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HSBC, Hong Kong

when

2020

where

Hong Kong, China

interior design

Hassell

HSBC building in Hong Kong

Designed by Norman Foster between 1979 and 1986, the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) building is located in the centre of Hong Kong, near the harbour, on the former site of the City Hall. The skyscraper, considered one of the most innovative buildings of all in terms of its architecture, comprises three individual towers built side by side, with a twenty-nine storey block and a thirty-six storey block flanking the forty-four-storey central tower.

The interior design project

The fifteenth floor is home to the new HSBC private client centre, also known as the QRC Suites. The interior design of the space, entrusted to Hassell, started from measures to highlight the iconic architectural form of the tower.

The space, designed to facilitate interaction between institutional and private clients and HSBC, provides a dedicated place for building professional relationships thanks to a series of meeting rooms that range from small, private booths to larger meeting spaces and social areas for more informal occasions. The blend of classic proportions and contemporary finishes ensures the interiors feel as if they are an extension of the architecture, a sort of elegant and timeless new generation.

“This incredible floor uses natural materials, customised detailing and the highest of workmanship standards, setting a new benchmark for private banking spaces" (Tom Herron, Hassell Principal)
“The new interior pavilions and the garden spaces that define the journey to these suites are rigorously planned to work in concert with the Foster architecture, bringing a new character to the interior and revealing the beauty of the original structure.” (David Whittaker, Principal, Hassell)

Discretion, privacy and acoustic performance are at the heart of the design brief for the QRC Suites, which follow the “clubhouse” model in keeping with the corporate real estate shift and new trends of hybrid working that require ever increasing agility and flexibility.

UniFor's contribution to the QRC Suite interiors of the HSBC building in Hong Kong

UniFor, thanks to its many years’ experience in large-scale custom projects all over the world, its skill in interpreting the wishes of clients and architects and its manufacturing expertise in combining mechanical and structural components with materials like natural wood, created the multifunctional suites.
The doors are controlled by a system integrated in the flooring which, when activated, allows the room function to be quickly modified, opening up to embrace the floor’s communal areas. Inside, the rooms are enhanced with recessed and concealed equipped cupboards lined with exquisite wallpaper depicting traditional ancient Chinese motifs, specially chosen by the studio in different shades of colour to match the different marble tabletops. Structural partition walls characterised by soundproofing material guarantee perfect acoustic privacy.

For the room interiors, Hassell selected tables from the Element series designed by Foster+Partners and UniFor products customised with marble tops and tailored technology, denoting the strong link between the new interior design project and the pre-existing architecture. The brief also focused on greenery, as conducive to the wellbeing and relaxation of employees and visitors alike: terrariums, custom-made by UniFor, not only house lush tropical plants, but also private work pods.

UniFor once again confirms its status as leader in the development of made-to-measure solutions that create unique work environments, where people’s mental and physical wellbeing and the functionality of spaces become one, leading to workspaces that offer many different types of use.