www.hopsze.com

Let nature take its course

Schotten & Hansen creates flooring and furniture from the finest-quality timber, lovingly handled to transform spaces and age beautifully.

Discerning designers with a client specifying wooden floors will want the boards under their feet to be strong, durable, beautiful, natural looking and, most of all, unique. These qualities are promised by Schotten & Hansen, whose commitment to high-end, custom-ised flooring is the essence of their business.

The Southern German firm has a 30-year tradition of tailor-made timber work, always by hand, with meticu-lous attention to each order from the layout for each room covered down to the selection, sizing and treatment of every plank. Individual care and craftsmanship by hand are bywords for a company that always pursues perfection.

creating better environments

MARMOLEUM MODULAR OFFERS YOU AN ENDLESS CHOICE IN SHAPE, SIZE AND COLOUR TO CHOOSE FROM.

www.marmoleummodular.com

34

44

64

28

Publisher: Mike Staley, publisher@rofmedia.com Editor: editor@rofmedia.comEditorial Consultant: Michael HoareEditorial Team: Bryan Chan Derek Leung Elizabeth Kerr John Lo Kelly Wan Nia Tam Richard Lee Suzanne DennisBusiness Development: Bryan Chan, bryan@rofmedia.com Tel: (852) 3150 8912Sales Director: Mike Staley, mike@rofmedia.com Tel: (852) 3150 8989Sales Enquiry: sales@rofmedia.comSenior Graphic Designer: Tez Yam, studio@rofmedia.com Tel: (852) 3150 8988Graphic Designers: Parnell Chan Lau YiPhotographers: Brian Zhang Joey Kwok Samuel Lee Intern: Chris LoPrinting: DG3 Asia Ltd. Tel: (852) 2965 6777Distribution: bpost (Asia) Ltd. Tel: (852) 2817 7713

PRC Magazine is published by Ring of Fire Ltd. 8/F Xiu Ping Commercial Building, 104 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong T: (852) 3150 8988

On-line version please visit ?????? : www.issuu.com/rofmedia

Log on to download subscription form or email to ??????????????? : subscribe@rofmedia.com

PRC Magazine is available at the following bookshops PRC ??????????Hong Kong ??: Basheer ??? Cosmos ???? Page One ?? Dymocks: IFC

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner, without the written consent of the publishers. All care is taken but accuracy of information rests with the client; the publisher bares no responsi-bility for any factual errors that may occur. The views expressed herein are not necessarily shared byPRC Magazine or its staff. Copyright 2014 Ring of Fire Ltd.

PRC Magazine is pleased to support the following organisations:

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

14ABDH028 PRC (Oct issue) Bilingual Output.pdf 1 11/9/14 5:28 pm

The worlds largest private bank predicts large-scale power stations will soon make way for electric cars and new solar technologies. Analysts at UBS say that big power stations in Europe could be redundant within 10-20 years as electric cars, cheaper batteries and new solar technologies transform the way electricity is generated, stored and distributed. In a briefing paper sent to clients and investors in late August, the Zurich-based bank argues that large-scale, centralised power stations will soon become extinct because they are too big and inflexible, and are not relevant for future electricity generation. Instead, the authors expect it to be cheaper and more efficient for households and businesses to generate their own energy to power their cars and to store any surplus energy in their own buildings even without subsidies. The authors said that power is no longer something that is exclusively produced by huge, centralised units owned by large utilities. By 2025, everybody will be able to produce and store power. And it will be green and cost competitive, i.e., not more expensive or even cheaper than buying power from utilities, urging their financial clients to join the revolution.

Solar is at the edge of being a competitive power generation technology. The biggest drawback has been its intermittency; this is where batteries and electric vehicles (EVs) come into play. Battery costs have declined rapidly, and the bank expects a further decline of more than 50% by 2020. By then, a mass produced electric vehicle will have almost the same price as a combustion engine car. But the bank does not expect power companies or the grid to disappear: UBS says they have a future if they develop smart grids which manage electricity demand more efficiently and provide decentralised back-up power generation.

The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) Board decided to award the contract for the development of the Kwun Tong Town Centre Project (Development Areas 2 & 3) to a consortium, Union Score Investments Limited, consisting of Sino Land Company Limited and Chinese Estates Holdings Limited, in a meeting held on 1 September. The Kwun Tong project is the largest redevelopment initiative ever undertaken by the URA since establishment. With a total area of about 5.35 hectares, the project is divided into five Development Areas and will be implemented in phases. Development Areas 2 and 3 that are being put up for tender occupy a site of about 21,754m2. The new development targets to deliver some 1,700 residential units of a total gross floor area of about 138,980m2, a total non-domestic gross floor areas of about 33,220m2 for retail shops, a two-level public transport interchange for franchised buses and public light buses, a hawker bazaar and a refuse collection point. A public open space of about 6,400m2 will also be provided.

Leaders from the construction, finance and insurance industries came together in Hong Kong on 16 September to discuss the shift of the global construction industry and the importance of managing risk as entities expand their infrastructure footprint. Hosted by AIG a leading construction insurance provider the discussion took place in conjunction with the launch of new research by AIG which found that for the first time construction in emerging markets is now outpacing developed markets. AIGs Global Head of Construction, Daniel Abramson, says this shift is in significant part being driven by emerging countries in Asia where population growth and urbanisation is creating the need for more construction investment. Last year 52% of the worlds construction came from emerging markets. By 2025 we expect this figure to grow to by more than 60 per cent with big infrastructure projects in China and India set to lead the way.

Despite the rapid rise of emerging markets, Hong Kong is also experiencing strong growth particularly in the infrastructure construction sector which now accounts for 47 per cent of the industry. Largely being driven by the governments investment in water infrastructure as it looks to reduce its dependency on mainland Chinas water resources, the sector is expected to grow from HK$82.6 billion last year to HK$130.4 billion in 2018. AIG is the marketing name for the worldwide property-casualty, life and retirement, and general insurance operations of American International Group, Inc. More information at: www.aig.com.hk.

Dennis Lau & Ng Chun Man Architects (DLN) will plan and design the new campus of the University of Pembangunan Jaya, in Indonesia, which upon completion in 2025 will house 10,000 students. Their approach to this project is an environmentally friendly one that focuses on passive design features that both reduces lifecycle energy consumption and increases contact of building users with nature, incorporating modest and easily procured construction. DLN Director, Alexander Lush, said: We have sought to minimise reliance on engineered systems. The orientation, disposition, layout and detail design of the buildings are all calculated to exploit the potential for natural shading and ventilation. This approach has also resulted in a campus where every space is in close proximity to nature and aligns with the ambition to create an exemplary campus. It is a University of gardens.

The CITIC Financial Centre is the headquarters building of CITIC Securities Company, located in Shenzhen. The programs include offices, conference facilities, hotels and residential apartments. The project is located at the western gateway area of Shenzhen Bay flanking a green public space to the west. Architecturally, the centre is a response taking conditions of both the citys development and urban planning into consideration, for instance, requirements of building height, creation of a city interface and public space, inspirations for later architectural designs and attempts of a three-dimensional greenery.

The complex, with a GFA of 241,000m2, consists of a tower and two slab blocks. The tower is located to the sites north. The frontal slab block gently slopes downwards to Shenzhen Bay, granting the upper floors of the tower a magnificent harbour view, while the layering edges of the building are posed against the blue sky. The downward sloping slab blocks outline rooftop green terraces in three varied heights. They connect with the vertical green wall and mid-air garden which become a three-dimensional green belt passing through the site. Along with flanking a lush park, the whole site is endowed with an open greenery view.

Solar-powered houses and entire villages, like the one above in Germany, could make Europes big power stations redundant in 10-20 years, UBS argues.

UBS URGES InvESToRS To joIn REnEwaBLES REvoLUTIon

ConTRaCT awaRDED FoR KwUn TonG Town CEnTRE PRojECT

EMERGInG MaRKETS DRIvInG GLoBaL ConSTRUCTIon InDUSTRy

DLn To DESIGn MajoR UnIvERSITy CaMPUS In InDonESIa

RoCCo DESIGn aRCHITECTS UnvEILS CITIC FInanCIaL CEnTRE

8

The real estate industrys most prominent awards, the RICS Hong Kong Awards 2015 is open for nominations until 12 December, 2014. A total of 12 award categories are open to honour achievements in Hong Kongs land, property, construction industries and the built environment. Now in their fourth year, the RICS Hong Kong Awards celebrate excellence, professionalism, achievement, and overall contribution to our built environment. To recognise achievements from emerging sectors, five new awards have been introduced this year, namely; Industrial / Data Centre / Logistics Team of the Year; Property / Facility Management Team of the Year; Sustainability Achievement of the Year; Refurbishment / Restoration Team of the Year; as well as Construction Project Team of the Year.

The Awards are open to everyone working within the property profession. Nominations are free, for details please visit www.ricshkawards.com. The Awards presentation ceremony will be held at RICS Hong Kong Annual Dinner 2015 on 13 March, 2015. For advertising opportunities in MODUS Asia, the official Members magazine of RICS Asia, contact Bryan Chan at Bryan@rofmedia.com.

The Construction Industry Council (CIC) and Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC) are delighted to announce that Hong Kong has been chosen to host the World Sustainable Built Environment Conference 2017 (WSBE17) in June 2017, a pre-eminent conference on sustainable building and construction operating in a three-year cycle. With intense competition from America, Africa, and Asia, Hong Kongs proposal stood out with its unique edge of alignment with the spirit of the SBE Conference Series. The support received from the HKSAR Government, the contributions from the industry and academic stakeholders, together with Hong Kongs distinctive position in connecting the massive sustainable developments of China with the world, were the major winning factors of the bid.

RICS HonG KonG awaRDS 2015 - now oPEn FoR noMInaTIonS

HonG KonG To HoST woRLD SUSTaInaBLE BUILT EnvIRonMEnT ConFEREnCE 2017

AECOM recently announced that it has been appointed by the Drainage Services Department of the HKSAR Government to provide investigation, design and construction supervision consultancy for the relocation of Sha Tin Sewage Treatment Works (STSTW) to caverns in Sha Tin, Hong Kong. The consultancy's lump sum fee is around US$32 million while the total contract value, including site supervision costs, amounts to US$130 million. With a sewage treatment capacity of 340,000m3 per day, the relocated STSTW will be the biggest cavern sewage treatment works in Asia when complete, serving a population of over 800,000 in Sha Tin. This project also marks a new milestone in large-scale cavern development in Hong Kong as part of enhancing land supply strategy to free up land for housing and other beneficial uses. The investigation and design works are scheduled for completion in phases from 2017, and construction works will commence afterwards.

AECOM will also assist the government in public engagement activities and provide preliminary design for the upstream sewerage networks and pumping facilities related to the relocation of the STSTW to caverns. To design a sustainable sewage treatment works located inside caverns that will meet the demands for the next several decades, AECOMs cavern and process teams will work out advanced sewage- and sludge-treatment technologies to minimise the size of needed caverns, energy consumption, carbon footprint and sludge production, in order to optimize the cost of the entire life cycle. AECOM will organise pilot studies to ensure that state-of-the-art technologies work well for local sewage characteristics, including high salinity due to the use of seawater for flushing in Hong Kong.

US$130-MILLIon ConTRaCT FoR SEwaGE TREaTMEnT woRKS

9

Swire Properties recently welcomed the recognition from the internationally respected financial magazine Euromoney, which named the company as the Best Office/Business Developer in Hong Kong in its Real Estate Survey 2014. Swire Properties Chief Executive, Martin Cubbon, said: We are delighted and honoured to be chosen as the best developer in the office/business category in Hong Kong, particularly by industry experts and corporate end-users from around the world. This award gives us the encouragement to continue to provide the highest standards of design and services as we continue with our expansion plan for our office portfolio in Hong Kong, mainland China and Miami.

Swire Properties is a leading developer, owner and operator of mixed-use, principally commercial properties in Hong Kong and mainland China. Its attributable property investment portfolio, including property under development, totals 7.5 million m2 of which 4.6 million m2 is office space. The company owns mixed-use developments in six cities, namely Hong Kong, Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Miami. In Hong Kong, Swire Properties launched a seven-year redevelopment plan for TaiKoo Place early this year. The redevelopment will provide 609,600m2 of leading edge office space and a new landscaped square of about 21,000m2. Completion of the first building is scheduled in 2018.

SwIRE PRoPERTIES naMED BEST oFFICE/BUSInESS DEvELoPER

The Energising Kowloon East Office (EKEO) of the Development Bureau launched the Kai Tak Fantasy (KTF) - International Ideas Competition on Urban Planning and Design in November last year, and 80 submissions were received up to February this year. First-stage adjudication has been completed and four submissions were shortlisted. They were showcased at a roving exhibition which commenced in June and ran for two months, with public opinions on the design concepts collected. In parallel, the "A Place for You" video contest was held. The 90-hectare KTF, comprising the former airport runway tip in the Kai Tak Development, the Kwun Tong Ferry Pier Action Area and the enclosed water body in between will become a tourism and entertainment destination for the enjoyment of the local community and visitors, and will have synergy with various Energizing Kowloon East initiatives.

The Head of the EKEO, Ms Brenda Au, said: The competition aimed to solicit creative and innovative urban planning and design proposals for KTF. It has attracted submissions from Hong Kong, the mainland and overseas by planners, architects, engineers, landscape architects, surveyors and other professionals. The submissions are all distinctive, demonstrating the design theme of KTF through various creative approaches. We sought to understand the publics views, on which designs they think may best unleash the creative potential of KTF, demonstrate the unique identity of the place and create synergy effects with the transformation of Kowloon East. More information at: www.kaitakfantasy.hk.

Knight Frank has launched the Eastern Opportunity report. It highlights The Royal Docks and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as the next biggest residential areas in the Capital, especially for investors seeking value beyond the core areas of prime central London. The report examines key residential, infrastructure and public realm development that is currently taking place and in the pipeline throughout the East of London. The defining

factor to Royal Docks potential for future growth is the forecast population increase; with a rise of 103% set to take place between 2013 to 2028. This figure represents a surge of 14,500 people into the area. By comparison wider London is set for growth of just 16% over the same period. The research shows how the city is expanding to the East, by re-defining the central point of London it has moved 1km east in the last 10 years.

Knight Frank Partner, Raul Cimesa, said: "The area, Europes largest regeneration site, with Canary Wharf and the City as its commercial heartbeat, will see this historical and once industrial part of London transformed into a new thriving destination. Abundant in parks, river walkways and docks, the state-of-the-art transport facilities, new retail amenities, high quality product and specified homes will offer owner occupiers a quality lifestyle and good future opportunities for investors. For more information contact: angela.fung@hk.knightfrank.com.

Woods Bagot worked with the South Australian Government to establish the 25,000m South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). The institutes nine research modules will house up to 700 researchers looking at ways to foster innovation and improvements in health services, leading to improved health outcomes for the whole community. The sculptural qualities of SAHMRIs form aim to inspire and promote the buildings function. The transparent facade showcases two internal atriums, while the buildings form is further expressed by its unique triangulated dia-grid facade inspired by the skin of a pine cone. The forms articulated skin adapts and responds to its environment, becoming a living organism that responds to the position of the sun. The SAHMRI design and construction team are working collaboratively to deliver a flexible, adaptable, healthy and sustainable facility which is on target for a LEED Gold rating. A new video of SAHMRI is now available in the News section at www.woodsbagot.com.

KaI TaK FanTaSy InTERnaTIonaL IDEaS CoMPETITIon SHoRTLISTED SUBMISSIonS

nEw LonDon HoTSPoTS IDEnTIFIED FoR HoME BUyERS anD InvESToRS

MajoR URBan RESEaRCH BUILDInG REPoSITIonS aDELaIDE aS InnovaTIon CITy

In and outbound investment trends, developments in the Asia retail sector and a focus on regional real estate, will be at the heart of discussions as part of MIPIM Asias central theme, Bridging the East and the West for global real estate. The 9th edition of MIPIM Asia will be held in Hong Kong, on 2 and 3 December, 2014 and will bring together CEOs and industry professionals connected to Asia Pacific real estate. The Opening Keynote will be delivered on 2 December by Head of Global Demographics & Pensions from Credit Suisse Securities (Europe), Dr Roy Amlan, addressing Why Global Demographics Matter: Asia and Real Estate. Dr Amlan will explore how demographics affect the future of real estate in the region and their implications on property investment.

This years conference programme includes a notable line up of over 90 featured speakers and keynotes from around the world. The MIPIM Asia conference programme will culminate with the Meet the Chairmen panel on 3 December. Key industry figures, such as Cheung Kong (Holdings) Executive Director, Justin Chiu, Gaw Capital Partners Chairman, Goodwin Gaw and Hsin Chong Construction Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Wilfred Wongf, will share their viewpoints on the real estate perspectives for the year ahead. For further information on MIPIM Asia conferences programme, please visit: www.mipim-asia.com/en/the-programme/conferences.

aSIa-PaCIFIC REaL ESTaTE PRoFESSIonaLS To GaTHER aT MIPIM aSIa

10

As Benoy strengthens its presence in Malaysia, the international award-winning practice has welcomed Associate Director, Nina Stiff and Project Coordinator, Shen Fei Lam, to their office in Kuala Lumpur. As part of Benoys global network, Kuala Lumpur provides a vital on-the-ground presence in Malaysia and the burgeoning Southeast Asia region. Capitalising on the firms One Benoy approach and the accessibility of resources and talent between its studios, Kuala Lumpur taps into the immediate support of the larger Hong Kong and Singapore studios and also London to reinforce the greater British brand as a whole. Major current contracts in Malaysia include Sime Darbys transport-oriented development in the heart of Subang Jaya and the Sabah Governments 314ha Tanjung Aru Eco Development masterplan. Further developments in the capital including Four Seasons Place and the Puchong Prima Mixed-Use Development have followed alongside upcoming projects in other states.

World Architecture Festival (WAF), the largest annual festival and live awards programme for the global architecture community, recently concluded in Singapore. WAF has three central pillars of activity. The first is a wide-ranging conference programme, featuring keynote lectures, dozens of expert-led talks and seminars from thought-leading architects and designers from across the globe. Architects of every shortlisted project in the 28 award categories are invited to attend the festival to give a live presentation to a panel of judges, asserting their case for why their project should win. The winners of each category are put forward to compete for the coveted World Building of the Year award, presided over by the festivals super-jury, with the presentation of the award being the culmination of WAF 2014. This years super jury members were Richard Rogers (chair), Rocco Yim, Julie Eizenberg, Enric Ruiz Geli and Peter Rich. Across three festival halls all award entries were displayed in a unique awards gallery and where sponsors and suppliers interact with delegates, make new contacts and showcase their services and products. PRC Magazine will present a detailed showcase of this years Festival in our December 2014 issue.

Puchong Prima Mixed-Use Development

National Arboretum Canberra - Taylor Cullity Lethlea

BEnoy ExPERIEnCES SUSTaInED GRowTH In MaLaySIa

THIRD aSIan-BaSED waF ConCLUDES In SInGaPoRE

MIP

IM A

sia

is a

reg

iste

red

trad

emar

k of

Ree

d M

IDEM

- A

ll ri

ghts

res

erve

d.

2-3 DECEMBER, 2014 GRAND HYATT, HONG KONG

Join top-level global property professionals

Bridging the East and the West for Global Real Estate

FOR MORE INFORMATIONClaire CHAUSSIDIEREclaire.chaussidiere@reedmidem.com

www.mipimasia.com

MIP

IM A

sia

is a

reg

iste

red

trad

emar

k of

Ree

d M

IDEM

- A

ll ri

ghts

res

erve

d.

www.mipimasia.com

Gold sponsors

Silver sponsorsPlatinum sponsors

11

Platinum, a consortium for LEED Professionals in Hong Kong, recently held a two part event a workshop and seminar on urban farming and agriculture. 25 professionals became temporary farmers harvesting vegetables from the roof top farm on the Bank of America Tower. The urban farm is a project among JLL, Time to Grow Hong Kong and the Bank of America Tower. Vegetables planted in raised beds were harvested after a half year growing season. The participants were impressed at the great results of the harvest juxtaposed with the very commercial environment. Following the harvest the participants were joined by an additional 20 professionals in the industry for a seminar, which looked at the opportunities and challenges in implementing green and agricultural spaces into a city setting. Four speakers, Brian Brenner, Regional Director of Markets and JLL HK CSR Representative, Andrew Tsui, of Time to Grow, Sean Quinn LEED AP BD+C, Head of Sustainable Design at 10 Design and Rowena Gonzales LEED AP ID+C, Creative Director at Liquid Interiors, talked of their successes, obstacles and ideas in creating green spaces in Hong Kong and globally. Greening an urban space involves planning, technology, stakeholder involvement and education to either retrofit existing buildings or to build new. More information at: www.platinumhk.org.

A newly-completed 24-storey mixed-use commercial development by Kam Ping Properties & Securities at 93 Kings Road, North Point, has obtained its Occupation Permit and is now available for lease. Kam Ping Senior Vice President, Roy Pang, said: We believe that KP Tower will raise the bar for retail and office spaces in the Fortress Hill and Tin Hau area, and will complement the significant ongoing development of the area with the imminent completion of more top quality hotels and residences nearby. We are confident that, with its core location, excellent transport connections and eye-catching architecture such as its signature orange cladding, KP Tower will become a new landmark in the area.

The tower provides a total GFA of approximately 15,240m2. Twenty floors of prime office space are provided on 5/F27/F, with each floor averaging 592m2 and featuring full-height glass windows and column-free floor plates. In addition, a four-storey retail podium from G/F to 3/F provides retail space ranging from approximately 593m2 per floor to 986m2 per floor, featuring expansive shop frontages with excellent exposure. JLL is the buildings sole leasing agent and marketing consultant. Show suites are now available for visit by appointment.

Major retail developer CapitaMalls recently turned to award-winning green design firm Pomeroy Studio to design their latest concept retail concessions in Singapores ultra-hip west coast mall, JCube. The designers sought to bring a new retail flavour to Jurong through the refurbishment of 3,050m2 of retail space. J.Avenue is inspired by popular shopping districts found in Tokyo and Seoul and features a total of 70 shops selling fashion apparel and accessories. Phase 1 opened earlier in September much to the delight of the young and trendy who frequent the mall. The roll out of the concept into other phases is scheduled by the end of the year. Pomeroy Studio Associate Principal, Chloe Li, who has consulted for several years with CapitaMalls on other AEI projects such as Raffles City Singapore, said: The concept seeks to balance, social, spatial, cultural and economic parameters. Socially, the concept gives tenants the flexibility to present their brands and goods in inventive ways and help shape their retail community. Spatially, it seeks to evoke a street-like atmosphere and shopping experience. Culturally, it reinterprets the street culture of Harajuku and Hongdae. And economically, it provides a platform for young entrepreneurs and first time shop-owners on short-term leases to quickly display their products. The net result is an engaging retail experience that is constantly changing, and therefore vibrant and highly engaging.

A truly exquisite home is an expression of a familys essence and the embodiment of its signature style. LANDMARK, the epitome of top-tier luxury shopping, answers every facet of home and gifting needs, so it launched the 1001 Curated Collections,1 Name campaign to celebrate its array of designer homewares, one-of-a-kind pieces and decadent antiques. As part of this campaign, LANDMARK showcased its iconic home pieces in an exclusive photography exhibition named Home Heroes at LANDMARK ALEXANDRA directed by the notable photographer Mr Sean Lee-Davies, which ran until early October. He said: It was my pleasure to collaborate with LANDMARK on this inspirational photography exhibition. Throughout the creative process, my vision was to take a minimalist approach and add an element of fantasy to allow each iconic art piece to make its own dramatic style statement.

Hongkong Land Executive Director, Raymond Chow, said: LANDMARK has a rich heritage with luxury brands, combining the most exquisite artisan products with a unique curated collections shopping experience akin to a treasure hunt of discovery. As the trend leader among retail destinations in Hong Kong, LANDMARK offers all the high quality craftsmanship and fine furnishings tastemakers need to delight every corner of the home. More information available at: www.landmark.hk.

URBan aGRICULTURE woRKSHoP & SEMInaR

STyLISH LanDMaRK - KP TowER - now avaILaBLE FoR LEaSE

jCUBE MaLL InTERIoR REvaMP CREaTES aLL-nEw SHoPPInG ExPERIEnCE

LanDMaRK SHowCaSES THE ULTIMaTE HoME ExPERIEnCES

12

New World Guiyang Hotel opened in September as the first New World Hotel in Southwest China, introducing the brands signature modern Oriental hospitality to residents and visitors to the capital of Guizhou Province, an increasingly popular Chinese summer resort city. The hotels 306 rooms, 281 guestrooms and 25 suites, range in size from 45 to 623m2 and more than half offer scenic views of nearby Jiangjun Mountain. The Presidential suite on the 18th floor is the largest in the city and the only one with an outdoor constant-temperature swimming pool. Its 230m2 balcony and garden provides panoramic views of the city. The deluxe hotel, located adjacent to the Guiyang International Exhibition and Convention Centre in the Guanshanhu central business district, is designed to celebrate the scenic destination whilst offering a convenient home base for business travellers since Guiyang is the financial centre and transportation hub of Western China. New World Guiyang Hotel overlooks one hectare of rolling green landscape interspersed with winding walkways and water features. The majority of the hotels faade is glass, allowing natural light to flood into the hotel interior. Dcor blends contemporary style with subtle Chinese influences, such as the modern lobby chandeliers whose design is inspired by traditional lamps and lanterns. More information at: www.newworldhotels.com.

Cushman & Wakefield, the worlds largest privately held real estate services firm, has announced the appointment of Marc Shammaa as the Strategy & Workplace Director. Based in Singapore, Marc will be responsible for providing consultancy as well as strategic leadership and direction for the project management design teams across Asia-Pacific and providing clients with advice on workplace strategy, its impact on design and portfolio strategy accompanied by change and communications management. Head of Corporate Occupier and Investor Services in Asia Pacific, Richard Middleton, said: With companies in Asia Pacific taking a more holistic view to workplace strategy, considering both cost benefits as well as people and wider organizational benefits, Marcs expertise offers our clients the opportunity to see the space they occupy not only through lens of cost reduction, but as a way to improve staff productivity and satisfaction by making their offices great places to work.

nEw woRLD GUIyanG HoTEL oPEnS In GUIzHoU PRovInCE

CUSHMan & waKEFIELD aPPoInTS MaRC SHaMMaa

A new report from the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) finds overwhelming evidence that office design significantly impacts the health, wellbeing and productivity of staff. The report entitled, Health, wellbeing and productivity in offices: The next chapter for green building, finds that a range of factors from air quality and lighting, to views of nature and interior layout, can affect the health, satisfaction and job performance of office workers. The report, sponsored by JLL, Lend Lease and Skanska, also presents a simple toolkit that businesses can use to measure the health, wellbeing and productivity of their buildings and inform financial decision-making. Understanding the link between workers and their workplace helps to drive the business case for higher quality, healthy and greener buildings, valued by investors, developers and tenants alike. With salaries and benefits typically responsible for 90 per cent of an organizations expenditure, any higher construction or occupation costs are far outweighed by even small improvements in staff performance. The report can be downloaded from the WorldGBCs website: www.worldgbc.org/activities/health-wellbeing-productivity-offices.

EvIDEnCE LInKS oFFICE DESIGn wITH STaFF HEaLTH anD PRoDUCTIvITy

13

GREEN SHOOTS TAKE ROOT IN SINGAPORE

The inaugural Design Green | Skycourts and Skygardens exposition, curated by Pomeroy Studio, focused on broad aspects of skyrise greenery through: The Exhibition, The Discussion and The Installation.

Held at the National Design Centre (NDC) for the first three weeks in September, overlapping Singapore Green Building Week 2014 and supported by the DesignSingapore Council, the event showcased global design projects. The expo took over the centres roof terrace, converting it into a communal gathering space; engaged students in research and dialogue; saw professionals engaged in dialogue sessions; and included a design seminar and tour at the National Library. The exhibition and related events celebrated the incorporation of greenery and open spaces within buildings to promote social interaction.

INSIDE THE DESIGNERS STUDIO The curator, professor Jason Pomeroy, said the motivation to curate and stage Design Green came about after repeated questions if skyrise greenery, vertical urban greenery, skycourts and sky gardens were feasible in high-density urban environments. After more than 10 years of research and authoring a book on the subject, he thought it was important to bring these issues to a broader audience.

I thought it would be a great way to bring some of the ideas from the book to life by staging the events within the NDC, which is quite a remarkable colonial structure. We took over the ground and first floors to host the exhibition that not only explains the socio economic, cultural, physiological, technological and spatial benefits of sky courts and sky gardens, but also gave case studies of works, past, present and future, says Pomeroy.

We also wanted to engage with practitioners to bring their expertise to a broader audience which was the discussions entitled Inside the Designers Studio. This was very much for the general public who are increasingly seeing greenery in their urban habitat, whether it is in Singapore or elsewhere, such as in Europe or America. With this interest we decided to put on an exhibition that would appeal to the public through photographs, models and so on. And we were very heartened to see not only academics and professionals but also very curious members of the general society.

The exhibition wasnt just about creating a curated exhibition, but brought the concepts to life. An edible garden featured rosemary, basil and other herbs that found their way into the drinks served during the evening performances. This relates directly to the communities that exist in tall structures, with the idea of creating a communal space where residents can come together to participate in these green activities, such as planting and using their own herbs.

The interaction was enhanced by a solar canopy on the centres roof that generated enough energy for four performances by a Hong Kong DJ. Pomeroy wanted to challenge the idea that a rooftop should be a bland space for elevator or air-conditioning equipment. He helped demonstrate that it is easy to activate these spaces with appropriate greenery and activities that provide a focal point for the community to come together. We also wanted to engage with academia. So we went to Singapore University of Technology and Design, Tianjin University and the University of Nottingham to hold a three day masterclass whereby we hypothesised that Orchard Road in the year 2050 may be a very different space, in that there would be no more public space, he says.

So how could you recreate these social spaces in the sky on the rooftops of existing buildings? This provided a unique opportunity for the masterclass students from different parts of the world to come together over a three-day period, attending lectures by professors from these institutions, as well as champions of industry."

Within this short period of time the students came up with some remarkable solutions. The immediate feedback from both professors and students was that it was a really enjoyable exercise to have three different universities with different specialisms from three different parts of the world to tackle a very contentious issue which is the role of rooftops as potential public space in 2050.

The public offered enthusiastic feedback on Design Green, illustrating that these issues are prevalent around the world, and that the future planners, engineers and architects currently at university must be equipped with the tools to challenge the business as usual approach in the building of urban spaces.

Text: Mike Staley Images: Ansel Media

14

Part of the reason for this masterclass was also to enforce the reasons that these changes need to take place. There are still members of society who are unaware of the whys and wherefores, even though they might have heard about some issues in a general sense, such as climate change.

Pomeroy says the premise and definition of sustainable development began only with the publication of the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development report, Our Common Future, in 1987. That highlights that todays students were the first to be born in a period where recycling, reusing and reducing consumption was implicit. While that is encouraging, it still needs to be taught and that requires a framework.

The final segment of the exhibition was Inside the Designers Studio. The discussion was based on the popular American television series Inside the Actors Studio, that sees in-depth conversations with Hollywood actors in front of a live audience of student actors.

We were very lucky to be able to welcome Mike King [see report this issue], the principal engineer from Arup who was responsible for the Singapore Sports Hub, Andrew Grant, the landscape architect for Gardens by the Bay and Ken Yang, celebrated architect of the National Library of Singapore. Each one of them was given the opportunity to present their ideas for a greener urban habitat for 20 minutes before engaging in a Q and A with the audience, and it was absorbing to hear these individuals open up about their own craft.

THE FUTURE OF DESIGN GREENAs Professor of Sustainability at Nottingham and Venice universities, Pomeroy says he will continue to engage leading universities. Design Green will become a bi-annual event that we will continue to develop three fields of research: vertical urban theory, zero energy development and modular construction.

We are perfectly positioned as designers and thought leaders of the sustainable built environment to bridge the gap between design and research. Balancing a creative vigour in our design projects with an academic rigour in our evidence based research and the ability to translate academic research into realistic commercial design and vice versa allows us to provide focused but empirical commentary on sustainability within the urban habitat, which is applicable throughout Southeast Asia, and dare I say it, globally.Design Green is about collaborative knowledge sharing that will benefit future generations.

*For a detailed review of Mike Kings Inside the Designers Studio presentation, please turn to page 56 of this issue.

15

16

Information and Images: Build Eco Xpo

Build Eco Xpo 2014 generates record Green Build business transactions

Southeast Asias premier business event for the exchange of global expertise and technologies for sustainable building, Build Eco Xpo (BEX) Asia, concluded with more than US$110 million expected in green building business transactions. This year, BEX Asia also continued to record positive exhibitor sentiments across new and returning exhibitors.

Held from the 1 to 3 September, 2014 at Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre, the seventh edition of BEX Asia, themed Building Today, Sustaining Tomorrow, saw more than 400 exhibiting companies from 35 countries, including Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, United States and United Kingdom. It is a one-stop sourcing destination for cutting-edge products, innovative technologies and sustainable designs in building materials, energy efficiency systems, fittings and fixtures.

More than 200 business meetings were set up over the three-day event to facilitate the exploration of partnerships between exhibitors and visitors during and beyond BEX Asia, which was held in conjunction with the International Green Building Conference organized by Building and Construction Authority (BCA).

At the Green View, a platform for experts to share their insights on the industry, overwhelming response was recorded with more than double the expected participation rate. The Green View featured green building topics that range from faade optimization to the Internet of Things and intelligent buildings. Speakers included Mr Hiroshi Kojima, Director, GIPV Group System Solution BU, AGC Asia Pacific, Mr Brent Boekestein, Director, Global Markets for Redwood, Commscope, Mr. Veera Sekaran, Managing Director, Greenology, and Mr Oon Wee Chin, President, UTC Building and Industrial Systems, Southeast Asia.

The build green industry in Southeast Asia is expected to reach US$40 billion and there is a huge potential for growth. I am happy that BEX Asia has provided a platform for companies and visitors to be equipped with the dynamics to capitalize on the green evolution and embrace sustainable communities for a better future, said Louise Chua, Business Development Director and Project Director, Reed Exhibitions, organizer of BEX Asia 2014.

Building on the green momentum, a newly launched Mostra Convegno Expocomfort (MCE) Asia 2015 will be co-located with BEX Asia 2015 in Singapore. MCE is Europes largest trade event dedicated to the cooling, water, renewable energy and heating sectors of the green building community. To be held from the 2 to 4 September, 2015, MCE Asia will be the answer to the industrys demands for more green technologies in the HVAC environment.

17

Guangzhou Design Week is the first annual international design and brands expo in China since 2006, jointly endorsed and promoted by ICSID, IFI and ICOGRADA since 2007. To Promote Design by Business as mission, Guangzhou Design Week is running the operation mode of 365+3(days), which means 3-day fair and 365-day intensive B2B business events and branding promotion!With more than 8-year operating history, Guangzhou Design Week has become the most influential and largest annual commercial activity in the Chinese design industry.

Website: http://www.gzdesignweek.com/

Co-organised by both RICS and HKIS, the Conference aims to foster a professional discussion on a wide range of relevant topics pertaining to valuation.

Topics include the convergence of international standards, intellectual property and business valuation, opportunities around the world, the impact of macro policy standards on valuation, and more.

Through the joint effort of both organisations, the Conference hopes to inspire and engage industry experts in a stimulating and intellectual exchange.

Website: http://ricsasia.org/jvc2014/

As one of the world's most effective trading platforms for the building and construction industry, HKTDC Hong Kong International Building and Hardware Fair specialises in advanced building and construction materials, technology and services, promoting meaningful, long-term relationships between trade visitors and reputable suppliers. A highlight of the Fair is BIM Day held on the fair's opening day, 29 October, covering a range of topics about Building Information Modelling. Co-organised by CIC and HKIBIM, the BIM Conference, an annual event, will be held from 9:30am to 5pm. BIM Day will also see a BIM-related Exhibitors Forum, showcasing their own BIM technologies.

Once again, the Green Building Materials zone is a fair highlight for 2014. On the final day of the fair, 1 November, the public can visit, to view products and give feedback. Pre-registration for free admission badge is available at the website below, on or before 6 October,2014 (for overseas buyers) or 22 October (for buyers from Hong Kong). A host of forums will take place during the fair, check the website for more details.

Website: www.hktdc.com/ex/hkbdh/18Email: exhibitions@hktdc.org

The fair is an international trading platform showcasing the latest innovations in environmental protection from around the world. It is also a premier venue for environmental professionals from governmental and non-governmental as well as commercial spheres, to meet and make quality business contacts. Areas of specialty covered at the fair include Air & Water Quality and Eco-friendly products.

Website: www.ecoexpoasia.comEmail: ecoexpo@hongkong.messefrankfurt.com

The 3rd Annual Commercial Building Architecture Designing Performance Summit (Green-CREP3) with the theme of New Concept, New Technology, New Experience, New Value, will be held on 12 and 13 November, 2014, in Langham Place Guangzhou. Organized by Linver Insights and co-organized by The American Institute of Architects (AIA). Green-CREP3 will start with 4 Asia Leading Cases Studies and 40 Specific Q&A Sessions on day one. The 4 selected cases are: Lifestyle Hub in the west of Singapore (JEM); First international entertainment hub in China (Sea World, Shenzhen); Highest tower in the world (Burj Khalifa); Biggest city commercial, culture, art museum (Shanghai, West Bund).

Website: www.linver-insights.com/crep3/index_en.htmlEmail: marketing@linver-insights.com

This one-day conference will focus on how innovation and safety enhancement in the construction industry would bring us a better society. International experts as well as local government officials are invited to share their experience and insights in adopting latest technology to enhance construction safety. Construction automation in different aspects and innovation on construction safety are the key topics of the Conference.

Website: https://www.hkcic.org/eng/conference2014/index.aspx

Email: conference@hkcic.org

This December and for the 9th year running, MIPIM Asia will gather 800 of the most influential Pan-Asian property players together with leading global investors and retailers for efficient networking, premium conferences and the prestigious MIPIM Asia Awards competition. During 2 intensive days, explore Asia Pacific inbound and outbound investment flows, regional development opportunities and projects, and retail real estate trends.

Website: www.mipim-asia.com/

27 30 October 2014 Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (autumn Edition) HKCEC, Hong Kong

14 November 2014RICS HKIS joint valuation Conference 2014Harbour Grand Hong Kong

5 - 7 December 2014Guangzhou Design week 2014PWTC Expo, Guangzhou, China

29 Oct 1 Nov 2014 HKTDC Hong Kong International Building and Hardware Fair AsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong

29 Oct 1 Nov 2014ECo Expo asiaAsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong

12 13 November 2014Green-CREP The 3rd annual Commercial Building architecture-Designing-Performance SummitLangham Place, Guangzhou

28 November 2014CIC Conference 2014Harbour Grand Hong Kong

2 - 3 December 2014MIPIM asiaGrand Hyatt Hotel, Hong Kong

Organized by the HKTDC and held at the HKCEC, this is the largest autumn lighting fair in Asia. Exhibits include advertising lighting, commercial lighting, household lighting, LED & green lighting, lighting accessories, parts & components, outdoor lighting, smart lighting & solutions, testing, certification & inspection, along with Hall of Aurora for branded lighting.

Website: www.hktdc.com/ex/hklightingae/28Email: exhibitions@hktdc.org

Visit PRC booth

6-D24

18

In its role as global advocate and advisory body, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS and its 118,000 members adhere to a mandate to serve the public good in all areas relating to property and construction valuation, measurement and professional ethics. Thats easier said than done when the membership body is made up of engineers in the UK, developers in India, construction firms in Brazil and beyond.

Which is why RICS has just appointed Will Myles the new regional managing director for Asia-Pacific. Its a new position designed minimise RICS previous bottom-up view and better meet individual market needs in one of the most diverse regions in the world. Encompassing north Asia, south Asia, ASEAN and Oceania, My role is to get synergies across those markets. We can deliver services to members better with a more regional view. We can take learning from one country to another and we can serve our global members that are structured in Asia-Pacific, explains Myles.

Based in Singapore, Myles hit the ground running with RICS current initiative, one less about policy and more about property transparency and an exemplar of what RICS does. The International Property Measurement Standards (IPMS) is currently on the drafting table and ultimately, ideally, will be exactly what it says: a comprehensive, standard guideline for measuring footage of a given property. RICS is shepherding a coalition of roughly 50 international organisations through the process, a full 100 percent more than they thought theyd start with. In many areas of the world the how of whats measured differs, which means sometimes you cant have confidence in whats being measured, Myles points out.

For the occupier or investor there can be uncertainty over whats being purchased. Currently standards are all over the map: some states have no standard, some have one, some have three. In a Hong Kong office for example, all common space is included, Australia uses office area plus columns and RICS standard is net office area only. According to one figure 85 people fit into an office and 110 fit elsewhere. The aim is to try and eliminate [variance] and create certainty in the market and confidence in the buyer, stresses Myles. It simplifies business and provides so much more transparency and confidence if you can apply the same set of standards everywhere. The IPMS is just one in suite of initiatives Myles, an engineer by trade, will oversee in the coming months, but which includes expanding the IPMS to retail and residential structures, as well as Other [sectors] of the value chain, like construction measurement standards, so that while youre building something the measurements are standardised as well.

Though hes new to the job, Myles has a few items on his wish list for the next year or five as regional MD. Not surprisingly, more work in China is at the top of the list. Id like to see us continue our push into China where there is a lot of potential. Were a finite organisation and sometimes its frustrating that demand is there but we have to make choices on where to focus. In north Asia we gained 1,000 new members last year so its definitely an area of growth for us, says Myles. We have different strategies for different markets to meet their specific needs. In India weve teamed up with Amity University and set up a school for the built environment to provide courses in management for instance. In that sense were supporting the development of the market. Myles would like to see the programme roll out into other schools over five years tailored to each market.

RICS work with the built environment and its mandate to serve the public is crucial in Asia, where factors including urbanisation, the growing middle class, growing inequality and resource scarcity are drivers that affect management and construction as well as the adoption of big data and new technology. These are all things that affect our industry. With our member and stakeholders I suppose were trying to shape public opinion, and for us were trying and foresee how we need the adapt as a profession. We cant just go and adopt the same approach everywhere, explains Myles, summing up precisely why his job is vital and how it will demand flexibility. The construction boom in the Middle East means quantitative and building surveyors are in demand. Tokyo will require something else in the run-up to the Olympics in 2020 which RICS can apply from its work in London for the 2012 Games.

Myles is well aware of RICS roles as a consultant, and that its members individual and institutional could see their interests clash over new policy ideas from time to time. He is, however, unfazed by the idea. Were not here to work with bodies if theyre not receptive to what were offering We are here to serve the public interest. That is always first and foremost in our mind, Myles finishes. There is always going to be more than one way forward and all you can do is work through the differences.

RICS APPOINTS a new managing director for Asia-PACIFIC AND AIMS TO increase itS regional focus

Text: Elizabeth Kerr Image: RICS

19

Reprovisioning The MarkDue to the long term decline in manufacturing activities and increasing demands from alternative uses such as office, hotel and residential, nearly all industrial land in Kowloon was rezoned for non-industrial uses several years ago. Following the rezoning, more than 1,000 industrial buildings became eligible for change of use. However, between 2001 and 2009 there were only 37 cases of lease modification for change of use (34 for re-development and three for wholesale conversion). In 2010, therefore, the government introduced a range of measures to facilitate redevelopment or wholesale conversion of older industrial buildings into alternative uses, in order to promote higher value economic activities. Kowloon East is a particular focus, with the government encouraging development of a new business district, called CBD2.

Taking advantage of the wholesale conversion scheme, a fund managed by Pamfleet acquired an industrial building at 164 Wai Yip Street in Kwun Tong with the intention of re-positioning it as a quality office property. The building, which will be re-branded as The Mark, has a gross floor area of approximately 6,470 square meters, and the typical unit sizes will range from 1,630 square feet (half floor) to 3,500 square feet (full-floor). SME tenants such as professional and consultancy firms related to tourism, engineering and infrastructure development, are expected to form the target audience. According to the Trade and Industry Department, there are about 320,000 SMEs in Hong Kong, accounting for over 98 percent of all businesses. Kowloon East has been a major absorber of leasing activity in recent years, as new supply has been filled by growing and expanding businesses hungry for space in more affordable decentralized districts. The current vacancy rate of office space in Kwun Tong remains below 5 percent.

The original industrial building was built in 1995 and consisted of 21 storeys with car parking on the ground, first and second floors. Pamfleets refurbishment programme includes replacing all existing windows, installing new building services with individually controlled A/C units, upgrading lift systems, re-configuring the car park, providing new washrooms, redecorating common areas and creating a Grade A entrance. In addition, a dedicated floor of meeting rooms and other tenant-only facilities will be provided.

Pamfleet has applied for BEAM Plus certification for The Mark, which will foster a quality and sustainable design. This certification is taken into consideration by the Buildings Department when granting exemptions on artificial lighting and mechanical ventilation due to structural constraints in providing the required natural lighting and ventilation in compliance with the latest office code. The renovation is underway and will be completed by December.

BEFORE AFTER21

Changing CityscapesThe rise of the global supercity signals a shift in the future of office markets

According to Knight Franks newly released Global Cities 2015 report, more than 1.1 billion people will be living in the worlds biggest cities in the next 15 years, and most of them will be working in offices. That, according to the inaugural report, will send prime office rents to record highs.

As defined by Knight Franks report, global cities are the ones that are a must for airline routes, five-star hotel brands and often home to major multinational branches. Premium pricing for real estate is found in cities with the most high-value knowledge workers, which attract the worlds leading corporations. These are the Global Cities, the report states. The 15 global studies in Knight Franks report are located in Europe and North America and also include six from Asia-Pacific: Hong Kong, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo (South America, emerging Africa and the Middle East were excluded).

Over the next five years, office rents in San Francisco will experience the biggest jump in rates: a just over 36 percent increase. The highest-ranking Asian city is Singapore in fourth (25 percent), Sydney ranked fifth (22.3 percent), with Mumbai and Tokyo rounding out the top ten (14.9 and 13.4 percent respectively). Despite its relatively middling position, Mumbai had the best office yields as of 2014 (over 10 percent), with Tokyo near the bottom of the list and Hong Kong dead last (2.9 percent). With limited supply of new offices, as of the year end of 2014, Hong Kong is expected to have the lowest vacant office space among the 15 top cities in the world. According to Knight Frank Research, Hong Kong has the lowest prime yields among the 15 top cities in the world as office property prices had surged in previous years.

What those offices look like will in turn influence the needs and physical demands of office property. Technological progress (such as tablet computing and the Cloud) and the IT sector itself are among the key drivers, shaping size, design and location demands, in turn defining prime office space. In 2006 perpetual property investment leader Londons office take-up was dominated by the financial sector at four million square feet. In 2013 the take-up rate for technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) industries exceeded three million square feet, with the traditional financial sector dropping below two million square feet.

The 21st century has experienced seismic shifts in the way business is conducted, particularly in the relationship between work and home. This has put the office at the forefront of todays city economy, and led to its transformation as a place to work, the report states. Technology combined with dense urban living has put new emphasis on the skyscraper, once the purview of a select few cities and increasingly the only response to a rising demand for core central business district addresses around the world. Notable, however, is that San Francisco office towers have jumped ahead of four Asian cities, moving to fifth place from ninth last spring, largely on the back of the rapid growth of Californias tech sector and the resulting demand in San Francisco.

In addition to what will likely be increased investment value in commercial space, residential markets are going to feel the trickle down benefits of the booming office market and the trend to urbanisation. Knight Franks prime residential forecast for moderate to strong price growth includes five of the six Asia-Pacific global cities, in addition to Bangkok, Delhi, Beijing, Bangalore, and Jakarta. The full Knight Frank report can be downloaded at www.knightfrank.com/globalcities.

Text: Elizabeth Kerr Images: Knight Frank

22

Regal Homes sets up House

london residential developer Regal Homes begins serving asia from its new Hong Kong office

Independent United Kingdom (UK) developer Regal Homes is no stranger to Asia, and Asian investors are not unfamiliar with Regal. To demonstrate its continuing commitment to Asia-Pacific and as a way to maintain ties with existing clients and cultivate potential buyers Regal opened its first permanent overseas office in Central Plaza in Hong Kong in October. Weve built a very strong client base here and we feel that to service our current clients within this region it was very important to have a presence here on a day-to-day basis, explained Regal Homes co-founder and CEO Paul Eden. Sixty percent of Regals buyers hail from Asia (Brunei, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur) with the bulk of those coming from Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong office is designed to assist investors with new sales and facilitate resale and management of their London properties. Neither Eden nor co-founder Simon De Friend see a demand for London real estate abating any time soon, underpinning their faith in a full time presence in the region. With the pound still working in favour of Asian buyers, capital returns in the city are predicted to far outweigh the Capital Gains Tax in the UK, and we expect the transaction level will continue to soar, said co-founder De Friend in a statement. Sales and marketing director Michael Goldmann goes further, adding, We havent seen any noticeable impact on sales, in the wake of the tax.

London is in the midst of a local buyer renaissance, with lending improved and new mortgage regulations making financing for the local market easier. In the past few years, developers have relied heavily on overseas sales to generate capital to complete projects. With that changing, is there going to be enough stock to go around? Of course. We look at both markets very carefully. The London market has improved; the demand is huge We believe there is enough stock to go around, says Eden. I was standing on the top floor of [Shoreditch Square 2] last week and when the concrete frame went up I [saw] maybe two or three cranes in the background. Today you can probably count about 18. The whole industry has really sped up and theres no question the construction side of things has increased.

Regal Homes specialises in upmarket flats in Londons high-value prime regeneration districts and near transport links, and as a rule keeps developments small and manageable (as an independent Regal is its own contractor), typically between 50 and 125 units per project. Over the next three years Regal will be adding 1,400 units to its current portfolio of 2,000, often simultaneously launching sales in the UK and abroad. Among Regals current projects are two cross-laminated timber (exceptionally strong and resilient dried industrial lumber stacked at right angles and glued over the entire surface) buildings in Dalston Lane, which will be the worlds largest CLT structures when complete. A Wenlock Road project, Banyan Wharf, in the emerging Shoreditch area will be the location of a sustainable development, built using a cross drill plate design with rotated floors on every level for better light and dual aspect views. Also in Shoreditch is a 47,000-square metre mixed-use project comprising commercial residential and retail space.

The newest development to go to sale is St Pancras Place at rejuvenated Kings Cross. Situated on Grays Inn Road a few minutes walk from Kings Cross station, St Pancras Place will feature 46 studio to three-bedroom flats and houses ranging from 37 to 113 square metres. Designed by Material Architects, the low-rise project will ultimately feature natural stonework in bathrooms, Grohe, Neff and Bosch appliances or fixtures, oak veneer floors, underfloor heating and stainless steel ironmongery. Crucially for investors the address is approximately four minutes from Camden Town and Oxford Circus, nine minutes from the financial district, under 20 minutes from Temple and the London School of Economics and Kings College and just over 30 from City Airport. St Pancras place is scheduled for completion in February 2017.

www.regal-homes.co.uk

Text: Elizabeth Kerr Images: Regal Homes

23

The Future of Retail

It comes as no surprise to anyone that retailing is a fine art. The where, what and how of a major multinationals decision to open a shop in Jakarta, Beijing or both has dozens of elements to consider. Laypersons may boggle or outright scoff at the presence of multiple Chanel stores in Hong Kong but theres method to that madness, and with Asian shopping patterns currently in flux, the method is more crucial than ever.

Logic would dictate that developers or mall owners would be scrambling to attract tenants like Chanel to all their properties, but in the ultra-competitive retail sector particularly in emerging markets such as China, Indonesia and the Philippines high-end brands are not always the most lucrative option with which to ensure the best real estate investment.

In the last two decades people have complained that all the malls look the same; its the same tenant mix. So starting about 10 years ago landlords became aware they had to do something different starting with the toilet revolution, explains Joe Lin, executive director of retail services at CBRE Hong Kong. If a mall is in a less user-friendly location or its very, very large they have to create something new. An example is APM. No one went shopping in Kwun Tong when it opened 10 years ago. So a teen shopping centre, with late night shopping, was a new idea they were forced to come up with.

Asia-Pacifics most robust retail markets since 2009 have been Indonesia, China and Hong Kong, with Korea, Japan Australia and Singapore forming a second market cluster. Rental value growth is slowing in Singapore and Hong Kong but it is accelerating in Tokyo, Mumbai, Shanghai and Delhi, with Jakarta and Beijing forecast to experience a regional best 4 percent rise in rental values by years end. Development will follow the shoppers and what kind of shopping consumers do

will dictates what shops go in what malls, as well as what those malls will look like for maximum ROIs says Adam Cook, Asia-Pacific retail lead for Jones Lang LaSalle. Consumers absolutely drive [design and development], and thats part of a strategy. So its a mix of flagship stores, high street stores, mall portfolios, kiosks, travel stores, and thats part of that formula for success for retailers, says Cook, whose job as a retail consultant and representative it is to manage, design and fit out stores or malls and implement retail strategies. Where is your consumer, how can you make money and how do you meet them in retail that matters? You cant open the same footprint on every street corner and be successful We help retailers find the right mix. We also help shopping centres identify their correct mix and positioning. In other words H&M can't go next to Chanel.

Physical retail space is undergoing a reformation across Asia-Pacific. Street level boutique retailing is rare in Asia where true high streets are few and far between, the climate discourages it and the shopping culture is unique. A global brands product may be the same in Delhi as in Dover, But as far as building a store network that responds to customers it's very different, says Cook. Clients are learning this the hard way. The type of store theyre used to building in the United States isnt necessarily the right type of store for Asia. And from country to country its very different if you compare Japan and Hong Kong where its much more about the luxury sector, some fast fashion and value all the way down the economic food chain to developing countries or even India for example. There youre either luxury or an extreme value player. Indonesia is extremely hot right now but there are a lot of things that make Indonesia very difficult. Difficult, but a popular investment choice for developers and investors that can find space. With the exception of two Lotte Group malls already underway, Indonesia has imposed a moratorium on mall construction until 2017. Vacancy rates in existing properties sit at 2 percent.

As consumer patterns change, developers and tenants look to maximising investment with physical creativity and more targeted shopping experiences

Text: Elizabeth Kerr Images: Courtesy of Swire Properties & Benoy

24

But key to a successful retail investment now is the ability to differentiate one property from the next; themed and targeted malls are on the rise. This is particularly critical in mainland China, where entire city blocks can be the site of a series of new malls, each architecturally similar, with similar stores, which frequently open with lower than 50 percent occupancy and hurting rental values. APM is a prime example of the kind of reinvention designed to attract specific consumers, as is Swire Properties recent makeover of Pacific Place. The developer decided high-end retailing was the best fit for that facility and British retailer Marks & Spencers lease was famously not renewed. Will there be more of this kind of design and planning in the future? Absolutely, and the ones that are doing that are showing better profit across the board, Cook comments. There may be less foot traffic in shopping centres that reposition themselves as luxury destinations but the new customers spend ten times as much on a single transaction. Ultimately the investment structure behind Pacific Places move was the right one for them as it drew a customer base that generates income and the tenants now are higher margin tenants than Marks & Spencer. Cook also points to Japanese developer Aeons work in Vietnam, and its three-property portfolio. Aeon plans are for one mall dedicated to luxury good, one that is more family-focused and one for pets. Malls that are struggling to attract tenants are those that are mixed in the middle. If youre buying a multi-thousand dollar handbag you dont want to walk through a discount fashion brand to get there. Similarly if youre a teenage with a hundred dollars to spend theres no point in having you parade past Gucci or Prada. Its inaccessible to you, says Cook.

Despite the popularity among shoppers and developers for the massive shopping centre, they are losing traction with consumers looking for fresh perspectives, resulting in a move to more CBD retail and restaurant development. Youre starting to see a more mixed-use type experience that refreshes the urban

landscape, notes Cook. Its a huge trend in Singapore right now; its always been that way in Australia. Its starting to spread. You see it in the Gangnam and the different shopping areas in Korea, and Korea is really setting the fashion and retail tone for Asia right now. Mixing outdoor with urban space and a move away from generic design is increasingly valuable. Curated retail, where developers are more proactive in tenant selection and creation is also on the rise. Cook is quick to point out that retailers are also under pressure to have a range of strategies at the ready in order to cater to a given facilitys personality and signature: street level, mall or airport as just a few. If [a retailer] just has one store type and one product mix that will only fit with maybe 5 percent of the available properties you can be in. If you want to maximise your ROI and have a real portfolio you need an adaptable design that scales and flexes to those various strategies and investment levels.

Currently, Cook believes that repositioned and repurposed existing malls rather than newly built shopping centres may be the better investment in some markets in addition to consumer specialisation. CBREs Lin agrees. Shopping malls are very competitive Tsuen Wan Plaza, Citywalk, City Landmark and Discovery Park are all doing a different scale of renovation to make their malls look unique and upscale, to attract shoppers. So the refurbishments and tenant mix rearrangement will attract better stores and brands. A June Colliers research brief goes further, theorising that in Hong Kong for example development of discount outlet shopping facilities at border crossings would make up for lost spending in the citys core districts.

Even though remodelling is a smart choice in spots like India, the Philippines and Indonesia, developers (like Swire in China and Taubman Asia) continue to look to new build centres precisely because retail space remains a sound investment. Interest rates are so low it makes sales interesting. Institutional investors are putting retail in their mix because they can, and recent trends are showing us that investors find retail a relatively safe place to house cash, states Cook. Its a good deal right now and a fairly safe investment strategy. I predict youll see more malls changing ownership for established investment players youll see a lot more of. And frankly in Asia so many malls are so poorly positioned its easy to go in and mix up the positioning and see a nice increase in just a few years time.

25

APM Mall, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong.???? APM??

26

27

ryders BiM enabled design excellence

Ryder Architecture has established an international portfolio after building on its strong foundations in the UK across sectors including healthcare, education, civic, emergency services, office, infrastructure, transport and science. Founded in 1953 as a multi disciplinary design practice, Ryder has offices in Hong Kong and also Glasgow, Liverpool, London and Newcastle in the UK.

Recent UK project wins underscore the 130 strong practices range of expertise. Newcastle Freeman Hospitals cardiothoracic expansion and a new HK$2.65bn district general hospital in Scotland in collaboration with US firm NBBJ and Laing ORourke are just two examples underpinning its credibility in healthcare. Designs are also progressing on an HK$870m residential scheme opposite Lords cricket ground in London for the over 55s and people with dementia. Also in London the practice has landed a large-scale science park, building on its successful project for Liverpool Science Park. Ryders Hong Kong office, led by director Richard Dorkin, has been established for several years as a regional hub to deliver excellent projects for the ASEAN region and China. Building Information Modelling (BIM) - the intelligent use of data to support a whole life approach to the delivery of excellent buildings is embedded into Ryders design culture and is its unique selling point. Ryders approach applies BIM at the outset, therefore enabling technologies and applications to be used by multiple stakeholders.

In the emerging Hong Kong market, Ryder continues to support BIM adoption, within the context of an evolving economic landscape and the proposed ASEAN common market. It has adopted the discipline as an integrated part of its design offer since 2006, bringing strategic vision, advanced technical proficiency, and ability to listen and engage with the client to enhance the design vision and its long term viability.

BiM academyComplementing this approach is the Ryder/Northumbria University specialist joint venture consultancy BIM Academy which further strengthens Ryders offer. An internationally respected authority in the application of BIM, Ryders

innovative approach currently involves supporting the UK Government project to develop a digital plan of work tool set to transform the procurement of buildings and infrastructure.

Ryders acclaimed refurbishment of Manchester Central Library, highlights its capacity to deliver award winning BIM enabled architecture, both on time and budget, working closely with a major public sector client. Manchester City Council was focused on BIM benefits at the construction phase, but lacked awareness of a long term facilities management (FM) strategy. Ryder worked with them, developing their FM strategy, training their personnel and fast-tracking their proficiency. By illustrating the benefits of reconfiguring the design and construction with BIM rich data, the client was keen to integrate this into a new, city wide estate management system. Through tapping into the clients enthusiasm, Ryders BIM expertise has paved the way for a more holistic vision for the whole of Manchesters property portfolio.

Working with BIM Academy, Ryder has highlighted the relevance of BIM to developers. In the case of Greenwich Peninsula, the developer wanted to use BIM to give more transparency and agility to the design option appraisal process and deliver efficiency throughout the design, construction and operational stages. BIM Academy's role as the client advisor facilitated this process. Ensuring a buildings operational costs are managed is vitally important to developers and occupiers. BIM Academy supported the aspirations of Sydney Opera House to produce virtual and data rich design for FM tailored towards the buildings life cycle. The project involved a detailed consultation process with Sydney Opera House personnel on current and future operational needs, a review of the current disparate systems used to operate the building and consultation with the software market in order to soft test the proposed solution. This led to the creation of a detailed technical specification and model management plan, enabling a delivery solution that meets Sydney Opera Houses long term aspirations.

28

Information & Images: Ryder Architecture

29

ProcurementIntelligent procurement is vital to achieving economically and environmentally sustainable solutions for buildings, both in terms of capital cost, energy, carbon and long term flexibility. Clients who are bought into BIM will make better informed decisions for the buildings life cycle and Ryders expertise facilitates and unlocks this. In the case of its work on the new district general hospital in Scotland, BIM was an integral part of an intelligent procurement process with an informed client in a collaborative design and construction culture. By developing a BIM approach closely with the client and contractor, a detailed functional analysis of the developing design is now possible.

Dorkin explains, The increasing use of augmented reality allows the project stakeholders to test drive the building in a virtual environment engaging the building users in the process. Our approach is about transparency and including third parties in the design and construction solutions, creating efficiencies by inputting design information once and using it multiple times as the project progresses.

For example, hospital design and its operation puts a large burden on the Hospital Authority budget and our considered long term design approach is critical to providing value for money, as well as design excellence. In the UK, the National Health Service is now requiring refined virtual modelling and data analysis during the design phase to virtually test a hospitals operational costs and lifecycle needs in respect of material specification and building services maintenance. We apply the tools available within a BIM environment to test and report impact of design from work flow analysis to water consumption.

expansion and partnershipAs a practice Ryder has the mindset, approach, experience and expertise to significantly contribute to the diversity of Hong Kongs already rich architecture through the application of a design process that considers building function, form, aesthetics and most importantly performance design in a holistic way.

By forging lasting relationships with a global alliance of like minded architectural practices and other consultant disciplines, Ryder is able to expand its reach and provide its people with opportunities for exchanges and learning from sharing international best practice, ensuring its people are always adopting the very latest skills and offering the most current and relevant advice to clients. With TFP|Farrells in Hong Kong the offer has very much been focused on the health care market. In Australasia with i2C, Ryder is working to explore opportunities and further refine its BIM specialist offer, building on the successful work in Sydney. In Qatar, Ryder is scoping stadium and retail opportunities.

As Dorkin concludes, BIM should not just be about buildings, or design. Ryders approach is about unlocking BIM as a decision making tool, facilitating efficiencies, long term viability and design excellence.

Richard Dorkin

30

One West Regent Street

31

32

www.ryderarchitecture.com

33

When luxuryis throWna curve

the newest addition to swire Properties residential portfolio has a spectacular organic shape that draws on its regal location

Mount Parker Residences is a product unique not only for its product quality, but for its striking location, which offers both the convenience of city living and tranquillity from atop Sai Wan Terrace, says Swire Properties chief executive Martin Cubbon. He told the South China Morning Post earlier this year that the site required an enormous draw on the design teams experience and creativity to make best use of the elevation.

Mount Parker Residences was designed by Arquitectonica, continuing a relationship between the two that has recently included Brickell City Centre, Miami, which is currently under construction and the award-winning mixed-use Taikoo Hui in Guangzhou. In Arquitectonicas work at Mount Parker Residences, there is an emergent theme that is evolving into a high-end design language of its own.

Text: Michael Hoare Photography: Brian Zhang, Cathy Lee and Swire Properties

34

35

above and beyond

Peter Brannan, the head of the architecture, design and planning practice in Hong Kong, said that the inspiration for the design stretches back to the sites origins. The site sits on an original piece of Hong Kong Islands waterfront a former headland and the design borrows its inspiration from that.

The design also delivers a healthy dose of tension. Brannan highlights the neighbourhood surrounding Mount Parker Residences as being very rigid in urban plan and building form. The firms design frees the area from the tyranny of the right angle, he says, and creates a refreshing, new design language for a neighbourhood that has been a mainstay of Swires developments.

Located near City Plaza, between Tai Koo and Sai Wan Ho MTR stations, the 127 metre development features 22 storeys above grade and 3 storeys below grade, with 19 residential floors. There are 90 three-bedroom or four-bedroom apartments, with saleable areas from 115 to 165 square metres. The two penthouse units come with three or five bedroom layouts of 255 and 355 square metres respectively.

The design of the luxury property is carefully crafted to ensure every apartment has a sea view. Gable apartments have spacious living rooms and balconies. Each apartment has a private lift lobby leading to its own apartment, providing residents with maximum privacy. The public and private spaces are well appointed with

marble floors and walls and first-class European fittings in the lobbies, bathrooms and kitchens. The common facilities are of the highest quality including private dining, kitchen and chef facilities.

The building has received a Platinum (Provisional) rating under the Building Environmental Assessment Method (BEAM). All of our projects are designed in response to nature and the elements building orientation, shading devices, sun, wind, etc. The good practice we incorporate makes sustainable ratings much easier, states Brannan.

Perched high above Kings Road between Kornhill and Sai Wan Ho, on a 2,540 square metre site that is nestled in a thicket of trees, Mount Parker Residences is a package wrapped neatly in a ribbon of glass and steel. Flow is the word, with the building displaying its seductive curved edges that add to the impression that the development is floating above the landscape.

Fortuitous Flow

Theres a reason why the construction industry prefers to build on the square. Its simple and straightforward, and absolutely ubiquitous. Curves are complex, take real craftsmanship to build and are unique.

Stepping into the Mount Parker Residences is an uncommonly good experience.

36

The curvilinear exterior embraces its location, turning towards the harbour. The building feels as if it is turning to embrace you.

The fortunate few residents stepping into this state-of-the-art, five-star luxury property are greeted by naturally flowing curves. The entrance lobby is a sculptural space where walls bend and flow, because nothing says luxury quite like a curve.

William Liu established ARK Associates Limited in 2002. The practices ethos is to design signature design solutions within the precinct of a projects practical needs and the markets demands. ARK was responsible for the interior design of the developments public areas, including the ground floor lift lobbies and the clubhouse.

Because the building was so unique, we wanted to make the entrance an unconventional entrance experience. One of the challenges was that the lobby had separate locations of private lift entries within one space and we had to find ways of directing people to them. What we did was to create walls that bend and flow, stated Liu.The firm used thick limestone for the entrys walls. Liu says the premium product was also able to be worked into the arc of the extra-height foyer. A horizontal cut mid-way up the wall creates a dynamic, fluid contrast to the lower section that follows the core.

For ARK Associates, the inspiration for the interiors was partially inspired by Arquitectonicas design. We felt it was important to have an interior design

which was complementary to the architecture and bring the inspirational quality of the architecture to the interior experience, Liu says. From the onset, flow and movement were key words and concepts that we established for the development of the design.

re-evolving ideasThe curved, accented metallic swooshing lines in Mount Parker Residences are emerging as an Arquitectonica signature. In the four residential towers for Poly Dongrui Plaza in Foshan, the practices master plan incorporates similarly organic lines that culminate in public open space in front of the development. Brannan says the true roots in construction more reflective of the natural world are far more ancient than Arquitectonicas work.

Architects have been designing curved buildings since time immemorial. There is nothing new in it. The roots of the design are in responding to the programme and the site, he says. He reels off a host of inspirational buildings to prove his point: the Pantheon, Greek theatres, the Church of Saint Andrew's at the Quirinal, and Frank Lloyd Wright's Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, to name a few.

In this case, the fluid shape of the Mount Parker Residences flexes to suit the site and harbour view. The metallic trim holds the composition in place, as the language extends to the balconies, bay windows and fenestration.

37

38

Joining the club

The developments clubhouse, Club Trio, is as the name might suggest three venues spread across the buildings ground floor, first floor and rooftop. In bringing together the clubhouse interiors, ARK also had to work within curved, elongated spaces with specific functional requirements. Finding a language to tie those spaces together was a challenge, Liu said.

We introduced a long curving library with a special design shelf to display books and decorative items. The library opens onto most of the spaces that are open planned