After 15 years at Taikoo Place at Quarry Bay, the time had come to move to a new studio. With the business evolving to a more agile working solution, we embraced the opportunity to optimize both smart space utilization and a new workplace strategy to enhance business productivity and provide our staff with choice and flexibility.
With that in mind, we seized the opportunity to select a space in an unbeatable location that we could modernize and customize to the specific requirements of the business and our people.
The new Hong Kong Studio is located on the 19th floor of Tower 535 in the heart of Causeway Bay in Hong Kong Island, the city’s bustling retail, F&B and commercial district. The new studio is over 6,600 sq ft and has been thoughtfully designed with various activity-based spaces and will eventually accommodate all the Handley House brands.
The New Workplace
Upon entering the Studio, a spacious galleria at the front of house greets visitors and staff. This area showcases our heritage, top industry awards, and iconic projects, as well as our latest technology tools such as 3D printers. The design of the galleria is anchored on the Handley House Group of businesses – Benoy, Pragma, Uncommon Land and Homes Wood.
The various meeting spaces are situated on the north façade of the Studio which provides the best views of the iconic Hong Kong Harbor. The workstations and project and material libraries are towards the west and south facades overlooking the cityscape, and facing Hysan Place, one of Benoy’s prestigious projects in Hong Kong.
The Studio has been designed around agile working principles. It provides flexible use of workstations and ensures that if a large number of staff are required to be in the office at one time, the space is optimized to comfortably accommodate this.
We also believe that with the increased time spent working remotely, it is crucial that when staff come into the Studio, we provide an environment that is conducive to socializing, collaborating and enhancing human interactions. With that in mind, we utilized a substantial percentage of the space for formal meeting spaces as well as informal meetings and social gatherings.
The Studio has large open ceilings that give a sense of airiness, punctuated by modern, hanging diffused feature lightings above the workstations and meeting spaces.
Environmental Sustainability
With this office relocation, environmental initiatives were high on our agenda. We needed to replace our existing workstations and furniture, but rather than just disposing of them, we decided to recycle them in alignment with our environmental sustainability pillar.
We engaged SOS, “Sustainable Office Solutions”, a specialized asset management firm that works with corporations, landlords, property managers and developers to facilitate responsible reuse and redistribution of material assets. We successfully collaborated with them and eventually found a new home for our existing furniture.
We also installed smart lighting and air conditioning systems throughout the new Studio to ensure that we save energy when spaces are not in use. Lighting throughout the Studio is sensor driven, and we also applied an industry-leading climate control solution.
Well-being in the Workplace
The wellbeing of our staff was one of the driving factors of our workplace design. We incorporated social and communal spaces for people to relax, reset and unwind throughout the workday. We also installed ergonomic solutions such as adjustable standing desks which allows for alternately sitting or standing throughout the day. Having the option to shift from sitting to standing positions provides users with an energy burst, helps improve posture, reduces back pain and boosts mood and focus.
From the green wall that greets you at front of house to the various plants around the space to the abundant use of natural light, we harnessed the benefits of biophilia as a way to bring the outdoors in. Biophilic design utilizes natural materials, patterns, and phenomena to maintain a connection to nature within the built environment. Biophilic elements have been found to support people’s cognitive function, physical health, and psychological well-being, increasing overall wellness and productivity.
Looking to the Future
The new Hong Kong Studio marks a new chapter in transforming the world we live in, for today and tomorrow, using our integrated strategy and design expertise.
Designed to promote creativity, innovation and collaboration, our new home in Hong Kong will allow us to continue delivering integrated services with integrity and excellence, to clients in the region and beyond.
We look forward to welcoming you in our new home soon.
