Snøhetta Creates First Art Fair Installation At Art Basel Hong Kong

The air is cool and there’s an underlying sense of excitement coursing through the city—that’s how it feels during Hong Kong Art Week, when Art Basel and Art Central happen side by side at the end of March (the fairs run between March 26-31, 2024).

While there are plenty of renowned galleries, interesting talks, as well as cool parties and fringe events to discover, some of the most inspiring creations can be found in unexpected places. That’s the case with ‘Horizon’, Swire Properties VIP Lounge designed by Snøhetta, the acclaimed transdisciplinary, dialogue-driven studio behind the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet in Oslo and the National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion at the World Trade Center in New York. Every year, Swire Properties chooses a different design or architectural practice to create this space, which serves as a cocoon for their VIP guests to take a breath and form connections.

“While art and design are frequently seen as two distinct creative disciplines, we believe that they are closely interwoven. Our long-standing partnership with Art Basel Hong Kong provides us with the ideal platform to showcase this relationship between art and design. This year’s design is an extension and a celebration of our existing partnership Snøhetta. We are are currently working together on two major projects including The House Collective’s first hotel in Japan, located in the Shibuya Upper West in Tokyo (due to open in 2027) and a new retail-led project in Haitang Bay in Sanya (due to open in phases from 2025),” says Tim Blackburn, Chief Executive of Swire Properties.

Described as a “simple and elegant structural form created by the evocative interplay between a dramatic reflective canopy representing the sky and the landscape below”, Horizon stands out for looking effortlessly sculptural and incredibly inviting. Even without knowing anything about the concept, one immediately perceives that the design is centered on nature—the calming properties of water, air, light.

Surprisingly, Horizon is the first-ever art fair installation for Snøhetta and it’s expected to live on albeit in a different form. Sustainability is important for both collaborators and this temporary lounge has been designed to be reconfigured and transferred after the event with majority of its components to be reused.

We speak to Snøhetta’s Richard Wood, Managing Director Asia and Architect RIBA, on embarking on their first art installation, the firm’s award-winning approach and what the future holds for them.

Snøhetta is characterized for its “transdisciplinary approach”. How does this benefit the clients and the public especially when it relates to projects in Asia?

Our transdisciplinary approach stems back to our origins. It’s a large part of who we are proud to be. Our team has multiple specialties such as architects, landscape architects, and artists from day one. It’s not just about bringing different experts together though; we try to push the limits of collaboration with our team, collaborators and clients.

Because of this, we cherish a dynamic atmosphere where ideas are encouraged from every direction and every discipline, position, and role. We're not confined to one perspective: we embrace diverse viewpoints, enriching our creative process. We might collaborate with a great engineer or client, but we’re equally interested in their local knowledge of vegetables from their weekend allotment farming or amateur love of opera.

Blending global experience with local expertise, our designs always attempt to resonate authentically rather than simply imposing ideas. We make sure to involve individuals who’ll feel our design’s impact so they connect with people. In this way, each design reflects the unique team that has been a part of it—not just a single person. It's about embracing the complexities and bringing everyone into the fold to come up with specific solutions to the context and place.

The harmonious mix of cutting-edge digital design and respect for traditional ways of making defines Snøhetta’s work since its inception in 1989. Could you share specific examples on how we can see this philosophy in action?

This is more relevant today than ever. With new technologies such as AI, we find it’s so important to retain an artisanal connection to our work, from making models with a range of materials in our workshop to collaborating with skilled craftspeople of many varieties. We often try to blend techniques with traditional methods of assembly and sensitivities.

Projects like the Norwegian Wild Reindeer Pavilion and the Pangaea Digital Garage are good examples. Despite their vastly different geographies, they both celebrate local building styles due to close collaborations with local craftspeople.

For the Norwegian Wild Reindeer Pavilion, we worked with both digital and analogue construction methods: digitally through our milling machine in the workshop and analogue through close collaboration with local timber ship builders specialized in working with indigenous solid pine timber.

Our Pangaea Digital Garage in the heart of Tokyo is similar, a ‘super furniture’ co-working space constructed from solid Japanese cedar wood. Again, we collaborated with some of the best timber craftspeople in the world.

We also research new materials, getting down to the grain and micro fibers. We have developed some interesting ways to work with materials like algae, mycelium, and hemp. We developed a new material from recycled e-waste glass called Forite. In Hong Kong, in our Airside project in Kai Tak, we worked with a local manufacturer to create a new material for the retail atrium, incorporating spandrels made from a locally customized textile crafted from upcycled plastic.

We're also working on similar projects in Japan now. One of them is the Shibuya Upper West Project, a mixed-use development, clad in a ceramic facade designed in collaboration with a local Japanese producer.

From the iconic design of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet to the reinvigoration of La Croisette in Cannes, a lot of Snøhetta's work seem to have a relationship with water. Tell us about how Victoria Harbour inspired the VIP Lounge at Art Basel this year?

The Swire Properties Art Basel Lounge symbolizes a connection with water but, more importantly, with people. Recognized as one of the world's best waterfronts, Victoria Harbour holds significant cultural and social importance as a gathering point, particularly for Hong Kong residents.

The Lounge, named ‘Horizon’, embodies the essence of people coming together. It's a hub where you can meet people and make connections. The main concept behind is to create a space that acts as a center for bringing people together. The space itself is a compression between two planes—not as a force, but as a means of unity. Positioned between two focal points, one mirrored, the lounge hints at fluidity and self-reflection. Moreover, the mirrored arc simultaneously includes many individuals, bringing them to the forefront of the center space.

Ultimately, the VIP Lounge is designed to be about making connections and celebrating human interaction—just like the lively Victoria Harbour visible in the background.

Sustainability is one of the core values of Snøhetta. What are the specific ways in which the company is espousing sustainable design and architecture?

Snøhetta prioritizes sustainability across all aspects of design, whether it's big-picture planning, landscapes, or the creation of new products. Take projects like Airside in Hong Kong and Cloud 11 in Thailand, for example—they're all about blending urban development with nature, incorporating green spaces like farms and canals for residents.

We work across various scales and project types, striving to ensure each respects the environment and local culture. We balance large-scale sustainability strategies, such as integrating green spaces with attention to detail in material selection and energy efficiency. For the Swire Properties Art Basel Lounge, the focus shifts to reuse: ensuring a holistic sustainability in every aspect of each project.

One key aspect is teaming up with partners and clients who share our values, taking a collaborative, transdisciplinary approach to solving problems, and driving innovation.