 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 Contact
the editor |
Print this article |
 Email this article |
| Chengdu Express Issue 40 - Apr 2008 The arrival of the Shangri-La Group in Chengdu is a testament to the continuing emergence of China’s “pearl of the west”. The capital of Sichuan province, and China’s fifth largest city with a population of over 11 mil, Chengdu has benefited greatly from the central governments’ “Go West” policy in recent years. While it has been known for its IT and electronics industries (Chengdu houses facilities for Microsoft, Intel, Nokia and IBM for example), regional policy of stimulating growth on the Chengdu- Chongqing axis has also allowed the city to position itself as the financial hub of the west. Accordingly, the real estate markets are dynamic. Demand for Grade A offices in 2005 was almost equivalent to 2003 and 2004 combined, and there has been “an inherent shortage of high quality buildings,” explained Eddie Ng, Managing Director, Jones Lang La Salle in a column for RFP Magazine in June 2007. Noting this growth, a number of international hotel groups are including Chengdu in their mainland growth plans, one of the first being the Shangri La Group. At a prime site overlooking the Jinjiang River and the historical Hejiang Pavilion, the group opened the doors to its first Chengdu hotel in December 2007. The 35-storey hotel complex comprises 593 rooms and 26 deluxe serviced apartments. Also taking advantage of the demand for top-end office facilities, alongside the hotel is one of the first Shangri-La office towers, a 30-storey, 44,700 sqm Grade A development. Integration For a hotel group to make a foray into the unexplored territory of office design and development is quite a challenge. As one senior manager involved with the project says: “It was critical for us to ensure that the level of finishing and grade of these two components were complimentary with the hotel.” He notes that great efforts were made to keep this in mind, and several late modifications and rectifications were required to achieve this. “The owner [Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts] was very willing to redo areas of these components that were simply not good enough.” As an international brand, the benchmark was not driven by local market norms or expectations, and this was reflected in the selection of international designers and consultants. Shangri-La had a specific designer in mind for the guestrooms, public areas and restaurants. “For other requirements we sourced and made recommendations. All sourcing for the various contract packages was determined based on minimum performance standards outlined by Shangri-La guideline specifications.”
|
It was critical for us to ensure that the level of finishing and grade of the two components were complimentary with the hotel.
|
|
| Advertisement | ||
 |
||
| Cross functional design Paulo Dias, Design Associate, Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), was lead designer for the project. The scope of his brief was extremely wide, he explains, ranging from the public areas, meeting facilities and spa in the hotel, to the serviced apartments and even the communal areas in the office tower. While there was a design guideline, Shangri-La wanted something beyond the expected: “We were provided with detailed requirements and design standards, but we were also given us freedom in our design and selection of materials and colors. We wanted to create a timeless and unique product.” This was done by combining both Eastern and Western culture elements into the design, proclaims HBA’s design brief documentation. The use of bamboo and organic patterns can be seen throughout the hotel, while the centerpiece of the lobby is a central water feature with gold plated metal leaves. Local art and artifacts strategically dot the corridors and lounge areas, acting to create an aura of sumptuousness while reminding guests of Chengdu’s status as a cultural hub. Striking the balance between extravagance and good taste was not simple. “The main challenge was providing a contemporary and clean architectural approach to the space, while combining very rich, dramatic and ornate decorative FF&E (Furniture, Furnishes and Equipment) with the right color palette,” says Dias. He also stresses that, although Shangri-La does have a consistent design ethos, this project set a new benchmark. This is particularly seen in the aesthetic connection between the office tower and the hotel. Hotel office By positioning the office space with the globally recognised Shangri-La brand, the group set themselves a high benchmark for facilities management. “Being associated with the world recognised five star Shangri-La Hotel, we are proud to be presenting our first office tower in Chengdu to serve occupiers of the office tower in the same way we serve with our hotel guests”, said Timothy Wu, Director of Realty Development, Shangri- La Hotels and Resorts Group when the offices were launched. Tenants can expect the highest levels of building quality and premium management unrivalled in Chengdu, he promised. In a press release shortly after the office opening, Nigel Smith, Executive Director of Office Services, Greater China, said the development was expected to be 40 percent committed very shortly. “The Shangri-La Centre is already attracting such prestigious names across various industries such as Servcorp, OCBC, HSBC and Swire Properties” he said. Each office floor in the building totals approximately 1,500 sqm. Provisions include raised flooring and VAV air-conditioning while the full height windows and over 11 meter bay depths are designed to maximise daylight penetration for natural lighting energy efficiency. Project roll out Communication was central to ensuring the project ran smoothly, as for many of the consultants and contractors this was their first project in the city. As the Shangri-La group was developer, owner and operator, many problems which plague similar projects were avoided. As with any project in China, however, local government support was key. One source noted that the site team Project Manager and the site based MEP Manager did an excellent job of establishing and maintaining excellent relationships with both local governmental departments and with the hotel operating team, saying: “This cooperation was absolutely critical to the project delivery”. RFP Owner/Developer: Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts Operator: Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts Architect: Wong & Ouyang (Hong Kong) Lighting: Guava Hong Kong Limited Design: Hirsch Bedner Associates Signage: The Design Partners
|
|
|
Key title: RFP magazine
Abbreviated key title: RFP mag.
| Search the web |
|
| Print Edition | |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 | |
