Alexander Vorobyov’s new restaurant, BENUAR by The Toy Moscow, has opened at VLADIVOSTOK Grand Hotel & SPA in Russia, along Vladivostok’s Korabelnaya embankment. BENUAR was conceived as an extension of Moscow-based The Toy project but without direct associations. A fine dining place by day, it turns into a restaurant with a show programme by night.
The idea came from the location – the seaport – so the space is bright with a vast glass area that aims to remind diners of Mediterranean Cipriani restaurants. Balanced by textures, materials and space interiors, customers are made to feel comfortable, just like at home or on a yacht. In fact, two walls of the restaurant open onto a parapet behind which the seashore begins; this allows diners to feel relaxed, assuring them that the restaurant meets their highest expectations.
Once they walk through the glass doors, customers find themselves in the lobby that’s reminiscent of a rosewood box. After passing through a small welcome passage, they find themselves in a bar. The bar’s facade is finished in onyx and decorated with spectacular lightning. The lounge, by contrast, is bright with high ceilings and big windows. A glass outbuilding adjacent to the lounge is a winter garden, where you can find tables as well.
The place’s atmosphere is festive and elegant without pretentiousness thanks to a variety of objet’d’art – think a funny, two-metre blue Micky Mouse in the selfie zone and “hands” in the lounge, that are pulling heavy velvet curtains.
BENUAR’s main feature is that it’s a place for business meetings and the gathering of friends. It can easily turn into a restaurant with exciting show programmes come nightfall. The scene is equally visible from all the tables. There is a separate benoir lodge for VIP guests, which lends the restaurant its name. Seven-metre ceilings shape the mezzanine level, complete with tables, sofas, chairs and excellent views.
Glazing, which makes the space feel light and airy, is combined with full soundproofing, thanks to numerous curtains and draperies. These act as interior decor and make rooms fully soundproof and shady when needed. The interior, combined with the author’s cuisine – its main emphasis in the capital of Primorsky Krai is, naturally, seafood – is the only restaurant of this level in the city. It is truly a sight for those who want to spend time dining meaningfully.
In the ‘City of University’, Aedas Executive Director Kelvin Hu has led the team to create a world-leading campus in Wuhan. The project is located adjacent to the Huazhong Ketaicheng, offering a cradle to cultivate the next generation in an all-rounded learning environment. Kelvin says, ‘To maximise the learning efficiency, the design integrates the key elements to equip the students’ academic studies, presentation ability and social skills. The campus connects to the community seamlessly, providing a comprehensive environment for the youths to grow with knowledge and interpersonal skills.’
A cradle for science innovations
Through the metaphor of breeding knowledge for generations to come, the campus is an interconnected space positioned as the ‘origin of technology’, with different parts of it representing a section of a vibrantly growing plant, together forming a thriving ecosystem of knowledge. Starting from the gate, the main school campus can be found to signify ‘A Bud of the Future’ as an integral part of the system where growth happens.
Moving inward, high-end ecological residential towers are placed along the ‘City Vine’, providing modern residences suitable for contemporary living. The ‘City Forest’ is placed at the northernmost of the plot to include technology headquarters as a stage to cater for the technology elites. With a clear layout stitching various functions, the design also offers a seamless connection to the surrounding community, nurturing the next generation to innovatively create and develop in technological aspects within the well-planned environment.
A stage for the students to shine
The cascading terraces embrace the greenery and sports ground in a U-shaped academic building to form an enclosed courtyard. With such a design, a theatre-like environment is mimicked with the athletic tracks acting like a stage and the academic building acting like a theatre’s seating area. It symbolises how the vision of the school is to serve as a platform for students to thrive and shine with their talents, preparing them towards a path to becoming a high-tech elite.
An enclosed spacious courtyard is created, providing a humane ambience while the classrooms are filled with natural sunlight to offer the students pleasant conditions to learn and recreate. The northwestern side of the athletic tracks opens up and forms a dialogue with the local urban context, showcasing a friendly interface facing the community.
The stadium and canteen are placed underneath the elevated sports ground, creating more public areas for greenery and social gatherings. The multi-function hall is placed above the sports ground, as a connector between the school and community. The glass curtain wall of the stadium injects an urban street view into the interiors, forming a placemaking hub for the city.
An energetic campus for collaboration
With efficient layout and spatial planning, the design creates two open communal spaces for collaboration. One of them closely connects to the academic buildings, while another one merges with the recreational amenities and fronts the community. The spaces create a social hub for the students to equip their communication skills and enhance their social understanding of the urban context and local culture.
The courtyard brings greenery into the interiors, further extending the biophilic vibrancy to the permeable terraces. The integration of nature creates a lush outdoor environment for students to interact after classes. The shared spaces seamlessly connect with the elevated sports ground, creating vertical multi-functional areas for the campus.
Facing the community, the public realm provides amenities like the stadium and library, serving the public as a recreational urban oasis. With well-planned circulation, both communal spaces are lined with privacy to ensure the students’ safety, creating a safe co-working environment for the student body and the public alike. Utilising the urban interface, the campus includes comfortable pick-up zones for parents.
Breeding for the future
The school’s vision aims to create personalised education to activate the students’ potential with a blended teaching model. To stimulate curiosity and to include outdoor interactive learning zones, the adaptive design includes science parks, botanical gardens, badminton and table tennis fields, a multimedia learning centre and extra-curricular corners. It is bound to provide an all-rounded campus to support and nurture students in a comprehensive way.
Kelvin shares, ‘We have designed an integrated campus, adding another institution landmark to the district through a hybrid of technology and ecology. The Wuhan Central China Science & Ecological City Primary School project will be the birthplace of fostering and advocating innovation and critical thinking. Connecting with the community, the campus is set to spread knowledge and vibrancy to the surroundings.’
Satoshi Konagai, Leader of LIXIL Water Technologies in the APAC region, shares insights regarding LIXIL’s strategic approach to delivering diverse yet consumer-centric designs that captivate while paving the way for future innovation.
The Asia Pacific region holds significant importance in the realm of water technology, especially in post-pandemic times when hygiene and cleanliness at home are increasingly valued. LIXIL, a leading company in this sector, recognises the region’s demand for innovative bathroom and kitchen solutions that fill various needs. Here’s how the brand is spearheading the development of its water technology business in the Asian Pacific region by focusing on delivering high-quality products that are not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing. Discover how LIXIL’s unwavering focus drives its design prowess and fuels a transformative wave in the world of water technology.
Q: What is the role of LIXIL’s water technology business in the company’s overall mission, and why is the Asia Pacific region significant to this?
A: LIXIL is a purpose-driven company that is committed to making better homes a reality for everyone, everywhere. We make pioneering water and housing products and solutions that solve everyday, real-life challenges that touch the lives of over one billion people across the world. Our water technology business makes up about 60 percent of LIXIL’s nearly US$12 billion global revenue. Consumers trust in our brands and solutions to create better homes, bathrooms and kitchens. Through our focus on consumer-centric design, quality and innovation, we have developed numerous industry-leading products and technologies that deliver an exceptional consumer experience with superior hygiene and comfort.
Q: How important is the APAC region to LIXIL’s water technology business, and what unique challenges and opportunities does it present?
A: LIXIL has a presence across the Asia Pacific region, which is an important market for us. The solid regional fundamentals with thriving economies, growing consumer spending and rapid urbanisation is driving demand for bathroom and kitchen solutions that suit local preferences and lifestyles. LIXIL meets these diverse consumer needs through a multi-brand, multi-category portfolio approach with our power brands, American Standard, GROHE and INAX.
For example, our American Standard brand appeals to first-time homeowners, young families and growing households looking for dependable, well-designed products. With complete bathroom solutions in modern aesthetics, our designer and architect business partners can plan in confidence for their projects.
On the other hand, we note a growing trend for personal wellness – physical and mental –which has become much more important after the pandemic. Consumers are increasingly looking to transform their bathrooms from a functional area into relaxation or wellness spaces, where they can retreat to relax, rejuvenate or recharge from their busy lives.
To meet this need, we have developed the GROHE SPA sub-brand, as a premium solution that transforms the bathroom into an oasis of well-being. With modular configurations and personalised shower settings, GROHE SPA offers consumers unique flexibility and freedom to create their own showering experience. This new water experience encompasses all the senses: from calming sounds with different water volumes and spray types, to visual beauty with carefully selected colours and finishes, providing unique tactile experiences with different materials, activating their sense of smell with relaxing and healing scents of essential oils.
By engaging all five senses, GROHE SPA products promote holistic well-being and enable consumers to create their own personalised home oasis for relaxation and rejuvenation. We plan to officially launch GROHE SPA in the region towards end-2023.
Q: How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the demand for water technology products and services in APAC? How is LIXIL adapting to meet these changing needs?
A: The pandemic has had a mixed impact on the demand for bathroom and kitchen products and services in the Asia Pacific region. While the pandemic has led to a temporary slowdown in some sectors, such as property development and hospitality, it has also led to an increased demand for products that prioritise hygiene and safety at critical touchpoints in the home, office and in public.
LIXIL has responded by developing new products and technologies that focus on hygiene and safety such as touchless faucets and soap dispensers, as well as smart toilets with automatic cleaning, disinfection functions and anti-bacterial technologies.
For example, to ensure hygiene and sanitation in public places, our American Standard HygieneCleanTM system includes innovations such Double VortexTM flushing design for efficient flushing while conserving water, Aqua CeramicTM anti-stain technology and ComfortCleanTM antibacterial technology.
Q: Can you discuss any new products or technologies that LIXIL is currently developing or plans to release in the near future?
A: In our consumer-centric observation and research, we note that the bathroom and kitchen industry in the region is recovering, driven not only by economic recovery but also by consumer needs, which are shifting along three macro trends:
The first trend is around health and well-being, where consumers are spending more time at home. More attention to physical and mental health and well-being. They increasingly view the bathroom as a spa or wellness area. Secondly, sustainability has become a key word for our industry, especially for the hospitality segment. Consumers are demanding brands and products that help the planet without compromising the customer experience. Finally, we observe that rapid urbanisation is placing pressure on transforming the one-function room into a multi-functional living space. This creates an urgent need to reimagine and plan innovative solutions for better homes.
These macro trends are influencing consumers to seek out fittings and fixtures that act as smart, intuitive helpers that simplify everyday routines – as the borders of the bathroom and bedroom, as well as the kitchen and living room, are dissolving. We have the responsibility to offer bathroom solutions with our industry partners that address these macro trends that influence consumer needs and contribute to improving property value.
In addition to the GROHE Spa regional launch, we also have an active pipeline of new products for 2023, including the new American Standard LOVEN collection, which is a complete bathroom solution designed with full-sized features in a compact footprint. It is very suitable for urban apartments and condominiums.
Q: How does LIXIL ensure that its products are both high-quality and affordable for APAC consumers?
A: The LIXIL brand portfolio includes American Standard, GROHE and INAX with a range of products and solutions from entry-level to luxury offerings. We strive to make our products and solutions accessible to as many consumers as possible
Drawing on our Japanese heritage, we practise the Japanese manufacturing principle of Monozukuri – this focuses on manufacturing excellence and quality. We have also invested in a global manufacturing network and a resilient supply chain, including plants located in Asia Pacific.
This setup helps us respond effectively to changes in consumer demand, provide dependable aftersales support and spare parts availability. These important investments are to provide consumers and our industry partners with the assurance of high-quality products and solutions that are durable, dependable and contribute to improving property value.
Q: How important is collaboration with others in the water technology space? How does LIXIL approach partnerships and collaborations?
A: Partnerships and collaborations are important ways for LIXIL and our partners to address industry-wide and increasingly global issues around hygiene, sanitation and clean water.
In March this year, we updated our environmental strategy that outlines how LIXIL will tackle key environmental issues – climate change mitigation and adaptation, water sustainability, and contributing to the realisation of a circular economy.
With the updated Environment Strategy, we want to reduce our CO2 targets by evaluating our total emissions, including Scope 1, 2, and 3, protect water – one of the most precious resources – and focus on circular solutions that can have a positive impact on our planet; aiming at waste reduction from our facilities, resource efficiency, circularity throughout our products along the value chain.
We see like-minded industry partners, governments and NGOs pursuing some or all of the same goals. This creates mutual understanding and fertile ground for partnerships and collaborations to happen with different stakeholders.
A recent example is where LIXIL, together with many other government organisations, manufacturers, and civil society partners such as World Health Organization and the International Water Association, founded “A Global Pledge to Protect Drinking Water from Lead” at the UN 2023 Water Conference. In this movement, LIXIL works collaboratively with our partners to protect public health and safety and reduce lead exposure from drinking water and achieve lead-free drinking water by 2040.
In addition to addressing social and environmental issues, we also collaborate with other brands to improve the design of products for our customers. GROHE SPA recently partnered with Caesarstone, a global company known for producing high-end engineered surfaces, to create faucet handles with their durable quartz designs, offering a curated range of customised options for architects and designers. The Atrio and Allure Brilliant Private Collections can be paired with Caesarstone countertops for a cohesive bathroom design.
Q: What is LIXIL’s vision for the future of water technology, and how does your team plan to stay at the forefront of innovation in this space?
A: As the three macro trends continue to impact our industry, we will need to develop new solutions backed by innovations to address issues that impact end-consumers and our industry partners. We continue to focus on being consumer-centric to better meet consumers’ diverse needs.
We consciously embed consumer-centric thinking in our research, design and manufacturing processes to meet the diverse needs of consumers across all markets. Applying this approach throughout our business creates relevant, purpose-driven products and we are excited to develop solutions that improve the quality of life and solve real-life challenges faced by consumers in their daily lives.
About Satoshi Konagai
Satoshi Konagai is the Leader for LIXIL Water Technology (LWT) Asia Pacific. He is responsible for leading, developing, and accelerating LIXIL’s water technology business across Asia Pacific, a region poised as LIXIL’s future growth engine.
Satoshi joined LIXIL in 2016 where he was instrumental in establishing Asia Regional Logistics, and developing warehouse functions to build the foundation of operations in the company. He also led end-to-end supply chain initiatives such as manufacturing relocation and synergy creation value chain development. Apart from this, he also supported the Asia CEO to drive strategic initiatives across markets.
Satoshi has skilfully unleashed synergies in LIXIL by removing structural barriers and bringing together businesses and people around a common purpose to further accelerate LIXIL’s growth. He has worked with over 200 members across regions to establish synergy functions and also streamlined operations under Monozukuri.
With over two decades of consulting and management experience in multinational organisations, Satoshi held senior positions at BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP (BCG) and UBS Securities Japan, Investment Banking Division. He has a master’s degree from IMD Business School and a bachelor’s degree from Keio University.
Completed in 2022, the Aedas-designed Chengdu Damofang project represents the future of Chengdu by utilising personalised technology and aesthetic scene creation as its design concept. In view of the rising aesthetical standard nowadays, the design combines culture and art which has created the benchmark for the urban commercial space.
Standing in the south of the city, the project is located in the Jiaozi Park Financial and Business Zone with a convenient transportation network. Adjacent to the Cultural Centre, the project site is an important hub that combines the cultural and commercial aspects of Chengdu. With a deep understanding of the market and the master plan, the project is designed to focus on spatial planning based on developing a sense of experience, ambience and trendiness. Unique scenery is designed to strengthen its commercial position and develop the blueprint for future commercial development.
‘The shopping mall is sitting adjacent to the theatre. By incorporating art and culture into commercial, the project is providing consumers with a vibrant, personalised and immersive shopping experience,’ said Aedas Global Design Principal Ken Wai. Themes, culture and wellness are logically presented and distributed throughout the interior, which has overcome the site’s constraints and blurs the boundary between the indoors and outdoors.
To effectively use the high ceiling of the sunken plaza, an enormous tree-like LED installation is placed at the North entrance. It displays customised videos and becomes a popular photo-taking spot. The outdoor natural scenery is extended into the interior space that seamlessly links the indoors and outdoors to support the transit hub. A glassed-in tropical forest chamber and the lushly decorated façade are designed to maximise both the aesthetic value and practicality, as well as to create a night-time scenery complemented by commercial activities.
The fluid void edges with lighting effects create a vibrant atmosphere for the shopping arcade. Natural lights penetrating through the ceiling deliver a bright and amicable space where people feel that they are walking in a tropical forest. A simple and elegant ambience is created by integrating various light and warm-tone colour materials. To fit in with the needs of the new generation, functional spaces are scenarised to cater to various consumer groups, such as beauty and kid-themed areas, creating a vibrant and trendy destination in Tianfu.
HERA Bathroom recently unveiled its highly anticipated Experience Center, located in Grantral Mall and Complex on Macpherson Road. The 2,800-square-foot space is a major milestone for this made-in-Singapore brand focused on compact urban spaces that have grown at a breakneck pace since its establishment in 2017. Visitors can soak in the wide range of modular bathroom solutions, conceptualised for end consumers and designers alike. Additionally, they can play at being spatial designers to create their dream bathrooms through nifty features.
At the heart of the HERA Bathroom Experience Center is an empty space that projects life-size bathroom CAD file floor plans with the click of a mouse, allowing homeowners to design their bathrooms physically. Mix and match from the extensive selection of products to create more than 1,000 combinations. These include bathtubs to waterproof vanity cabinets, mirrors, basins and taps in a wide array of colours. This immersive experience promises to reduce the stress of renovations by letting homeowners mock up their bathroom fittings and furniture to easily envision what it will look like.
Customers who have purchased Build-to-Order (BTO) HDB apartments will have it even easier. Running along the length of one side of the Experience Center are booths, two of which are built to BTO bathroom specifications. A third is sized to HDB Executive Condominium dimensions, and the fourth and last one is to a standard condominium unit. Multi-award-winning designer Cris Cheng of Etcetera Design is responsible for the design of the Experience Center. It embodies the spirit of a workshop, where concrete walls are complemented with metal racks and industrial-style track lights. In the middle is a large communal table where customers can sit and discuss the creation of their bathroom designs.
HERA Bathroom prides itself on offering modular bathroom solutions for compact urban spaces, especially BTO apartments. It is the brainchild of Singaporean entrepreneur Lew Eeling, who aspires to give modern women the opportunity to design their own private sanctuary that they can start their day in and return to after a long day. She conceived the brand after spotting a lack of bathroom amenities catered to female consumers. Undeterred by her lack of training in design, she boldly went on to conceptualise the products it carries today.
Eeling’s decision to go down this road was made on the back of her producing OEM bathroom fittings for award-winning brands across Europe and Asia, through her firm Eilumina Resources founded in 2009 in China. With direct access to manufacturing capabilities, it allows her control over the entire process, from production to logistics and on-site installation. It also means she has complete visibility over the quality of the materials used to create HERA Bathroom’s products, ensuring consistency in the high standards she imposes and offers to the markets.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Eeling took the opportunity to accelerate the business as people turned inwards and focused on turning their homes into wellness havens. In particular, she promoted her signature product, the “HDB bathtub”, a standalone tub small enough to fit into a HDB bathroom, without compromising on comfort and style. More importantly, it fulfils HDB’s conditions and does not require a permit to install. Easily set up in 30 minutes with no hacking required, it brought a piece of affordable luxury to the market, allowing HERA Bathroom to occupy its own niche in the over-saturated sanitaryware industry.
“We have come up with a creative space that democratises bathroom design. The HERA Bathroom Experience Center is the first of its kind that allows customers to be designers for a day. We encourage them to mix and match from our complete and comprehensive range of signature bathtubs and modular products. Ultimately, we want to be their partners in helping them come up with their dream bathrooms,” said Eeling.
Australian architecture and design firm Architectus, international studio Henning Larsen and global consultants Arup have been chosen as the winning consortium to transform the Canberra Theatre Centre into a vibrant, multi-event, all-inclusive space that will, in consultation with First Nations peoples, be the anchor project for the future of Canberra’s Civic and Cultural District into an internationally recognised arts precinct.
The design vision for the Canberra Theatre Centre is an environment that reflects and represents diverse cultures and voices. An internationally recognised cultural precinct with impeccable design credentials that serves as a new community meeting place for Canberrans, and a home for artists from across the globe. The winning tender included early preliminary designs that depict a new theatre building with a bold and sophisticated façade treatment, and which references to the formal landmarks of Canberra.
Architectus Principal and Public Sector Leader, Dr Stephen Long said, “Our collective is thrilled to be working alongside the ACT Government to deliver a world-class experience that has the potential to fuel the creative spirit of Canberra.
“We will approach the design process through the lens of the audience and the performers. We will continue to work from the inside out to create a National theatre with an international reputation. We will also work from the outside in to create a theatre that is enmeshed in the city and landscape, one that holds its place in the context of Canberra’s ensemble of National culture and arts buildings and brings vibrancy to the Canberra Civic and Cultural District. We seek to create a project that is an exemplar of elegance, function and sustainability.”
Henning Larsen Partner and Design Director, Viggo Haremst said, “We are honoured to have been selected for the renewal of the Canberra Theatre Centre. Our design ambition is for the centre to become a national landmark and an international destination, drawing artists and audiences from around the world to Canberra’s new cultural heart.
“Together with Architectus and Arup, we’ve approached the design with great care considering the architecture and all other elements of design to create a vibrant and inclusive place that honours the history and beauty of the land. A cultural hub that celebrates the community, its diverse heritage and artistic expression, where people come together to share in the power of performance and storytelling.”
Arup, a world leader in theatre planning, will collaborate with Architectus and Henning Larsen to ensure the theatre has the form and function required to support the highest level of national and international touring shows.
Arup Australasian Arts & Culture Business Lead, Hannah Slater said, “We are excited to be working in collaboration with Architectus and Henning Larsen on this landmark project that embeds dialogue and creation in the civic heart of Canberra.
“Our design approach will provide the opportunity for the project to knit the stories of this place into the city through establishing a transparent, connected and inviting Centre. Arup provides diverse technical engineering skills and detailed Theatre Architecture expertise, contributing to the realisation of this ambition.”
The team shares a long history of delivering globally significant cultural projects including the multi-award-winning Harpa Concert Hall in Iceland by Henning Larsen and Arup, and Architectus and Arup collaborated on the recently opened Art Gallery of New South Wales Sydney Modern Building. Architectus and Henning Larsen also work together on several high-profile commercial projects in Sydney and Brisbane.
Singapore’s upcoming Kallang Tennis Centre (KTC) is the first sports facility to attain the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Super Low Energy Building (SLEB) award. It is slated to be completed in June 2023. SAA is providing architectural consultancy for KTC, while Surbana Jurong is engaged for environmental sustainability design, civil and structural engineering and mechanical and electrical services.
Singapore’s reputation as a city in a garden inspired SAA to design the Centre to be set amidst lush greenery that extends from the Geylang River nearby. The greenery continues onto the rooftop public park and the vertical greenery surrounding the outdoor courts. KTC is envisioned as a first-class venue for tennis events and a vibrant addition to the nearby Singapore Sports Hub, with up to seven indoor, 12 outdoor courts, and four rooftop courts and amenities such as a sheltered event plaza, sponsorship lounge, and a player’s lounge.
The airy design of the naturally ventilated space offers a welcoming sense of visual and physical openness for visitors. The green boulevard between the 10 outdoor practice courts is a mini park on its own, providing a soothing environment to rest or to watch tennis players as they practice.
Jointly designed by the Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tsinghua University and Aedas, this proposal is one of the shortlisted designs for the Jinzhan International Cooperation Service District in Beijing. It is closely located where the embassies are clustered, embodying harmony and synergy of cultural diversity. The district is aimed to become a focal development for Chaoyang, Beijing.
With a concept of a “Central Fusion Zoning”, the proposal injects multi-functional industries to promote the city’s image, advocate international exchange and facilitate future development. The planning adopts concentric circular zoning, optimising vibrant international commercial activities. The core ring integrates international retail streets, high-end border-crossing TOD facilities, and cultural centres whilst the middle ring provides amenities including hospitals, schools, and residences. The outer ring is a cradle for high-tech industries, enhancing their productivity and efficiency through a humane working environment. The district is comprehensively planned, creating a mixed-use destination that gathers talent and provides diverse professional services to citizens.
Through scientific research on the environment, an ecological and people-centric district is created by optimising the balance among wind, light, heat, and sound. The proposal implements 17 carbon-neutral environmental measures to construct an all-round low-carbon system, consisting of carbon-free buildings, energy-efficient transport, new energy consumption, green industries, low-carbon lifestyles, and establishment of natural carbon sink.
The district marks itself as an integrated area of Beijing and a gateway to the world by means of strategic positioning, greenery and water resources planning, traffic structure, and spatial experience. With a functional layout, three zonings are outlined to integrate the TOD with waterfront space, weave the whole district by interconnected pavements, and deliver a public realm for cultural icons and venues. Jinzhan International Cooperation Service District is designed to be a place-making hub and liveable community with a vision of advancing high-tech industries and international exchange.
As the only municipal administrative centre of Guangzhou, Nansha New District is leading the future to be a free trade zone as the main linkage between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau. Hengli Island, in particular, has been labelled an international financial island, acting as the most integral part of the financial blueprint in activating Pearl Bay, and shall serve as the benchmark for the future CBD of Nansha. Entrusted by China Railway Construction Corporation Limited, Ken Wai, Global Design Principal of Aedas, led the team to create a new landmark that strikes the city’s landscape.
The mixed-use project comprises a kindergarten, three low-rise buildings of mainly commercial uses by the riverbank, two mid-rise buildings for residential, commercial and public service use in the middle and four high-rise upscale residential towers towards the northern plot. By incorporating an unobstructed river view and vibrant city life with comprehensive amenities, the project forms a green oasis with close proximity to city living.
The project is a rare find within the city’s financial district, especially with an indulging panoramic view of the river. Located by the riverside of Hengli Island, Nansha District, a planned road runs across the plot and divides it in two. The south side of the plot is adjacent to the riverside ecological green corridor, where residents may enjoy a multi-layered river scenery from different viewpoints. Overlooking the estuary to the east and an endless stretch of river to the west, the plot attains a mesmerising unobscured view of the riverfront. The west and north sides of the plot are office building areas which link to the landmarks in the CBD. Being merely 600 metres away from the IFF Conference Centre, the project allows for city viewing from a prime perspective.
The project has posed several challenges to the team such as requesting a wide scope of functional uses and a high floor area ratio. To maximise flexibility, the design blueprint is altered in a way that different functions are dispersed across the plot to strike a balance between the need for functionality and the users’ spatial comfort. By distributing the buildings by the perimeter, most units can enjoy an all-embracing view of the river. The area is tied together with a central public void adorned with multilevel vegetation. It irrigates and connects different spaces through its porosity, energising the plot to provide an active public response and environmental benefits. Apart from enriching the greening of the residential area, the void coheres with the ecological environment of the city as well. A striking skyline that lights up the riverside is finally achieved with a multi-dimensional layout of buildings with disparate heights.
The design extends the urban vitality axis by Jinger Road to link it to the riverbank and local landscape. A portal that acts as a symmetrical axis is formed to echo the design language, achieving an airy and open environment by utilising sunlight and greenery. Individual corridors are also formed in their respective plots to penetrate the riverside landscape into the northern plots, creating an exemplar in blending the urban living experience with natural sceneries.
The team has drawn inspiration from the tip of Hengli Island that points towards the estuary, hence marking “Cloud Palace Above Sea” as the design concept. Comparing the building to a giant cruise ship sailing in the wind, the tower constantly overlooks the river and the vast sea, enjoying the gift of nature from the water and the sky. Through research on spatial structure, layout, and sunlight, the design team fully simulated the shape and viewing experience from a cruise, creating well-proportioned buildings to ensure that the view of the lavish landscape is maximised.
The façade of the residential tower is comprised of aluminium plates, reflecting the surrounding sea and sky. The overall design focuses on adjusting viewing angles to reduce visual obstructions between units, ensuring that the riverscape is accessible to most, to create a top-tier riverfront apartment. The viewing dock at the crown of the tower is ingeniously designed, offering a picturesque view of the river, while enriching the residential experience. Both residential towers stay true to the essence of the design concept in mimicking an experience on a cruise – the balcony itself resembles the viewing deck where you may immerse in the surrounding waters, and savour every moment of life by the river.
Aedas Global Design Principal Ken Wai remarks, “The balance between man and nature is deemed fundamental in the design of residential buildings. Architectural designs should uphold the belief of being people-oriented, directing them to explore the most primitive habitat combined with the pursuit of quality of life and modernity, in order to meet one’s vision of ideal lives.”
Following an iconic launch viewed by over 500 million people worldwide, OMNIYAT, Dubai’s leading luxury real estate developer, once again lit up the skies of Dubai to celebrate breaking ground on its highly anticipated architectural masterpiece, ORLA, Dorchester Collection, Dubai. Following OMYNIYAT’s ground-breaking tradition, three brilliant beams of light branded the skies above Palm Jumeirah, representing ORLA’s three iconic structures, and its sistership with One at Palm Jumeirah and AVA at Palm Jumeirah in a trifecta of exclusive luxury.
Set on the sand of the Arabian Gulf at the beachfront apex of the Palm Jumeirah, ORLA, Dorchester Collection, Dubai – a residential jewel designed by world-renowned Foster + Partners and managed by legendary hospitality brand Dorchester Collection – will offer a bespoke lifestyle steeped in sumptuous style and sophistication.
Founder & Executive Chairman of OMNIYAT, Mahdi Amjad said: “Following the phenomenal success of last year’s launch of ORLA, Dorchester Collection, Dubai, we are excited to watch the rise of this highly anticipated property, which is the creative culmination of three leaders in their respective fields – Dorchester Collection, Foster + Partners, and OMNIYAT. This is the next step on a journey to an iconic destination – at the peak of Palm Jumeirah, and the pinnacle of ultra-luxury living. This milestone ground-breaking of our 13th exclusive project reflects OMNIYAT’s commitment to redefining the standard of luxury across Dubai.”
Comprising 86 two-to-four-bedroom homes, three outstanding sky palaces and one of the largest private mansions on the Palm Jumeirah, ORLA, Dorchester Collection Dubai, combines uninterrupted 270-degree sunrise to sunset views of both Dubai’s futuristic skyline with calming turquoise waters to provide residents privacy, prestige and personalised service to ensure they enjoy an unparalleled lifestyle.
Showcasing OMNIYAT’s visionary philosophy to create iconic and bespoke residential partnerships with elite hotel groups, its fourth development to be managed by the Dorchester Collection will include world-class facilities and amenities, such as a private, resident-only 300 square-metre beach club; a large, temperature-controlled outdoor infinity pool; a private cinema; a state-of-the-art fitness centre; a business centre with two meeting rooms, a boardroom a multi-functional events space; and library and cigar lounges; among others.
