IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2012 - 43

One of the biggest challenges the studio faced in designing this luxury spa and medical aesthetic center was the tight timeframe. The space, located on the 35th through 37th floors of a mixed-use high-rise in central Hong Kong, has an extremely high rent; to keep costs down, the client wanted to minimize downtime between lease-signing and opening day. “We were given three months to renovate all three floors,” explains principal Harvey Tsang. “In that period, we needed to design, test, and produce all the custom finishes.” Equally important was unifying the sprawling aerie, which encompasses 90 treatment rooms and myriad function spaces. an ethereal palette, show-stopping central staircase, and abundance of curves go a long way to achieving that aim—and establishing a space age–y vibe.
1. KEEp IT CLEaN 3. SuRfaCE MaTTERS

Challenge: the designers chose a white onwhite scheme as a device to communicate modernity and cleanliness. “Allwhite feels tidy, which gives confidence to the customers and patients,” notes tsang. the hue also amplifies the abundant natural light that floods in through the window wall. but keeping pale surfaces pristine is a perennial conundrum. Solution: Deploying highimpact but low maintenance finishes. Walls in public areas are covered in crystal glass or emulsion paints; treatment rooms feature wipeable wallpaper. Flooring throughout is veinless white marble, with a polished but slipresistant finish that makes cleaning easier and thwarts staining.
2. MONOCHROME, NOT MONOTONOuS

Challenge: between the pale palette and shiny finishes, the look could have veered too slick or overly clinical. Solution: exploit texture—note the metal trims and rippling side walls. “Knowing that the gloss surface on the wave wall would effect the overall design, we worked with a lighting consultant and did mockups onsite to get the right effect,” tsang explains. Although the wave walls are a recurring feature, the designers altered the pattern throughout.
4. SOfTEN THE STaIR

The challenge: the three floors were united by two straightrun staircases slicing through a gaping, squaredoff void. “We thought it read too hardedged and commercial,” says tsang. Solution: the firm demolished it and built a custom feature stair that’s become the signature of the space. the swooping glasswrapped staircase creates continuity between levels, coaxing patrons down from the 36thfloor lobby to lowerlevel treatment rooms, or one flight up to the lounge, classroom, meeting rooms, and surgeries.

Challenge: Keeping copious square feet of white space from looking boring or monotonous. Solution: A wood accent wall warms each treatment room, while nautical blue touches in public spaces keep the mood fresh. the designers also mixed finishes and used varying shades of whites. “We spent months researching paints and gloss levels, and applied them to different materials to test the effect,” says tsang. “that was the biggest challenge we faced.” the use of glass and acrylic panels also injects shimmer and reflectivity.

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2012