The recently renovated Tung Fat Building ticks all our boxes for hip and convenient living in Hong Kong, writes Christie Lee.
December 16th, 2014
Kennedy Town in the west end of Hong Kong Island is experiencing a renaissance of late, with garages and ‘tong laus’ stacked next to hip brunch joints and bars. Located on New Praya and above new Mexican style eatery Chinos, the revitalised Tung Fat Building provides a breath of fresh air amid Hong Kong’s usually cramped living spaces.
Victoria Allan, Founder and Managing Director of Habitat Property had chanced upon the building nine years ago. “It looked very run-down even back then. There were no lifts and there was this weird musty smell,” she recalls. Needless to say, buying up all 16 flats one after the other was a long and arduous process, with renovations to the building beginning only around four years ago.
The first thing that Allan and Australian-based KPDO Architects, who was enlisted for this project, set out to do was to knock down the wall which had previously separated the two apartments on each floor and transforming it into a single unit. A spanking new lift was also installed for those who might find the thought of having to climb six flights of stairs after a long work day unbearable.
Accommodating up to four people, each unit ranges from 960 to 1,320 square feet in size and comprises two bedrooms – a bigger one which comes with its own bathroom and a smaller guest room that can double up as a study. The main bathroom is located next to the main entrance. With only a column – “one of the many parts of Tung Fat Building that we wanted to preserve” Allan is quick to emphasise – acting as a divide between the living and dining rooms, the open-plan layout gives the impression that the space is bigger than it is.
A neutral palette is utilised throughout the expansive space, with brass joinery handles and handpicked artworks taking the style creds up a notch. Iron window frames ubiquitous in Hong Kong’s infamous ‘tong laus’ were demolished to make way for elegantly curved glass windows through which one could enjoy sweeping views of the Victoria Harbour.
Those who love the outdoors will delight in the top floor loft, where a flight of internal stairs lead to an airy terrace equipped with an electric grill and patio furniture for summer (and winter) soirees.
The reverence to heritage extends to the exterior, with Tung Fat Building’s original nameplate being emblazoned above the entrance in Chinese script.
Habitat Property
habitat-property.com
KPDO Architects
kerryphelan.com.au
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
The Sub-Zero Wolf showrooms in Sydney and Melbourne provide a creative experience unlike any other. Now showcasing all-new product ranges, the showrooms present a unique perspective on the future of kitchens, homes and lifestyles.
Savage Design’s approach to understanding the relationship between design concepts and user experience, particularly with metalwork, transcends traditional boundaries, blending timeless craftsmanship with digital innovation to create enduring elegance in objects, furnishings, and door furniture.
Marylou Cafaro’s first trendjournal sparked a powerful, decades-long movement in joinery designs and finishes which eventually saw Australian design develop its independence and characteristic style. Now, polytec offers all-new insights into the future of Australian design.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Esteemed international practice OMA has completed AIR in Singapore, a genre-straddling project defined by openness and an emphasis on waste.
Focusing on facade and green design, this pair of office blocks is designed to meet the most contemporary demands of workplace design.
Landing in the city’s financial district for the first time, The Sebel Sydney Martin Place has had its modern interiors completed by Stack Studio.
Wood Marsh, a practice that spans 40 years, has been the first to design many of Melbourne’s landmark infrastructure projects – including the monumental noise walls along the Eastern Freeway (the first non-building to receive the Victorian Architecture Medal), Eastlink, the Geelong bypass and the pedestrian bridge at the west end of Bourke Street. The […]