Hong Kong’s new story begins

From the early work of the Chicago School in the late 1800s to the steely 21st-century towers shaping skylines across the Middle East, we are conditioned to think of height as the ultimate signifier of architectural ambition. A new Hong Kong development is set to flip this thinking on its head – or, perhaps more accurately, its side.

1.
The art of placemaking
Hong Kong’s boldest development, Central Yards well and truly ushers in the era of the “groundscraper”. It is a horizontal site that packs the magnitude and ambition of a skyscraper into a vast low-rise structure. The term first became popular when Google revealed plans for its £1bn (€1.15bn) London headquarters, yet here it is brought firmly into the public realm. Measuring 400 metres end to end, Central Yards will be wider than the Empire State Building is tall.

More than just an eye-catching concept, groundscrapers provide practical solutions for many key problems facing architects today. As well as cost savings and safety benefits, occupant wellbeing is enhanced by improved air quality and health benefits. Low-level buildings also offer improved energy efficiency compared to high towers.

Henderson Land’s vision to reconnect Central with the harbourfront will see the 160,000 sq m mixed-use development is unified by “The Bridge”, a defining concept realised by Hong Kong’s Lead8. It is a mindset shift, an invitation not to race to the top but find moments of connection with the world around you. The Bridge is the project’s red thread, spanning work and leisure, but also creating a strategic connection between Star Ferry pier and the Airport Express, Sheung Wan business district and Wan Chai’s waterfront promenade. “This idea of a unifying spine aligns closely with Henderson Land’s belief that future cities should be integrated, people-centric and inclusive rather than fragmented,” says Central Yards head of leasing and operations Tom Andrews.

With the first phase due for completion in 2027, Central Yards will become a thoughtful and unprecedented addition to Central – and the whole of Hong Kong, China and beyond.

2.
Green roots of growth
At Central Yards, “roots” grow everywhere. Street-level kiosks will provide the retail offering with a deep-rooted connection to the wider fabric of the city, while creativity takes root at entertainment venues that dig deep into Hong Kong’s mature cultural scene. Physical roots will be planted too. A 300-metre-long sky garden, a haven of relaxation and biophilic design, will contain more than 400 trees and 280 plant species. It is part of a 27,500 sq m commitment to interconnected open spaces that will create a green backdrop to an urban development with impressive ESG credentials. Clever details, such as the innovative smart façade system that improves the energy efficiency of Grade A offices by 30 per cent, come together in a development set to secure nine of the world’s most respected sustainability standards, from the US Green Building Council’s LEED certification to Hong Kong’s BEAM Plus initiative.

Henderson Land is also taking steps to ensure that Central Yards takes root in the wider city. “By physically reconnecting Central to the harbourfront, the development restores long-standing connections across the city and is envisioned as Hong Kong’s grandest stage for future generations,” says Andrews.

3.
Creative ambitions
These resilient benchmarks inspire a dynamism that is evident across Central Yards. It’s there in the state-of-the-art 1,100-seat theatre for Broadway-calibre productions and next-generation entertainment, it’s there in the semi-open event space with sunset views of Victoria Harbour, and it’s there in the sweeping architectural curves of the walkways that encourage exploration of this multi-level open space. All these thoughtful touches are in service of one goal: providing a platform for creativity. “The design invites brands to be as expressive as the spaces themselves,” says Ho-Yin Ng, a director at AL_A, the London-based architects behind Central Yard’s retail interiors. “Conceived as a city within a city, the project establishes a new urban model for retail,” adds AL_A founder Amanda Levete. “A series of individual stores, punctuated by street-like routes, create presence through fluid, undulating frontages that radiate energy and movement.”

At Central Yards, this purposeful, dynamic approach to architecture is throwing down a gauntlet to the pioneers and world-class brands who will congregate here, generating a new wave of creative energy that will revitalise Hong Kong and inspire a renewed love for this dynamic global city.
centralyards.com