Address: Xiao Tang Nanhai Nonferrous Metals Industrial Park, Shi Shan Town, Nanhai District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, China
Zip: 528231
Tel: 86-757-8555 8828 Fax: 86-757-8555 0238
Website: www.jma.cn, www.jma-aluminum.com
E-mail: sales@jma.cn, jmmaster@jma.cn
This is the first issue of The FAÇADE magazine published since the recent inauguration of the 9th Term Council Board of Hong Kong Façade Association (HKFA).
HKFA remains committed to maintaining the high-quality standard of building envelopes whilst continuing to strive to advance our knowledge and to explore new façade technologies to overcome complex obstacles and challenges for the future as demand increases on green building design and free-form building envelopes. As President, I can say that the new Executive Council will strive to connect, to align and to join hands together with different organisations and individuals in Hong Kong to incorporate the concept of sustainability into building design, so as to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality, to reduce environmental impact and to improve our quality of life.
As advocates for the Façade Industry, there are three core areas that we wish to promote to both industry members and outside stakeholders, namely, to embrace new technology, to develop a talent pipeline and to foster collaboration.
HKFA hopes that you have been enjoying our revamped official publications. We welcome your valued comments and suggestions so that we can continue to share latest news, technical advances, innovations and the overall contribution of façade engineering to the local and regional construction industry.
Sincerly,
Simon Chan President, Hong Kong Façade Association
INTERVIEW
Introducing the Board – President of the HKFA 9th Executive Council, Simon Chan
COVER STOREY
New Immigration Headquarters brought to life by Far East Façade, in collaboration with ArchSD
FEATURE
UNStudio refurbishes former bank HQ into new highly sustainable, tech-enabled building
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
Green hydrogen refuelling infrastructure a world first UAD designs sporting infrastructure for 19th Asian Games
Shenzhen retail and entertainment destination by 10 Design
A comprehensive program of practical-based learning 20 46 6 12 26 44
Saudi Arabia to host 10 th Asian Winter Games in 2029
AWARDS
The winners of Build4Asia Awards 2024 Excellence in Façades
HKFA NEWS
Design and Application of Laminated Glass with Composite Action
Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao - GBA Façade industry Exchange Conference
Site visit to Wo Lee Fanling Steel Processing and Distribution Centre
We are committed to maintain the high quality standard of building envelopes while continue strive to advance our knowledge and to explore new façade technologies to overcome complex obstacles and challenges for the future with significantly increasing demand on green building design and free-form building envelopes.
SIMON CHAN, HKFA PRESIDENT
“As President, I can say that the new Executive Council is striving to connect, to align and to join hands together with different organisations and individuals in Hong Kong to incorporate the concept of sustainability into building design, so as achieve the goal of carbon neutrality, to reduce environmental impact and to improve our quality of life.”
Chan states that as advocates for the façade industry, HKFA has three core areas that they wish to promote. Both to industry members and to outside stakeholders, namely, to embrace new technology, develop a talent pipeline and to foster collaboration.
“One way to address many of the challenges facing the
construction industry is to embrace new technology. For example, using project management software can help improve communication and collaboration between stakeholders, resulting in better planning, forecasting, and budgeting.”
Chan continues,“To overcome the labour shortage challenge, construction companies can invest in developing a talent pipeline. This could involve partnering with trade schools, offering apprenticeships, or developing training programs to attract and retain skilled workers. Finally,”he says, fostering collaboration between construction companies, project managers and other stakeholders can help address many of the challenges facing the industry. By working together, companies can share resources, expertise and knowledge, to develop more effective solutions to the challenges they face.”
HKFA is aiming to draw the industry together to serve the profession through various activities such as seminars, symposiums, product updates to name a few. Their Education and Professional Development Sub-Committee keeps exploring opportunities for those young and enthusiastic engineers by conducting seminars, workshops and field visits.
HKFA aims to share updated information, not only to their members, but also to external parties such as developers, architects, consultants, builders and others.
Chan states that the world economy has experienced many fluctuations since the Covid-19 pandemic, causing turbulence across various market segments, including the construction industry. He says it seems that we are heading towards a downturn that may last for a bit longer and establishing a strong financial foundation is crucial for construction companies to weather economic downturns and to navigate through these difficult times.
“Labour shortages were reportedly already evident as construction activities surged as the pandemic eased. Contractors must arrange for the required workforce in a timely fashion and recruit the necessary types and numbers of construction workers according to the programmed works,” Chan continues.
“The construction industry relies heavily on skilled labour, and maintaining a loyal and motivated workforce is essential. By investing in employee training and development, providing competitive compensation packages, fostering a positive work environment, and offering growth opportunities, construction companies can attract and retain talented workers.
A loyal and skilled workforce contributes to improved productivity, quality construction, and customer satisfaction, helping the company thrive even in challenging economic conditions.”
Chan also says that cost overrun is one of the biggest challenges faced by the construction industry today. He says the rising construction material cost is a major factor contributing to construction cost overruns which affect the overall profitability of the construction project.
Another factor contributing to cost overrun is poor productivity; productivity in the construction industry has not kept up with advances in technology, leading to delays and increased costs. To address this challenge, construction companies must invest in technology that can improve productivity, such as automation, drones, and artificial intelligence.
“Perhaps one of the trickiest problems in the construction industry is its hesitance to adopt new technology. Digital tools like Building Information Modelling could make the job of construction professionals easier. Even when a construction firm acknowledges that there are technological solutions that they could benefit from design to execution, availing funds frequently remains a hurdle.”
The continuing priority of sustainability
Moving the discussion to matters of protecting the environment, Chan says that sustainability is a factor of façade design that is more important now than ever and it is all about reducing the carbon footprint. There are, he says, increasing demands on building a sustainable future with a clean and green environment.
To reduce the carbon footprint, we have to design the building envelope carefully to create a Passive House curtainwall. Passive House is a design standard that achieves thermal comfort with minimal heating and cooling by using insulation, airtightness, appropriate window and door design, ventilation systems with heat recovery, and elimination of thermal bridges.
“We can also consider adding alternative energy sources for our power supply. Solar power is one of the renewable energy sources that heats and cools the indoor space and provides electricity. Installation
There are 8 key considerations for designing a high-performance façade
BUILDING ORIENTATION AND SHADING
STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY
MAINTENANCE AND DURABILITY
MATERIAL SELECTION AND SUSTAINABILITY
INSULATION AND THERMAL PERFORMANCE
ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE
VENTILATION AND AIRFLOW
DAYLIGHTING AND GLAZING
of photovoltaic panels such as BIPV or solar panels on the roof of a building or incorporating them into the wall cladding of building facades is becoming increasingly affordable, and it is a great way to reduce the carbon footprint as the photovoltaic panels are used to produce electricity directly from sunlight.”
Chan says that high-performance building facades are building envelopes that act as the external shell of a building separating the indoor environment from the outdoor elements. A high-performance building facade typically includes features such as insulation, shading devices, efficient glazing, ventilation systems, and air barriers.
These components work together to control heat transfer, air leakage, and moisture infiltration, which can have a significant impact on the energy use and overall performance of a building. Additionally, they help enhance the visual appeal of a building while providing natural light and views to occupants.
Given the increasingly demand on free-form building envelopes, Building Information Modelling (BIM) became extremely importance and more common in curtain wall design. Traditionally, the architects and engineers rely on two dimensional drawings to convey their design on plan view and elevation view, as buildings are usually straight up and repetitive,”says Chan. Supplemented with a couple of more section views, it is sufficient for the builder to follow. Nevertheless, without constant radii and similarities, a freeform building is an exception to this traditional approach.
The lifesaver is BIM. BIM offers powerful 3D modelling functions to create NURBS curve and surfaces, which is a perfect tool for creating architecture with freeform geometry.
“Besides its powerful design capability, BIM is also a process of creating and management information in construction projects. It helps maximised efficiency, reduce costs and wastage, and give better insights into projects. So, yes, the façade industry should continue to expand the use of BIM.”
Asked about how Hong Kong’s continuing integration into the Greater Bay Area (GBA) will impact the SAR’s façade industry, Chan states that Hong Kong’s position as an increasingly integrated component in the GBA is opening up new and varied opportunities for the SAR’s construction sector including the façade industry and the building industry as a whole.
This is in turn creating long-term demand for skilled workers in Hong Kong’s construction sector. Integration of the construction sectors across the GBA is creating synergies and making it easier for people to work across the GBA’s boundaries.
Hong Kong’s government brought in measures to enable qualified Hong Kong based professionals in the architecture, engineering, surveying and landscape architecture fields to directly provide services in the GBA after registering in the mainland. This further opened up a huge array of opportunities for construction professionals in Hong Kong.
“Hong Kong’s construction sector stands to benefit as more collaborative projects are undertaken in the GBA such as large scale projects include shopping malls, apartment complexes, hotels and offices are planned as authorities drive forward plans to more closely integrate the GBA’s members,” adds Chan.
“Hong Kong’s construction sector has honed a good reputation for high-quality projects and is a regional leader. Add the SAR’s position in the GBA to the mix, and Hong Kong promises plenty of opportunities for people looking to grow their careers in construction!”
In conclusion, HKFA’s newly elected Chairman says that the HKFA is getting stronger and growing more healthily under the cultivation of the previous sessions of Council committee and presidents. As a group of building façade professionals, the HKFA will continue promoting the façade construction industry so as to attract more potential candidates and educating young façade engineers for the sustainable development of both the association and the façade industry.
“The overall quality standard of the façade construction industry in Hong Kong is ranked amongst the best in the region and around the world,” says Chan proudly. “The quality achievements of the industry are done by using the world’s best practices. However, quality construction does not come easy, we are determined to keep up with our good works, learning from the mistake that it made in the past and to progress with the advancement of our facade industry.”
As the sun sets on Hong Kong's Revenue Tower and Immigration Department buildings in Wan Chai, the Architectural Services Department—together with Far East Façade—puts their finishing touches on the new Immigration Headquarters in Tseung Kwan
Last year, the new Immigration Headquarters in Tseung Kwan O opened its doors at 33 Tong Yin Street. Designed by P&T Group and built by Hip Hing Construction, the project was brought to life through the collaborative efforts of the Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) and Far East Façade.
Embodying modern architectural innovation, the structure features a 17-storey Administrative Tower divided into North and South Wings, a 16-storey Enforcement Tower, and a basement car park, covering a total construction area of approximately 140,000 square metres. Operations began in June 2024, setting a new standard for government buildings in Hong Kong.
The façade incorporates advanced materials and technologies to enhance energy efficiency and aesthetic appeal. It features high-performance glazing that reduces solar heat gain and maximises natural light, contributing to the building’s overall sustainability goals. The sleek, modern design of the façade improves the building’s environmental performance, as well as complements the surrounding urban landscape—marking a significant departure from the traditional government building aesthetics.
The move from Wan Chai's Immigration Tower to Tseung Kwan O symbolises a shift in Hong Kong's administrative geography. Wan Chai's tower, once the 93rd tallest building in the city, has played a significant role in government operations since its opening in 1990. The relocation to a state-of-the-art complex reflects a broader transformation in urban planning and governmental architecture, aiming for enhanced efficiency.
After the government moves the service from its Wan Chai office to a new one in Tseung Kwan O, people on Hong Kong Island will have only one office that issues passports and other travel documents from next month.
The change, part of the plan to transfer the Immigration Department’s headquarters, will leave the Travel Documents Issuing Office in Central’s Harbour Building as the sole travel documents issuer on the island. The department said that more automatic machines for travel document applications and collection would be added to the Tseung Kwan O and Central offices to cope with an expected rise in demand.
The new headquarters' façade design incorporates features to mitigate glare, enhancing the building's visual comfort and energy efficiency. The curtain wall's architectural elements were carefully developed to reduce direct sunlight penetration, improving the indoor environment for staff and visitors. This design aspect is part of the building’s wider elevation concept, focusing on sustainability and user comfort.
The design of the curtain wall not only serves an aesthetic purpose; it has strategically placed shading devices. These features help in reducing the reliance on artificial lighting, saving energy. The integration of green spaces within the complex is another highlight of the design.
Landscaped gardens and green roofs enhance the aesthetic appeal of the headquarters, contributing to the well-being of its occupants. These spaces provide areas for relaxation and recreation, promoting a healthy work environment.
The façade's production emphasised sustainability, targeting energy efficiency and carbon emissions reduction. Manufactured in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, just under 150 kilometres from the Tseung Kwan O site, the proximity significantly cut transportation-related carbon emissions. The production facility leveraged full automation and digitalisation, including automated water tests for façade units, ensuring higher quality and reducing human error.
Incorporating RFID technology, the project employed a 'Digital Twin' concept to track façade unit process states and material information. This innovation enhances future maintenance and lifecycle management, boosting the building's operational efficiency.
The manufacturing process primarily relied on solar energy, approaching "net zero carbon" operations, due to Far East Facade Group incorporate Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) system in the factory for facade manufacturing.
This integration lowers operational costs and contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Tseung Kwan O’s new Immigration Headquarters reimagines Hong Kong’s bureaucratic landscape, marking a new chapter in the city's urban narrative. This sleek, eco-conscious building replaces the old Wan Chai offices, introducing a green element to the city's bureaucratic hub.
PROJECT PARTICIPANTS
Architectural Services Department of HKSAR
Architect: P&T Group
Main Contractor: Hip Hing Engineering Company Ltd.
Façade Contractor: Far East Façade (Hong Kong) Ltd.
Retaining the clock tower volume was a particularly important element of the transformation. The clock has long formed a recognisable and much used element of the building for the residents of Eindhoven.
UNStudio’s design for the refurbishment of a former bank headquarters, Fellenoord 15, in the Dutch city of Eindhoven, was commissioned by Edge and holistically fuses a healthy and flexible work concept with a highly sustainable, tech-enabled building.
The recently completed refurbishment has fully transformed the former Rabobank headquarters into a contemporary, 32,000 square metre government office building, equipped with a dense network of sensors and advanced applications that will significantly improve its post-occupancy conditions and building management.
UNStudio, Founder and Principal Architect, Ben van Berkel commented,“In recent years, the negative environmental impact of the construction industry has significantly changed how we view the demolition of existing buildings in favour of new builds. Renovating or redeveloping existing building stock and extending the life span of our buildings is now favoured as a more sustainable solution, while also ensuring the retention of inherent historical or local significance.”
In the case of Fellenoord 15, the existing building previously stood as a difficult-to-access bastion within the city and could no longer accommodate a changing and expanding workforce; the interior was disconnected and fragmented, with the result that colleagues had to work in isolation from one another.
Fortunately, Fellenoord 15 had a robust shell, which meant that the structure could be retained, rather than demolished. This decision aimed to save about 40% of the CO2 footprint compared to a new build. Sustainable techniques were also employed in the demolition of the former façade, setting the foundation for a truly sustainable development.
The design achieved a BREEAM-Excellent sustainability rating. The transformed building utilises geothermal heating and cooling, water-based climate ceilings and solar panels, in addition to the use of natural materials such as stone.
As with many of UNStudio’s designs, the floor plans are optimised to make maximum use of views and daylight, positively impacting the building's energy balance and the comfort and productivity of its occupants. In addition, the choice of plant species in the landscape design, alongside the addition of insect hotels, bat boxes and nesting boxes, supports local biodiversity.
Benefitting from the expertise of Edge, the building is equipped with a variety of smart technologies. The use of location sensors and intelligent data infrastructure provides insight into the behaviour of the users, which contributes to the reduction of energy consumption and improves the efficient use of spaces.
By tracking energy usage patterns, identifying inefficiencies, and making real-time adjustments, these sensors help to create more sustainable and comfortable workplaces that also enable the control of individual work environments. The result is a new, flexible office building that is designed to adapt to the current – and future – needs of employees.
UNStudio’s design activates the public space by revamping the former Rabobank building into an open facing building that now enjoys a strong relationship with its surroundings.
By designing a new entrance and removing a parking lot on the side of the building facing the station, Fellenoord 15 now connects more seamlessly with the surrounding urban fabric. Subtle articulations to
the massing at various strategic positions further open the building up to its surroundings.
From a distance, the building has an unassuming appearance that is enhanced by large details such as voids, windows, roof articulation and a clearly recognisable entrance. In the immediate vicinity, the building’ s perforations become visible and a subtle tactility and layering is created by the expanded mesh cladding. These design elements contribute to a subtle moiré effect in the plinth due to the double layer of expanded metal mesh.
The new entrance to the building connects the street to the atrium via a large, semi-public staircase. The existing fragmented building masses are seamlessly joined in the new design through a continuous landscape of flexible office floors, connecting the previously disparate spaces.
The new office floors are designed based on the idea of a gradient of activity: the central heart of the interior bustles with activity, while quiet workplaces are located alongside the facades on all floors, creating an ideal workplace for a wide variety of employees’needs.
www.unstudio.com
NatPower H is collaborating with ZHA to construct green hydrogen refuelling stations that are ecologically responsible and meet the highest safety standards. Drawing on ZHA’s research into modular systems, the design is adaptable to the many varied locations throughout the Mediterranean, enabling a customised configuration for each refuelling station based on specific local needs.
The world’s first green hydrogen refuelling infrastructure for the recreational boating industry will be initiated in 25 Italian marinas and ports with stations designed by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA).
A €100 million investment led by NatPower H, part of the NatPower group, the green hydrogen infrastructure will begin installation in the summer of 2024 and targets the provision of 100 refuelling stations throughout the Mediterranean over the next six years, with further expansion to the world’s most popular regions for recreational boating.
Produced with wind, solar and other renewable energy infrastructure, green hydrogen is converted into a stable, natural resource using NatPower H technologies offering unlimited possibilities to meet the ever-increasing global demand for sustainable sources of power.
Emitting only water vapor and warm air, hydrogen generates electrical power in a fuel cell. The 100 refuelling stations operational by 2030 will deliver up to 3650 tons of green hydrogen annually, eliminating approximately 45,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the Mediterranean’s recreational boats every year.
NatPower H has developed a green hydrogen fuel solution based on three key principles: safety, scalability, and sustainability. The boating industry is increasingly demanding ever more sustainable vessels and the world’s shipyards are responding with solutions to reduce the ecological impact of their operations. The demarcation of protected marine areas around the world which now prohibit the use of diesel engines underscores the importance of ecologically sustainable developments in the industry.
This rapid energy transition is currently held back by the lack of infrastructure for distribution and refuelling with zero-impact energy sources.
Zaha Hadid Architects, Director, Filippo Innocenti, said: Built with low-carbon concrete, the structural strength of ZHA’s hydrogen refuelling stations is generated through geometry rather than increased use of materials.
Integrating the latest innovations in construction techniques with the historic engineering developed throughout the Mediterranean by the Romans more than 2,000 years ago, the stations use advanced circular building technologies, reflecting NatPower H's commitment to an ecologically responsible future.”
The FAÇADE looks at two sports-themed projects from multi award-winning mainland practice, The Architectural Design & Research Institute of Zhejiang University UAD.
Guided by the principle of Harmonious Environment, Global Vision, Design integrating Teaching & Research & Creation, UAD, was founded in 1953. It is one of the earliest Class-A design institutes established among national key universities. UAD has always adhered to the enterprise spirit of "Truthseeking & Innovation" and will continue to provide premium design and services for all sectors of the community, maintaining the principle of Sharing Value through Design.
Held in September and October 2023, the Hangzhou Asian Games Baseball and Softball Sports Cultural Centre was the largest new venue purpose built for the 19th Asian Games. It is expected to inject new vitality into the surrounding Hangzhou communities and help sports to become the local cultural background.
“The intrinsic nature of sports architecture prompts us to rethink how to organise its intrinsic relationship with the city. We wanted to build a sports community driven by the stadium, which fully considers the multiple possibilities in the urban context and integrates them into urban life with a forward-looking perspective,” Head of Design and Lead Architect, Qian Xidong
UAD believes that sports buildings should not only focus on the function of sports competitions, but also emphasise the flexibility of public services to adapt to the social trend of open sharing.
The design hopes to break the relatively enclosed stereotype of sports buildings, fully consider the multiple possibilities in the urban context, and closely combine the sports culture complex composed of the baseball field, training centre and physical training hall with a characteristic commercial street with cloud wing roof, leading the public to be immersed in the shared and integrated future sports community atmosphere.
In order to build a sports community full of vitality, the design uses multiple urban culture superposition compound functions, starting from shaping culture, scientific planning and comprehensive utilisation, and gives full play to the public service nature of sports buildings in the sports community.
The total construction area of this project is about 136,000 square meters, which is divided into two lots, A and E. Plot A contains the main and secondary baseball fields, physical training hall and supporting hotels. Plot E holds the main and secondary softball fields.
As a sports cultural park open to the public, the whole site avoids walls. Whether it is the sports cultural commercial street or the second-floor platform connecting various venues, the public can enter at any time and have a zero-distance experience. Considering the feasibility of the operation and management of the two stages during and after the Asian Games, the project cleverly opens the
internal public space of the site and organically relates it to the surrounding future community, responding to the theme spirit of the Hangzhou Asian Games of “Heart to Heart, @future”.
The venues are woven together through a ribbon of public platforms on the second floor and connected to the city streets as part of the street network. The architectural façade extracts curvilinear elements from traditional cultural symbols such as silk belts, scrolls and tile roofs, and uses curved perforated aluminium plates to create the image of Jiangnan with continuous waves.
The patterns and forms of the perforated aluminium plate gives the façade a unique technical rhythm, a continuation of the traditional textile craftsmen’s poetry, and arouses the public’s memory of regional culture.
The design pays attention to the integration of architecture and natural environment, the space function is highly changeable and adapts to local conditions to provide convenience for the sports culture community.
Besides the baseball field and softball field, the Baseball and Softball Sports Cultural Centre is also equipped with hotels, a national fitness centre and a large number of commercial service spaces, which will meet the diversified operation needs after the Asian Games and become an important supporting service centre in the future community.
The huge canopy above the venue is the key and most challenging aspect of this design. UAD used a bidirectional truss system with a maximum cantilever of 16 meters, supported by slender steel columns. The top surface is covered with PTFE film coated with titanium dioxide, covering a total area of 21,000 square meters.
The underside of the canopy is covered with curved white perforated aluminium panels. The light diffuses through the ceiling to create a rich layer of light and shadow. The translucent visual effect eliminates the oppressive feeling of the massive volume, blurring the boundary between the canopy and the sky.
At night, with rich LED lighting, the ceiling is bright and transparent, providing a unique spectator experience during the game. Viewed from a distance, the entire canopy seems to float above the venue, but also like a white cloud wing, overshadowing the entire venue.
For more information, please visit www.uad.com.cn
Hosting the Shooting, Archery and Modern Pentathlon events at the 19th Asian Games, the venue was completed less than 100 days before the Opening Ceremony.
UAD adhered to the design concept of "Realising Green Asian Games through Economic Means and Constructing Cultural Asian Games through Low-tech Means". The 275,182 square metre site is surrounded by mountains to the west and north, bordered by water to the south and is connected with the city in the east.
On the basis of respecting the technological requires of each professional sport, and, combining that with a respect for the characteristics of the surrounding the Fuyang landscape, the 82,360.35 square metre sports centre, one of the 12 newly built venues for the 19th Asian Games, adopted a simple form and a compact spatial layout, incorporating environmentally friendly building materials.
The program considered how to apply contemporary construction techniques to create a diversified and composite sports arena, how to interpret the origins of the place while satisfying the functions of the competition, as well as how to convey the flavour of Hangzhou and the characteristics of Fuyang to the athletes and coaches from the different participating countries.
At the site, five terraces are set up to respond to the changes in elevation of the mountainous area, fully considering the protection of the natural environment, reducing mountain excavation, and balancing the internal earthwork.
The three competition event spaces are efficiently connected through the second-floor platform to reasonably organise the flow of people; the zones for 10m qualifying competition, 25m qualifying competition, 50m qualifying competition and final competition of the shooting competition are vertically distributed, and the common functions of the three events are centrally arranged in the press and security centres to efficiently utilise the site.
In terms of landscape, the shooting gymnasium is square in plane and huge in volume. The architectural modelling adopts the connection of multi-section sloping roofs, conforms to the
surrounding mountains, dispels the building volume, and integrates the buildings with the surrounding nature.
In terms of façade design, the ‘Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains’ is deduced in a modern way by parametric means and pixelated techniques.
The building abandoned parametric high-tech techniques such as mechanisation and adopted modular and low-cost standard components to realise them with low volume technology. In terms of design, 300mm to 520mm louvers were used as unit modules. Through the rotation of more than 37,000 unit modules placed at different angles, the natural scenery along the Fuchun River is sketched again in a low-tech rotating shaft mode, featuring "with louvers as the brush and sunlight as the ink".
In terms of construction, the rotation angle of the unit shutter is controlled by the gears at the bottom of the shutter. Each gear is moulded and produced with a minimum modulus of 5°, and the rotation angles of the shutter are limited to 15° to 85°, a total of 15 angles.
The smaller the angle modulus, the higher the number of units, the higher the pixels, and the landscape intention becomes clearer. Through these 15 simple louver rotation angles, complex pattern effects can be expressed with the help of sunlight.
The so-called lighting the nature originates from the phase "learning from the nature", which means not only imitating the nature, but also taking natural light as a teacher, imitating the changes in light and shadow, and then applying those changes to reinterpret nature in a simple way.
The surface that changes with the changes in light tells a story of light. When the sun rises, the building façade gradually unfolds
and the shadows gradually decrease; at noon, the sunlight shines directly on the mountaintop, the curtail walls and the louvers are in a strong contrast, and the distant mountains and near waters are clearly presented; at sunset, distant mountains, ancient trees and every aspect of the Fuchun landscape slowly disappear into the architectural surface; and at night, a beautiful Fuchun landscape will slowly unfold again under the influence of floodlights.
The building cleverly uses natural light to reproduce the Fuchun landscape with the brightness of the sun and the moon and the alternation of four seasons.
This project adheres to the design strategy of green and low carbon, rapid demolition and construction, and component reuse. In terms of the use space, structure and building facilities, giving full consideration to the possible reuse after the Games. For example, the news and security centres, auxiliary rooms, stables, etc., used a large number of recyclable steel structures as their main structures.
The temporary spectator stands incorporated a steel structure which was convenient for demolition after the Games. The competition sites are transformable into places for mass sports with higher public participation, such as swimming, basketball, badminton and table tennis, returning the facilities to the people and maintaining sustainable operations.
我們將介紹屢獲殊榮的浙江大學建築設計研究院 (UAD) 的兩個運動基建項目。創立於
1953年，UAD以和諧環境、全球視野、教學研究創作為一體的設計理念為主導，是國家 重點大學中最早成立的甲級設計院之一。
UAD
懷著「求實創新」的精神，將持續秉持「設 計創造共同價值」的原則，為社會各界提供最優質的設計與服務。
堅朗鋁單板是建築外牆的理想選擇，不僅外觀時尚美觀，而且具 有防火、防水、防腐等特性。這些優點使得鋁單板成為商業綜合 體、醫院、學校、住宅建築的熱門選擇。鋁單板優良耐候性能滿 足戶外外牆需要材料具有耐用性和美觀性的要求，並且易於清潔 和維護。
Tel: 2570 6233 oscar@kinlong.com / mail@kinlong.com
In 2021, 10 Design, part of Egis Group, created the winning competition proposal for Huafa Snow World, a 131-hectare entertainment destination in Shenzhen, China. Construction for the retail and entertainment plot, Huafa Snow Centre, one of the largest plots consisting of an indoor ski slope, a JW Marriott hotel, a themed shopping mall and office space, is currently underway and slated to open in 2025.
The visionary design for Huafa Snow World solidifies its strategic position at the heart of the burgeoning tech hub, Qianhai Bay, in northwest Shenzhen. Situated in a key location, conveniently linked to the airport and an intercity transportation hub, the new development provides locals with a place to gather, while easily attracting and connecting discerning business and leisure travellers from across the globe.
Anchored by an 80,000 square-meter indoor ski resort, the largest of its kind in the world, Huafa Snow World boasts a rich mix of retail, entertainment, commercial, hospitality, civic and cultural components, creating a vibrant destination.
An urban green axis runs through the site, from north to south, taking advantage of the prime waterfront setting. to create an activity hub and vibrant public realm, attracting guests and surrounding communities to connect and immerse themselves in nature.
A culture and civic cluster integrates with the central green space; and a lifestyle/retail cluster runs east to west, connecting the adjacent communities.
Intentionally placed to take advantage of riverfront views, the Huafa Snow Centre is the magnum opus of the development, integrating state-of-the-art ski facilities with themed retail and hotel offerings to provide a seamless experience for the visitors. 10 Design created an airy, undulating structure to house the grandiose 83-metre-high and 441-metre-long ski slope, with the supporting structure strategically exposed and translated into a unique visual element within the FUNMIX Zone below.
Design Principal, Lukasz Wawrzenczyk, says, “As opposed to creating an imposing structure, we’ve broken down the scale of the building into series of floating boxes, interlinked with each other to invite a sense of exploration within the dynamic mix of experiential retail, entertainment, and office space in the FUNMIX zone,” shares, “It will also serve as an intriguing gateway to the ski centre.”
Designed to attract the new generation of consumers, Huafa Snow World taps into the ever-present basic need for connection and socialising, creating a community-fuelled, immersive destination that boasts themed retail spaces and interactive installations.
The theme of snow is utilised throughout the master plan, for example, the design team has employed ceramic boards and aluminium panels to translate the texture of glaciers and ice crystals into a sleek and modern façade, and unified design language.
The cutting-edge design embodies the principles of sustainability, creating a leading, energy-efficient destination. The sloping roof of the main building is coated with solar panels, which offsets energy for the ski centre and adjacent commercial buildings.
A water management system harvests rainwater and irrigates the landscape, and a wetland reserve utilizes the sponge city concept, alleviating the problems of urban waterlogging, and reducing the development’s environmental impact.
Images and Information: Aedas
Trojena Ski Village, envisioned by Aedas Middle East, in NEOM, Saudi Arabia, will be the world’s first ‘vertical ski village’ and snow destination with year-round adventure sports in any of the six nations comprising The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
History is in the making as Saudi Arabia gears up to host the 10th Asian Winter Games in 2029 in Trojena, the Gulf Region’s first ever outdoor ski resort. Trojena is being built in the heart of NEOM, the Kingdom’s most ambitious giga project. Launched in 2017, the site is at the northern tip of the Red Sea, due east of Egypt across the Gulf of Aqaba and south of Jordan.
Scheduled for completion in 2026, the resort will include year-round skiing (3 months on snow and year-round synthetic ‘dry’ skiing), retail stores, restaurants, luxury mansions, apartments and luxury hotels including serviced apartments operated by prestigious operators.
By 2030, the tourist attraction is expected to host 700,000 annual visitors and be home to as many as 7,000 residents. The iconic development is designed by a consortium of architecture firms from all over the world with Aedas masterminding the design of the ski village.
Responding to the client’s simple yet complex brief to ‘create something never seen before’, Aedas came up with a disruptive new paradigm for ski village typology.
Aedas Middle East, Global Design Principal, Ignacio Gomez, explains, “For millennia, ski villages have had the same formula with
Our foremost consideration was to create a structure that would blend with the terrain. It has a monumental scale that reads as topography and feels as if it is born from the ground. With the passage of time, the building will age and acquire a patina. We imagine a future when it will become part of the mountain, completely camouflaged by snow.
multiple plots and buildings connected by roads. We challenged this convention by asking what if the village could be a building. This led us to dream up a superstructure that has the scale of a village but with all the connections and mobility happening vertically across several levels.”
The ski village is divided into five major zones connected through the roof and ground floor. The open ground floor is a celebration space for the public to enjoy a continuous activated landscape year-round. Morgans Original, located on the topmost level, offers exclusive views of the Gulf of Aqaba. Public areas enjoy ample natural daylight thanks to the skin design, optimised with a glazing system that protects the space from undue heat gains whilst offering glare control and visual quality.
Likewise, façade systems are designed to meet the aesthetic intent of the project while ensuring thermal and visual comfort of users. The roof structure of the village, designed to align with the natural undulations of the mountain, provides 2 kilometres of the planned 36 kilometres of ski slopes to create an adventure sports destination like no other.
Hong Kong Façade Association (HKFA) is proud to be an Official Supporting Organisation to Build4Asia Awards 2024
Build4Asia Awards celebrates achievement, development and innovation within the building industry and professional excellence in contributing to a quality and sustainable built environment.
Organised by Informa Markets in Asia and PRC Magazine, 2024 marked the third edition of arguably the fastest growing Building and Innovation awards program in the Greater Bay Area, with a record number of entries received.
The category for Projects Outside Hong Kong saw an almost 100% increase in entries, with many outstanding commercial projects from the mainland being seen for the first time. MixC Nanjing, designed by Lead8, took home the Outstanding Architecture – Projects Outside of Hong Kong (Commercial) Gold Award.
This year, new categories were introduced, including for innovations in façades. Although included for the first time, Excellence in Facades quickly became one of the most competitive categories in Awards’ history. HKFA was included in an expanded Awards Jury,
with both current HKFA President Simon Chan and Immediate Past President Peter Wong sharing their insights and expertise.
On 9 May 2024, at the Build4Asia Awards Presentation Ceremony held at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, our President Simon Chan addressed the audience with a welcome speech and introduced this year's finalists.
“Thank you to the organizers, Build4Asia and PRC Magazine for publicising the local façade industry and for bringing the achievements of our sector into the conversation within the local development community. HKFA congratulates the winners of the first ever Build4Asia Excellence in Façades Award.”
Held across Building and Innovation categories, Build4Asia Awards recognise the industry’s highest achievements and innovations from all corners of the building industry, with a special light shone on achievements in sustainability. The Awards’ highest accolade and top Jury Prize is the Excellence in Sustainability Award, which was also won by MixC Nanjing. Let's get ready for the next Awards in 2026!
THE WINNERS ARE:
This seminar is jointly organized by HKFA and Façade Group of Hong Kong Institute of Steel Construction, supported by Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Structural Division, The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers.
The overwhelming participation comprising the practising building professionals of Authorized Persons, Registered Structural Engineers, Technically Competent Persons, and Façade practitioners. Talks included
1. Codified Designer Laminated Glass with Composited Action,
2. Rethink Testing of Laminated Glass with Composite Action, both presented by Ir. Dr. Dominic Yu –Principal of Alpha Consulting Limited,
3. Structural Applications and Security/BRG presented by Mr. Ron Hull – Global Director of High Performance Product of Kuraray,
4. Structural Analysis and Behavior of Laminated Glass presented by Mr. George Zhou, Technical Director of Kuraray (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, and
5. Technical Sharing on the Tallest Glass Wall in Hong Kong – Taikoo Phase 2A & 2B presented by Mr. Andy Chan, Marketing Manager of G&M Engineering Co., Ltd.
Special thanks to Kuraray (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. and Tianjin North Glass Industrial Technical Co., Ltd. for their generous supports to this seminar.
The opening ceremony of the Exchange Conference “Integrated Development, Mutual Success – the Future of the Façade Industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area” was held in Hong Kong on May 11, 2024. Jointly organized by Hong Kong Façade Association, Building Windoor and Curtain Wall Society of Shenzhen, Guang Dong Construction Industry Association – Curtain Wall, Doors and Windows Division, and Macau Society of Metal Structures, the conference aimed to align and to join hands together with different organizations and individuals to facilitate cooperation and development of the façade industry in the Greater Bay Area.
In the conference opening ceremony, following by their warm welcome to all of the participants, the organizers expressed their excitement for the forthcoming cooperation and experience sharing between organizations and professionals of the façade industry in the Greater Bay Area.
In the exchange conference, industry professionals shared their precious experiences on façade design concepts and latest technical achievements.
The conference focused on reviewing industrial practice and standards in the Greater Bay Area in comparison to international norms in around the world. The conference also touched base on how to enhance project life cycle, to elevate efficiency and to achieve mutually beneficial in terms of a sustainable façade industry development in the Greater Bay Area.
In the Conference sharing session, Mr. Simon Chan, President of Hong Kong Façade Association, Mr. Min Shouxiang, Vice President of Building Windoor and Curtain Wall Society of Shenzhen, Mr. Lin Donghai, Deputy General Manager of Far East Façade (Hong Kong), Mr. Ji Haiping, NorthGlass Technology, and Mr. Zhou Zhen, Technical Director of Kuraray Group, shared their experience and insight on the façade industry. Each of them has given the audience a great speech with topics ranged from materials to system design and to construction stage in respect to the façade industry as a whole.
In the conference, participants were excited and were actively shared their experiences and insight on the façade industry. They all believed that the Exchange Conference had successfully aligned different organizations and individuals of the façade industry in
the Greater Bay Area. It also built a strong foundation for future cooperation and development for the façade industry in the Greater Bay Area.
In his concluding remarks, President Simon Chan emphasized the significant of the Conference by providing a platform which brings industrial professionals in across the Greater Bay Area together for a mutually successful future of the façade industry.
Following the Conference, a field trip to three of the iconic façade projects recently built in Hong Kong was organized. The three projects included the Henderson – free form unitized curtain wall, Two Tai Koo Place –Super-height mullion-less glass wall, and the window and door systems of the Residential Development at New Kowloon Inland at Kai Tak.
The Conference was successfully completed with the efforts made by the organizers and the presence and engagement of industrial peers. All participants found the conference information and enjoyable, and with valuable insights and memorable moments and we are looking forward for the next conference to be organized.
陳新能會長和杜繼予會長向北玻股份、可樂麗集團、遠東 幕牆（香港）有限公司以及信越控股有限公司等單位授予 紀念獎牌，以感謝他們對行業發展所做出的貢獻。
大會向各支持單位頒發紀念獎牌，以表彰其對本次交流 會的支援。
(左至右) 可樂麗集團技術總監周臻先生、遠東幕牆(香港)有限公司林東海副總經理、廣東省建築業協會幕牆門窗分會張 士翔會長、香港建築幕牆裝飾協會陳新能會長、深圳市建築門窗幕牆學會杜繼予會長、澳門金屬結構協會理事長何志堅 先生、北玻股份副總裁高琦先生
On March 9, 2024, HKFA conducted an on-site visit to Wo Lee’s Fanling Ping Che steel processing and distribution center. Wo Lee has a long history in Hong Kong; It owns a 400,000 square foot large steel storage warehouse and more than 60 different types of steel fabrication machines to provide a provide one-stop steel supply and steel-related fabrication services to Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.
The visit was informative and significant, with a lot of communication and interaction between speakers and participants. Special mention: Finally, we would like to thank Mr. Matthew Lai (CEO of Wo Lee Group), Mr. YW Leung (Director of Wo Lee Green Solutions), Mr. Choi (Wo Lee Green Solutions Welding Consultant) for sharing their professional knowledge and experience with the participants. We would also like to thank the speakers Mr. TY Wong (General Manager of Wo Lee Green Solutions) and Mr. Donald Choi (Technical and Quality Assurance Manager) for providing indepth sharing of steel traceability and steel fabrication. We look forward to future cooperation.
A comprehensive program of practical-based learning organized by HKFA is designed to students with the latest knowledge and skills in façade engineering, focusing on building façade design,analysis, and construction.
In part-time mode the program comprises 5 core subjects, 3 elective subjects, and one
Students will be eligible for Certificate of Attendance upon completion of all the core subjects.
Course code: FT/C2-202410 (all Tuesdays, 7pm-9pm )
HKFA Member $3,500 Non-Member $3,800
08 Oct 2024 Lecture 1
Introduction of Facade Design
15 Oct 2024 Lecture 2
Façade Used of Material
22 Oct 2024 Lecture 3
Acceptance and Manufacturing Process of Facade
29 Oct 2024 Lecture 4
Facade Structural Engineering
05 Nov 2024 Lecture 5
Planning & QA/QC of Curtain Wall Installation Works
This course is designed to meet the needs of latest market trends. It offers the most up-to-date practical application of BIM technologies and effective management information across all stages of your design and construction projects. Students will be eligible for Certificate of Attendance upon completion of this course.
Course code: FT/BIM-2024 (the 4th quarter of 2024) More detail coming soon in www.hkfacade.org
Chapter 1
Introduction to BIM and Potential BIM Use
Chapter 2
Information Management in BIM
Chapter 3
Hands-on Training
Graduates of core unit will enjoy a registration discount when enrolling elective subject. Others may also be undertaken separately more than one elective subjects. Certificate of Attendance will be awarded.
Course code: FT/E(1)-202409 (all Tuesdays, 7pm-9pm)
HKFA Member/Graduates of Core Unit $1,300 Non-Member $1,600
10 Sep 2024 Lecture 1
Sharing of Thermal Analysis – Building Envelope
17 Sep 2024 Lecture 2
The Science and Application of Acoustics
Course code: FT/E(2)-202409 (Tuesday, 7pm-9pm)
HKFA Member/Graduates of Core Unit $650 Non-Member $800
24 Sep 2024
Maintenance on Facade
Course code: FT/E(3)-202409 (Thursday, 7pm – 9pm)
HKFA Member/Graduates of Core Unit $750 Non-Member $900
26 Sep 2024
Fire Protection in Curtain Wall & Façade Systems
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