Inside One Bedford Place, an architect’s nostalgic tribute to old Hong Kong
For a new office tower in Tai Kok Tsui, architect Frank Leung drew on classic Hong Kong style to create contemporary interiors that blend tradition with modernity
The brief was to create a memorable series of common spaces within the 26-storey tower, designed by Ben Tse & Associates (overall structure) and Axia Design Associates (facade). “We were really excited to inject something expressive,” he says.
Many office environments in Hong Kong are sleek but generic; both Leung and Chow wanted One Bedford Place to look different. “Carol has always been a big fan of updating what’s quintessential about Hong Kong,” says Leung. “Tai Kok Tsui is a really colloquial part of Hong Kong. So we started from the street – the hardware stores, shop signs, mosaic tiles.”
“Culturally, there’s a renaissance, with films, music and fashion that are proud of Hong Kong as it is,” he says. “But there’s a fine line between creating a film set, something Disney-esque, and doing something suitable for contemporary use. It’s a matter of degree.”
That’s apparent as soon as you set foot in the lobby. The first thing visitors will notice is a staircase that spirals up to the first floor from a podium made of gold-veined black marble. The same stone is used for the steps, which are bordered by a contrasting mixture of matte black and warm wood finishes. “We wanted it to be dramatic,” says Leung, adding that the choice of black was meant to evoke the building’s industrial surroundings.
The staircase anchors a cafe that will operate in the lobby, with a curved black banquette and custom-made chairs of wood, metal tubing and black leather. From there, visitors can take in the other Hong Kong-inspired elements. Copper scaffolding extends across the ceiling, acting both as a light fixture and a reference to the many metal-cutting shops nearby, while also appearing at first glance like bamboo scaffolding, soon to be phased out in the city.