Gone are the days when home was merely a place we live in. Now that a clubhouse is almost a given when you purchase a residential flat, developers are thinking as much about offering residents a five-star living experience at home as creating exclusive, resort-style clubs for people of every age.
Both of the two residential clubhouses we’re looking at this time are done by award-winning architecture and design studio CREAM. “Today’s clubhouses are defined by the finest sustainable luxury, from the initial concept to the materials and finishes to the amenities,” says Antony Chan, CREAM’s Creative Director.
“In Hong Kong, where even the most luxurious residences can be relatively small compared to other cities across the world, clubhouses play such an important role. Not only in lending prestige to the development, there’s also a practical need to give shared access to 'grand home' or 'luxury resort-style experiences' that simply wouldn’t be possible in your own personal space.”
1. Club Cruiser at The Vantage, Hung Hom
The 11,500-sq.ft. resident clubhouse named Club Cruiser is located at Henderson Land’s landmark new Kowloon development The Vantage. The impressive duplex rooftop clubhouse boasts fabulous views of Victoria Harbour and a stunning 25-meter infinity sky pool.
The striking design features ship-like wooden decks and impressive five-meter-high glass windows, giving the sense of gazing out to the ocean as if you’re travelling on a ship. Unique circular “aquarium” windows that resemble portholes also exude a sense of ocean-like tranquility.
The use of site-specific art and sculptural pieces are part of CREAM’s signature. At Club Cruiser, with its cruise ship personality, the most dramatic pieces are the large whale and stingray shaped metal sculptures that hang from the ceiling in the Marina Ball Room and the Captain’s Cabin, commissioned by CREAM and produced by noted British artist, Owen Bullet.
2. Arbour Clubhouse, Yau Ma Tei
For the clubhouse at another Henderson Land’s H Collection property, Arbour, in Yau Ma Tei, CREAM takes inspiration from the bustling Roppongi district in Tokyo, incorporating the vitality, diversity and artistic elements that have come to define it.
An “art-filled neighbourhood in the city” is the design concept, envisioned as a comfortable space for residents to rest, mingle and enjoy a range of activities and includes a gym, a multi-function area and a party space among others. There are also spaces for residents to cook together, as well as a ski room inspired by Mount Fuji, decked with snowy wall decorations.
In lieu of solid doors and walls, CREAM opts for transparent moveable partitions and different floor materials, patterns and ceiling designs to segment different areas. The reception area back wall design is inspired by Japanese origami, and the design unfolds like an artwork which illustrates the functions of the space. The staircase that leads to the first floor shows silhouettes of people running, or chatting for instance, and these define the different uses of the clubhouse space.
