Project Overview

THE QANTAS HONG KONG LOUNGE is the evolution of the regional luxe lounge concept developed originally by the SUMU / CAON design team for the Qantas Singapore Lounge.

Qantas’ brief to SUMU DESIGN and CAON STUDIO was to reflect a new boutique style concept representing Hong Kong through its design, and taking cues from the design developed for the Qantas Singapore Lounge.

Project Commissioner

Qantas

Project Creator

Sumu Design

Team

DIRECTOR: FELICE CARLINO - SUMU DESIGN
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: DAVID CAON - CAON STUDIO
Design Team:
LAUREN GELLING - CAON STUDIO
ROWAN HAMMAN - PDM INTERNATIONAL SYDNEY
CLARISSA SANTOSO - PDM INTERNATIONAL SYDNEY
BIANCA TAM - PDM INTERNATIONAL HONG KONG

Project Brief

Hong Kong is the perpetual Asian city: a fluid, swiftly evolving metropolis surrounded by stunning wilderness. It is a vibrant, vertical city split by an expanse of water and surrounded by clam and nature.

This was the concept and vision that influenced both the planning and architecture of the lounge, in which the Qantas Hong Kong lounge became a metaphor of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula are represented by the bar and dining areas which capture the vibrancy, movement and interaction of people. These elements are surrounded by the calm and relaxed atmosphere of the lounge areas. The lounge areas in turn represent the natural landscape and beaches that surround the built-up zones of the city.

The verticality of Hong Kong is embodied within the building’s large steel structures. The structures are used to break up the 120m-long, 2,000sqm site, creating intimate, private and secluded spaces for customers. These structures reference the steel signage structures fixed to the sides of buildings within the city area. Meanwhile the canopies pay homage to the city’s side streets where small eating houses and stalls provide privacy and escape from the bustling city while still remaining connected to the action.

Project Innovation/Need

A successful and well-designed lounge is one that caters for individuals’ unique and different needs. There will be a good food selection, and a combination of areas for relaxing and/or engaging.

A good lounge is not only about good design and facilities, it’s also about good customer service. We strongly believe one of the things that sets the Qantas Hong Kong and Singapore Lounges apart from their counterparts is the service provided by the Sofitel team. Qantas’ commitment to providing premium customer service (by having a specialized team who are highly skilled in looking after the needs of their customers), enhances the spatial experience we have designed. The two work hand in hand: a good functional design with a highly skilled service. Our main aim was to facilitate that synergy.

Design Challenge

The Qantas Hong Kong lounge is 120m long and 2000sqm with a capacity for 300 people. It has a full commercial kitchen, buffet, bar, showers and toilet facilities. It is located within the open cabin of Hong Kong Airport with views of the apron and surrounding terminal.

Due to its location within the Hong Kong Airport the lounge was subjected to very strict fire regulations, we were confined to using materials with low combustible properties. But we took this limitation and turned it to our advantage, in order to meet the brief of “representing Hong Kong through its design.”

The finishes used within the lounge represent traditional, colonial and modern Hong Kong. The materials and architecture of the lounge create a sensory and visual snap shot of people’s experiences during their travels through Hong Kong.

The rawness of Hong Kong's streets and old architecture is represented by the raw concrete finishes on the floor, bar and tables. The wall tiles a broad interpritaion of a traditional Chinese geometric pattern. This is juxtaposed against the use of premium finishes such as leather, silver grey stone, timber veneer, timber textured floor tiles throughout the lounge representing the new modern day Hong Kong.

Sustainability

Sustainability was addressed within the project by using LED lighting throughout the project. Water efficient bathroom products and reused existing furniture, kitchen equipment from the previous lounge.

Interior Design - Hospitality

This award celebrates innovative and creative building interiors, with consideration given to space creation and planning, furnishings, finishes, aesthetic presentation and functionality. Consideration also given to space allocation, traffic flow, building services, lighting, fixtures, flooring, colours, furnishings and surface finishes.  

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