HASSELL, Hong Kong: Creative, Collaborative, Transparent.

HASSELL is a leading international design practice with studios in Australia, China, South East Asia, the United Kingdom and the United States. All studios are located in lively urban environments, embedded into the local fabric of the city. 

With 360-degree views of the city, the Hong Kong studio is surrounded by galleries, local eateries, iconic public areas such as Victoria Park, markets, interesting cafés, bars and hotels. Located on the border of the North Point – Tin Hau areas, this diverse, character-filled neighbourhood has a rich mix of local and international communities, just like HASSELL’s own creative family. 

The firm has a common glue that binds it together as an international practice, but no predetermined style. This is reflected by the internal layout, which is totally open-plan so they are all connected visually, spread over an entire floor to create a collaborative style studio. 

They are not divided into teams either, with an emphasis on being one single discipline. This reflects HASSELL’s core drivers which consist of transparency, openness, collaboration and curiosity. “We believe that people actually work far more efficiently when they are in a collaborative environment, rather than separated,” explains Principal and architecture Practice Leader Dennis Ho. 

The front gallery provides an area of relief, relaxation and space away, with beautiful vistas out over the water and Victoria Harbour. “The front gallery space acts as a mini piazza with streets around these communal areas where we pin up our ideas, which we think of as mini neighbourhoods,” explains Ho in urban planning parlance. 

The firm is keen to elevate the next generation of its young leaders with internal initiatives such as a global ideas competition to identify an issue in any city and find a solution to help in achieving that goal. They also support the Educating Girls of Rural China charity from Shanghai and Hong Kong. 

HASSELL consists of architecture, interior design, landscape architecture and urban planning teams who work as international interdisciplinary teams to ensure their approach is holistic and integrated, creating the best outcomes for clients.