The Concurrency

Project East
When Hong Kong investor Gaw Capital challenged the renowned Dutch design firm MVRDV to transform a former industrial building into luxury loft offices, the design vision became clear – to expose the original industrial character of the building. Led by Winy Maas, one of the true stars of contemporary architecture, the team set out to implement this “honesty principle,” creating interiors with exposed wiring and pipes, contrasted by glass and steel.

The Concurrency
Most striking of all the new features is the magnificent new chandelier that greets visitors as they enter the building. The lift-lobby features a dynamically-lit glass sculpture produced by Lasvit. This is their first design that exposes the intricate cable system on the ceiling. It creates aspider-like composition that resembles the printed-circuit board familiar from electronics. Handmade in the Czech Republic, this massive crystal design piece adds elegance and sophistication to the old building. Production began with a full-scale drawing as a guide for the stainless steel cuts that are framed and welded together. Molten glass was gently folded into the form and hand blown until it filled the form. Once cooled, both ends were cut to size and finished with coarse grinding, micro-sanding and polishing. After thorough cleaning, drying and testing, the chandelier was ready. The individual glass elements connect seamlessly to the surrounding office tube-lighting that repeats at regular intervals. Lighting tubes appear to swirl into a vortex centered at the middle of the lobby, as if pulled by an invisible force. While the surrounding lights pay homage to classic industrial fluorescent tubes, the lighting sculpture is composed of hand-blown glass that required a highly skilled collaboration between glassmakers and metal-smiths. As with many of the new features added to 133 Wai Yip Street, the chandelier speaks to a new sense of purpose, quality and refinement. These characteristics echo the visions of both Maas and Gaw Capital Partners to inspire the people who use this building. Even more so, this signature piece is intended to inspire Hong Kong design to see luxury and beauty as a integral part of everyday life.