity of the concrete form to its left. It seems to be a nod to the International Style, and the Minimalist, with its smooth uniform glassed in wall surfaces, windows acting as continuation of surface acting as pure forms, and the balance of unlike parts. The Minihotel is an exemplification of globalisation through the integration of canon architecture as the driver of international architectural influences with local sensibilities culminating in an example of cultural diplomacy.
Globalization and Architecture Yuen Yee, CHUNG Being dubbed as the Pearl of the Night, Hong Kong has transformed itself from a small fishing village into an international city all over the world. Even though with different drawbacks, HongKongers’ dedication and grim determination have led us to travel upon various challenges. When it comes to the problem of mountainous terrain, it is not uncommon to see some unique designs and building styles because of our magnificent idea. Not only do we hope to immerse the practicability in each building, but also modernization is the key to development nowadays. Modern architecture is a style of building that emphasizes function and a streamlined form over ornamentation1. The function of a building has become continuously indispensable with the effect of globalization. The effect of globalization with regard to urban development will be examined. Apart from that, we
will be making use of several examples and giving further elaborations on different fields ranging from community, history, and so on. Apart from that, the implementation of largescale modernist schemes has posed immense consequences to the community. To begin with, it is crucial and impactful to date back to the origin of Central first. Being the core part of Hong Kong, Central has become the earliest development district in the 80-90s since globalization has become a hot-button issue all over the world. As time goes on, we have entered a digital age that is full of machines or electronics. The e-banking system and online financial services are becoming more and more indispensable. With the substantial development of financial and banking services, more and more list companies are willing to build financial headquarters nearby. Not only did land reclamation projects were carried out at that time, but also Central was in its heyday since it completely turned a small district into the heart of a financial
hub. The area boasts some of the city’s most recognisable buildings including The Bank of China Tower,AIG Tower and so on2.When it comes to The Mood Lyndhurst Central, it was originally Docomomo in the 70-80s which was used for living for residents. In order to keep abreast of the times, the building has converted itself to a mini-hotel in which businessmen become their target customer. The 1-2 day working trip may welcome foreigners and tourism may get promoted. We can not only welcome tourists from the harbour but also businessmen nowadays. As Central has turned itself into a district where business and transactions are dealt with every day, more and more mini-hotel like The Mood Lyndhurst Central are built nowadays. The function of the buildings nearby are completely adjusted and modified. On the other hand, residents in Central are continuously deteriorating due to the implementation of large-scale modernist schemes as well. When the core part of Hong Kong has become an international and financial district. More and more multi-
national corporations may choose to develop and operate in Central. Due to the skyrocketing rental income, different stalls may be compelled to leave their place since they are unable to afford the rental income. It is also reported that the population in the Central District has been continuously decreasing3. Instead of businessmen, there are more and more tourists because of different famous and historical sites. In order to facilitate the development of tourists, demand for hotels may sharply increase. The Murray hotel and the Madera Hollywood hotel may serve as examples to the above cases. In conclusion, the implementation of large-scale modernist schemes has posed immense consequences to the community. Tourism and society of the people are heavily influenced by the scheme. Globalization and colonialism are also catalysts for a unique fusion of East and West. During the colonial period, the British government had built lots of architecture with western characteristics. For local inhabitants,
they were living in traditional tenement buildings while foreigners were living in western buildings. Because of the unequal treatment with Chinese and white people, the residential areas for Chinese people were strictly divided in the early colonial period. But as the time passed, some tenement buildings with western characteristics were built. It seems that Chinese buildings are starting to combine with western materials and technology and form a new type of architecture. After urbanism and rapid economic development, more and more modern buildings are located in Central. When taking the macro vision of the Central, it contains old tenement buildings, historical colonial buildings, modern and sophisticated skyscrapers and western buildings. A variety of buildings also represent the variety of cultures and identities in Central. As the forms of architecture and urbanism that globalization produces strongly influence how people understand themselves and perceive their identities in the built en-
vironment4. During the colonial period, the identity of the Chinese may be thought of as ‘colonizer’. Nowadays, the identities of Hongkongers can be multicultural after a long colonial history. As the advanced technology and economic demands, some old tenement buildings are reconstructed to the modern buildings for commercial uses under the impact of globalization. It adds the difference in the same row of tenement buildings in the urban context. It brought the hybridity of architecture in Central which also became the emblem of identity of local residents5. To sum up, the transformation of the environment leading to the transformation of identities of local residents due to globalization. Held said that ‘the widening, deepening, and speeding up of worldwide interconnectedness in all aspects of contemporary social life”6 Skyscrapers are covered by gleaming reflective glass in Central which is displaying a similar visual experience to pedestrians. Homogenized architectures are
an outcome of the similar ideologies and concepts leading to an effect of globalization on the built and spatial environment7. The Mood lyndhurst is also a by-product under the influence of globalization. Being transformed from a tenement building into a homogenized building. the building was turned into a new modern skyscraper with large-scale, ascendant steel structures after the reconstruction , enrobed in glass curtain-wall facades and a rose petal facade in lower level which is an emblem of the street - lyndhurst terrace. As the architectural history is filled with movements of opposing cultural and aesthetic diversity, which form the basis for architectural philosophy and design ideology This is because governments, companies and people of nations around the world are the main sponsors of architectural designs and styles, which they use to symbolize their rule and identity. As a result, the unified skyscrapers covered by reflective glass as globalization architec-
tures repeatedly appeared in Hong Kong. Besides, globalization also stimulates the flow of information and architectural ideas. The Murray Hotel is a glamorous landmark and famous for its contemporary aesthetic. It was a former government headquarters tower before the remodelling8. Designed by modernist architect Ron Philips, the concept at the Murray was to showcase the inherent beauty of the materials9. This type of architecture is quite different from colonial architecture and tenement buildings at that time. During the rehabilitation, the architects focused on improving the relationship between the building and its surrounding urban context by changing the car access ramp to an entrance sequence that was pedestrian-friendly10. The new design retains the facade while upgrading other aspects of the building and extending its life by introducing new functions appropriate for the changing demands of the city11. Not only the Murray Hotel conducted the
transformation due to globalization, but also some new construction urban anonymous hotels made modifications in order to cooperate with the adjustment in Central. Under globalization,the tourism industry has become the mainstay of Hong Kong’s economy. With glossy skyscrapers, world-class attractions and a rich architectural and natural heritage, Central attracts millions of tourists all over the world every year. Being a tourism center, the rocketing tourism industry exert a pressure on the accommodation in central. The function of some buildings also undergo drastic change. The predecessors of Madera Hollywood Hotel, Mini Hotel and Aveny Serviced Apartment were only for commercial uses. Rehabilitations were carried out in order to fulfill the demand for the accommodation. Madera Hollywood Hotel is a serviced apartment combined with original commercial uses. In order to cope with the development needs of the government tourism industry and globalisation, it is report-
ed that there is a growing trend between 2012 and 2019. Only a minor effect on the total number of hotels and guest houses is affected by the pandemic situation12. Last but not least, Central, being the international hub of Hong Kong and can represent the city better than any other district, is heavily influenced by globalization when it comes to modernism. Modernity is undeniably applicable to everywhere nowadays in order to keep track of the improvement progress. Cities all over the world are transforming themselves in an extensive way. However, there are always downsides when it comes to different events. We could say they were a little arrogant and ambitious in hoping to change the world with their design principles13. On the other hand, what we may ignore and dismiss are the local customs and qualities of humankind. Trade-offs always happen between two different choices.
Notes 1.
Lauren Thomann. What Is Modern Architecture? December 18, 2020. Accessed December 21, 2021. https:// w w w. t h e s p r u c e . c o m / m o d e r n - a rc h i t e c t u re - 4 7 9 7 9 1 0 2. Hong Kong Office Rental. Choosing the right location for your business in Hong Kong. 2021. https:// w w w. h o n g k o n g o f f i c e r e n t a l . c o m / b u s i n e s s - d i s t r i c t s 3. HK Government. Population of District Information. 18 June 2021.https://www.swd.gov.hk/en/ index/site_district/page_cwsi/sub_districtpr2/ 4. “Impact Of Globalisation On Architecture”. 2021. U k e s s a y s . C o m . h t t p s : / / w w w. u k e s s a y s . c o m / e s s a y s / architecture/impact-globalisation-architecture-7345.php. 5. Wong, Hiufu. 2021. “Hong Kong Architecture Walking Tour: The Vanishing And Overlooked Building | Hong Kong Cheapo”. Hong Kong Cheapo. 6. Stohl, Cynthia. 2009. “Globalization Of Organizations”. The International Encyclopedia Of Communication. doi:10.1002/9781405186407.wbiecg018. 7. Erandole, Shraddha. 2021. “Globalization And Architecture - RTF | Rethinking The Future”. RTF | Rethinking The Future. https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/rtf-freshperspectives/a2228-globalization-and-architecture/. 8. Griffiths, Alyn. 2021. “Foster + Partners Converts Hong Kong Office Tower Into High-End Hotel”. Dezeen. https://www. dezeen.com/2017/12/30/foster-partners-converts-landmarkhong-kong-office-tower-into-high-end-hotel-the-murray/. 9. Nam suscipit elementum accumsan. PellentesqueGriffiths, Alyn. 2021. “Foster + Partners Converts Hong Kong Office Tower Into High-End Hotel”. Dezeen. https://www.dezeen. com/2017/12/30/foster-partners-converts-landmarkhong-kong-office-tower-into-high-end-hotel-the-murray/. 10. Wong, Hiufu. 2021. “Hong Kong Architecture Walking Tour: The Vanishing And Overlooked Building | Hong Kong
Cheapo”. Hong Kong Cheapo. https://hongkongcheapo. com/things-to-do/hong-kong-architecture-walking-tour/. 11. Griffiths, Alyn. 2021. “Foster + Partners Converts Hong Kong Office Tower Into High-End Hotel”. Dezeen. https://www. dezeen.com/2017/12/30/foster-partners-converts-landmarkhong-kong-office-tower-into-high-end-hotel-the-murray/. 12. 2Henket, H,J. (2002). 13. C.Textor. Total number of hotels and guest houses in Hong Kong 2012-2020. June 1,2021. https://www.statista. com/statistics/967563/hong-kong-number-of-all-hotels/
Finding Balance: Globalization & Localism Hon Yin, POON Because of the convenience of globalization, more and more people are staying away from home, for business or holiday or other reasons1. The growing number of travelers has given rise to the serviced accommodations industry, including hotels or serviced apartments. Since the primary purpose of the field is “to accommodate those away from home and to supply them with their basic needs”2, operators often aim to reach an international level of recognition and overlook the importance of having a connection with the local community. Globalization has also made expanding business easier for international hotel chains. It has led to unified hotel designs all over the globe with similar decorations and facilities, which fails to provide a memorable lodging experience3. However, more and more people are searching for more than a universal five-star service4, but the regional hospitality
unique to the destination. A question for future hotels is thus raised: how to find a balance between being internationally competitive and staying true to the local community? This essay looks at three serviced accommodations of diverse functions, clientele, and range in Central, Hong Kong. The case studies explore how the lodgings approach their limitations or realize their full potential by taking inspiration from their neighborhood, balancing between providing internationally recognized service and connecting with the community. To begin with, Aveny Serviced Apartment is a 14-story property located at the junction of Wyndham Street and D’Aguilar Street. Formerly a hotel, it was bought and refurbished by US real estate private equity firm AEW in 20155. The building features a restaurant on the ground floor and 11 apartments mainly catering to working financial professionals6. With a shiny exterior, glass windows, and an irregular white ring hugging the bottom few levels of the structure, it is
undoubtedly a piece of modern architecture. At first glance, the building can easily pass as a boutique mall but not a standalone service apartment lodging. The unconventional layout is a modern take on Hong Kong’s historic composite building, defined as “buildings that are party domestic and partly non-domestic” by the Buildings Ordinance7. The most common prototype is the “shophouse”, with commercial use on the ground level and residential use on upper floors8. The typology is generally not considered proper design as it was manifested from economic expediency, a compromise between political, economic, and spatial conditions of the time9. But its significance lies in its social value.10 In Hong Kong, the land is the most sought-after resource. Unlike higher levels, the ground is exposed to pedestrians, and utilizing the space for commercial use increases the chances of attracting non-residents to consume. Aveny Serviced Apartment is taking full advantage of its situation in the middle of Central’s entertainment circle. Moreover, the
minimum duration of stay is one month11. The apartment’s target client is not mere passengers, hence there is no need to advertise it being a serviced accommodation on the exterior. Aveny provides world-class service and maximizes profits by taking after something humbling but tried-and-true of the destination. Mere minutes away from the Aveny Serviced Apartment is the Madera Hollywood Hotel. Two huge commercial stores sit on the ground floor, leaving space for a tiny entrance. It is interiorly decorated in Hollywood regency style12 and covered with giant wall art of old Hollywood icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin, perhaps as a nod to its location of 35 Hollywood Street. Targeting tourists with a higher budget, the Madera houses only two suites on each of its 16 floors, offering more privacy, space, and more personalized service13. There are two main obstacles in Madera’s way of becoming a hotel. One, it occupies rented spaces, meaning there can be no structural modifications; two, it must find a
way to stand out in a sea of similarly looking structures on one of the busiest streets in Central mid-levels. Being a small boutique hotel is the solution to the first problem since it would require only differentiated design, high technology, personalized service, and excellent hospitality14, all of which happens within the façade. Painting its exterior is an inspired solution to the second problem, for Central is known for its collection of street art, ranging from the famous old townhouses mural opposite 35-53 Graham Street to the pastel portrait of a woman by Elsa Jeandedieu at 38 Peel Street15. While the Golden Age of Hollywood would seem unrelated to Hong Kong initially, the Madera Hollywood Hotel has proven to have taken up more of the community’s characteristics than expected. While becoming a boutique hotel might be out of compromise at first, its differentiation from the traditional hotel on a design, artistic, cultural, and historical level16 becomes its appeal. Being so drastically different from its sister
hotel, Madera Hong Kong, also raises the Madera Groups’ competitiveness. People come to boutique hotels for a unique hospitality experience different from a conventional one17, and vice versa. With the addition of Madera Hollywood, the Madera Group now has an accommodation option for everyone. Yet another repurposed project, The Murray was a government headquarters turned five-star luxury hotel. It was auctioned off for HK$4.4 billion to Wharf Holdings18 when the office relocated to the Central Government Complex, Tamar. It is categorized as a heritage hotel, where “certain aspects of material culture are selected, preserved, and reconstructed for commercial purposes”19. For example, the stark white façade was retained for both its iconic outlook and efficiency in avoiding the harsh summer heat of Hong Kong, and a new street frontage was introduced to connect with the neighborhood on the ground level20, as the heritage was originally inaccessible to pedestrians since it was surrounded by major roads on all sides.
As inevitably as it has become, hotel restaurants of five-star hotels have become a branded product21. It attracts more than its residents, but visitors and locals who had come for the experience and service as well. In a usual hotel layout, the ground floor functions as the lobby, and other functions, such as restaurants or gymnasia, are located on higher levels. Interestingly, The Murray chose to situate all but two of its restaurants on the entrance level and outside the hotel building22, reserving the building’s ground floor as a lobby while allowing more convenient access to restaurants. While an unconventional move for a luxury hotel, it maximizes the opportunities given by its site context. The Murray’s significance comes not only because of its cultural value but also its location. With proximity to the Peak Tram Station, Hong Kong Park, and Zoological and Botanical Gardens23, and also enterprises’ headquarters like Cheung Kong Holdings, The Murray is the center of intense circulation of people every day. When the res-
taurant is of such convenience to passengers, not only will the commercial performance be benefitted, but customers are offered a chance to observe and admire the heritage building. The traveling through spaces between the historic structure and its surrounding nature will allow a deeper understanding of the spatial and cultural significance of the place. Although all three serviced accommodations are either refurbished or repurposed, meaning not much was changed architecturally, they follow the principle of form follows process just like other modern architecture. For the Aveny Serviced Apartment, it is for a longer stay so there is no need for a grand façade or a lobby for advertising, allowing it to take after Hong Kong’s composite building structure of using the ground level for commercial purposes to maximize profits. The Madera Hollywood Hotel, limited to the existing building structure and lack of exposure to pedestrians, learns to grab attention from its neighborhood that is rich in street art. Becoming a boutique hotel may be a compro-
mise due to its inability to be a classically decorated lodging, but the Madera realizes its full potential by turning the small size into an intimate setting. As for The Murray, it introduces guests to a heritage building and opts for an unconventional layout to promote its culinary program, making the most of its location at the heart of the central business district. “While globalisation is identified as a unification process, localisation is mainly regarded as a process of diversification”24. Most of the time, the two ideologies are considered to be each other’s opposite. But globalization has also raised attention on local diversity, ethnic identity, and communitarian values25. The more the lines between internationalism and localism are blurred, the stronger people feel the need to redraw them. Some people feel comfortable and safe staying in a hotel with familiar design26, some people are tired of having the same experience even in the most different of places27. Finding a balance between in-
ternationalism and localism truly is one of the major tasks for hotel operators, and the aforementioned serviced accommodations are demonstrations of how providing worldclass service does not equate to compromising local heritage. Though difficult, hotels, being one of the first interactions visitors will have with the destination, should take up the responsibility of reflecting and introducing local culture, the true goal of globalization.
Notes
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Notes
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The Modern Architecture Guidebook Hong Kong’s built environment represents a unique site of inquiry in the global history of the Modern Movement. The Modern Architecture guidebook series draw from an inter-disciplinary toolkit of knowledge, references, and field studies to understand the processes at work in the built environment. Each walking tour in the series begins with one of the 98 MTR stations in Hong Kong as the meeting point. First opened in 1979, this modernist infrastructure has produced a city rationalized around transportoriented development. Organized around key themes (industrialization, colonization, environment, internationalization, migration, decolonization, counterculture, and globalization), the guidebooks present a critical yet open perspective towards the implications of large-scale modernist schemes on the environment and community.
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