Hong Kong: CL3, one of Asia’s leading architecture and design firms, is delighted to announce three landmark international projects for 2017.
The practice of 60 professionals across Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen will be working on a furniture range for Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (“Cornell AAP”), New York (February 2017); the second phase of the Gaysorn 2 Plaza in Bangkok (March – September 2017) and a 24-storey tower of vertical gallery spaces for some of the world’s leading contemporary art businesses, H Queens (late 2017).
Award-winning architect and founder of CL3, William Lim commented: “Over the last 20 years we have built a portfolio of that comprises celebrated designs for hotels and restaurants, as well as commercial, residential and corporate developments. Next year comprises of three pivotal projects that exemplify our ability as a firm. Cornell holds a special place in my heart, as myself and my sons are alumni of the school. To design this furniture range for the university is an honour for us, a design that is created out of the context of the City they will sit within. Across to Bangkok, we are honoured to be part of the Gaysorn Plaza development that encompasses a retail mall and an office tower to rejuvenate this multi-purpose development. In Hong Kong, H Queens is situated in Central, which is the heart of business and art gallery district. H Queens will shift the dynamics and support Hong Kong’s position on the global arts stage, while contributing to the city’s unique urban landscape.”
Unveiled in February 2017, CL3 and multi-disciplinary design practice Lim+ Lu collaborate to design a furniture range for Cornell University’s renowned College of Architecture, Art, and Planning. Spearheaded by founder of CL3 and AAP graduate, William Lim (B.Arch. ’80) alongside Lim + Lu co-founders Vincent Lim (B.Arch. ’12) and Elaine Lu (B.Arch. ’12), the furniture pieces are inspired by the delivery trolleys of New York City. Conceptually designed to be flexible and adaptable to a compact urban lifestyle. The furniture pieces being fabricated in Asia and will then be transported to the college’s New York studio for public usage. The partnership is an example of alumni giving back to the educational institution that has nurtured them and played an instrumental role to their future success. Kent Kleinman, Gale and Ira Drukier Dean of Cornell AAP commented “Each piece is a hybrid: a modular urban element that functions as a kind of infrastructure, mated to a customized artifact specific to particular program. Taken together, they are a microcosm of Cornell’s famous lessons in collage urbanism. Brilliant!”
Gaysorn 2 Plaza is the new phase of a successful mall in the heart of Bangkok which faces tough competition in the development of Thailand’s commercial shopping outlets. This new phase containing a retail mall of 5,500 m2 and a 30 storey office tower, is set to rejuvenate the development. CL3 was invited to design the new phase and to create an iconic linkage between the new and old developments. Using the Thai artisans’ craftsmanship and cultural heritage as an inspiration, contemporary design blends retail with attention to detail of local materials to create a warm and sophisticated ambience. An idea of porosity allows visual connection among the multiple levels of the retail environment. A 20-meter-tall cocoon-like structure made of teakwood penetrates the bridge, connecting the old and new wings. Visible from the street, it is highlighted as the architectural focal point of the development. The retail podium is scheduled to be launched in first half of 2017. Other parts of the mall and the office tower are scheduled to be launched later that year.
H Queens is a 24-storey purpose built vertical gallery building in the heart of the most expansive CBD-Hong Kong. Dedicated to art businesses, restaurants and retail, the building aims to transform the urban environment by creating a new focus for art and entertainment alongside HK’s historic Pottinger Street. As well as complimenting the Arts hub of ‘Tai Kwun’, the city’s largest historic preservation project, located just 3 blocks away. Features include a laminated low-e IGU glass curtain wall with ceramic fitting and an integrated building maintenance unit (BMU) that includes a gondola system to facilitate the delivery of artworks through the operable facade (approx. 3.5 m by 4 m) on each gallery floor. The restaurant floors include large exterior balconies or terraces for al fresco dining, with a dramatic roof top bar. One year prior to completion, major international art businesses David Zwirner Gallery, Pace Gallery, Pearl Lam Galleries, Seoul Auction, Tang Contemporary Art Gallery, Whitestone Gallery and fine dining group Le Comptoir have already confirmed their tenancy.
An architectural icon in itself, H Queen’s is designed to be at the center of Hong Kong’s art and lifestyle. The development houses non-traditional spaces for exhibition with the interest of promoting the arts as well as expanding the audience for art.