(31 October 2019, Hong Kong) Sino Land Company Limited (Sino Land, HKSE: 083) and CLP Group (CLP) are pleased to announce that their first ultra-luxury residential development at Kadoorie Avenue is officially named “St. George’s Mansions”. Surrounded by sweeping greenery of the hill, the development is located in one of the most sought-after addresses in Hong Kong, a treasured neighbourhood of historical significance.
The origin of the name “St. George’s Mansions” dates back to 1940, when Kadoorie Hill was planned as a low-density neighbourhood with a number of houses, and an apartment building, formerly also known as “St. George’s Mansions”, were built. The building was initially solely for rent, however it was later converted to become part of the CLP’s head office. Situated on the site of the original apartment building, the new residential project was named with the intention to uphold the rich historical character of the location, continuing the legacy of Kadoorie Hill.
Kadoorie Hill is located on the cusp of Ho Man Tin and Kowloon Tong, an urban oasis surrounded by wide tree-lined avenues. The enclave of low-rise homes is within spitting distance of prestigious schools such as Diocesan Boys’ School and many other international schools, a perfect balance of privacy and convenience. The charming neighbourhood is reciprocal to highly coveted addresses on Hong Kong Island. The design concept is to preserve the historical significance and value of the area in order to reflect the prestigious identities of its residents. Sino Land has specially commissioned renowned Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA) from New York to inject elements of grandeur to the new landmark residential project.
“St. George’s Mansions” comprises 3 towers, offering a total of 175 luxurious apartments. The design concept is remarkably unobtrusive yet sensitive to the traditional architecture and natural surroundings, extending Kadoorie Hill’s historical essence. The building façade uses European natural stone finishing, adorned with aluminium cladded windows to encapsulate the exquisite yet understated elegance of a New York luxury mansion. The development consists of majority units of 3 to 4-bedroom layouts and some 2-bedroom units, all including an exclusive lift foyer lobby area. Most units feature generous spatial layout with spectacular vistas overlooking the Kadoorie Hill, with 5 rare simplex units featuring flat roof or roof.
Mr Daryl Ng Win-kong, JP, Deputy Chairman of Sino Land, has a special connection with this development project. The area conjures up fond episodes of his adolescence. As a member of the track team during his secondary school years in Diocesan Boys’ School, he was frequently trained on Kadoorie Avenue. Every strand of grass, every brick on the wall connotes a sense of emotional attachment.
“After graduating from secondary school, I studied abroad in New York, where I developed an appreciation for architecture. The exquisite works of architect Robert Stern particularly left a lasting impression. Renowned for his iconic Modern Traditional architectural style, Robert Stern’s designs are eclectic and contextual with meticulous details that embrace vernacular context and local traditions that stand the test of time. After Sino Land won the bid for the project in 2017, we appointed RAMSA’s team to use Kadoorie Hill’s history as inspiration coupled with exceptional building materials to transform this development into the most remarkable flagship project we have ever built,” said Mr Ng.
Mr Grant Marani, a partner of RAMSA, remarked, “Our design builds out of the existing architecture of Kadoorie Hill. The height and scale of the project differ greatly from the neighbouring houses, which explains the rationale for creating two façades, one towards Kadoorie Avenue, and one towards the urban Kowloon. The Kadoorie Avenue-facing façade is designed to blend in with the natural comfort of Kadoorie Hill. The other side brings a sense of modernism that echoes the metropolitan setting.”
Ms Bina Bhattacharyya, Associate Partner of RAMSA, further explained, “Enveloped by lush greenery, Kadoorie Hill is home to three generations since its development at the turn of the last century. Construction materials have been meticulously selected to reflect the beauty of the dense verdant landscape. We have used Gascogne beige limestones to blend in with the off-white cement walls of the surrounding homes. In addition, the project is located between the CLP Clock Tower and other ancient buildings. The beautiful light tone of the exterior creates ocular stimulation in the neighbourhood.”
Mr Victor Tin Sio-un, Group Associate Director (Sales) of Sino Land, added, “For decades, newly-completed residential supply for sale at Kadoorie Hill has been a rarity. The scarceness has left affluent buyers and investors yearning for this highly coveted residential address. St. George’s Mansions’ impeccable craftsmanship will be a prized possession for many generations. This is an invaluable opportunity for local families, overseas buyers and investors to own a prime property in the heart of Kadoorie Hill. While the development is pending for the grant of pre-sale consent from the government, we are currently in the preparation of sales brochure and sales gallery, with the anticipation that sales may be launched within this year.”