ICE @ HK: End of the Year Construction Site Visit

As the end of the Year is approaching, we visited to our ongoing construction sites in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.

They are at different stages of construction (demolition, preparation of foundation tender, foundation and pile cap work). It was good for the team to collectively see the progress of three of our projects, which are of different programs: mixed use residential pencil tower to mixed use apartment block and office building.

These first three projects will be heading for completion in 2017 before we can really confirm whether our designs work or completely fail...

Team: Ulrich Kirchhoff, Louise Low, Claudia Wigger, Tiffany Chow Tung, Liu Yiding, Jeremy Son, Susanne Trumpf

© 2015, ice - ideas for contemporary environments

Construction Log February: SZXC

It has been a haunting project for the office. We tendered the detail design on and a half years ago to contractors. Due to the economic crisis as well as other issues, the project is about to finish now only. Being 1650 sqm it is rather complex for an interior project and not really our ground of expertise, yet it stretches beyond the usual period of construction. Finally it is getting there and we look forward to the completion of the project after Chinese New Year.

The project has been a challenge as the client's brief was suggesting a compartmentalized office with small cubicles for different departments. We took this as an opportunity to express the complexity of the circulation in ceiling and in floor only, creating a visual and spatial guiding system throughout the office public corridors.

The client added plants to the construction site at this point. It is a funny way to occupy and own the space. In the end it shows that architect's obsession and client's obsession might not align that naturally...

Team: Ulrich Kirchhoff, Claudia Wigger, Louise Low, Matteo Biasolo, Esteban Becerril Pellon, Jorge Gil, Juliana Kei, Sandy Lee, Olgierd Nitka, Lien Thanh Gruetzmacher, Jackey Yp

© 2013, ice - ideas for contemporary environments

Construction Log April: SZXC

Most of the walls are constructed by now. HVAC and Sprinklers are confirmed. Hopefully the site will move faster from now on.

Team: Ulrich Kirchhoff, Claudia Wigger, Louise Low, Matteo Biasolo, Esteban Becerril Pellon, Juliana Kei, Sandy Lee, Olgierd Nitka, Lien Thanh Gruetzmacher, Jackey Yp

© 2012, ice - ideas for contemporary environments

Construction Log March: SZXC

We have announced it before. SZXC, a 1650 sqm office fit out is finally going to construction. With some delays due to Chinese New Year and many other obstacles we cannot control, the project has been out of our heads already. Even more so, we are looking forward to the upcoming construction.

A long term client of ours is moving into a bigger location. Due to the operational specifics of the company, the layout of the office has to be compartmentalized to a very high degree. Other than an open plan office or a combination office (half open plan and cubicles), this project required 36 rooms for not more than 3-4 people each: A huge challenge in terms of orientation and clarity of the space.

The challenge of the planning lead to the design concept of only using floor finish and ceiling lighting to create an orientation system through the office - lines that connect and separate guide the user from the lift lobby through corridors into the offices.

And here we go. Construction started with a kick-off meeting on site - finally! It is less cutting edge technology construction but rather fast and furious. Therefor we are particular curious if the low tech construction approach works on a design like this.

Team: Ulrich Kirchhoff, Claudia Wigger, Louise Low, Matteo Biasolo, Esteban Becerril Pellon, Juliana Kei, Sandy Lee, Olgierd Nitka, Jackey Yp

© 2012, ice - ideas for contemporary environments

Coming Soon!

Coming soon will be an architectural extension with an interior fit-out for a penthouse unit in Shenzhen, China and a large scale office fit-out (in Shenzhen as well). Tender is out and we expect construction to start soon. It has been hard three months for the design team which hopefully will pay off with a clean and qualitative construction. While other projects are in early stages of planning, we are excited and look forward to make our hands dirty ourselves again.

Team: Ulrich Kirchhoff, Claudia Wigger, Louise Low, Juliana Kei, Betty Kum, Sandy Lee, Olgierd Nitka, Jackey Yp

© 2011, ice - ideas for contemporary environments