Completed in 2018 by Foster+Partners, Murray Building is a luxury hotel on the southern edge of Central with stunning views of the Peak and the gardens to the south and uninterrupted harbor views to the north. This luxury 336-room hotel is 33,000m² in size, transformed, and characterized by the distinctive pattern of its white facade.
Goals
The aim of the major transformation of this listed building is to reinvent the abandoned urban quarter while one of the central aims is to reconnect this buildi8ng with the surrounding city at ground level. This way can create transparent and welcoming ground floor spaces, a new street frontage on Garden Road, and extending and enhancing the landscaped grounds.
Structure
A sequence of four-storey high arches intersected by a podium can be found at the tower’s base while the vehicle ramp is a distinctive feature of the original building. There is a large historic tree that rises up through a void in the parking slab of the podium. This tree has been conserved and liberated as the arrivals sequence’s centerpiece for all guests.
Design
The original building architect is a direct response to Hong Kong’s climate with the recessed windows that oriented to avoid the harsh tropical sunlight. This architecture got an Energy Efficient Building Award in 1994. The building design retains the facade and upgrading other aspects at the same time to extend the building life by introducing a new function for the city changing demands, giving a sustainable legacy for the next years.
Details
The tower is characterized by the distinctive pattern of its white facade and consists of a grid of square windows. The inset bays provide a modular unit and organizing principle for the hotel rooms in a fusion of exterior and interior to allow for planning option varieties. A generous central living space can be created with the angled upper-level suites and the luxurious corner suites benefit from spectacular dual-aspect views of the gardens, peaks, and harbor.
Murray Building Gallery
Photography: Foster+Partners