This office building was nominated as one of the nine greatest architectural designs by a Mainland website – Sofang. Although the company maintains a consistent approach of not overdoing, this new skyscraper erected amongst the medium height and already dated buildings in Sheung Wan, has brought huge impact and changes to the surrounding environment. The building was where the former China Merchants Hotel stood, demolished in 1994 to be rebuilt as the new China Merchants Group Headquarter, today it serves as the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong S.A.R.. The company always emphasized on the use of large study models and has extensively utilized study models to refine building designs since the early 90s. For this project, numerous study models of various sizes were created throughout the different design stages.
Being a new headquarter building for the state-owned China Merchants Group in Hong Kong, traditional Chinese design elements expressed in contemporary language were included. As Hong Kong is a dynamic modern city, design elements of a vitality nature had a major role to play. The new building carries a symmetric and dignified approach at the ground level with the portal frame entrance adopted from the traditional Chinese doorway, with free standing glass walls held by mechanical fastener flanked by 2 huge glass lanterns. The structure is an interpretation of distinctive traditional Chinese ambience through modern technology. The perfect blend of Chinese and Western design elements clearly demonstrates Hong Kong as a place where the east meets the west. The general lobby enjoys generous headroom, huge external glass walls and interlocking progressive spaces of varying heights by resembles Chinese architecture of triple entrances spaces and quadrant constructions. The basic design focus is at the north where the building faces the Victoria Harbor. By having the elevators and other amenities placed at either the east or west side and the central area trimmed, applications of open plans and glass partitions at floor levels fully capture the panoramic harbor views and natural daylight. The walls at the east and west are ornamented with uniquely designed mirror finest stainless steel strips inserted on 6mm matt service aluminum panels. When passerby walk along and look up through the building walls, they can see the clouds reflecting on the stainless steel, creating an interesting illusion as if the entire building is floating. Day or night, the building is infused with dynamic vitality which fully reflects contemporary Hong Kong with a touch of China culture.
The building façades are designed in geometrical propositions with the construction gradually trimmed to the top 38th level. The top level houses the executive offices, chairman’s office, board of directors’ room, executive club house. The spherical observation penthouse is constructed with glass walls for full panoramic and 360° views of the surrounding environments and the sky. This viewing gallery and sky club is strikingly remarkable construction in the midst of surrounding urbanized developments.
Efficient and effective planning is always the company’s concern. The foundations for the building were done with piles, built up to ground level complemented by diaphragm walls and steel shoring to form a solid and protective structure for the excavation of the basement and ground level platforms. In order to shorten the building time of the project, top down construction took place simultaneously. When the general construction was built the first and second floor level, the foundation vendor was constructing the two basement level car parks at the same time. The building of the ground to third level was completed between July and September 1996; the standard floors from there on took 6 days to construct each level. When the top level was completed, the construction work of the spherical viewing gallery commenced, supported by a frame work composed of 36 steel wires. The curtain walls of this gallery were the last construction piece. The permit for occupancy was issued by the Building Authority in June 1998.
This office building is now being the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong.
