Mondrian Hong Kong, China

Posted in Projects on 22 April, 2024

Brand seeks to win hearts and minds with community and artistic collaborations.

In a densely built-up city like Hong Kong, the ability to enjoy unobstructed views is a precious and extraordinary experience. Which is why the first Mondrian to open in Greater China capitalises on its own unique architecture and outlook. Towering 40 floors high, the hotel offers stunning views of Victoria Harbour and the cityscape.

Set in the heart of Hong Kong’s most vibrant neighbourhood, Tsim Sha Tsui, with elements inspired by the city’s rich history and design flourishes such as a floating minibar, the hotel has 324 rooms including 12 two-bay suites, state-of-the-art wellness facilities, and rooftop space for cultural collaborations.

The hotel’s unique vantage point informed the interior design concept, ‘the lookout’, as the ultimate place to view the city, its people, and its majestic harbour.

Karin Krautgartner of byKK lead the design, with guestrooms acting like private lookouts over the city, with a ‘lookout’ table and chair. The chandelier above is reminiscent of the Bauhinia blakeana flower on the Hong Kong flag. Sheer curtains add a softness to the space. One wall is dotted with compartments of different sizes showcasing art pieces, photos and paintings created by emerging local artists, including Angel Hui and Lao Chin Tao. The minibar is hidden in a mirrored pedestal with a hand painted sewing box on top containing snacks.

The hotel lobby has a small footprint but is double height and features a large fresco of an underwater world of dancers created in glass mosaic. The artwork, which was customised for the Mondrian Hong Kong, is based on Celestial bodies and

Tenderness series by Christy Lee Rogers and was translated into glass mosaic by Italian brand Bisazza. Guests check in under the oversized arch, revealing a glass chandelier carrying water bubbles.

Many elements in the hotel take their water-themed design cues directly from Hong Kong’s origin as a fishing village. Ancient stories tell of wondrous creatures living beneath the rough waters of Victoria harbour. These are imagined again now in four wallpaper designs along guest corridors, featuring fantasy creatures – the octo-rabbit, fish-crab, Deer-whale and bird-fish.

Even the gym was designed as an art gallery, showing oversized strobe-photography of movement and athletes next to strong graphic patterns. Triangular cut mirrors reflect the daylight and create an illusion of space and circular ceiling lights are organised in an Olympic rings formation. The artwork is by Tom Hegen and Jean-Yves Lemoigne.

The games continue in the lifts where guests are surrounded by multiple mirrors placed in a triangular formation, reminiscent of the game Tangram, which was invented in Hong Kong and played widely throughout the city.

The ultimate lookout is from the skybar. A place to see and to be seen, its interior is colourful, eclectic, and almost theatrical, as if on a stage, with bold black and white flooring, soft amber curtains and angled mirror walls that reflect the crowd and sky. A DJ desk seems to float above the ground and the central bar has an integrated circular sofa, creating a VIP spot where the bar tender can be watched from a laid-back relaxed position. Above the bar is a large light feature designed by Dirk van der Kooij and made of recycled and 3D printed plastic. Local artists Wong Ting Fung and Simple Bao painted murals on the walls.

Joyce Wang Studio, which has offices in London and Hong Kong, designed Carna by Dario Cecchini, a contemporary steakhouse from Tuscany.

Despite its upscale, luxurious offering, Mondrian is keen to be seen as a good neighbour and to embed itself in the community. At the hotel’s launch in December, the team eschewed the traditional welcome of VIPs and celebrities as the first guests and instead invited single parent families to a staycation. The brand partnered with SoCO and the Hong Kong Single Parents Association, both NGOs, to invite single parent families to enjoy a complimentary one-night stay including breakfast and dinner at the restaurants, along with a gift bag and museum tickets.

“Our vision is the hotel as a progressive and imaginative community, a place to connect, have fun, be challenged, experiment, and come away inspired,” said general manager Dirk Dalichau, who was inspired to take an unconventional approach to the launch of the hotel in a move to extend a deeper ethos of community uplift from the beginning.

This commitment will be taken further by offering single parents job sharing possibilities that provide some extra flexibility to meet their unique needs. It’s a chance to make a positive impact, position Mondrian as a brand that takes its responsibilities to the community seriously, help those who need it most, support local talents, and inspire future collaborations that can have a lasting impact.

Gaurav Bhushan, co-CEO, Ennismore, said: “Mondrian takes its inspiration from people, and their stories. It is through collaboration with local and international artists, designers, and chefs that we create experiences for global travellers that are rich in culture and surprises. The brilliance is in its allure as a destination for locals as well as travellers. This is where the power of lifestyle hospitality lies – the ability to invite an energising mix of the community and world beyond – celebrating the local roots of the destination while allowing an infusion of global ideas to inform further and enrich the hotel experience.”