K11 MUSEA

Designed by an architecture team led by Kohn Pedersen Fox, K11 MUSEA is the new, 10-story state-of-the-art museum and luxury retail hybrid providing a revitalized cultural district for Hong Kong. Conceived by the K11 Group and its founder Adrian Cheng, K11 MUSEA is the centerpiece of the $2.6 billion Victoria Dockside development. The LEED Gold & Hong Kong Bean Plus Gold, 3 million-square-foot site is situated on the promenade of Tsim Sha Tsui’s waterfront on the Kowloon Peninsula.

A Site with History Stretching Beyond 100 Years

“Victoria Dockside was originally founded as Holt’s Wharf in 1910, comprising godowns and served as a busy port in the growing industrial-era Hong Kong. In 1978, New World Development Company became the custodians of the site and Holt’s Wharf was transformed into New World Centre, a retail-leisure-commercial complex. The site’s redevelopment began in 2009 in response to the growing demand for a culturally enriching district that can serve an increasingly global community with high quality public realm and a destination that can attract next-generation consumers.” ~ Architonic

Opened in August 2019 after 10 years in the making, K11 MUSEA offers public and cultural spaces alongside a diverse mix of luxury retailers, restaurants, and entertainment and educational venues, and amidst about 50,000 square feet of greenwalls. A rotating collection of public and site-specific art occupies the K11 MUSEA grounds, with a particular focus on promoting the work of Hong Kong designers. The world-class art collection contains over 40 pieces.

“K11 MUSEA is not just about art—it’s also about architecture, design, gastronomy, furniture, and a conversation among these elements to integrate culture into part of living. It’s natural that we have evolved and expanded our vision and focus from art to culture as a whole. It’s a growth journey that we are walking together.” ~ Adrian Cheng, Artnet

Enriching the cultural and leisure offerings along the iconic Victoria Harbour, K11 MUSEA is conceived as “A Muse by the Sea” responding to a new era of cultural retail which speaks to the growing consumer demand for naturally immersive experiences of art, culture, nature and commerce.

The Silicon Valley of Culture – with art and plants, inside and out – was designed to incubate creative talents and propagate a culture of sustainability. K11 Group enlisted 100 architects, designers and artists including Kohn Pedersen Fox, James Corner Field Operations, OMA, Ronald Lu & Partners, Leigh & Orange, LAAB Architects, AB Concept, Monstrum and PLandscape.

Nature Discovery Park

“The rooftops of K11 MUSEA feature a garden and a park. The Bohemian Garden on Level 7 is defined by three pavilions – Arches, Ovals, Hexagons – experimenting with lights and shadows to create shelters for escalator, café and children’s playground. The Nature Discovery Park immerses visitors in the green and natural wonders by offering experiential learning and farm-to-table dining experiences. A conservatory, a farm, an aquarium and a butterfly garden are carefully cultivated to offer a diverse and immersive urban nature discovery experience within K11 MUSEA.” ~ Indie Awards 2020

Located on the 8th floor, Nature Discovery Park is Hong Kong’s first urban biodiversity museum and sustainability-themed education park. Showcasing Hong Kong’s ecological importance and global value, it plays host to a variety of rare endemic plants and also features over 180 tropical and native species, an outdoor aquarium with a replicated pier post hosting native Hong Kong species, and naturally attracted butterflies.

Content was developed around the components of “earth,” “sea,” “sky” and “art” and activities educate children and families on urban biodiversity and how to adopt eco-friendly everyday habits. At night, firefly lighting designed by Speirs Major creates a magical experience echoing the nature theme.

The total greenroofed area on Nature Discovery Park (including urban farm, planters, smaller greenroofs on structures) is 876 sqm (9,429 sf). The growing media depth varies as some are integrated with the planters, but the minimum is 300 mm (11.8 inches).

Nature Discovery Park, from LAAB Architects:

Located at the heart of the urban city in Hong Kong, Nature Discovery Park is a rooftop nature conservatory in a newly redeveloped retail destination, the K11 MUSEA, offering experiential learning and farm-to-table dining experiences for city dwellers. LAAB Architects was tasked with the challenge to turn an otherwise residual space in the shopping mall into a learning and experience centre of nature.

Architecture of Urban Nature

In the middle of Nature Discovery Park are a glasshouse and an urban farm. Steel structure and aluminium cladding were used to frame the glasshouse, which features large sliding glass doors that open its interior to the outdoor farm. To save energy, IGU glass facade was used to reduce heat gain. The sliding doors are always open to draw in sunlight and to enhance natural ventilation to minimize energy consumption. The steel structure, aluminium cladding, and glasses were all prefabricated and installed on-site to reduce construction waste. The roof is slightly pitched forward so that the architecture catches the prevailing wind from the harbour while visually embracing the farm. The reflection of the farm on the glasshouse against the surrounding skyscrapers produces a visual reminder of the co-existence of nature and urbanism. The door handles, pendant lamps, and dining tables were crafted by LAAB using sustainable wood.

Urban Nature that Nurtures

The spatial design of Nature Discovery Park advocates for the co-existence of human, nature, and the urban environment by enabling eco-tours and a series of education programmes on biodiversity and sustainability. The nature exploration journey begins with an archive that showcases rare butterfly species, leading to an aquarium that hosts the water and tropic marine species of the Victoria Harbour across the site if there were no pollution. Inside the greenhouse, a hydroponic nursery brings organically grown vegetables to the table. The farm in front of the glasshouse offers urban farming opportunities for city dwellers, promoting eco-parenting through activities such as rooftop farming and Nature Art Jam [at the Park].

As Hong Kong is home to a dazzling diversity of butterfly species, the nature discovery journey ends with a butterfly garden in Nature Discovery Park that grows plants to attract butterflies.

Networking and Educational Offerings at K11 MUSEA’s Nature Discovery Park

“Community and business networking are held regularly [at the Nature Discovery Park] to drive action to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) endorsed by the “New World Sustainability Vision 2030,” with focuses on SDG3 – Good health and wellbeing, SDG4 – Quality education, SDG11 – Sustainable cities and communities and SDG17 – Partnerships for the goals.” ~ K11 MUSEA Media Brochure

Home gardening for the community supports local charity partner Food Angel Hong Kong, harvested by the community kitchen team and volunteers. Various workshops are designed to inspire and empower visitors to adopt a sustainable lifestyle.

Co-curated with the Jane Goodall Institute, the mission of the “Little Nature Ambassador Programme” is to nurture a new generation of sustainability changemakers. Through interactive content that includes nature exploration, sign language and tactile experience, children will discover the mysteries of nature and be motivated to care about the environment.

An urban green oasis demonstrating sustainability strategies and a nature-based lifestyle, Nature Discovery Park sees nature as a classroom to develop an appreciation for culture and heritage, and get creative inspiration for building sustainable communities.

The Nature Discovery Park is open daily with a fee (children 2 and under free) from 11am to 8pm (subject to change). Each admission offers a 90-minute self-guided visit, inclusive of a nature tour and experience and tea or water.