Pacific Place

Admiralty, Hong Kong

heatherwick studio     2009-2012

Client: Swire Properties

Pacific Place is a 700,000sq ft retail, leisure and office complex in the centre of Hong Kong. The shopping mall forms a podium for four towers providing A spec. office space and four 5 star hotels, serviced apartments and gourmet dining destinations; an important and iconic development that set the standard for shopping in Hong Kong.

Heatherwick Studio were commissioned to undertake the HK$1.5 billion project which totally refurbished the shopping mall, external facades and landscaping at every level and scale from new typeface and signage to the construction of stand-alone buildings.

New curving stone facades wrap the entire podium on level four and around the building perimeter on the surrounding streets. The complex stratification of five different finishes to the stone also features on the hard landscaping and planters. Bronze detailing appears throughout the design forming branding, signage and special details.

Changing the level four podium from a back of house, taxi drop off area to an important new arrival sequence was part of the brief. New high end retail is now evident as well as a new luxury restaurant, which sits within a landscaped area, its complex ribbons of steel forming the roof and ceiling and providing an unusual dining setting.

Previously inaccessible external areas have been revitalised and form a new public space through the introduction of walk-on skylights. The rigidly horizontal stone of the planters is balanced by a lush and wild sub-tropical mix of trees and shrubs. Inserted within the new space, a new cafe completes the picture.

New lifts were installed throughout the mall. Curving glass, structurally glazed to form a smooth shaft cutting through the building. Inside the shaft, attention to detail and rich finishes make the usually forgotten space into front of house. Inside the elevator cars the luxury bronze highlights complete the experience.

Alex Jones worked as Project Architect on Pacific Place, leading Heatherwick Studio’s team in Hong Kong and London. Alex oversaw the project throughout all stages of the process; from design to detailing and final construction.