Imagination Art & Architecture

Tony Yam

 








 






 


 







Money is undeniable the main force of architecture and the built world. Every construction needs to be paid, either by governors, developers, or individuals. In Hong Kong, money is the absolute ruling power governing most decision-making of the society. The project "Architecture of Money" attempts to understand the relationship between money and architecture, in terms of spatial creation, mechanism of money flow, and architectural functionality. Without being critical to its content, the design explores the full potential of the three aspects in large-scale architectural intervention to create a monument of money standing for the contemporary city of Hong Kong.

The initial interest of the project was to search for a true form of functional architecture from the city. In the study of commercial vernaculars, it demonstrates a rational approach of spatial creation, which works pragmatically for consumption. Under the realm of Capitalism, architecture and space become the event space for money activities, thus, space has been quantified and calculated to exist for a reason. The observed spatial practice serves as an ideal form of efficiency, utility, and flexibility for design applications.

As architecture is repositioned as space for consumption, the society should be understood as a flow of money and capitals. It is a socio-economic study of the relationship between functions and programmes. There are five functions of money, namely symbolic function, units of account, store of value, medium of exchange, and standard of deferred payment. Each function is operated by different money activities. The "Architecture of Money" serves as a representation of the logic of money with programmes dedicated to allow the happening of different money activities.

In contrast to ancient landmarks and monuments, it is a money monument celebrating Capitalism with its super functionality instead of icon nor symbolism. By adopting contemporary media and building technologies, the design further explores its functionality in the form of media facade and responsive container-office system. Situated in the most prominent part of Hong Kong, the creation is an architecture of Hong Kong bearing its own ideals of the culture of consumption and Capitalism.


Kar Him Mo
The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong China

 



 






 


 





 


Growing up in a beautiful coastal town, my grandfather would share stories about pirates in the ocean. The beauty of the ships he described had the power to take your breath away. By linking my love for architecture and the stories my grandfather told me of the beautiful pirate ships I merged both my loves into one.The hotel is located on the beach where its appearance fits in perfectly. The idea of this project is primarily a hotel that is reminiscent of a ship. The corner motifs which have very specific balconies evoke the bow of the ship. Uneven floors give an elevation of different facades.The glass surfaces which are blue are reminiscent of the blue sea and sky. The main mission of this project was to coordinate and synchronize the hotel function with form and appearance. The hotels entrance is punctuated with large eaves detail on the facade. The hotel has two side entrances; the economic part and the conventional hall. The main floor has many functions which include a reception area, offices with business areas, and the economic part of m and a spa.The first floor is dedicated to rooms for the conference hall with an open bar, a restaurant, and apartments with kitchens. The hotel accommodates 144 people. The rooms are divided as follows; 12 one bed rooms, 2 rooms for people with special needs, 54 double bed rooms, and 11 two bedroom apartments. I imagined the interior of the hotel to be similar to the interior of the ships my grandfather spoke to me about. The central part is designed as an atrium with a glass roof, while the rest of the surface is covered by a flat concrete slab. For the interior of the hotel, I used sophisticated materials which were dominated by a glass surface. If my work have harmony and balance in architecture it will alow me to fell the power of succsess,especially if this project can be transformed to reality in the future,wich would give me a sense of accamblishment.

Hana Ismailaga
University of Montenegro Montenegro