Located in the Kai Tak Development Area, the site of Hong Kong’s old airport, AIRSIDE is a large-scale, Grade A office and retail development project. As the Executive Architect, RLP Asia was responsible for bringing to life the main design concept: “A Place for Wholeness”, helping to develop a new generation of office buildings that focus on workplace health and wellbeing.
Building Composition
The design of AIRSIDE is inspired by the intense fusion of natural elements, historic structure, and contemporary urban spaces in Hong Kong. It reflects this by inviting the outside in while connecting seamlessly to some of the main surrounding features in the area including the Kai Tak Park and the Kai Tak River.
The development is designed to function on differing levels and scales of perception and expression. As a strong focal point for the wider area with a clear presence on the Kai Tak Station Square, the building is designed to operate at the human scale by subdividing the large retail block part with setback gaps in the façade. The mass is broken down into smaller components, creating an impression of several blocks in unison, rather than a single unified structure. It has the presence of several singular objects that together create a wholeness. The main feature is a gradual play in height. The retail blocks rise up carefully in steps from the Kai Tak river promenade, and creates a transition to the main volume: The upper portion of the tower, which expresses verticality through a mirrored shape, tapered prism that connects the ground to the sky.
Landscaped Urban Spaces
The development is specifically designed to be porous on the ground floor, to integrate with the surrounding public realm. The design strives to create a variety of public spaces; from open plazas with generous seating and integrated bespoke furniture to pocketed streetscapes, all coupled together to form a continuous system of lush, green and people-friendly public spaces.
Facade
From the initial stage, the facade was presented as a geometry inspired by the textile history of the Nan Fung Group. A sinusoidal geometry covers the building volume, creating a monolithic feel of the project. A high frequency sinusoidal façade starts at the bottom part of the volume and fades out towards the sky. At grade, the curved sinusoidal façade is lifted up to emphasise the entrances and to create a clear transition between indoor and outdoor.
Interior Design
Inspired by the textile history of the Nan Fung Group, the interior design concept plays with Texture, Layering and Detail of materials. The feature retail atrium is characterised by the unique upcycled fabric spandrel panel driving the circular flow of shoppers around the retail space. A variety of stainless steel based copper/bronze shades characterise the retail zone in combination with textured micro-cement and timeless terrazzo floor . The wavy chandelier in the office lobby is a symbolic feature which gives distinct character and connects the office lobby on G/F and 2/F.
Sustainability
AIRSIDE is also advocating a sustainable green lifestyle supported by unique facilities such as Hong Kong’s first ever automatic bicycle parking bay to encourage green mobility; sky urban farming; automated smart waste sorting and collection; a water-saving and rainwater retention strategy; one of the largest PV farms; a highly efficient centralised district-cooling system and indoor air quality awareness that will make it one of the most environmentally-friendly landmarks in town.
