Contract - January/February 2013 - (Page 95)

By Celia Ying Photography by Ajax Law Ling Kit Taking inspiration from the mountainous profile of the Nanshan district, Ajax Law Ling Kit and Virginia Lung of Hong Kong–based firm One Plus Partnership reinterprets nature in chic high style for the Chongqing Mountain and City Sales Office. This idea materializes in the interior architecture’s terrain of “valleys” and “caves,” and demonstrates an intelligent adaptation of forms and colors in nature. Located in Chongqing Nanshan district surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges, the 19,375-square-foot, two-level sales office serves as a hub for an 8½-acre, mixed-use development that will include hotels, retail space, and residences. Unlike the standard showroom with a singular property model display at its center, the office is a journey that features an exhibition area, a children’s playroom, staff offices, and a VIP room for sales and business meetings. Once the development is completed, the sales office will be converted into a residential clubhouse. Instead of reflecting the region’s landscape through a conventional application of wood and stone in natural tones, the designers focused on building mountains of odd and sharp angles inside the space. “We wanted to let visitors experience the spatial and spectacular landscape of Nanshan,” say the designers. This topography of slanted and triangular masses, composed of luxurious honed marble with stainless steel trimming, is first seen showroom One Plus Partnership when entering the ground floor. Past the reception area, visitors encounter and descend down a cavernous stairwell. A lightning bolt—really a linear trough of recessed LED lighting—provides gentle illumination in the staircase but also emphasizes the design’s slick modernity. A double-height basement level reveals the rocky formations on a grander scale, with some mountaintops soaring up or forming the ground floor. While the craggy setting creates a hard and stiff impression, a composition of suspended slim LED tubes above acts as a counterpoint to the angular concept, evoking imagery of rain gently trickling down. Building the three-dimensional structure within the space was a complex task, and the designers created numerous models to convey the concept to both the client and contractors. But all “The space transforms the sales experience from being one of display to one of experience. Radical forms, refined materials, and playful lighting exude mystery and inspire curiosity.” JURY the hard work paid off as this mountainous environment truly enhances the adventure of a visit and captures the imagination of the visitors. The designers made a conscious decision to minimize or completely avoid ornamentation and extraneous materials and colors. The main color palette is a monochromatic gray range, which also captures the aesthetic of the surrounding mountain scenery. Meanwhile, champagne gold–tinted service counters resemble scattered boulders to enhance the concept. Though much of the visitor experience is spent gazing up or out, the floor underfoot also deserves a second look. At first sight, visitors may find the floor pattern a bit dizzying as it is composed of various overlaid patterns in shades of gray at different angles. But the abstracted herringbone arrangement of variegated marble modules is an ordered chaos that captures the real essence of Mother Nature. This modern and abstract design invites visitors to a stunning conceptual space, leading them to an exciting spatial experience as if they are wandering through the mountains themselves. c contract

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Contract - January/February 2013

Contract - January/February 2013
Contents
Editorial
Industry News
Product Briefs: Lighting
Product Focus: Bonaire and Buxom
Designer of the Year
Legend Award
34th annual interiors awards
Large Office
Small Office
Hotel
Restaurant
Healthcare
Education
Public Space
Showroom
Entertainment
Sustainable
Adaptive Reuse
Retail
Student
Designers Select: Tables and Desks
Sources
Ad Index
Public Interest Design
Perspective: Michael Graves on the Lost Art of Drawing

Contract - January/February 2013