via., the award-winning Hong Kong architecture and design studio, has designed the all-new ArtisTree, a multi-purpose event space by Swire Properties in Taikoo Place. Fitted with professional stage lighting and audio-visual technology, ArtisTree is designed as a platform for new ideas and innovative productions.
Officially relocating from Cornwall House to Cambridge House in June 2017, ArtisTree’s move is part of Swire Properties’ Taikoo Place redevelopment project. The newly-designed space will be in a highly-visible location and will offer easier public access.
Architecture and interior design studio via. was commissioned to create the multi-purpose 7,000 sq ft space, designed to house a variety of art and performance events featuring young talents and productions from international art groups.
The venue is designed to meet the technical provisions for a range of purposes, from art exhibitions and dance performances to fashion events and concerts. Aside from making effective use of the space, the via. design team had to consider ceiling height requirements for different types of activities as well as create a functional backstage area.
Most performance spaces focus on the internal experience, connecting the audience and the artists in a secretive, closed-in environment known as a black box. via. was more interested in the concept of an ‘open box’, exploring the interior-exterior dynamic and how the creative energy within the space could be communicated to the audience.
Working in collaboration with Swire Properties, via. built a design based around movement, resonance and broadcast. These abstract ideas were reinterpreted into design elements using a combination of materials, lighting and textures.
The movement concept is evident in the sculptural, striking entrance. The gates, crafted from wavy aluminium profiles wrapped in timber veneer, reveal an undulating pattern that evoke gentle water ripples and symbolise reverberating sound waves and rhythmic movement. When the gates are open, the rolling metal grilles frame the entrance and draw visitors to the central performance space.
The main performance area is distinguished by a unique feature wall comprising almost 1,000 metallic squares. Each one is stacked upon another at a slightly rotated angle to create a stunning visual effect and reinforce the sense of energy, reverberation and movement. Spanning 18 metres in length and 6 metres in height, the feature wall evoke the fluid motions of a stage performance, and an amplification of ArtisTree’s aspiration to connect with the community and become a space for cultural and artistic expression. During evening performances, these sculptural forms are illuminated to signal a show in progress while also drawing the attention of passersby.
Employing a sculptural approach to the design, via. used repetition and rotation to create an environment that is intimate and rich in materiality.
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