Can the office building push beyond the envelope to create an architecture that interacts directly with the site?

For the design of a new office at Hong Kong’s Science Park, we proposed to extend the park onto the upper floors of the building to create a new public space.

The Hong Kong Science Park, located on the shores of Tolo Harbour, is a new type of development in Hong Kong with offices and other science related functions grouped together within a park like setting. This competition called for a rethink of the office building, taking advantage of its unique context.

Rather than propose another office block with a green roof on top, our design combines the challenges of sustainability, efficiency and context to create a building that is deeply rooted within the setting of the Tolo Harbour. Instead of setting out to create an iconic building, the iconic form of the design is derived from its functions. The characteristic green roof is derived from the desire to welcome people literally on to the building, thus giving the building its distinctive appearance.