Art and the arcade
Hong Kong’s many malls offer a mind-blowing variety of shopping choices, but to stay a step ahead of the competition, developers are paying close attention to aesthetics, says Lucy Davis
Whatever your purse desires, there is no shortage of malls to fulfill your retail needs in Hong Kong, and upscale arcades such as The Landmark, International Finance Centre (IFC) and Elements offer a wide-ranging selection of international luxury brands, as well as a host of fine dining options in an increasingly design-conscious setting.
Having just celebrated its first anniversary in October, Elements, which sits atop Kowloon Station, is launching its second phase on November 1. Six major brands are already on board, including Jimmy Choo, Loewe, Tods - which will stock limited edition bags from its Elements location - and Chaumet, which plans to display antique jewellery pieces from Paris. Bulgari’s new Elements store will feature the longest facade in Hong Kong, and Elements’ La Maison du Chocolat is the brand’s Kowloon flagship.
Chief Retail Development Manager of the MTR Corporation Betty Leong, who has spearheaded the project from concept to construction, says, “We consider ourselves more of a hangout destination, a luxury community, and not just somewhere to shop. We are the first mall to incorporate five different zones, or Chinese ‘elements’ ( wood, water, fire, earth, metal) each featuring its own unique sculpture, such as the black granite dragon by Paul Alexandre Boureia in ‘Earth’. We also allow the brands to do their own thing, both inside and outside the store, so the design isn’t totally uniform.”
Changes are afoot at Pacific Place, Admiralty too, where an extensive HK$1.5 billion revamp, involving interior, exterior and architectural refinement, is currently taking place. The project is scheduled to be unveiled later this year, and is being overseen by top designer Thomas Heatherwick, who is celebrated for his fluid, streamlined approach and use of warm tones. In addition to design improvements such as remodelled pedestrian spaces and additional lift connections, a number of new dining venues are set to open, notably a Heatherwick-designed standalone restaurant on level four. This follows the debut of contemporary Japanese eateries Roka and Shiro this July, both minimalist design showcases in their own right.
If design-led mall extensions and makeovers are not enough to get you excited, then brace yourself for the opening of another new shopping experience, the K11 mall in Tsim Sha Tsui. This Hong Kong Land project proclaims to be the first art mall in Hong Kong, and will display art works on every floor in order to “persistently promote art as a way of life”. Other malls that have already embraced their inner artist include Swire’s City Plaza in Taikoo Shing, which hosts regular art exhibitions and has many permanent sculptures and paintings scattered both inside and outside of the building, and Langham Place in Mongkok, which regularly puts on shows for local artists.
It seems that art and good design are increasingly becoming part of the urban experience for Hong Kong shoppers, and that attention to aesthetics is providing a way for malls to differentiate themselves from the intense shopping competition in the city.
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