One Hennessy

Back in 2009, the Chinachem Group announced plans to redevelop the 21-storey Asian House building on Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, as part of the firm’s upgrading of its commercial property portfolio.

The HKD1.68 billion redevelopment, which is due for completion in 2018, will see the building height extended by one-and-a-half-times to 150 metres, offering more than 300,000 square feet of high grade commercial space. Apart from offices, the project will also house shops, restaurants and a post office at the ground floor and podium levels.

LOCATION
The site is situated in a central business and financial district on Hong Kong Island, sandwiched between Central and Causeway Bay. The convenient location is within a few minutes of walking distance to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, world-class hotel and shopping areas. The adjacent pedestrian footbridge at Hennessy Road also serves an important spine in connecting to office buildings that house multinational corporations and government buildings at Admiralty. The project is well served by different modes of transportation, with over 30 bus, minibus and tram routes, as well as an MTR station at Queen’s Road East.

MATERIALS
An elegant curtain wall system comprising extra-large glazing panels ensures maximum light penetration, minimum energy loss and heat gain. The materials and resources for the building façade are procured from Mainland China in order to achieve the internationally recognised LEED Precertification Gold Rating for Green buildings.

CONSTRAINTS
A requirement of the redevelopment is that the new office tower should provide an area of not less than 3,500 square feet at the ground floor for a post office under the government’s lease. Hence, coordination and communication with government departments and Hongkong Post are needed during the design stage. The project team is also required to carry out the lease modification works for minor amendments on layout and other provisions.

The construction of mechanical floors from the third to 10th floors is a great challenge for the project team since the portion of office tower is lifted up by a funnel-shaped service stem in a 30-metre-high structure. The service stem is coupled with eight reinforced concrete trusses supported by concrete outrigger trusses on the 10th floor.

PROJECT DATA
Project Name: One Hennessy
Location: 1, Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Status: Under construction
Expected Completion: Q4 2018
Site Area: 1,950.963 square metres
Gross Floor Area: 34,755.27 square metres
Building Height: Approximately 150 metres
Client/Owner: Chinachem Group Company Ltd
Architecture Firm: DLN
Mechanical & Electrical Engineer: J. Roger Preston Ltd
Civil & Structural Engineer: Ove Arup & Partners
Main Contractor: CR Construction Co Ltd
Images: DLN