HONG KONG, Dec. 5 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The Hong Kong headquarters of
HSBC, with assets of US$1,738 billion, one of the world's largest banking
and financial services organisations and Hong Kong's oldest bank, today
launched an innovative new glass and steel lobby that was designed by one of
Hong Kong's newest design firms created two years ago to forge stronger ties
between architecture and technology.
(Photo: http://xprnnews.xfn.info/OneSpace/20061205/HSBC_lobby.htm )
The 'transparent' structure, which stretches beneath the HSBC building
from Queen's Road Central to Des Voeux Road, was conceived and undertaken by
One Space Ltd, an interdisciplinary architectural and technology design team
established in 2004.
Since its founding, the firm has expanded from three staff to nine, with
annual turnover growing from just HK$2 million in its first year to some
HK$18 million in the current fiscal year. One Space specialises in
providing appropriate solutions to financial services industry clients
through the careful integration of architecture and technology.
"The opportunity to work with HSBC at its seminal headquarters building
enabled One Space to apply, in a very public arena, our skills in merging
technology and architecture", said Greg Pearce, co-founder of One
Space. "This expertise is usually applied to the design of complex
investment bank interiors, hedge fund dealing rooms and global video
conference facilities for financial services businesses. The HSBC
commission brought everything together almost invisibly in a highly visible
space".
One Space won the contract in February 2006 and the completed project
was handed over to HSBC in November.
The minimalist lobby is highly energy-efficient and is the first major
addition to the Lord Foster-designed building since 1985. It creates a
single point of reception to the upper floors via a sophisticated, customer-
friendly glass enclosure that significantly enhances access control. Hong
Kong's two largest and most advanced high-resolution digital walls display
the bank's unique archival material across 60 contiguous flat screens, each
of 42 inches.
The 3,400 sq. ft space at the street level plaza and the digital
displays were shown to the media today by HSBC's archivist, Helen
Swinnerton, and Senior Manager of Design Services, Jennings Ku, together
with One Space's Greg Pearce.
"The design challenge was to meet HSBC's specific operational needs
while not conflicting with, nor compromising, the original iconic Norman
Foster design", said Greg Pearce.
"We achieve this through 'transparency' coupled with well-considered
lighting and, in particular, by using high-specification, low iron content
glass that minimises the usual 'greenness' and makes the envelope less
visible", he said. "The success of this structure was for it to be
unobtrusive", he added.
Describing the archive displays as a 'digital canvas', Mr Pearce said
that they extend the boundaries of technological innovation, adding focal
points of animation and colour, offsetting the surrounding grey Italian
marble and glowing red aluminium finishes.
The new lobby opened to the public on 23rd November 2006.
About One Space Ltd
One Space was established in 2004 as the only multi-disciplinary design
and technology provider in the region delivering integrated architectural
design and information technology solutions for modern business needs under
a single point of responsibility. The firm delivers innovative solutions
that meet the highly specific needs of its clients, producing modern,
comfortable, sustainable, practical and efficient environments that
reinforce the core message of the client's enterprise.
Its consultative way of working integrates its fundamental understanding
of planning, construction, and communication technologies with a thorough
evaluation of design options.
The founding Directors of One Space -- Greg Pearce, a Hong Kong and UK
qualified architect, and James Oliver, a technology specialist -- forged a
strong and complementary professional relationship when they recognised the
inefficiencies present in traditional procurement of technology-rich
projects. The firm sets out to deliver the benefits of a highly desirable
synergy between technology and architecture that is often mired in
adversarial relationships as coordination difficulties are addressed too
late or not at all.
By contrast, One Space adopts a collaborative approach -- which fully
understands the needs and intentions of the client -- combined with a
rigorous design methodology to deliver a holistic and fully coordinated
solution.
Project Team
Client: The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited
Facilities Management: Johnson Controls (HK) Ltd
Architectural Design & Project Management: One Space Ltd
Structural & Building Services Engineering: Ove Arup & Partners HK Ltd
Quantity Surveyor: Davis Langdon & Seah HK Ltd
Lighting Design: Fisher Marantz Stone (New York)
Main Contractor: Paul Y Construction Ltd
Glazing & Steelwork Contractor: Gartner Contracting Co Ltd
For further information please contact:
One Space:
Greg Pearce
Tel: +852-3555-2280
Edelman:
Adam Nelson
Telephone: +852-2837-4706/+852-2837-4701
