Fleur Pavilia reimagines modern living, and underscores Japanese aesthetics and craftsmanship

A three-tower development in North Point, Fleur Pavilia parades a range of master strokes in the exteriors, interiors, and landscaping, predominantly in its combination of Japanese and Chinese architectural elements.  It maintains the artisanal movement that brings forth an unparalleled urban habitat, thus, creating a new standard of urban lifestyle, as well as rendering stillness that is absent in the city. The residence houses 611 one to four-bedroomed apartments, with sizes ranging between 48 and 142 square meters, together with nine duplex apartments equaling 151 to 299 square meters. Hong Kong group New World Development, which pursues a commitment to sustainable development, was behind the project, under its “The Artisanal Movement,” a new creative undertone of the New World’s brand culture that revels in artisanship and craftsmanship.

With regards to the aestheticism, New World Development had world-renowned Japanese designer Shigeru Uchida and leading design firm Ohtori Consultants Co. Ltd conduct the making of the interiors of the artisanal clubhouse, Fleur Pavilion, as well as the landscape design. These niceties brought forth a sense of harmony and hidden serenity, completing the urban architectural masterpiece.

Uchida’s team has enveloped the 2448-square-meter Fleur Pavilion around the crux of Japanese philosophy of Kazuaki Seishin by imparting the Japanese tea room design into the clubhouse. Wooden tones and bamboo materials clothe the space. Central to the design are the web-like wooden strips intricately weaved into austere screens that double as walls. These create a space that is both open and sheltered at the same time. Different spaces, on the other hand, are attached through engawa, a traditional Japanese architecture feature—an edging strip of non-tatami-matted flooring—that secedes the landscape area from the interiors, or simply, what Uchida and his team call as the “Here and There” concept. Handpicked objets d’art from across the world adorn the development, as well as custom-built furniture created by Uchida’s team.

There exists an idyllic coherence of bamboo, pine, and plum blossoms, a noticeable marriage of Japanese and Chinese cultures. These plants have the faculty to flourish in the cold, harsh weather. Together, these symbolize grit, perseverance, and resilience, which signify the ideal characteristics of a gentleman and scholar. The refined and tranquil essence of these three permeate throughout Fleur Pavilia, transforming it into a residence not just familiar with winter, but also conversant with the other seasons. “The landscape changes even between the day and the night or with seasons. In addition, the plants grow and mature, and the landscape gets more and more dramatic over time. Those subtle and dynamic changes of the landscape keep providing the joys to residents perpetually,” states Ohtori Consultants. The design firm hopes that the landscape of the residence will eventually take on the new heritage of the neighborhood, which also holds potential of being inherited.  Besides the incorporation of the bamboo, pine, and plum blossoms, the Japanese Ikebana was used, which is the art of systematically arranging of blossoming plants in a vase.

Fleur Island rests in the center of the development, and acts as the signature piece. A 7.8-meter tall stainless steel sculpture named “Seven Knees” is positioned on the Island, giving the clubhouse landscape a spirited ambiance. Flowers and plants saturate the entire area, while being surrounded by a stream of water, offering residents a sense of placidity. “In Fleur Pavilia, we introduce the story and the movement of water within the site. It represents the natural process of water circulation on the hillside that starts from the spring water, which becomes the stream, and eventually turns into the pond,” elucidates the design firm.

At the main entrance of Fleur Pavilia, there is a water sculpture also created by Uchida and his team that has been shaped in a way that is meant to capture light, thus, motioning shadows on the walls. Named “Dancing Water,” the sculpture brings in movement to the space, allowing residents to leave all anxieties at the door. With the stream sinuously sifting through the Fleur Island, the design blurs the line between indoor and outdoor spaces, and engendering a sense of peacefulness.

Fleur Pavilia seamlessly integrates cultural history with modern design. “We carefully select the materials and textures reflecting the rich history, culture and story of the site and inheriting luxuriousness and genuineness of heritage. By integrating those with the modern design, we are aiming to create new value and heritage,” says Ohtori Consultants. Set against the rich verdure of Hong Kong Island’s mountain range, the residential project’s three towers parade vivid exterior architecture that loom large from the surrounding buildings, all the while harmonizing with the urban landscape. The architecture here has been conceived in a manner that merges faultlessly with the interiors, all concentrating on the simple beauty of nature and the notion of urban tranquility. 

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