Mixed-use scheme integrates historic shophouses and aims to enhance permeability and public realm in the city’s Central district
Foster + Partners has unveiled designs for Central Crossing, a twin-tower mixed-use development in Hong Kong’s Central district. Located at 118 Wellington Street, the project comprises an office tower and a hotel tower situated between Graham, Gage and Cochrane Streets.
Commissioned by Wing Tai Properties and CSI Properties, the scheme occupies a high-profile site in a densely developed part of the city. The location is adjacent to three major heritage destinations: Tai Kwun, PMQ and Central Market.
According to Foster + Partners, the towers are aligned with the historic urban grid and are intended to reconnect existing pedestrian routes, including Gutzlaff Street, which formerly ran through the site.
“The development, at the heart of Central Crossing, is a celebration of this internationally renowned area’s rich heritage and vibrant street life,” said Michael Jones, senior partner at Foster + Partners.
“Our objective was to bring a new dimension to Central by reinstating historic links and re-establishing local connections, with a permeable public space at the heart of the site.”
The scheme includes landscaped public space between the towers, incorporating retail and dining areas at ground level. Pedestrian access is provided at multiple levels, including a direct connection to the Mid-Levels escalator system.
Both towers are visually divided into upper and lower zones. The upper sections feature large-format, stainless steel-framed glazing, while the lower sections have gold-tone façades designed to respond to the tight urban context.
Four historic structures have been retained and incorporated into the scheme, including 120 Wellington Street, one of the city’s oldest surviving shophouses.
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