Mosque StHong Kong
Pain points
Low gross area for high unit number
Constraints
Stakeholders expectations and zoning code requirement
My Role
Senior Designer/Project Manager
Positioned in Hong Kong’s Mid-Levels neighborhood, Mosque St is located within the extremely dense and vibrant urban fabric.
Like most towers in Hong Kong, Mosque St was requested to be built to maximize footprint and reach the highest limit following zoning code, but this only gave us 54,000 ft² to achieve the client's high expectations including 92 units, 1 penthouse, lobby, gym and restaurant.
The challenge here was to use the limited gross area to achieve a high unit number. I first researched the typical residential unit and competing projects in Hong Kong to get the area benchmark of a one bedroom unit which was 350 ft² (32.5 m²) This number is extremely small, but it’s actually common for Hong Kong residents. I started drafting multiple options for different types of units and discussed them with the client. Funny story: the team thought I drew the scale of furniture wrong the first time, but it turned out the room was just way too small from our usual standard.
To resolve the feeling of closure from living in a small unit, I wanted to bring in the column-free corner idea to create a more open and luxurious living style. Having a balcony in Hong Kong is not common, and it’s extremely rare to have an open corner in the living room to have that connection between indoor and outdoor. I truly think this will be the selling point for these homes. I also staggered the balconies so each unit can have a different view of the city and gave the client varying types of units.
The shifting balconies also formed an interlocking pattern on the building. This exterior concept was carried to the podium for the amenities and restaurants.