Driven to progress: Time is money, says architect Dennis Lau Wing-kwong
The man behind CITIC Plaza in Guangzhou says every project has to be better than the last
He is one of Hong Kong's most renowned architects, and perhaps few understand the financial value of time more than Dennis Lau Wing-kwong.
"As an architect, time in Hong Kong is important. Land prices and building costs are so high that the time it takes for a developer to get back their money is critical," says the chairman and managing director of Dennis Lau & Ng Chun Man Architects & Engineers (DLN).
"Even 10 years ago, when interest rates were as high as 18 per cent, costs from contractors were HK$25,000 per hour. Time is money - and big money too. We have to work fast."
DLN's buildings have been at the forefront of Hong Kong's iconic skyline for the past six decades. A selection of the company's works includes Central Plaza, The Centre, K11, Manulife Financial Centre, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, and development of the West Kowloon Cultural District - each a reflection of the city's economic and cultural trends.
"When I came out of university in 1970, I'd look out at Kowloon and it was flat. Because of the airport, the height of buildings was limited - it was like a crew cut from the army," he says. "When they removed [the height restriction], the skyline grew upwards and it's much more interesting than before."