The Bohemian House is an urban renewal project in Sai Wan for the mixed redevelopment composed of podium restaurants / shops, mechanical floor, recreational residents club house and podium landscape garden, residential apartment floors and a roof garden cum refuge floor use.
Winner- Urban Design & Architecture Design Awards 2019
Firm | Cheung Kong-Yeung Architects LTD.
Category | Mixed Use (Built)
Team | Kong Yeung Thomas Cheung, Homas Cheung, Suki Chan
Country | Hong Kong
With the client’s wish to cultivate a new lifestyle for this old neighborhood to journey on, the design concept starts from redefining the basic needs of living : Food and Travel. In Sai Wan, there are a lot of local food related businesses such as restaurants, cafe, food markets, etc. which are the treasures of the mixed food cultures in the area. At the same time, tram is the earliest transportation and the unique urban heritage of this district for people traveling to the CBD of HK, the Central District. Nowadays, it also represents a lifestyle of downshifting and simple living in a metropolitan city like HK.
Therefore our design tried to blend the distinct characteristics of tram into the building envelope by using an I-frame design repetitively to create an interesting interlocking features to embrace the balconies on the facade. We wish that the facade design can express and redefine the new style of living and enhance the enjoyment of food culture.
Constraints and Solutions achieved :
The first constraint is that the site is bounded by one of the busiest street, Water Street, which is a major road connecting the western mid-levels of the HK Island to the Western Cross HarbourTunnel and the highway to the Central. In order to relieve the noise to the future apartments, the building tower is off-set asymmetrically towards the East away from the Water Street. This arrangement also created the shade from the West sun by the adjoining buildings in the North side.
The second constraint is that the site is South orientated and direct sunlight to the apartments cannot be avoided. Also, curtain wall system must be used as a commercial consideration by client. Therefore grey tinted glass panels are used to minimize the heat gain.
Special Features :
In the recreational club house, cooking studio and alfresco cooking and dining areas are provided in the podium landscape garden next to the swimming pool to promote the enjoyment of the art of cooking.
For the external facade design, the I-frame features not only symbolically designed like a tram window but also a functional feature to hide the rainwater drainage traps and connecting parts from view.
Details of Supporting Structures / Ancillary Facilities / Parking / Access / Circulation :
Transformer room is required to be provided at the Western side of the site. In order to maximize the ground floor usable areas, it was relocated to the first floor and an aluminum louver wall was designed to hide it properly from view.
Details of Landscaping :
Swimming pool and children pool are provided on the podium landscape garden fenced by a vertical green wall on their Northern side.
Also, the 2 terraced up podium levels facing Water Street are planted with trees to provide greenery to the neighborhood.
Project Ambit :
Bohemian House is a redevelopment project with residential apartments tower on the podium shops and facilities.
We wish that the design by adding an I-frame facade feature recalls the experience of tram travel can promote a new style of living to cultivate the neighboring areas.
Significance of Project :
The project successfully bring up the class and gives a new look to the surrounding old Sai Wan District. It arouses the neighborhood’s awareness to the change of lifestyle of the area.
The project was awarded Gold Rating under the HK BEAM Plus accreditation scheme.
