Hong Kong’s newly opened K11 MUSEA is a retail- and-art complex that allows visitors to enrich themselves with amazing works of art while enjoying a new kind of retail experience.
Situated in the heart of Hong Kong’s USD2.6bn Victoria Dockside development, K11 MUSEA is the result of entrepreneur Adrian Cheng of New World Development who had the ambition to transform the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade into an arts and culture precinct.
The 10-storey-complex draws on the collective expertise of over 100 international architects, artists, and designers that include KohnPedersen Fox Associates, James Corner Field Operations, OMA led by Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten, Bangkok-based landscape and design studio PLandscape, UK lighting specialist Speirs + Major, Denmark’s award-winning playground designers Monstrum and Hong Kong-based architecture studio LAAB.
As visitor pass through the grand doors of the MUSEA entrance, they will be greeted by the striking Opera Theatre, the grand atrium of the K11 MUSEA complex with a fluid contour made up of 1,115sqm of hand-painted, hand-tamped aluminium panels created by local craftsmen and LAAB. At the apex of the 35-metre tall grand atrium sits the Oculus, hovering high and filtering the sunlight that bathes the space with a warm inviting glow.
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Over 1,800 programmable spotlights are meticulously designed by Speirs + Major, transforming the atrium into a creative galaxy lit by pulsing stars.
Moving to the outdoor area, the 2,000-square-foot Sunken Plaza amphitheatre space is lined with interactive lighting and water features, providing audiences with an intimate street-level setting for performing arts, cinema and live music activities by KULTURE 11.
K11 MUSEA is said to serve as a platform for world-renowned and emerging artistic talents with a debut art collection featuring works from over 40 leading international and Hong Kong contemporary artists. The curation of the collection is inspired by the city’s waterfront culture, meticulously collected and curated in context to its geographical location, under the direction of its founder Adrian Cheng.
Highlighted artists include; Elmgreen & Dragset (b. 1961, Denmark, and b. 1969 Norway); Erwin Wurm (b. 1954, Austria) and Katharina Grosse (b, 1961, Germany), whose works will be placed in the public realm. Ten floors of immersive curated art, culture and retail experience will house works from Adrian Wong (b. 1980, US), Cheng Ran (b. 1981, China), and Zhang Enli (b. 1965, China). Interwoven with these works will be a selection of pieces by Hong Kong urban artists on the third floor. Of the nine artist collectives, five of which are Hong Kong based talents including Graphic Airlines, Kristopher Ho, Parent’s Parents, Simple Bao and Katol@Start From Zero, among others, with work featured alongside the vibrant and playful design by American artist Ron English. Visitors can enjoy guided art tours or tune into a digital guide via a mobile app created by K11.
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The convergence of infinite creativity and imagination, the immersive cultural-retail destination K11 MUSEA is now open. The project, aspires to be the Silicon Valley of Culture, will revitalise the vibrant Victoria Dockside neighbourhood while strengthening the district’s ambitions to be Hong Kong’s new art and design district.
K11 MUSEA is enhanced and supported by other lifestyle destinations by K11: K11 ARTUS, Asia’s finest luxury residences and first artisanal home; K11 ATELIER, immersive office spaces committed to fostering creativity among its inhabitants; and the new flagship Rosewood Hong Kong launched earlier this year.
