BARRIE HO Architecture Interiors Ltd

Category: Best Luxury Mixed Use Architecture for The Acceleration Block in QianHai, China

Barrie Ho is the founder and director of the successful, Hong Kong-based architecture firm BARRIE HO Architecture Interiors Ltd (BHA). Having worked on premium projects around the world and having received an impressive number of awards, Barrie has become known as one of the most significant architectural designers of his generation practicing today in Asia.

The project that earned the firm its LLA is The Acceleration Block, Extension (Phase 2) of QianHai Creative Entrepreneur Hub. The project was completed in August 2021.

The Acceleration Block occupies the iconic corner site and redefines the new entrance and axiality with a new circulation pattern. It is an iconic machine representing phase 2 as well as a major environmental symbol for energy saving.

The Acceleration Block is therefore conceived as a comet, solidly and solemnly set on the corner as a metaphor for the new representation of the Creative Entrepreneur Hub and a metaphoric example of Green Architecture, as is the entire QianHai Development.

The outer skin is made up of free-form triangular perforated metal panels as a shading device to cool down the building and does not create any visual obstruction to the interiors. Almost 20% of energy is saved due to this design choice. The inner skin of the curtain wall aims to provide “Hand-Level” manipulated openable windows, which is an attempt to achieve cross ventilation for all seasons, to reduce the energy consumption prevalent in conventional air conditioning.