foster + partners transforms hong kong government tower into luxury hotel

foster + partners transforms a listed 1970’s government office tower into ‘the murray’, hong kong’s newest luxury hotel. originally designed at a time when the city was planned around automobiles, the 25-story tower stands on an island site surrounded by roads, almost inaccessible to pedestrians. aiming to reconnect the building with the city at ground level, the architects created a new street frontage with transparent spaces and extended the landscape grounds to include a public tai chi area.

all images © nigel young / foster + partners

‘our design for the murray creates a dialogue between the old and the new – giving the building a new lease of life and a renewed purpose, with a unique sense of character that is embedded within the fabric of the building,’ mentions luke fox, head of studio at foster + partners. working in consultation with the original architect, ron phillips, the design team maintained the building’s original façade that gained it an energy efficient building award in 1994, while introducing a new function that responds to the changing demands of the city.

the new design features three story-high arches, connecting bridges, courtyards and gardens that surround the site as well as traditional hotel facilities including lobbies, guest rooms, luxurious pools and spas. the top of the building is open to the public with a restaurant, bar and roof terrace offering panoramic views of the city.