PRC Magazine #111 (Architecture | Building | Construction)

The patented air-assisted sealing system from air-lux has been adapted to create this stunning Pivot Doors. A set of two air-lux pneumatic seals run all around the moving panels to make the pivot door 100% impermeable to driving rain, air infiltration and provide a significant noise reduction.

air-lux pivot solutions can be used without problems in façades that are highly exposed to the elements –flush to finish floor levels, and without awnings or structural projections.

Excellent running characteristics, no wear & tear – sustainable over a very long life-cycle.

THE DECORATIVE GLASS EXPERT

Orientop, Asia’s premier manufacturer of decorative interior glass, headquartered in Hong Kong, provided stunning glass panels in the Regala Skycity Hotel’s main lobby, typical lobby, corridor, banquet hall and restaurant. Orientop also designed special glass features for the hotel’s 1,200 guest rooms, over 20,000 sqm.

Regala Skycity Hotel, a newly open hotel located in SKYCITY at Hong Kong International Airport, offers comfortable and affordable luxury facilities and is directly connected to Asia World-Expo and 11 SKIES.

Glass panel production commenced in Dec 2019 and was completed in Mar 2020, ready to install, which is a super-short time and reflects the unequalled production capacity of their factories!

Superior quality control ensured all featured patterns were perfectly aligned in the guest room sliding bathroom doors. Glass sample records will be kept for at least 10 years to ensure ease of maintenance or replacement. Orientop also provided the installation service to speed up the production and fit-out times.

SHORTEST PRODUCTION TIME VERSATILE AND COST-EFFECTIVE

At Vivace restaurant located on the 3/F, Orientop provided the light box glass for the rear counters and created a bespoke luxury feature wall. Feature walls in the toilets also match the pattern on the base of the sink to create a seamless vibe throughout. Using decorative glass is much more cost efficient than stone but can be designed with blue agate glass which is attractive to the eye and easy to clean.

For more information on the wonderful world of decorative glass, please contact us today.

For more information, please contact:

Jenny Yip at jenny@glasslam-asia.com

Tel: (852) 3977 4209 / (852) 9682 3227

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VIVA PROPERTIES’ VIVA PLACE: ICONIC NEW OFFICE TOWER IN ISLAND SOUTH

JLL has announced that the firm has been appointed by Viva Properties as the sole leasing agent and property manager of Viva Place (“ViP”), a Grade A commercial building. The property is set to be the new iconic building in the emerging commercial district of Island South, upon completion. Located at No. 36 Heung Yip Road, the main commercial avenue of Island South, ViP is the most premium office development in the area with completion slated for the fourth quarter of 2023. ViP has 27 floors on top of the three basement levels for parking. It has a GFA of approx. 28,800 m² and a sizable floor plate of approx. 1,100 m² with each floor having a clear floor-to-ceiling height of 2.9 metres. The occupants at ViP will be surrounded by green spaces, including features floors with terraces and greenery area, sky garden at 16/F and roof top garden, which provide ideal spots to take a break and rejuvenate. www.jll.com.hk

TRANSFORMING BLDG FROM THE PAST INTO AN OFFICE FOR THE FUTURE

MULTI-DIMENSIONAL URBAN LIVING ROOM IN MIANYANG, CHINA

Science and Technology City New Area in Mianyang is positioned to be a cradle for high-tech innovative industries with vibrant public realms. Aedas Executive Director Yaochun Wen led the team to create a new mixed-use hub that faces Anchang River, inter-connecting the ecological park and business zone in the area. The project is designed to be a sustainable living room for Mianyang, Sichuan.The 306,219 m² project is comprised of two plots, weaving commercial and cultural blocks, as well as a waterfront corridor. Filled with an unobstructed Anchang River view and natural resources, the hub features a 50m-wide ecological pedestrian system in the south.The science city and CBD are clustered in the north, with well-connected roads and transport network to maximise the commercial efficiency. 6 commercial towers are placed along the waterfront, consisting of innovative industries, conference and exhibition centres, bank offices, financial servicing and offices.The variation in towers’ heights creates a unique skyline fronting the river. www.aedas.com

NEW BAYER BEIJING OFFICE DESIGNED FOR POSITIVE MOODS

UNStudio’s design for the refurbishment of a former bank HQ, ‘Fellenoord 15’, in the Dutch city of Eindhoven, 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 m² government office building, equipped with a dense network of sensors and advanced applications that will significantly improve its post-occupancy conditions and building management. 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. 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. www.unstudio.com

Harnessing The Science of Happiness, the new Bayer Beijing Office is a fully agile high-tech workplace that positively impacts the business through motivating happiness. Bayer has established a new 8,000 m² office in the iconic Parkview Green Building in Chaoyang District, Beijing, home to its Pharma, Consumer Health, Crop Science and Corporate business units. Inspired by Bayer’s scientific approach to improving lives and the planet, Gensler took the same approach to designing their workplace. By understanding the cause and effect of happiness, Gensler was able to design spaces and experiences that can directly influence the users within the space. The project is in the process of receiving WELL Platinum certification.There are four main chemicals that influence one’s state of happiness - Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin and Endorphins (D.O.S.E.) – that motivates, encourages, stabilizes, and sustains people every day. The daily D.O.S.E. of the Bayer workplace was designed as a set of strategic motivators that inform space planning and user experience with every intention to impact the happiness of users and in return have a positive impact on the business. www.gensler.com

THE NEW SOCIAL CONTRACT OF THE WORKPLACE

THE VISITOR CENTRE OF THE AUSTRIAN PARLIAMENT IN VIENNA

Hongkong Land and two of its commercial tenants J.P. Morgan and White & Case, shared insights during a panel discussion event on 28 March, which looked at the evolution of the workspace and corporate culture, and its impact on Hong Kong’s office market. On the “Flight to quality supporting recovery in Hong Kong office market”, Neil Anderson, Director and Head of Office, Commercial Property, Hongkong Land, said: “Although it is early days, we have seen encouraging green shoots of recovery in demand from domestic, international and Chinese firms. At Hongkong Land, we have received 46 enquiries in March to date, which is higher than pre-pandemic levels. We are confident that the strength of our ecosystem, innovative products and services, and strong partnerships with tenants, will enable us to continue to perform resiliently and outperform the wider market.”

J.P. Morgan Managing Director and Global Real Estate Asia Pacific Regional Head, Jun Nepomuceno, said: “J.P. Morgan focuses on bringing five pillars to life in its premises - hospitality, sustainability, wellness, flexibility and technology. When these are aligned, we create a workplace that fosters innovation, better products and services to the clients when our people are fully engaged and work in a collaborative space. The workplace also focuses on the wellbeing of our employees. Simply put, we believe you can only do first class business in a first-class workspace.” For a full report, contact www.hkland.com

SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY SIGNS MOU WITH KAJIMA

On 3 February 2023, Singapore Management University’s (SMU) Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) announced a three-year partnership with Kajima Asia Pacific Holdings Pte. Ltd., a wholly owned Singaporean regional subsidiary of Kajima Corporation, Japan’ leading construction and real estate firm (Kajima). As part of the publicprivate partnership, SMU will receive a sponsorship of S$300,000 in cash, training, and usage of facilities to foster innovation within students and to strengthen the startup ecosystem in Singapore. The MOU heralds an era of deepened collaboration that combines the strengths of SMU and industry in providing fertile ground for entrepreneurs to thrive. By structuring opportunities for students to productively engage with opportunities and challenges in the built environment sector, students are empowered to shape the future of smart, livable cities. SMU Prof Lim Sun Sun, Vice President of Partnerships & Engagement and Mr. Keisuke Koshijima, Managing Director of Kajima signed the MOU at a ceremony held at The Greenhouse, SMU’s coworking space for Business Innovations Generator’s startups and home to more than 500 entrepreneurs, innovators, and researchers. www.kajima.co.jp/english, www.smu.edu.sg

Visitors to the Austrian Parliament building in Vienna are greeted by an informative and intuitively designed exhibition where they can experience and learn about all aspects of democracy in Austria: The “Demokratikum - Experience Parliament”. Designed by Atelier Brückner, the 1,500 m² visitor centre is a key feature of the neoclassical parliament building designed by architect Theophil Hansen on Vienna’s Ringstrasse. The building has been extensively renovated over the past five years and is now open to the public. A sectional architectural model of the Parliament building in the passageway leading to the Demokratikum opens the invitation to explore: It illustrates the history of the building by overlaying the model with transparent OLED screen animations. They show the evolution of the building from its construction between 1874 and 1883, through the partial reconstruction after the Second World War, to the major renovation programme agreed in 2014. Partner, René Walkenhorst, said: “Our aim is to explain how democracy is the political foundation of our common life. Our presentations and interactive exhibits help to bring an abstract concept to life.” www.atelier-brueckner.com

ATKINS AWARDED CONSULTING SERVICES CONTRACT FOR HONG KONG INTL AIRPORT

Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, has been awarded consulting services contract by the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) to support capital works on the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). The project aims to strengthen the HKIA’s role as a regional aviation hub by directly connecting passengers from the Pearl River Delta region in southern China via the Hong Kong Port to the airport. Atkins Chief Executive Officer, Asia, Wing Law, said: “The HKIA has witnessed significant passenger and cargo traffic growth over the past decade. This project will play a key role in establishing the airport as an international and regional aviation hub, accelerating socio-economic growth in the region. We are proud to build on our strong relationship with the Airport Authority Hong Kong by providing our engineering excellence, digital expertise and net zero solutions. We look forward to working on this significant project and contributing to Hong Kong’s long term development plans.” www.atkinsglobal.com

WG series products are a sustainable product designed to minimize its environmental impacts during its whole life-cycle and even after it’s of no use.

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Treasury Building - Hong Kong SAR, China

Commercial Building - Hong Kong SAR, China

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Heng Ming Zhu International Financial Center - China

NEO Building - China

HIGH FIDELITY, ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES WITH AIR PURIFICATION

SWIRE PACIFIC RELEASES ITS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2022

Dyson Zone™ headphones provide a pure, immersive listening experience and on-the-go air purification when you need it. Following five years of research and development, the headphones deliver up to 50 hours of ultralow distortion1, advanced noise cancellation and faithful, full-spectrum audio reproduction. The Dyson Zone™ also captures 99% of particle pollution as small as 0.1 microns2, whilst K-Carbon, potassium-enriched carbon filters target prevalent acidic gases most associated with city pollution, including NO2 and SO2. More than half of the global population lives in cities. This is expected to reach 7 in 10 by 2050. As urban populations grow, so does associated infrastructure – transport, construction, traffic –all of which impact the environment in which we live, polluting the air and generating noise. The Dyson Zone™ headphones are born of Dyson’s 30 years of expertise in airflow, filtration and motors technologies and are engineered to tackle the dual challenges of city noise and air pollution. www.dyson.com

Photography: CreatAR Images)

Swire Pacific has recently published its Sustainable Development Report 2022 (the Report), which outlines the latest sustainable development performance and progress under the company’s SwireTHRIVE sustainable strategy. This strategy sets out Swire Pacific’s ambitions to achieve net zero carbon emissions, water neutrality and zero waste to landfill by 2050, as well as having 30% of the Board and senior leadership roles filled by women by 2024. The Report covers Swire Pacific’s diversified businesses, including Property, Beverages and Aviation. During 2022, Swire Pacific developed an Internal Carbon Pricing mechanism to be trialled in 2023 and reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 19% and is on track to meet its target of a 50% emissions reduction by 2030. The company diverted 59% of waste from landfill, and reduced water withdrawal by 11% based on a 2018 frozen efficiency baseline. Women now hold 24% of the company’s senior leadership roles and represent 29% of the Board. www.swirepacific.com

GBA LOW CARBON BUILDINGS

AWARD TOP 100 AWARD TOP 100

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English

P R O G R A M P R O G R A M P R O G R A M

Welcome Speech from the Founding President of GBACNA

Keynote Speeches by GOHs

Low Carbon Building Case Sharing from the Awardees

Souvenir Presentations

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Build4Asia 2023 is the No.1 Trade show for the Building, Electrical Engineering and Security Industries in Hong Kong which covers every facet of the construction industry from building materials and automation, smart city technologies, property management to total surveillance system.

Build4Asia 2023是香港領先的建築、電氣工程和防火保安展覽會，帶來一 系列建造業嶄新產品、科技及服務，包括建築材料、樓宇自動化系統、智能家 居、安全檢測系統、物業管理等。

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LEADING THE FIELD IN BUILDING INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

PRC talks to ConTech pOint about the latest technologies available for the AEC industry

Founded in 2018, Hong Kong technology company ConTech pOint (CTO) is a specialist in bespoke digital solutions for clients in the design and construction industries, helping professional practices in their migration towards digital delivery. The company works to promote the use of Building Information Management (BIM) and other technologies, such as Common Data Environment (CDE) , Digital Works Supervision System (DWSS), Smart Site Safety System (SSSS) and project management cloud SaaS.

Today, the CTO’s footprint covers commercial and residential developments, institutional projects including sports facilities, theatres, education and medical facilities, and civil infrastructure projects, such as roadworks, tunnels and bridges.

As Welie Ng, General Manager, explains, with a headcount now standing at around 50 people the company’s skillsets include BIM and building engineers with CIC chartered project management qualifications; an IT development team with web and app developers supported by project managers and specialists in product and service customisation; IT support and customer success; dfMA digital designers and MEP design coordinators.

“We recruit staff with these four core skillsets and with the relevant experience for construction projects during the inception, design, construction and handover stages of work. It is a basic requirement that our staff are not mere digital technicians but are seasoned leaders, coordinators and engineers who understand the process of local practices.”

Ng, acknowledges that today and in the coming decade, Hong Kong is facing a critical shortage of skilled engineering professionals, including BIMers. Indeed, CIC Hong Kong estimates a shortfall of between 1000-2000 BIM managers and coordinators in the next ten years.

“Basic training is commonly available from local education and vocational institutes. However, competent BIMers need to be supported in real practice after basic training. IT and support professionals, as well as design professionals within the construction industry are also in scarce supply currently in Hong Kong, and dedicated professionals must be trained in-house,” he observes.

While there are other technology companies in the market, CTO prides itself on being a first-choice partner due to its extensive experience of local private and public works currently in the tender, design, construction and fabrication phase of projects. Further Ng points out that around 25% of CTO employees are chartered CIC professionals. CTO also provides realtime BIM without software to support remote, collaborative and coordination works, as well as producing grade AA simulation in-days for clients through engaging video and visual materials.

“Our realtime BIM, hoisted in CTO’s proprietary CDE SaaS platform, can facilitate BIM quantity take off (QTO) to help surveyors improve productivity from BIM practices. QTO is a fully automatic material calculation engine and application platform based on building information modelling. It uses digital technology to shorten the calculation and update time of major engineering material consumption. The SaaS cloud system, known as Construction Information Anywhere (CIA), acquired ISO 27001 and 27017 certificates for its IT and Cloud security. This is one of the very few platforms in Hong Kong that can handle document, drawing change management workflow and site safety. CIA is specifically designed for local

design and construction practices and includes features that enable us to tackle construction pain points, such as working on no-network-coverage areas, as well as supporting teamwork in small groups, and front-line works with back office engineers. Documents are fully searchable, and the online document and drawing registries allowing engineers and surveyors to crunch data within the system using common spreadsheet formats such as Excel,” he explains. “Our CIA System is on the Pre-approved List of the Construction Industry Innovation and Technology Fund (CITF) with the Pre-approved Code PA20-127.” Ng added.

Digital twin technology to rehearse process-critical construction

“ It is a basic requirement that our staff are not mere digital technicians but are seasoned leaders, coordinators and engineers who understand the process of local practices.”

SCOPE OF SERVICE

CTO as an independent BIM advisory, consultancy and auditor with ISO 19650 BIM professional recognition, work includes designing digital workflows, covering but not limited to BIM project management, modelling, design, coordination, simulation, quantity take off (QTO), augmented reality capturing through 360 degree photos and 3D scanning, as well as auditing the quality and progress of a BIM-enabled project.

CTO works with all sectors within the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industries, including owners and project managers, architects and consultants, main contractors, package contractors and facility managers. The company briefs clients through workshops with their staff, augmented with BIM technologies and has also delivered basic BIM software training for a large local contractor to over 1000 staff of mangers, engineers and surveyors.

“Our customised CIA solution is targeted primarily at developers and main contractors, while this propriety CDE platforms are designed to elevate the performance of all players within the AEC industry. As such, we are able to position ourselves as a key member of the client’s consultant team or technical partner, through formulating BIM strategies and contractual arrangements, technical specifications and execution plans for specific projects. For example, for architects this might mean helping to visualise and evaluate their designs through BIM, or for main contractors enriching their competitive profile to meet BIM expectations and to deliver BIMenabled constructions, plans and to audit control measures,” he explains.

The output is impressive: CTO’s propriety CDE has been commissioned for more than 80 projects, served more than 5000 users and 400 companies, with 11 types of workflows digitally deployed for document approval and more than 1.2 million documents handled digitally via the Cloud.

Examples of CTO’s BIM projects include a commercial project at Chap Lap Kok, where CTO used BIM to produce all CSD and CBWD drawings, eliminating manual drafting work and eliminating all drawing inconsistency issues; a residential development in Wong Chuk Hang where the company helped orchestrate all designers to deliver and collaborate within a BIM environment to allow the project owner to evaluate the design flat mix to maximize return value and to eliminate major multidisciplinary buildability issues at the tender stage of work; working with the architect at a hospital project to automate over 500 layout drawings with design iterations in just four months; use of reality capture technology augmented with BIM at a conservation project in North Point to retrofit the architectural, structural and E&M fabric of an irregular-shaped building to millimetre grade accuracy.

BENEFITS OF BIM

CTO as a technical solution, BIM is designed to enhance productivity, transparency and scalability, by digitally automating manual and repetitive processes, identifying and tracing times, people and tasks, and making digital processes and data through cloud-based solutions made accessible anytime and anywhere. The effect, according to Ng is, better quality projects delivered by collaborative teams with less risk.

“BIM allows owners to take back control of production information and hence make more intelligent and confident decisions leading to better visual and performance outcomes, better cost control, social response, and end-user benefits,” he says.

But it’s not just about adding value through reducing construction costs and increasing ROI. Technology is also about modernisation of an industry keen to absorb talents to cope with the volume of Hong Kong’s upcoming development challenges. From a management perspective, Ng advocates that project teams can take a more active role in the design, planning and construction processes, with drawings and documents such as work permit approvals, site conditional constraints, site progress, incidence and compliance issues and related figures made transparent and timely to all participants

“At CTO, we believe that BIM helps us to raise the ESG quotient of corporations, enhance supply chain sustainability, and to work collaboratively and remotely to tackle any complex situation, thus enhancing business continuity,” he says. “It allows us to add value to our clients’ operations and projects by drastically increasing efficiency relating to information handling at all stages of work, whilst reducing redundancy in harnessing 3D visualisation, reducing time lost in correcting erratic design and site work, while improving responsiveness to sensitive and ad-hoc issues and creating reusable sustainable data for ongoing and coming projects,” he adds.

THE FUTURE IS NOW

He also has a comment for the industry that if BIM is not adopted as widely this could lead to Hong Kong suffering from a lack of competitiveness, and with larger and more complex construction projects leading to the city being left behind by the increasingly digitised and modern production supply chain of mainland China.

“There are wide misconceptions that projects can still be realised without modern BIM or digital tools, or that it’s solely the client’s or the designer’s responsibility to come up with feasible and effective building design. Other misconceptions are that nothing can be done to help Hong Kong’s ageing workforce or that they’re too old to take on the additional burden of replacing traditional tools with digital ones. This is simply not true – BIM is something to be added to the skillset rather than hinder it and Hong Kong cannot afford to fall behind, and CTO exists as a partner to help bridge this gap,” he concludes.

Simulation to ensure the success planning of MTRC viaduct improvement work

“ There are wide misconceptions that projects can still be realised without modern BIM or digital tools, or that it’s solely the client’s or the designer’s responsibility to come up with feasible and effective building design.”

Comprehensive Residential Development with design & construction using BIM technologies

Digital Design and Construction for a complex and iconic architectural feature staircase

A CAN-DO Attitude brings Culture, Art, and Nature to Life

As Hong Kong takes a breath as the government announced it’s time to take off our masks, PRC Magazine talks to Stephen Chow, Managing Director of award-winning emerging international design firm CAN. He sheds light on his multi-disciplinary approach to holistic and sustainable design, the challenges of setting up during Covid, and his plans for growth.

Stephen Chow Managing Director at CAN

By his own admission, against a backdrop of the Hong Kong protests and the onset of the Covid pandemic, Chow couldn’t have picked a worse time to set up his own practice. That said, in just two and half years, the team has grown from just ten to close to 60 creative minds, establishing CAN as a new name on the block. Specialising in retail planning and incorporating architecture, interior and signage design into one package, the practice has quickly built a name for itself in China, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia and beyond.

Design philosophy

The luxury of being able incorporate the three disciplines in one team is a major part of CAN’s design philosophy, and one that sets CAN apart from many larger practices.

“For us it’s about direct communication between what in larger practices would be three departments. We like to plan as one team and to blur the boundaries of architecture, interior and signage to deliver something unique to every project,” he says. “We also take pride in working together as a team to create bespoke solutions designed to elevate the human experience.”

In January, CAN celebrated the successful completion of its first built project in Hong Kong, a 855 square metre Sky Garden on the 8th floor of the Grade-A commercial development Landmark South in Wong Chuk Hang. CAN was also responsible for the design of the external façade and interiors of the office lobby, inspired by a green bamboo motif that continues throughout the new office spaces.

The team has also been commissioned by Sun Hung Kai Properties to work on the retail plan for the developer’s megaproject situated above the High-Speed Rail West Kowloon Terminus. However, before that work commences CAN is also working to deliver a contemporary interior design for the developer’s 650 square metre Central Project Office, designed to accommodate over 60 people and to facilitate coordination between consultants and contractors.

“Our approach represents something quite new in the sense that although this is a temporary structure using industrial corrugated sheets, we wanted to create a space to work that was inviting, using recycled and upcycled materials and integrating greenery and other refreshing elements into the space,” says Chow.

Retail synergy

He estimates that 70% of current projects are in mainland China, with 15% of projects in Hong Kong and 15% in Southeast Asia. And having gained considerable recognition across the 11 cities of the Greater Bay Area and other major Chinese cities for its award-winning retail solutions, CAN is now looking to set up a central office across the border.

“China has been developing rapidly over the past ten years, and when it comes to retail synergy there is still room for us as designers to approach things in a different way,” says Chow.

In 2022, he had the chance to travel to Europe and Southeast Asia and to compare the markets. One of the things he realised in terms of demographics was that the spending power in mainland China is getting younger and younger.

“They want to be bold and daring and express their identity and are looking for luxury and personalisation. This is influencing the way we design in China, in terms of creating something that is uniquely expressed, and in terms of the architectural language or even the in terms of leasing strategies. And as designers this pushes us to new heights, to create something truly innovative that appeals to the end user,” he explains.

On sustainability and technology

Asked where sustainability might feature on the list of priorities for these new affluent consumers in China, he believes they are becoming aware of problems with the environment. Developers, he says, are also starting to rethink projects in terms of the environment.

“Clients have the awareness and government has some part to play in terms of incentives, but it’s up to us as designers to push this forward. Ultimately, I think the success of a city or project to go green comes down to the input of the designer, the builder, the end user, and the decision maker or the government. We all need to contribute our awareness for a greener future.”

With CAN synonymous with Culture, Art, and Nature, it comes as no surprise that Chow is pro-sustainability when it comes to design. And within his team, these are the three elements that are an essential part of any project, and ones that they challenge themselves to incorporate into any project and highlight when talking with a new client.

Technology too, features heavily in CAN’s design methodology: “Technology is moving very fast and AI is becoming a fundamental driver. For us it’s not about replacing the designer’s brain, but rather a tool for us to think about things differently. We no longer need to be bound by something that we feel could be buildable before we pencil down an idea, but we might use AI to facilitate the design process and create something out of the box, without allowing it to control us. For me it’s about a marriage between the old days of ‘pencil and paper architecture’ and new computer engineering, and while it’s a challenge, it’s a good thing to embrace and utilise,” Chow explains.

And while Chow admits that different generations have different skillsets, particularly in terms of the use of technologies, he is confident in CAN’s multi-disciplinary team and holistic mindset to deliver.

“Architecture is a team effort. I have been very calculated and conservative during the past 20 years of my career. But three years ago, I chose to step out of my comfort zone during the most difficult times.”

His advice to the younger generation: “Do not be afraid of the future. Whether or not there is bad news or bad things happening in the market or the cities, there’s always a bright space, depending on which side you look. If you have an idea, don’t hesitate. Just go for it. You will see that you find your way to survive and to navigate the sea.”

Central Project Office (CPO), Hong Kong

Landmark South, Hong Kong

Landmark South - Sky Garden, Hong Kong

Lead8 Brings New Life to Historic District With MixC Nanjing

RESPECTING A CENTURIES-OLD SITE

MixC Nanjing is a new retail-led development located in Nanjing’s central 700-year-old Sanshan Street district. The 83,800 square metre scheme takes the form of a low-rise retail precinct that pays respect to the location’s centuriesold context.

“Lead8’s vision was to deliver a retail concept that carefully balances traditional and ‘new era’ for Nanjing. Through our design philosophy, we reimagined the street texture of the district to continue the historic urban fabric for the long term. Ultimately, our design intends to capture the history of this area while imagining a vibrant future,” said Claude Touikan, Co Founder & Executive Director of Lead8.

PRESERVING LOCAL IDENTITY

The scheme is located near the centre of the city and the famous Qinhuai Tourist Area known for its historical landmarks and rich mix of ancient cultural sites. The immediate area surrounding the site features heritage-protected buildings and high-density living with little commercial development currently existing.

While MixC Nanjing is positioned between two protection zones, the ‘Menxi Traditional Residential Area’ and the ‘Nanchuting Traditional Residential Area’, it does not exclusively belong to either. However, the design team has paid attention to the reappearance of historical textures and the macro thinking that informs the planning requirements for these areas.

Within this setting, the site features a ‘Yunzhang Gongsuo’, an original office building for Nanjing Yunjin (silk industry), as the centrepiece of the retail

Text & Images: Lead8

development. Yunjin is a traditional Chinese luxury silk brocade made in Nanjing since the end of the Song dynasty.

The overall planning placed strong importance on creating an open scheme, supporting connectivity and visibility to the traditional cultural building. Internal pedestrian streets have been carved into the site to echo the original urban fabric and surround the historic building.

STUDYING NANJING’S BUILDING TYPOLOGIES

Lead8’s architectural design captures the identity of Nanjing through the firm’s selection of materials, style, scale and colour. The design language has been informed by studying the city’s building typologies and adapting the core elements.

MixC Nanjing blends three façade strategies to ensure the street and internal facing appearance of the development is not in opposition with the surrounding historic urban fabric. The triangular site offers opportunities to adapt the façade design strategy along each side to fit comfortably within the district.

Facing the main commercial boulevard, the multi-storey façades show an interpretation of traditional Nanjing architecture along the tree-lined thoroughfares. The design gives a preview into the types of façade detailing showcased throughout the development, with references to local materials like bamboo, wood and weaving.

Within the development, the façades facing the inner streets feature layered setbacks, an adaptation of old village streets. The design also helps to facilitate

The history of Nanjing is revealed through details, materials, colours and forms.

A destination for Nanjing that balances modern commercial life with local history.

a connection between the indoor and outdoor experiences. Interestingly, the façade design also supports the commercial retail strategy in this area. Typically, the focal retail units have the strongest visibility to the street, but in MixC Nanjing’s case, the hierarchy has been restructured to give anchor tenants prime spaces within the internal pedestrian streets.

The third and final façade design strategy faces the redeveloped Chengnan Residential area. To provide a dialogue and integrate with the urban fabric, Lead8 has utilised a ‘Yanliaofang’ inspired design. The façades on this section stand between one and two storeys in height and have a distinctive Chengnan residence engraving as a design feature.

A ROOFTOP EXPERIENCE

Overseeing the development is the publicly accessible fourth-floor rooftop that serves as a retreat from, and viewing point to, the bustling streets below.The generous rooftop area offers spaces for quiet recreation, casual dining, and socialisation with sightlines across the district and the historical centrepiece of the scheme.

“We see the rooftop as a very natural extension of a building. It functions like a canopy in a rainforest, a place to see the world from a different perspective. Rooftops are a wonderful spatial resource in our dense cities and we have animated MixC Nanjing with a mix of spaces and places, from dining, to open event areas and more intimate settings for observation and reflection,” shared Touikan.

The space has also become a popular location for events and activations given its layout and access to facilities and the development’s food and beverage tenants. The space offers different breakout areas, overlooking three sides of the cultural building and hanging art installation. Surrounded by lush greenery, with trees, hedges, grasses and smaller plants, the area is another green oasis within the tree-lined district.

COMMERCIAL ADAPTABILITY

MixC Nanjing has been a hive of activity since its opening, showcasing a strong line-up of tenants featuring international and local brands. The development has also become the platform to host a changing calendar of events that take place throughout the internal retail streets, within the mall interior and along the rooftop spaces.

The diversity and adaptability of each area of MixC Nanjing make the development an attractive opportunity for brands and businesses looking to connect with their target markets.

MixC Nanjing’s seamless connectivity to Sanshan Street Station on Line 1, and Line 5 in future, extend its popularity, allowing visitors from the immediate neighbourhood and across Nanjing to easily access the destination. The open format of the design has helped to enhance this accessibility and mobility with visitors able to arrive from different access points across the site.

MINIMISING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The development has also been conscious of environmental performance. A number of green systems, construction techniques and materials have been integrated to reduce its impact, from solar panels to grey and rainwater collection and recycling and the local sourcing of materials from Southeast China.

Metal materials on the southwest façade have helped to reduce glare for neighbouring residential while Low-E glass reduces heat gain, and natural stone and granite walls minimise the reliance on glass and heat gain along the east and west façades.

“Through our design, we have shown how urban placemaking and historical influences can balance the demands of modern commercial life with the importance of preserving local history,” shares Touikan.

1. Backstreet Facing Residential

2. Main Commercial Streets

3. Inner Pedestrian Streets

THREE TYPES OF FAÇADE

weaves new city fabric SPARKLING URBAN REGENERATION

In August 2020, amidst the height of Covid disruptions, a Grade C office building was acquired by Hong Kong property developer Fairland Holdings in the Cheung Sha Wan area. Located at 126 Castle Peak Road, Hong Kong, the 13-storey building boasts a GFA of approximately 2,323 square metres and is located a mere six minute walk from the Cheung Sha Wan MTR Station.

The decision to invest in the property was made during a time when very few investors were active in the market, allowing for the negotiation of a lower price during a period of uncertain economic conditions. The building was acquired at a price of $140M, which translates to around $5,600 per square foot, lower even than the old industrial floors in the surrounding vicinity.

The Cheung Sha Wan area was chosen due to its potential for urban regeneration and its positive outlook for improving demographics. The area was once an industrial district with an ageing population, but the recent influx of Urban Renewal Authority (URA), as well as privately developed residential projects, has stimulated rapid urban renewal, attracting young families and professionals with higher spending power and more diverse interests and needs.

MARKET REPOSITIONING

The building was repositioned to cater to the new lifestyle interests and requirements of the changing demographic, rather than traditional office tenants. The "Spark City" brand series was created as a vertical "ServiceOriented Lifestyle Hub" for the surrounding residents. Such positioning is resilient in periods of economic downturn due to the consistent local demand driven growth of a regenerating neighbourhood, and is well positioned to capitalise on the new residents’ higher spending power during a stronger economy. Furthermore, the service-oriented positioning is less affected by e-commerce, as it sells lifestyle experiences, not just products.

To ensure the repurposed building met current building standards, several refurbishment features were implemented. The old façade was replaced with a new glass curtain wall, and all interior common areas such as lift lobbies and bathrooms were refurbished. Additionally, electrical, plumbing, and elevator machinery were replaced.

Human-centric design features were also incorporated, including easily operable windows to encourage natural air ventilation and an upgraded air circulation system for every floor, to meet the six air exchanges per hour standard. The very steep, old staircase between the G/F entrance and 1/F lift lobby was replaced with new stairs with a shallower rise and deeper steps to provide more comfort, especially for the elderly and young children.

EMBRACING THE OLD TO ESTABLISH THE NEW

The architect chose rattan as the predominant interior design theme, reflecting the history of the Cheung Sha Wan area, which used to have a large rattan weaving and furniture industry. The designs challenge rattan as an old-styled material and intentionally use it in a modern way. Local rattan artists and craftsmen were invited to hand-make rattan fixtures for the feature ceiling above the G/F main staircase, 1/ F main lift lobby, and typical floor lighting and signage.

Within the first three months of the relaunch, almost 50% of the floorspace had been leased to lifestyle-oriented businesses, with automatic double-digit rental increases secured within the contract for lease extensions.

The building is achieving its underwriting rent, with rental levels similar to other Grade A offices in the area. The quality of the building has also attracted goodquality tenants, with some businesses moving from older strata-titled buildings in the same district to Spark City, attracted by the better building quality, image, and synergistic tenant positioning.

The success of this project highlights the importance of refurbishment and repositioning as an integral part of revitalising ageing neighbourhoods. While there is often much attention on residential redevelopment, it is important to also provide new commercial and lifestyle amenities to meet the needs of younger families with more modern lifestyle interests such as ample F&B, education, fitness, and health & beauty options.

All in all, Spark City Cheung Sha Wan is a prime example of how a bold investment strategy, coupled with a human-centric design approach, can transform an aging office building into a vibrant, service-oriented lifestyle hub that meets the needs of a changing demographic.

By repositioning the building as a vertical lifestyle tower, and investing in high-quality refurbishment features, the building has attracted a diverse range of lifestyle-oriented businesses, while also achieving strong rental performance and tenant quality. The success of Spark City Cheung Sha Wan is not just a win for the building's investor and tenants, but also for the wider community, which now has access to a range of high-quality lifestyle amenities in a revitalized urban district.

Text: Lakshmi Chirumamilla

Photos: Spark City Billy Leung

DIGITALISATION MAKES SMART CITY GO FURTHER

With support from the Construction Industry Council Research and Technology Development Fund, the BEAM Society Limited developed a green building data sharing platform – iBEAM Unison, which was launched on 14 December 2022.

Together with iBEAM®, iBEAM Unison offers an innovative solution to assist building practitioners in green building analysis and assessment. The iBEAM ® system is designed to provide automate the assessment process of green buildings. The automation brings about an improvement the assessment, in terms of efficiency, less reliance on manual operations and improvement in consistency. At the same time, the newly launched iBEAM Unison provides an innovative mechanism to strengthen data storage and circulation in design and construction engineering, and systematically extracts data from Building Information Model (BIM). The BIM data can also be used for BEAM Plus assessment, sustainability analysis and applying for the Sustainable Finance Certification Scheme, amongst other functions.

WHAT IS iBEAM UNISON

If project owners wish to obtain the certification of BEAM Plus New Buildings in Hong Kong, submission of project data can be made via iBEAM®; iBEAM Unison builds on top of the iBEAM® Assessment Automation System. With BIM model and iBEAM Unison, users can extract information from the BIM model and import it into the platform for evaluating various environmental and social aspects of green buildings.

With such a powerful platform support, the newly launched iBEAM Unison can assist users in data analysis of green buildings, carbon emission calculations, and even the collection of big data. The concept of iBEAM Unison is to practice "Common Data Environment (CDE)", which allows different stakeholders, including government departments or private companies, to use the same platform to manage, update, collect and share the data in all stages of a building’s life cycle, at any time, which can improve the working team’s communication efficiency. It is a long-term and effective data management system.

Dr Benny Chow, Director of BEAM Society Limited and Convenor of iBEAM Unison Project Working Group explained: "We can use BIM to obtain a lot of architectural information, and we can also visually examine architectural projects to understand the performance of the project under different parameters. iBEAM Unison is an online cloud platform that allows different companies to participate, which is more transparent and convenient than ever before."

"As management, we often say "Better Data Transparency, Better Data-Informed Decision" - which means that more clear data can aid in making better decisions. From this perspective, I believe that iBEAM Unison can help everyone make the most suitable decisions," he continued.

Simply explained, iBEAM Unison is a green building analysis platform based on the iBEAM ® Green Building Data System, which can provide structural analysis, carbon emission analysis, and even structural comparison. It can also support different digital platforms and is linked with the Construction Industry Council’s Sustainable Finance Certification Scheme as well, making it a ‘one-stop management system’, which can be applied in different mechanisms, eliminating the need for repeated application procedures and adopting a ‘single source of information’ as the management model.

ENCOURAGE THE WIDER ADOPTION OF GREEN BUILDING ANALYSIS

iBEAM® is a powerful building information repository and data analytics, with the capability in dealing with BEAM Plus assessment works, processing large amount of green building data input and providing a platform to perform assessment works of green building.

iBEAM Unison mainly applies the BIM model and focuses on data analysis. The analytics have multiple uses and can assist designers, owners, and relevant stakeholders to conduct analysis and research on various aspects of the same project, such as embodied carbon and solar irradiation. The analytics can help to advance practical information for communication.

iBEAM Unison is an online green building platform that provides comprehensive data and information for Hong Kong’s construction industry.

With the rigorous analysis of iBEAM Unison, the results can be directly used to apply for the Sustainable Finance Certification, as well as other green buildingrelated certifications, including as reference documents for green building materials applications, forming an interconnected green building IoT (Internet of Things) .

Mr Tim Lo, Head of System Development of BSL, said, "iBEAM® can centralise the analysis and assessment of green buildings, which saves time and reduces manmade errors. As a public organisation, we certainly hope that more developers or architects will use it. New high-tech improves the building environment, but it may be a heavy expenditure for small and medium-sized companies, so iBEAM Unison came into being, only needing a BIM model to generate a variety of green building analysis information, which greatly improves the project level."

CREATE A SUSTAINABLE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

In regard to accelerating the pace of green buildings and promoting sustainable development, Dr Benny Chow and Mr Tim Lo cited three advantages of iBEAM Unison:

• Data repository for green building data

The interface of iBEAM Unison is simple, clear and user-friendly, so it is easy for architects, contractors and engineers to collaborate and perform analysis of their works on the platform. Data is stored on the cloud platform, which allows information to be processed throughout the day and without any interruptions.

• Engagement with stakeholders

Whether they are architects, contractors or engineers, we believe the general consensus is that there should be more collaboration in the green design process. iBEAM® allows different stakeholders to collaborate and understand the green performances of their built projects. This enables the project to collaborate together to make enhancement to the building design.

• Accelerate green infrastructure financing

iBEAM Unison compliments with green financing. The BIM data and the BEAM Plus assessed data could facilitate for a better disclosure of ESG data. The better disclosure of ESG data can improve the financial institution's understanding of the true green performances of the buildings.

LEARN HOW TO USE iBEAM UNISON

The usage of iBEAM Unison is open and free to the public and can be found on the BSL’s website with related information. Anyone who wants to learn about the operation details, can contact the BEAM Society Limited to arrange for a special corporate training course.

Mr Lo added: "Although iBEAM Unison intends to improve the BEAM Plus project management process, we welcome users to upload the BIM model and try the analytical functions of the iBEAM Unison."

ASPIRATIONS FOR THE FUTURE AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

Dr Chow added: "We are constantly expanding and strengthening the capabilities of iBEAM Unison. First, we will unify the calculation method of the landscape area. Since there is no unified index in the construction industry, I believe it will be convenient for everyone. In the past, it took a lot of time to process data on plan, but using the automatic calculation method of iBEAM Unison, the results can be obtained faster and more accurately. The project includes other green building simulation calculations, such as sunlight and artificial lighting calculations."

In general, the implementation of "Smart City" in Hong Kong means the implementation of digitalisation, the integration and interaction of different data, iBEAM Unison is designed with the idea of creating a common data environment. In this environment you can connect team information, BIM models and project data and share them in real time to help the team master accurate building data and facilitate control and understanding of progress.

Dr Chow concluded, "Although we have the support of the government to promote the use of building digitalisation, we also need the support of the industry to achieve success. Strengthening public participation and communication with the business community is what we need to further work on. I hope that the industry can take a step forward for the future. After all, iBEAM Unison is well positioned to go faster and further forward in our environmental goals."

Mr Lo stressed that, "The participation of all stakeholders is what we want most. We hope that we can hold more seminars and lectures for people to participate in, in the future."

Dr Benny Chow Director of BEAM Society Limited, Convenor of iBEAM Unison Project Working Group

Mr Tim Lo Head of System Development of BEAM Society Limited

Yimei Chan Co-Founder & Design Director LOD

10-12/5/2023

HKCEC | 香港會議展覽中心

Situated at the forefront of innovative retail solutions, Retail Asia Conference & Expo (RACE) is a must-attend event that brings together the brightest minds in the retail industry to explore revolutionary ideas and cutting-edge technologies to ride the new wave of consumerism in Asia.

亞洲零售論壇暨博覽會是亞洲首屈一指的零售業展覽，致力為區内零售商提供高效解決方案。展 覽匯聚多名業界領袖，啓發創新思維並聚焦高端科技，助零售商應對亞洲新消費模式帶來的機遇 和挑戰。

A Glimpse of RACE 2022 展會一覽

Pre-register Now!

RACE 2023 Key Features 展覽焦點

Retail Digital Marketing Conference

RESERVE YOUR BOOTH 立即預訂展位

Eligible Hong Kong exhibitors may apply for the "SME Export Marketing Fund" to save up to 50% exhibiting costs!

合資格的參展商可申 請「中小企業市場推廣基金 」，節省高

達 50% 的參展費用！

A full conference programme packed with high level keynotes and lively discussions on the digital marketing blueprint to dominate the retail industry.

一眾業內權威將深入探討零售業面對的挑戰與機遇，聚焦討論透過前瞻性的 數碼科技及解決方案，於數碼轉型新常態下提升競爭力。

Retail Tech & Experience Theatre

An interactive sharing platform where market leaders take the stage to present their latest technologies and best in-house practices.

市場領袖將分享最新科技及營運策略，促進知識交流並加强參展商與買家的 聯繫。

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