The Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) rebranded its corporate logo with an X-mark in burgundy and navy to symbolize its commitment as the connector of the East and the West. LAAB was commissioned to transform the HKEX Connect Hall to embody this forward-looking corporate identity.

Being the live backdrop of financial news, the Connect Hall has to remain open throughout the renovation. This challenge is addressed by minimizing structural changes and focusing on modular systems with careful selections of surface materials.

Programmatically, the daily use of the Connect Hall has changed due to technological advancement. As trading moved online, hosting media and financial events has become its predominant function. The design develops different pocket spaces to cater to social events, including IPOs and financial conferences, connected by a curved wall wrapped in stripes of navy fabric. The curved walls optimize acoustic quality, allowing different events to be held simultaneously. The previous data center is transformed into a multipurpose room with a kitchen.

A well-defined entrance with a theatrical touch is designed using a convex mirror ceiling with twinkling lights and stock market ticker tape. In the auditorium, where most events are held, an open, flexible ceiling system with customed origami lighting replaces the inflexible white barrisol system. The design optimizes acoustic performance while integrating mechanical lighting and advanced AV systems to satisfy the increased demand for live streaming and webinars in the post-COVID era. The origami ceiling changes from burgundy to navy, embracing HKEX’s new corporate identity.

Media backgrounds with branding elements are pivotal to the design of the Connect Hall due to its media presence. The digital wall, media wall, and gong wall provide different spaces for media photography and interviews. The overall design embraces sustainability by using carpets made from recycled fishing nets throughout the space.

client
The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong

consultants
PSI Asia, Sunland Plus, AEC, Hesed, Isomatrix, Easemotion