What’s So Special About Hysan Place?

Does Hong Kong need another multi-floor mega shopping mall or, more specifically, does the claustrophobic Causeway Bay? Apparently so, and what harm could it do? If anything, Hysan Place’s opening will definitely give Hong Kongers another venue for the New Year’s Eve countdown. But apart from the gargantuan LED screen flanking its west wing, we discovered that Hysan’s newest establishment has more to offer than just shiny lights and shopping.

For one, there is the architecture. Knowing that the Causeway Bay area has one of the most lethal air qualities in Hong Kong at ground level, the designer of Hysan Place, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF), has created open spaces on the 4th, 7th and 11th levels to allow for natural ventilation.

The Sky Garden on the 4th floor is designed as a refuge, with water fountains and ample greenery on an open terrace, for shoppers in need of a brief break. Natural sunlight leaks through from the glass platform in the Sky Garden to brighten up the main foyer.

The interior of Hysan Place features light colours and a fluid design, eliminating eye-sores such as sharp corners. The result is positive. Given its long and narrow build, Hysan Place is surprisingly more spacious and brightly lit than expected.

A special level dedicated to women, designed by local designer Alex Choi, occupies the whole of the 6th floor, featuring products ranging from lingerie to pedicure items. Titled the “Garden of Eden”, Choi has covered the ceiling with leaf-shaped adornments and the floor tiles with sporadic leaf imprints. The surprise, however, is in the bathroom, where an apple-shaped washing basin is installed to symbolise the ‘sin’ of shopping.

Technology also plays a major part in Hysan Place to bring about a more convenient and interactive shopping experience. In one corner of Jasons Food & Living, the basement supermarket, is an interactive screen connected with the Microsoft Xbox 360 Kinect. With a few moves, shoppers can unlock several QR codes that open up to special offers of the day.

A central restaurant booking system is also installed throughout the mall to streamline all same-day reservations, so shoppers can do without the chore of physically lining up in front the restaurants. Upon receiving their reservation tickets, shoppers can leisurely focus on their shopping spree and get the status of the queue, updated on a flat panel by the escalators on each level.

Acclaimed Taiwanese brand Eslite takes over three tiers of Causeway Bay’s latest megamall, click here to find out more.