One Bedford Place
Hong Kong, China
2024
Hong Kong, China
Project start: 2019
Construction Start: 2021
Construction due: 2024
Status: Completed
Gross floor area: 16,800m²
Client: Lofter Group Limited
Architect: AXIA Design Associates
Project team: Chris Wong, Taymoore Balbaa, Michael Good, Leisdania Reynoso, Justine Houseley, Neil Jo, Arniel Valenzula
Executive architect: GYU Limited
Structural engineer: Ben Tse & Associates
MEP engineer: ATKINS
Building Services: Far East Consultant Engineers
Landscape: Landes Limited
Interior designer: VIA Architecture Limited
This commercial tower is located in an old industrial area in Hong Kong, once known for textile manufacturing. When in recent decades such industries moved to factories in mainland China, this neighbourhood of primarily mid-rise concrete buildings was left to languish, until the processes of redevelopment and gentrification slowly commenced. A prime example of what this area is envisioned to become, the new commercial building that AXIA designed and constructed at 100 Bedford Road is conceived as two sleek, prismatic towers, linked by a series of bridges at multiple levels.
These bridges offer an array of amenities to the building’s tenants and users: a deluxe gym, a lounge designed in the style of a vintage library, a conference centre, and a variety of outdoor spaces. The sky lounge features an outdoor relaxation area with a café, complete with undulating benches and planters of vibrant greenery, while a separate rooftop garden includes full barbeque facilities and a running track. The warm tones of the wood planters and other detailing provide an attractive contrast to the glass and concrete.
At the podium level, a double-height lobby creates a dramatic entrance, complemented by an elegant spiral staircase that leads to upper floors of restaurants. The coolness and subtle opulence of the exterior — comprised of glass, steel and silver metal — is balanced by the warmer, more intimate experience of the interior, primarily crafted of wood, brass and sandstone. On the façade, ceramic fritted glass is arranged into distinctive pleated folds to mark the main doorway.
This project achieved impressive sustainability targets. Its insulated glass units with vertical fins reduce solar heat gain, and openable windows for each office unit lessen dependency on air-conditioning. In various ways, AXIA’s construction methods aimed to be environmentally conscious. These strategies included the use of prefabricated concrete formworks, a prefabricated unitized curtain wall system, as well as recyclable and sustainable interior finishes. Smart building solutions were also integrated, including a mobile-app enabled access control system, e-notices, e-payment, e-booking, and works order reporting to achieve paperless building operations and maintenance. The landscaped sky garden allows natural cross- ventilation across the site for urban comfort. This building garnered a GOLD rating for both the local Green Building BEAM Plus Certificate and the WELL Certificate from IWBI, and it won the Opal Award in the commercial high-rise category.
