Cover Bryant Lu (Photo: Supplied)
Bryant Lu (Photo: Supplied)
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Bryant Lu, the Asia’s Most Influential honouree and vice-chairman of architectural firm Ronald Lu & Partners, reveals how the pandemic got him into the best shape of his life and why Hong Kong is akin to a phoenix rising
Envision is a series designed to bring hope to Hongkongers amid the uncertainty and isolation of the pandemic. Each week, Tatler publishes letters of encouragement and messages of positivity from the city’s most influential leaders in the realms of art, culture, business and sport. These deeply personal first-person accounts from the community can be read as love letters to Hong Kong. With restrictions easing, the series inspires and serves as a reminder that we’re all in this together, and that we will bounce back stronger than ever.
After joining his family business in the year 2000, Bryant Lu became responsible for its vast expansion into mainland China. With now more than 600 staff in his charge, navigating the pandemic was no easy feat. Covid-19 brought about unexpected challenges for his team of architects, as working-from-home resulted in both software and hardware constraints. But, as Lu shares, they powered through.
“During this dark and tragic time, I personally witnessed so many Hongkongers rise to the occasion to love and care for our own,” he says.
The Caroline Hill Road Temporary Vaccination Centre is one such example of Hong Kong’s can-do spirit. The BioNTech vaccine delivery centre was designed and delivered by Lu’s team in just 18 days. His practice also won the Advancing Net Zero Ideas competition for their project “Treehouse” in November 2021. The competition, which encourages businesses to reach zero operating emissions by 2030, was a major win for the company and project close to Lu’s heart.
Though work was still moving full steam ahead, if you told Lu that the pandemic was going to whip him into the best shape of his life, he probably wouldn’t have believed you. But tough times can lead to the most unexpected results.
Channelling the uncertainty of the last two years into a more active lifestyle, Lu took to running and cycling, clocking over 1,100km all over Hong Kong. Read on to find out how Lu challenged himself mentally and physically, and how despite the ups-and-downs of the last two years, all was not lost.
Above Bryant Lu (Photo: Supplied)
Above Bryant Lu (Photo: Supplied)
Bryant Lu (Photo: Supplied)
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May 18, 2022
The fifth wave came silently and quickly. Policies from the previous four waves no longer worked and we had to constantly and rapidly adapt. By mid-January 2022, we were in crisis mode all over again, having to walk the tightrope between keeping our colleagues healthy and safe and meeting our clients’ needs. Once more, government offices were shutting down and construction sites were becoming Covid-19 hotspots.
Much of our work simply cannot be done from home due to software and hardware constraints, but still we powered through thanks to the tenacity and dedication of my colleagues who went into overdrive to deliver for our clients, and my management team who dedicated themselves to safety, transparency and supporting staff members and their families. At critical moments like these, we see the true commitment and dedication of Hong Kong people to our city. During this dark and tragic time, I personally witnessed so many Hongkongers rise to the occasion to love and care for our own.
After stabilising the office, we turned our efforts to helping the community and exploring new opportunities. The Caroline Hill Road Temporary Vaccination Centre was another fantastic example of the Hong Kong spirit – a BioNTech vaccine delivery centre designed and delivered in just 18 days – in an incredible effort by our team and our many collaborators, including Hysan and ChinaChem, and our construction partners Gammon, Arup and WSP.
Then there was our award-winning design for Treehouse, a net-zero office building that incorporates amazing healthy, biophilic and sustainable features, and is fully adaptable to new and emerging workplace realities, like remote and hybrid work, satellite co-working, flexible spaces for varying office headcounts, the metaverse, and more.
All the while, the stress of the fifth wave was immense and did not let up. Personally, I turned to sports as a way to decompress. I found a silver lining to restaurants having to close at 6pm: I could go to bed at 10pm and wake up early to exercise. Between January and April, I ran and cycled more than 1,100km all over Hong Kong, including cycling to the Big Buddha, up Tai Mo Shan, and around Kowloon and the New Territories. Every Saturday was my “battle of the week”. I challenged myself with either setting a new personal best running record or taking on a new challenging cycling route.
So, while it was tough during the fifth wave, all was not lost. I have never been this fit in my life, and I was blessed with a lot of quality time with my family as well. I am well aware that I am more fortunate than thousands of other people.
All heroic stories have a tragic element to them, and often tragedy is the final act before triumph. I believe that the tragedy of the fifth wave signals the start of Hong Kong’s rebound and renewal: a phoenix rising from the ashes once again. —Bryant Lu
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As Content Director at Tatler Hong Kong, Tara shapes the brand's editorial vision and reports on Asia's most influential figures — from CEOs and business leaders to designers. In her dual role as Head of VIP, she curates star-studded events and builds the relationships and communities that define the brand. Born and raised in the Middle East, she honed her craft in Dubai, crafting communication strategies for luxury brands across the Gulf. Follow her on Instagram @tarasobti.
