Honor Award in Open International – 83 King Lam Street by COLLECTIVE studio

Project Overview

The podium design of 83 King Lam Street forms an architectural base for a new set of office twin towers. The buildingsite is nestled between the dense cityscape to the south and a rising lush green hillside of Kam Shan Country Park tothe north. Comprising 3 levels, the context probes for a strong component that links the twin towers with a three-dimensional outdoor public plaza as a continuous landscape, cascading from the second floor to ground level,simultaneously providing new auditorium facilities underneath for the community.

The cascading Public Plaza is a centerpiece which rhythmically winds its way up and down, left and right, connectingeach level of the separated podium with a gentle curve. Its parametric curved surface is expressed as a series ofpixelated steps with varying heights, thereby creating a landscape of stairs, seats, and planters continuing the risinglush green mountain backdrop, creating a calm cul-de-sac amidst the intensive urban condition.

Inserted below the Public Steps are two connected interior auditorium spaces – the upper and lower auditoriumproviding new rentable amenities to the community. The two spaces may be used as a single event space orpartitioned separately. The seats of the upper auditorium can also be retracted, transforming the room into amultipurpose open plan, offering an open event space or a 24-seat conference room. Architecturally, the auditoriumspace is distinguished by a unique stepped ceiling of varying heights, geometrically reflecting the parametric andpixelated nature of the exterior public space above.

Project History

Lai Chi Kok is an extremely dense factory district undergoing redevelopment. The lack of public spaces calls for a newform of Privately Owned Public Space as buffer and links between the twin towers. In 2017, the team injects a three-dimensional outdoor public plaza as a continuous landscape, cascading from the rising lush green hillside of Kam ShanCountry Park to the north, the dense cityscape to the south, and the second floor to ground level from east to west,simultaneously providing new rentable amenities of two connected interior auditoriums and meeting facilitiesunderneath the Public Steps for the community.

Project Team

Architect : COLLECTIVE Studio

Company : Collective Studio Limited

Associate Architect: Rocco Design Architects

Owner: New World Development