InterContinental Hong Kong has taken cues from its location on Victoria Harbour in the redesign of the hotel’s lobby and lobby lounge, orchestrated by Sandy Lai, senior interior designer with Woods Bagot Hong Kong. Design elements reflect movement on the harbor with horizontal wave formations and vertical patterns reminiscent of the Hong Kong skyline. Bronze, gold, champagne and silver shades complement the dark orange and purple accents found in the Britons carpet, whose contoured patterns create a three-dimensional effect. Wavy patterns also make their way into the curved banquettes, fabrics in aubergine tones, and golden C-shaped lamps.
Set against satin walnut walls, champagne gold polished metal appears in the detailing, with an angled and pleated bronze hairline metal skirting feature at the base of the island reception and concierge counters. The reflective metallic finishes continue in the tabletops, made of champagne-colored textured glass with copper metal frames. In addition, round tabletops with geometric copper bases are made of ink stone, which is used to make traditional Chinese ink wells.
Anchoring the space is a two-ton free-flowing communal table that doubles as an art piece. Offering a subtle yin and yang influence, the table is made of three woods: African padauk, African rosewood, and American burled poplar. The base resembles the belly of a whale, resting on solid wooden legs with steel cores. A high-gloss lacquer finish reflects the lobby’s dramatic lighting.
Above all, the design could not overshadow the space’s expansive wraparound windows. “For the lobby lounge, one of the key briefs I gave the designer was that the harbor view could not be obstructed in any way,” says Jean-Jacques Reibel, the hotel’s managing director. “We did not want any walls or partitions which might obscure the spectacular views from our lobby.”
