• Substantially Urban

    14 May 2020

    URBAN PROJECTS: a boutique architectural practice working on a large scale throughout Southeast Asia and beyond. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Hong Kong’s Central Business District, the practice has delivered multiple projects since inception covering commercial, hospitality, cultural & residential typologies.

    (按此浏览简体中文版)

    The practice directors honed their skills during previous tenures with large corporate architectural practices in the USA, Europe and latterly, Asia. It was the mission of URBAN PROJECTS’ founding partners to take the positive characteristics of these dynamic organisations and translate this into a more personal ‘boutique’ style of practice. The practice has taken a calculated approach to limiting its growth as a physical business in order to maintain control and individual responsibility for each project which passes through the studio.

    URBAN PROJECTS has eschewed ‘style’ in favour of ‘substance’. The practice has placed emphasis on understanding the physical and cultural context of any project before embarking on the journey towards an appropriate design solution.

    The ‘physical’ aspects of the site, including topographical context, natural features, orientation, view, privacy etc. will all be keys to the development of a responsive model. URBAN PROJECTS has layered onto this a holistic vision for the sustainable development of a site, minimising impact on the environment and also the concept of ‘WELL’ design – enhancing the internal environment of the building for the welfare of its occupants & users.

    The future looks bright for URBAN PROJECTS

    Any successful project is ultimately the result of teamwork. To this end URBAN PROJECTS has assembled a group of like-minded consultants in landscape architecture, interior design, specialist engineering and environmental design to enhance and strengthen the practice’s output. This ‘network’ of consultants allows URBAN PROJECTS to deliver projects on a far larger scale than most practices smaller in size would contemplate.

    The practice is currently expanding from its roots in Hong Kong and the People’s Republic of China.

    Projects in India, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Africa are currently on the drawing board. The firm also has a presence in Europe, opening a satellite office in the UK in 2017 focused on sustainable residential design.

    URBAN PROJECTS, a WELL brand for the future…

    More Features
    A Bookworm’s Dream
    An award-winning studio JATO Design transforms an ordinary bookstore into a modern haven for book lovers at Shenyang Jiuwu Cultural City, China (按此浏览简体中文版) For the Shenyang Jiuwu Cultural City renovation project in 2015, JATO Design was tasked with transforming a traditional bookstore into a dynamic, multi-use space – to be not only a shopping mall but also a cultural hub [...]
    Complex Facade Specialists – Permasteelisa Group
    Permasteelisa Group is a leading global contractor in the design, engineering, project management, manufacture, installation and after-sales service of architectural envelopes and interiors. Present in four continents, with a network of around 50 companies in 30 countries and 10 production plants, the Group generates a total turnover of around 1.1 billion euro a year. The Group brings its [...]
    Landmark 81 – A National Architectural Icon
    Landmark 81 tower is the tallest building in Vietnam and the 13th tallest tower in the world. (按此浏览简体中文版) Designed by Atkins for Vingroup, the largest developer in Vietnam, Landmark 81 is the centrepiece of their Vinhomes Central Park development located to the north of the city centre beside the Saigon River. Landmark 81 was originally conceived to uplift the profile of the [...]
    Magnum House – The Peak of Natural Design
    Jointly developed by Wing Tai Properties and Manhattan Group, La Vetta, located at the peak of Kau To Shan close to Shatin, is an example of a low-density luxury residential project making headlines in the Hong Kong property sector. (按此浏览简体中文版) Featuring 68 individual houses and eight towers of one to four-bedroom low-rise apartments, La Vetta is a masterpiece of [...]
    Lead8 Celebrates Fifth Anniversary
    Growing from a small design team to now over 200 based in Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and London A lot can change in five years as Hong Kong founded architecture and design firm Lead8 is demonstrating. After launching in 2014, co founded by a team of likeminded directors, Lead8 has cemented itself amongst the leading design firms both in the region and internationally. Now more [...]
    BENOY’s APAC leadership: their views and vision for the future
    Benoy is a world-class architecture and design firm, with over 70 years of history, having been established in 1947. In 2020, Benoy will be celebrating 20 years in Asia. In these 20 years, Benoy has collaborated on the architecture and design of some of the most iconic commercial buildings and landmarks across the region, such as Jewel Changi, ION Orchard, Iconsiam, Elements, IFS, iAPM and a [...]
    Build a Sustainable Future – HKGBC 10 Years in Hong Kong
    Each city tackles climate change in its own way. Hong Kong sits in the sub tropics and has the densest population on the planet and the most skyscrapers of any city in the world. Our buildings and related activities account for 90% electricity consumption or 60% greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing building’s carbon emissions is of critical importance. (按此浏览简体中文版) The Hong [...]
    Façade design in China by VS-A
    After qualifying as an architect in France in 1986 van Santen began his career in Paris with Renzo Piano. It was here that he journeyed into the world of façade technology and developed his passion for the industry. He went on to establish VS-A in Lille, France in 1989 and over the past thirty years has worked with some of the biggest names in architecture. His portfolio includes iconic [...]
    Hongkong Land’s Yorkville – The Ring by PHA: Merging nature with technological advancement
    World-renowned international architectural design studio PH Alpha Design (PHA) has always been in the vanguard of the delivery of top-notch architecture design to its clients and the community. With Hong Kong as its Asia Headquarters, PHA has extended its reach across the globe, establishing solid presence in London, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing. Over the past 10 years, the practice has [...]