Far East Façade (Hong Kong) Limited, a subsidiary of China State Construction Development Holdings Limited, is a worldclass prestigious building façade solutions provider. Our mission is to create value for our clients by providing reliable, quality, and innovative building façade solutions, including design, engineering, procurement, manufacturing, fabrication, installation and project management of façade projects.
Tel: 2557 3121 Web: www.cscd.com.hk
Photographer: Tam Wai Man
MESSAGE FROM HKFA
In 2024, the Hong Kong façade industry grapples with a complex landscape. The increasing demand for innovative glazing and façade technologies, driven by local and global zero-carbon goals, present both opportunities and challenges. Industry stakeholders must adapt their strategies to navigate this dynamic environment.
Innovative glazing technologies like vacuum glass, Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), and dynamic glass are at the forefront of sustainable architecture, offering both energy efficiency and aesthetic value. Vacuum glass, with its superior insulation properties, minimizes heat transfer, thereby reducing the energy required for heating and cooling buildings. Vacuum glass retrofit systems can also help existing buildings improve solar shading performance without dismantling current windows or glass. BIPV systems integrate photovoltaic materials into building structures, such as façades or roofs, transforming buildings into energy producers rather than mere energy consumers. This not only helps in achieving Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) standards but also aligns with global initiatives to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Dynamic glass, with the ability to change its light transmission properties, enhances solar control, contributing to the building's thermal comfort without compromising natural light. These technologies signify a paradigm shift in building design, focusing on energy generation and conservation, and are pivotal in driving the construction industry towards a more sustainable future.
HKFA plays a crucial role in this transformation. By uniting top façade organisations and talented engineers, HKFA will surely contribute to shaping a sustainable future. Let’s collaborate to build a greener, healthier world!
Sincerly,
Mr. Wong Sek Wai,
Patrick Vice Chairman of Recreation & Welfares Sub-Committee Director of South Star Glass Limited
About Hong Kong Façade Association
SMART LIVING
Announcing the Treasury digital spatial asset platform
GREEN DESIGN
Beijing’s First Zero-Energy Building
COVER STORY
The Henderson – a Cutting-edge Tribute to Hong Kong’s Bauhinia
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
Architecture for the Mind, the Heart, and the Body
NICC a venue for government affairs related to the Belt and Road Initiative (Images and Info: Tanghua Architects)
A new commercial landmark set to redefine the Hangzhou
CBD (Info and Images: 10 Design)
Ultra-Luxury Living in the World's Tallest Residential Tower
TECH TALK
Introduction of the Blast Enhanced Façade
HKFA EVENTS
The Inauguration Ceremony of the 9th Term Council Board
Winners of The Project of the Year Award 2024
Cover image of The Henderson by Tam Wai Man
Treasury and Zaha Hadid Architects launch creator and quality focussed spatial asset platform London, UK:
Info and Images: ZHA
The platform includes a suite of creative and technology tools to discover and license premium spatial assets. Fostering a creative community and conversations on the importance of spatial design and the value of 3D assets in the age of the spatial internet, are a founding pillar.
Protection of the digital assets that power spatial computing and the metaverse, using fingerprinting is an integral feature of the platform.
Treasury elevates creators of spatial designs and builders of spatial experiences to collaborate in new ways, across the range of industries now exploring spatial computing - from art to health to retail.
The Treasury spatial asset platform is the foundation of a new era in design development for spatial assets and their applications.
Through Treasury:
• Creators and owners of premium spatial design assetsfrom architecture, film, art, real estate and more - license and monetise their existing spatial designs, stimulate new commissions and creative relationships, and protect their work from unlicensed use by machine learning and generative AI.
• Builders of premium spatial experiences - in entertainment, marketing, film/TV, gameing, education and medicine and more - can access trusted unique assets via Treasury, and use licensed AI datasets and tools to develop bespoke spatial content.
ZHA is contributing thousands of original designs for licensing through the platform, together with a range of premium creators in architecture, art, film, branded spaces and reality capture.
Principal of ZHA, Patrik Schumacher, said, “The metaverse is finally becoming a project of real scale and social impact, not just because Apple is committing to spatial computing, but because architecture is waking up to its potential and responsibility to design for digital space as much as for physical space. The Treasury platform is our way to help put the design industries at the centre of this revolution.”
Treasury assets including architectural exteriors and interiors, landscapes, artistic spaces and more, by Zaha Hadid Architects and other spatial creators including architects, reality capture specialists, artists, interactive experience developers and more, are now being deployed in premium spatial experiences by builders in games, events, branding, medicine, industry and more. The assets are placed as individual licenses, Foundation Sets of assets to build with as a development package of modules, and as new commissions.
As part of this partnership Treasury and Zaha Hadid Architects are also pioneering techniques to both fingerprint spatial assets, to monitor licensed use, and to harness ‘design DNA’ for the purpose of enabling a new, ‘cogenerative’ era of AI use, which is based on licensed training content, respects IP owners creatively, rewards them financially, and liberates new potential for builders of spatial experiences.
Treasury Spatial Data, a San Francisco based design technology startup, and Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), Treasury founding partner, announce the Treasury digital spatial asset platform.
Beijing’s First Zero-Energy Building
Designed by Gensler and co-developed by Shougang Fund and Royal Eagle Group (RGE), the first zero-energy building in Beijing was recently unveiled at Shoucheng Prospect Park.
Named the "Carbon-Neutral Pavilion", the building can reach an annual carbon reduction of 96 tons, annual carbon emission of 52 tons, accounting for an emission gap of -43 tons.
Info and Images: Gensler
The site of the project was formerly home to the Shougang Group steel factory. In 2020, Gensler joined Shougang Fund and RGE Group to redesign and transform the site into a low-carbon, sustainable office park which was completed earlier in 2024, with a total floor area of 440,000 square meters.
The office park adopts many sustainable technologies to reach carbon-neutrality, such as photovoltaic power generation, energy collection, and high-efficiency curtain walls, giving new life to the land and showcasing low-carbon strategies for the future, paving the way for the transformation of Shougang Group into a leading sustainable resource leading company.
The building caters to showcase the leading low-carbon technologies adopted in the construction and serves as an important pioneering study and breakthrough in the green building industry in China.
Six low-carbon strategies
Carbon-Neutral Pavilion is equipped with six low-carbon strategies:
(1) High-performance enclosure system
(2) High-efficiency cooling and heating source and electromechanical system
(3) Solar photovoltaic system
(4) Intelligent control system
(5) Green building materials system
(6) Carbon sink system
The comprehensive use of these systems has greatly improved the energy saving, consumption reduction and energy efficiency of carbon-neutral buildings, which not only balance their own energy supply, but also generate excess energy, to achieve Net Zero-Energy status, which is currently unattainable by other buildings in Beijing.
In order to further promote national green development and China's dual carbon goals, Shougang Fund, together with Beijing Green Exchange and other units, jointly held the "2024 Low-Carbon Building Industry Forum and unveiling event of the Shoucheng Prospect Park Carbon-Neutral Pavilion" on 22 March 2024 at the site. With the theme of "Focusing on Dual-Carbon Goals and Building a Better Future", the forum discussed the future path of green development in China.
The Carbon-Neutral Pavilion
The office park adopts many sustainable technologies such as photovoltaic power generation, energy collection, and high-efficiency curtain walls, giving new life to the land and showcasing low-carbon strategies for the future, paving the way for the transformation of Shougang Group into a leading sustainable resource company
At the project’s early stages, Gensler’s design team conducted in-depth analysis and discussions with the client's design team on the project's positioning, and reimagining how the project could contribute to the future urban development of the area. The design team hoped to draw inspiration from the heritage of Shougang Area and at the same time, utilise innovative urban planning and design techniques to redefine and transform the emerging district into a vibrant urban town.
With the guiding principles of "Humanity” and “Ecology”, Gensler created an urban framework centred on nature, comfort and wellness, to create an office campus that could not only stimulate the creativity of tenants, but would also be a vibrant place to work, live and play.
The Carbon-Neutral Pavilion serves as a pioneering model platform to quicken the pace of low-carbon development in the building industry in China, actively engaging with the industry. At the same time, the space will serve to showcase low-carbon technologies and encourage industry exchange for green and low-carbon enterprises, helping to foster highquality economic development of the Beijing capital.
The 2,400-square-meter building, with four floors, includes a zerocarbon technology exhibition hall, an exchange lobby for various forums, exhibitions, small meetings and other functions. In terms of passive design, the Carbon-Neutral Pavilion created two double-layer hollow spaces on the first and third floors, and an open staircase between the two spaces forming a continuous vertical space.
During the summer months, natural ventilation can be maximized to reduce energy consumption. The story heights and windowto-wall ratios of the entire building have been calculated to optimal efficiency. Overhanging balconies adopt advanced HIT insulated non-thermal bridging construction technology to reduce temperature fluctuations and maximize the reduction of the building's energy consumption.
Active building design
In terms of active design, the project is divided into two main parts: the façade and the roof. The façade uses an advanced BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaic) imitation metal photovoltaic curtain wall. On the highly solar exposed west and south façades, the curtain wall can be flipped to maximise its solar energy utilisation.
"In the face of the severe challenge of global climate change, every person and every industry bear a responsibility. To realise China’s 2035 national Dual Control Targets for carbon emissions, we need to accelerate the process of transitioning away from fossil fuels, and the realisation of new energy power substitution in the construction sector is a key contributor.”
Regional Managing Principal, Gensler Greater China, Xiaomei Li
The curtain wall system also utilizes a thermally broken window frame. The glass is composed of triple-silver, low-e, photovoltaic glass to achieve active and passive energy savings, combined with electric external sunshades.
The roof adopts a modular solar panel system, creating a form high in the north and low in the south to improve the efficiency of solar energy reception. A certain amount of space is left between each module to allow natural light to penetrate to the roof garden. The solar energy is then contained in distributed energy storage for later use.
For solar panel on the roof, there are 16 independent load-bearing tree structures, providing a warm ambience to the garden below. Each tree-shaped umbrella acts as a functional work of art.
Metrics – Achieving operational carbon neutrality
Through a series of advanced active and passive low-carbon technologies, this Carbon-Neutral Pavilion can achieve Net-Zero Energy. Carbon emission generated by building operation is estimated to be 49.63 tons per year, while the electricity generated by the photovoltaic roof and curtain wall is 57.04 tons carbon emissions per year, while excess electricity will be sold back to the government for public use.
The Shoucheng Prospect Park "Carbon-Neutral Pavilion" is a seed of sustainable thinking, representing the transformation of Shougang Group from a high-carbon emission factory into a sustainable energy company, reflecting the site’s welcome of more advanced low-carbon technologies, and highlighting Gensler's social responsibility as a leading architectural design firm. As an architectural design firm with millions of square metres of buildings and interior design projects in the pipeline annually, Gensler has a unique obligation and opportunity to focus on sustainability in the built environment.
In 2015, at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21), Gensler signed the Paris Agreement, agreeing to significantly reduce carbon emissions in our global portfolio of work. To date, Gensler's designers have made significant progress toward our goals with innovative design techniques and technology. According to our 2021 portfolio performance metrics, the top 20% of Gensler’s portfolio has already achieved performance improvement targets in line with our 2030 goals.
The Little Queen: The Henderson’s Tribute to Hong Kong’s Bauhinia
Balancing the powerful forms of Central Hong Kong’s skyline, The Henderson’s bauhinia-inspired curves introduce a softer, more sustainable future for urban design. Explore how this new icon embraces innovation in every detail.
Photography: Tam Wai Man and Vivien Liu Text: Julienne Raboca
“Our building is located on the East-West axis, flanked by two rows of heroes,” begins Kevin Ng, Senior Deputy General Manager at Henderson Land Development Co. Ltd. “These powerful, masculine forms dominate the skyline like soldiers in a parade. So, why not introduce a little princess or a queen in the middle?” This playful yet purposeful vision guided the design of The Henderson, an architectural jewel that softens the hard edges of Hong Kong’s urban landscape.
Crafted by the world-renowned Zaha Hadid Architects, The Henderson is a sculptural masterpiece that takes inspiration from the delicate bauhinia, Hong Kong’s city flower. Located between Central and Admiralty, across from the asymmetrical Bank of China Tower by I.M. Pei, and near Norman Foster’s HSBC headquarters, The Henderson stands as a new icon for the 21st-century cityscape, offering a graceful counterpoint to the angular, imposing structures that surround it.
Flanked by Chater Garden, Lambeth Walk Rest Garden, and Hong Kong Park—and connected to the city’s extensive footbridge network— The Henderson integrates into the urban fabric. Its design reflects a deep respect for the city’s history and environment, merging parametric design with a commitment to livability.
As Hong Kong eagerly anticipates the grand opening in March 2025, right before Art Basel, the vision behind The Henderson becomes clear: to create a timeless structure that elevates the city’s architectural heritage whilst introducing the workplace of tomorrow. Ng’s reflections capture the essence of The Henderson—a building that is as much about the future as it is about honouring the past, a “littlequeen” in a cityscape filled with giants.
The curved glass façade
The Henderson introduces an all-glass curved façade to Hong Kong’s skyline—a design choice that required a departure from the conventional faceted glass seen on similar structures. This ambitious project wasn’t without its hurdles, from the unique double-curved shapes to the technical challenges of producing these bespoke glass panels.
“We didn’t know who could do it,” recalls Ng, encapsulating the uncertainty that marked the early stages of the project. Despite collaborating with top-tier glass fabricators around the globe, early attempts were met with frustration. Issues with tolerances and optical deformation in the curved glass panels nearly derailed the project, punctuating the unprecedented nature of this design.
The project's top management needed to see tangible proof that the design could work. This led to a series of detailed mock-ups, which weren’t just formalities but critical steps in securing the necessary approvals.
“Our top management visited the mock-ups, and we all learned a lot—about tolerances, optical deformation, and the coatings that would be crucial in making this work,” Ng explained. These mockups became a proving ground, allowing the team to refine their approach and find solutions in real-time.
Aside from the mock-ups, extensive research and the use of “digital mould” technology helped Henderson Land to address the issues with tolerances and optical deformation. The adoption of precision digitization was key in achieving the complex curvature required for each glass panel, ensuring a perfect fit within each frame.
“Without the digital mould, we couldn’t have built it,” Ng admits. This level of precision also led to a bold decision: the building would not maintain spare glass panels. Instead, the exactness of the fabrication process meant that replacements could be produced on demand with the same high level of accuracy—a gamble that demonstrates the project’s reliance on cutting-edge technology.
Façade resilience: Innovating for the inevitable
Hong Kong’s notorious typhoons present a constant threat to highrise buildings. For The Henderson, the team developed a concept they called “façade resilience.”
Ng emphasised, “Flying objects are the real threat during a typhoon, not just the high wind pressure.”
The glass panels were designed to break in a controlled manner, ensuring that even if damaged, the building’s appearance would remain intact until repairs could be made. This approach provided a buffer against the unpredictable, allowing the building to maintain its integrity in the face of nature’s fury, and defying the growing climate crisis with extreme weather phenomena.
Beyond aesthetics and resilience, the façade plays a determining role in the building’s sustainability strategy. The patented solarresponsive ventilators, automated blinds, and openable windows—all controlled by a smart system—adapt in real-time to weather data collected from rooftop and street-level stations. These smart features are not just modern conveniences; they reduce the building’s energy consumption through the user’s behaviour change willingly, without compromising comfort. Collectively, they contribute to a 40-50% reduction in carbon emissions in the operation phase, leading to carbon neutrality in the long run.
Ng highlights the importance of reducing demand: “We try to use digital mould, and enhance accuracy to reduce wastage.” This philosophy of reduction permeates every aspect of the building’s design, sustainability being a core principle.
After initial hurdles, the team’s perseverance and innovation paid off, allowing them to produce the bespoke double-curved glass panels that define The Henderson’s striking façade. The final result is a building that not only meets the aesthetic and technical demands of the design but also stands resilient against the challenges posed by Hong Kong’s harsh weather conditions.
A new kind of façade
One of the more unique features of The Henderson is its tailored knuckle crane system, installed in the “recess facade” specifically
designed for Christie's, the international auction house. As Christie’s transitions to monthly exhibitions, the tailor-made crane system facilitates the efficient transportation of large and heavy artworks. This customisation underscores The Henderson’s adaptability, showing that the building is not just a static structure but a responsive environment designed to meet—and even exceed—the specific needs of its tenants.
In another first, The Henderson also features a media façade that can display digital content across multiple planes without disrupting the building's sleek look. "It’s not like a typical LED billboard that sticks out like a sore thumb," Ng notes.
The media façade remains invisible when not in use, avoiding the unsightly appearance of traditional screens. When activated, it can display synchronised messages and graphics, turning the building into a dynamic part of the cityscape.
Passion and foresight
From the outset, The Henderson was envisioned as a “little queen” among the towering giants of Hong Kong’s skyline—a symbol of innovation and elegance. The journey to realise this vision, however, was anything but straightforward. The challenges faced, from crafting the intricate curved glass façade to navigating the complexities of the MTR-laden underground, tested the limits of modern engineering.
Yet, it was the passion and foresight of the building professional team that ensured this project came to life. Their proactive approach, expressed in Ng’s words “don’t let the problem become a problem, take it as an opportunity to go the extra mile” allowed The Henderson to stay on course even when the odds were stacked against it.
As The Henderson prepares to take its place among the city’s architectural icons, it stands as more than just a new addition to the skyline. It embodies a shift towards a more thoughtful, sustainable approach to urban development in Hong Kong.
Social Architecture for the Mind, the Heart, and the Body
Creating experiential buildings that deliver lasting social impacts, Montreal-based ACDF Architecture (ACDF), proudly presents Complexe Sportif et Culturel Collège Notre-Dame, a new social epicentre in the beating heart of a campus founded all the way back in 1869.
ACDF was commissioned to design a new sports centre that would unite its student population and have a positive impact on the daily lives of all students. The new 1,825m² facility houses two double gymnasiums, sports team changing rooms, a training room, a running track, multifunctional rooms for dance and theatre, and a central connector hall.
Collège Notre-Dame advocates education that seeks the perfect balance between mind, heart, and body to prepare students to contribute positively to society. Given the significant increase in the number of students in recent decades, the sports and cultural facilities at Collège Notre-Dame made it difficult for the institution to maintain its mission, which includes a strong focus on sports and an abundance of cultural activities.
Photography: Adrien Williams Information: ACDF
Unity and Connection
The new complex is positioned in the heart of the campus, at the crossroads of all pedestrian circulations connecting students with the institution’s legacy educational buildings and its outdoor sports facilities. Imbued with a certain architectural sobriety, the new sports and cultural centre is windowed onto the exterior along its entire periphery, creating constant visual relationships between passers-by and users, and thereby promoting activities taking place within.
ACDF President, Maxime-Alexis Frappier, an alumnus of the college and one of the architects of the school’s modern campus masterplan, stated, “We approached this project as being a very important tool for promoting a greater sense of community among students. We wanted to focus on a central and fully exposed facility that would invoke a greater sense of being part of the overall social vibe of the college.”
Façades - a window to campus life
ACDF applied a horizontal language to the design of a massive rectangular building, with an upper level characterized by an opaque façade of anthracite-coloured aluminium panelling that conceals the facility’s mechanical systems in its corners. The rectangular upper level protrudes beyond the borders of a lower level, offering protection against direct sunlight and the elements, while enabling penetration of abundant natural light into the building.
The lower level features a fully glazed façade of curtain walls, providing direct views from the pedestrian level to overlook activities taking place inside the new facility. Rounded corners create an oval shape for the fully glazed lower level, injecting a greater sense of fluidity into
circulation patterns around the building. Directly above the main entrance to the complex, the aluminium panelling of the upper level blends seamlessly into darkly tinted glass, highlighting activities unfolding in the complex’s multifunctional rooms, including dance, improvisation, theatre, fencing, and more.
Inside the new complex, a 360-degree running track rings the entire building at the main pedestrian level. The track encircles two sunken double gymnasiums, and the installation of an acoustic ceiling above masterfully calms the collective vibrancy of the environment.
The façade provides a window onto all of it for passersby and, conversely, also connects track users and others on the inside with the surrounding external landscape and pedestrian traffic of campus life.
The uneven topography also presented an opportunity to erect a natural stone wall along the lowest levels of the building, directly beneath the façade. The selection of natural stone pays homage to the architectural styles and palette of the surrounding heritage buildings that reflect varying eras of English and French-inspired architecture, including initial buildings built in the 1880s, and subsequent expansions completed in 1929 and the 1960s, while further integrating the new complex as a central and unifying element of the campus. An expansive green roof caps it all off, with high visibility from all of the surrounding classrooms and study halls of the college.
“More than just a building, the new complex pays tribute to the Collège Notre Dame mission,” explains Frappier. “It is designed to make students feel that they are part of something special, in the heart of the action, whether they are playing a sport, rehearsing theatre, or simply making their way across the campus.”
NICC COVERED BRIDGE AN ECOLOGICAL ICON AND CULTURAL NEXUS
Ningbo International Conference Centre (NICC) serves as a venue for government affairs and business activities related to the Belt and Road Initiative and Yangtze River Delta Integration Plan. It symbolises national culture and plays the role of a bridge connecting Ningbo and the world.
Images and Info: Tanghua Architects
Tanghua Architects conceived a conference centre in the form of a covered bridge surrounded by picturesque mountain and river landscapes. The scheme, with distinctive design and a response to the genius loci (the special atmosphere of a place), stood out among other proposals in an international competition.
The conference centre is located in the Dongqian Lake Scenic Area on the southeast outskirts of Ningbo City. Adjacent to the west shore of Dongqian Lake and connected to two mountains on its north and south sides, the core plot spans about 49 hectares. It's where the streams, rivers, lakes, mountains, lotus ponds, water outlets and riverbanks meet, and expansive paddies and wetlands unfold across thousands of square meters.
Circulation
The covered bridge is not just a simple bridge, but rather, a building in the form of a bridge. It serves as a multi-functional public open space, providing shelter from the sun and rain, as well as a place for people to rest, communicate, gather, and enjoy the scenery. This unique structure also contributes to establishing an educational hub that blends the elements of local culture, history, and science.
The building is divided into four areas by three water outlets with the programs arranged according to the public-private logic from north to south. The northern part of the layout is an 11,000m 2 large-scale multi-purpose hall, which is followed by the 5,500m 2 main venue, the 3,700m 2 banquet hall and the 1,800m 2 summit area. The southern part is a five-star hotel with 342 rooms.
The main building volume is elevated to 5m in height, with the main structure, equipment and service functions packed into a 5m height volume. The conference floor is 10 meters above the site's ground. Taking advantage of the site's height variance between the north and the south, the conference centre can be connected to the city road on different heights, realising three-dimensional traffic.
When hosting meetings, attendees enter the conference centre from the upper level and exit from the lower level, while service circulation and freight circulation are organized separately. With multiple exits connecting with the urban public transportation network, smooth assemblage and evacuation are ensured.
When the conference venues are closed, the covered bridge and the commercial streets are open to the public round the clock, transforming into an iconic market and settlements reminiscent of Jiangnan water towns.
Environmental & Ecological Conservation
The emphasis on environmental conservation, energy efficiency, and emissions reduction is integrated into individual buildings and the urban infrastructure network. The project site is located next to Gaoqiu Weir, an important area for flood diversion and storage as part of the Dongqian Lake flood control system. To minimise the impact on the local hydrological environment, the design team conceived a stilted bridgestyle building elevated above the fields. This allows for a close view of Dongqian Lake without altering the intrinsic properties of Gaoqiu Weir.
To reduce rainwater runoff and water pollution, green roofs are employed, while permeable paving materials are used to retain large areas of green space and increase water infiltration and replenishment. Additionally, on-site renewable PV energy is used to provide hot water, and a geothermal heat exchange system is implemented to enhance energy conservation and save space resources.
Tracing back to the cultural origin of Ningbo City, agriculture can be regarded as the root of the Hemudu culture. By preserving the natural wetland on the site, Tanghua Architects’ design juxtaposes the high-
density, fast-paced urbanised area with the idyllic natural space, and integrates the cultural tourism industry system with the exhibition industry system.
The design preserved the site's existing topography, water system and ecosystem, with the conference centre arranged overhead in a northsouth belt-shaped area. The compact configuration of the building ensures the preservation of 36.7 hectares of agrarian landscape, embodying a romantic retention of agricultural landscape in the era of rapid urban expansion. This allows for flexibly reserving land for potential future urban development.
The three water outlets naturally become landscape nodes between the functional volumes and open spaces. Small-scale streets and commercial settlements which are connected to the conference centre are arranged along the water, together with the villages, market streets, temples, they constitute a multi-dimensional urban scene like that of a picturesque Jiangnan scroll painting.
It's the nexus between the regional culture and the modern city, a contemporary Jiangnan water town where the rivers and lakes meet and accommodate both farming and commerce, and a Ningbo sample of the people's longing for a better life.
AN URBAN SANCTUARY IN HANGZHOU’S
FUTURE CBD
A new commercial landmark set to redefine the Hangzhou’s future Central Business District, CR Land’s, Chengbei MixC, has been unveiled by 10 Design, (part of Egis’ Architecture Line).
Located in the emerging Liangzhu New Town of northern Hangzhou, CR Land’s Approx. 293,000 square metre Chengbei MixC, completed in 2023, stands as a new urban icon, seamlessly connecting the city centre via two metro lines. Adjacent to a sprawling public park, this masterfully planned 800,000 square metre development perfectly balances function and aesthetics, setting a new standard for modern live-work environments.
10 Design was commissioned to design the Grade-A office tower and a 160,000 square metre shopping mall. Complemented by a residential community for 2,000 households, this mixed-use complex, situated on a land parcel of approximately 62,000 square metres, is poised to activate the district and become a new growth engine for the city.
Nurtured by Nature
Woven in the dense network of water ways and green spaces, the site’s unique urban setting has inspired the functional layout of the development, and its vision to create intimate connections between people, built environment, and nature.
Drawing inspiration from Hangzhou's picturesque streams and mountains, the design seamlessly blends nature throughout the site. The podium's green terraces and open staircase evoke the image of gemstones nestled within rugged rock formations, while the glass boxes artfully juxtaposed against stone cladding add depth and contrast to the façade.
The open retail street links the retail podium, office tower, MTR station, residential areas, and commercial hubs, embodying the essence of a connected urban sanctuary. Seamlessly integrating the adjoining urban greenery, the open retail street invites visitors to immerse themselves in the harmony of nature and modern design. Water features woven throughout the site further enhance the ambiance, transforming the retail street and entrance plaza into a vibrant public space that offers a unique biophilic experience. Rising 285 meters into the Hangzhou skyline, the office tower sets a new precedent as the district's tallest structure, offering breathtaking views of the urban green spaces and cityscape beyond. The tower's sleek and contemporary design prioritizes flexibility, catering to the diverse needs of startups and established corporations alike. Standing as a beacon in the area, the landmark tower also symbolises robust momentum of growth and infinite opportunities for the city.
Design Principal – Retail, Chin Yong Ng, stated: “The open retail street is to provide an enhanced pedestrian experience between key functional space and amenities in the area. Blended with al-fresco dining, interactive landscape features and art installations, it will invite footfall to the shopping mall and injecting vitality into the area.”
Design Principal, Peby Pratama, concluded, "As a pilot project of the district’s ambitious development plan, Chengbei MixC is to become a transformational force of the future CBD. Our design creates a live-work activity centre where round-the-clock programmes will be offered to serve the office workers, shoppers, and the residential communities nearby.”
Consultants
Lead Design Architect: 10 Design
Local Architect: Hanjia Design Group
Interior Designer: Woods Bagot
Landscape Consultant : iPD
Structure Engineer: WSP
E&M Engineer: Meinhardt
Lighting Consultant: BPI
Traffic Consultant: MVA
Façade Consultant: Schmidlin
Ultra-Luxury Living in the World's Tallest Residential Tower
Embarking on a new era, Select Group, a real estate developer headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, has announced the much-anticipated launch of Six Senses Residences Dubai Marina, marking a new chapter in ultra-luxury living.
Info and Images: Six Senses Residences
This significant milestone in architectural excellence is set to claim the title of the tallest residential tower globally as it reshapes the Dubai Marina skyline with its unparalleled height reaching 517 metres.
Select Group and Six Senses Launch trySix Senses Residences Dubai Marina
The development follows the successful partnership between Select Group and Six Senses for the award-winning Six Senses Residences The Palm, Dubai and signifies Six Senses' first-ever standalone residential development. Strategically located in the vibrant Dubai Marina district, the ultra-luxury 122-storey development embodies the essence of urban sophistication, offering residents an unparalleled wellness and lifestyle experience amidst stunning panoramic views of Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Harbour Beachfront, Emirates Golf Course, Dubai Marina, Blue Waters and Ain Dubai. Six Senses Residences Dubai Marina presents 251 residences in a captivating array of unit typologies and sizes, ranging from two- to four-bedroom deluxe residences, half-floor penthouses, as well as duplex and triplex Sky Mansions. Each residence is a testament to meticulous design, promoting sustainability, well-being, and happiness. The interior design is a fusion of biophilia and classical feng shui, creating a unique living environment that is sure to intrigue even the most discerning buyers and investors.
From cutting-edge fitness facilities to specialised longevity areas and landscaped social spaces on the 109th-floor Skydeck, Six Senses Residences Dubai Marina delivers a new benchmark for residential health and wellness. Among the remarkable amenities are cardio, strength and functional gyms, virtual cycling and boxing studios, an infinity pool, ice baths, salt room, bio, Finnish and infrared saunas, sound healing room, massage suites, indoor and outdoor cinemas, and a longevity clinic providing a comprehensive range of services to enhance revitalisation.
Under the architectural guidance of the globally acclaimed team at WSP Middle East and Woods Bagot, accompanied by the interior design by Mitchell & Eades and supported by the health and wellness design strategies from Energy & Space, Six Senses Residences Dubai Marina emerges as a distinguished architectural masterpiece, set to establish a new global standard in residential wellness.
The development is at 25% completion and is scheduled for handover in 2028.
Select Group CEO, Rahail Aslam, said: With the development of Six Senses Residences Dubai Marina, our aim is to redefine luxury living with a central emphasis on the holistic well-being of our residents. Our commitment to excellence resonates throughout every aspect of the project, from its ultra-luxurious design to its carefully selected range of amenities, offering residents an unmatched lifestyle experience.”
ENHANCED FAÇADE
Info and Images: Far East Façade (HK) Ltd
Security is the key consideration for the building developers as terrorist attacks as well as the accident explosion have been a concern since the last two decades. Bomb blast attack on buildings is the first consideration for the security protection of the buildings especially the lower level of the buildings.
In 1995, 167 people died, and hundreds were injured by the bomb blast attack in the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, US. Reference to later some investigation shows that numerous people were injured by failure of window glass in the explosion. The United States (US) Government General Service Administration (GSA) developed security criteria for the blast enhanced structures defining the hazard levels and conditions. In 2003 test protocol GASTS01:2003 for glazing and window also be published which defining the standard test method under dynamic overpressure loading. The international Organization for Standardization (ISO) published ISO 16933 which extended the test condition to cover large charges in range of arena test and China also issued parallel standard of GB/T 29908-2013 “Classification and test method of air-blast resistance performance for curtain wall, windows and doors.”
The façade is the first protective enclosure of the building which extremely concerning with blast action behavior. Since last two decades, the requests from developers on the blast enhanced façade design has become the common specification on the landmark and important buildings. In 2020, China also published a technical standard of “Standard for blast protection design of civil building, T/CECS 736-2020” which give recommendation on blast protection design on façade especially for the consulate, government building, data center and other critical infrastructures. This showcases the actual need of blast enhanced façade in the building development and alignment with government policy.
The design concept of blast enhanced façade is different from the common quasi-static wind loading analysis as blast loading is
non-linear dynamic and acceptance high strain design. The blast load generated by bomb normally calculating from weight of TNT and distance from the target building (R, Stand-off distance). The blast load is in the wave form hitting on the façade surface. The design of blast enhanced façade would concern the type of glass, interlayer of laminated, structural sealant, framing and the bracket. Normal specification of blast enhanced façade usually based on the Hazard-rating of IS0 16933 (GB/T 29908-2013) from rating A to C which represented “No break” to “Minimal Hazard”. One of the key functions of the blast enhanced façade is absorbed blast energy and minimizing the occupiers be injured by the glass fragment as well as reducing energy transfer to the main structure which make use of plastic behavior of laminated glass and frame of large plastic deformation.
Open Air Arena Test is most realistic test to predict the performance of the blast façade system and the hazard-rating. The sample is installed in the design stand-off distance with a gauge block located at same distance to verify the testing peak pressure and impulse from the explosion. The test is recorded by high-speed video and the glass fragments are recorded for hazard rating classification. The open air arena test requires many resource and the testing site are limited in Europe or US. Owing to the travel restriction during COVID-19, Far East Façade (Hong Kong) limited invest a research project developed an numerical analysis method to simulate façade behavior under blast load . The research result comparing with real arena test concluded that the numerical analysis method developed from the research matching the hazard rating from real test . Two research papers are published by Engineering Structures in April 2024 [1] and Progress in Steel Building Structures at November 2023 [2]. In the future, we could make use of this innovative technology to minimizing or replacing the open air arena test by the numerical analysis method as well as assessing more system in the same or existing project to predict the result in order to enhance the safety of our city in more economical and environmental way.
The Inauguration Ceremony of
the 9th Term Council Board
(2023-2026)
On Friday, 17 May 2024, the new Council Board of HKFA was formally inaugurated in a ceremony on Holiday Inn Golden Mile Hotel that brought together members, guests, and industrial leaders along with delegates with joy and immense exultation.
The twelve-member Board, chaired by President, Simon Chan, has Mr. Andy Chan (VP), Mr. Sammy Hui (VP), Mr. James Feng, Mr. Law Yung Koon, Mr. Kevin Lee, Mr. Michael Leung, Mr. Ivan Leung, Mr. Richard Shek, Mr. Ray Wan, Mr. Peter Wong and Mr. Patrick Wong as Board Members.
Simon opened the ceremony with the acknowledgement to the presence of Guest of Honor, Ir Prof. Thomas Ho, Chairman of Construction Industry Council. In his remarks, Simon appreciated all members for putting their trust in HKFA over the years. “HKFA has always played a significant role in advancing knowledge and applying those advances to the benefit of the society, a focus that is as important today as it was in the HKFA history.” he added.
To succeed in this pursuit, Simon said that HKFA will have to continue its commitment to a combination of excellence, ambition, focus, intimacy, and perspective, even it is difficult to achieve, and
perhaps even more challenging to maintain in changing time. “Supporting and nurturing are the key to our continued success.” Simon added, HKFA must retain its fearlessness to explore new ideas, as there are “no shortcuts to reimagining our place.”
After the greetings from Simon, Ir Prof. Ho made a valuable talk to the guests, he emphasised that high-quality development, innovative and automatic production technology and new productive forces are crucial to sustain the status of Hong Kong as being the exemplar for pioneers in the building façade industry compared with other regions. In view of the industrial accidents in recent years, Ir Prof. Ho raised his concern for work safety. To ensure a safe working environment, dynamic risk assessment should be carried out prior to commencement of work include creating inspection and test plan, design for safety, enforce safety procedures, conduct regular safety training, and develop master role model for workers to follow.
Info and Images: HKFA
The ceremony programmed with the presentation of Project of the Year Award 2024. This Award aims to define the importance of high-performance facades and the inseparability of this aspect of building design from the overall contribution to the discipline of façade engineering. The awards were fairly voted by all guests of the ceremony from 10 projects completed in Hong Kong between Jan 2022 to April 2024.
Lastly, Simon expressed great gratitude on behalf of the new Board during the curtain call, to all the honourable guests for their presence and support.
THE WINNERS ARE
HKFA Project of the Year Awards 2024
Client : Henderson Land Development Company Limited
Main Contractor: Hip Hing Engineering Company Limited
Façade Contractor: Far East Façade (Hong Kong) Limited
Gold / 金獎
The Henderson Info and Images: HKFA
HKFA Project of the Year Awards 2024
Client : Nan Fung Group
Main Contractor: Hip Hing Engineering Company Limited
Façade Contractor: Jangho Hong Kong Holdings Limited
AIRSIDE (Tower A)
Kai Tak Sports Park Main Stadium
Client : Kai Tak Sports Park Limited Main Contractor: Hip Hing Engineering Company Limited Main Stadium Cladding Contractor: G&M Engineering Co., Ltd.
Client: The Government of HKSAR of the People’s Republic of China
Main Contractor: Hip Hing Engineering Company Limited
Façade Contractor: Far East Façade (Hong Kong) Limited
Immigration Headquarters
The Millennity
Client: Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited
Main Contractor: Yee Fai Construction Company Limited
Tower Facade Sub-Contractor: Entasis Limited (HK)
HKFA Project of the Year Awards 2024
11 Skies A2
Client: New World Development Company Limited
Main Contractor: Hip Seng Builders Limited
Façade Contractor: Hip Seng Facade Engineering Company Limited
11 Skies A3 (Package B)
Client: New World Development Company Limited
NCB Innovation Centre
Client: New World Development Company Limited
Main Contractor: Hip Seng Construction Company Limited
Façade Contractor: Hip Seng Facade Engineering Company Limited
Ceiling Cladding Contractor: Hip Seng Facade Engineering Company Limited
83 Wing Hong Street
Client: New World Development Company Limited
Main Contractor: Hip Seng Construction Company Limited
Façade Contractor: Hip Seng Facade Engineering Company Limited
AIA Urban Campus Redevelopment
Client: AIA Group
Main Contractor: Hip Hing Construction Company Limited
Façade Contractor: Jangho Hong Kong Holdings Limited
