Mapletree Bay Point Hong Kong

In 2018, a sustainable high-rise office building has been completed in Kwun Tong, Hong Kong’s new financial district, to plans by ingenhoven architects. Not far from Victoria Harbor, the building is a compact, classical shape with rounded corners and surrounding bands of louvres. In spite of the building’s height of 95 meters, its glass facade gives it a sense of lightness and transparency and permits impressive views of the skyline of the metropolis.

In view of the fact that Hong Kong’s subtropical climate involves more than 200 hours of sunshine per month, the facade has been fitted with external louvres that are aligned with the position of the sun so that solar energy gains can be reduced by up to 30 percent. In addition, Hong Kong’s maritime climate meant that the design had to be suitable for the salt content in the air and also to cope with the annual occurrence of hurricanes. For this reason, the louvres consist of fixed aluminum elements projecting out from the facade.

An evergreen roof garden and various planted rest zones bring a piece of nature back to the city, and at the same time reduce the urban heat island effect. The design language of the landscaped outside area is based on the concept of "green islands". These cushion-like mounds of lawn are highly flexible so that it is possible to respond to the specific local needs of the flow of pedestrians without losing the design continuity. These raised green island mounds can be seen from afar and become a destination for visitors. In combination with benches and trees, they provide shaded areas for sitting.

The warm and natural materials on the inside of the building create a bright and friendly atmosphere. The design is timeless. The architectural detailing does not hide or clad anything, the emphasis being on authenticity of the materials and construction elements.