This 2,000-square-foot office in Sheung Wan belongs to a family-run dried seafood and Chinese medicine business that’s been around since 1968. It’s home to two generations with completely different ideas about what makes a good workspace. For Anya Wu, Design Director at Root Design HK Ltd, the challenge was making both visions work in the same space without compromise.
Instead of splitting the difference, she took what was already there and pushed it forward. The original terrazzo floors stayed, but with patterns blown up to something bolder and more graphic.
Wood remains the backbone, but with updated veneers and tones that feel fresh rather than fusty. Natural light and sustainable materials run throughout, creating a workspace that honours its roots without feeling stuck in the past.
“The old office had been there for 50 years,” Wu says. “Lots of wood, vintage panelling – a very typical old Hong Kong family business. The father loves wood, so that had to stay. But we changed the colour, used new veneers, and gave it a contemporary treatment.”
The terrazzo had an especially dramatic makeover. “We scaled up the pattern significantly and made it much more of a statement,” she explains. “It’s become a real feature.”
Reconciling two generations meant navigating fundamentally different aesthetic languages. The older generation gravitates towards Hong Kong nostalgia – traditional materials, a certain gravity. The younger wants brightness, clean lines, modern proportions.
“We weren’t just recreating the past, but fostering a dialogue between the old and the new,” Wu explains. “We brought in curved lines and sophisticated colour accents – greens, reds – so the whole thing feels organic rather than forced.”
The original space was cramped and compartmentalised. The team reconfigured the layout entirely, creating distinct functional zones with improved circulation. A sliding door system means the living area and meeting room can operate separately or open up to each other, while generous natural light and harbour views make the space feel considerably larger than its footprint suggests.
ne standout detail is the compact waiting area near the entrance, inspired by train compartment seating. “It’s not a big space, but we designed it deliberately to feel intimate and nostalgic,” Wu says. “It has that homey quality and makes conversation easy.”
Getting materials up to the space presented unexpected logistical challenges. The building’s age meant unusually narrow elevators.
“We had to break furniture and materials down into small components and assemble everything on-site,” she recalls. “It was demanding, but it also built in flexibility for future reconfigurations.”
Green marble appears strategically in the corridors, a nod to the older generation’s preference, but it’s used sparingly and kept contemporary in execution. The terrazzo and other materials are recyclable, reflecting the studio’s commitment to sustainability.
The two studies extend the deep wood tones balanced by abundant natural light that keeps them feeling warm rather than oppressive. “The office faces the harbour with western sun exposure, which allowed us to be bold with dark wood,” Wu notes. “You don’t usually see that work successfully in smaller spaces.”
The project successfully unites two generations under one roof. It preserves the nostalgic atmosphere of old Hong Kong while delivering the comfort and functionality expected of contemporary workspace design.
“What satisfies us most is that both generations are genuinely pleased with the result. It carries the family’s history forward while speaking to where they’re headed. It’s truly their space – past and future together.”
Root Design HK
https://www.rootdesignhk.com/
Tel/WhatsApp：+852 69117479
Address: Unit 2002, Golden Star Building, 20-24 Lockhart Rd, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
