Shek O Country Club - Living Legacies

Built in 1921 atop a slope with sweeping views of the South China Sea, the private golf club was renovated in preparation of the Club’s centenary.

A heritage building with grade 3 historical merit, the design carefully contemporizes each space while honoring its historical authenticity. Having witnessed many of Hong Kong’s historical moments, membership has slowly grown from the original 60 to just under 400. The club’s facilities – its entrance hall, dining room, bar, golf lobby, and veranda – had not kept up. Sporadic renovations over the years have created a mish mash of authentic period architecture and superfluous design informed by transitory trends.

In this refurbishment, design, FF&E, and lighting solutions are used to create a colonial eclectic interior. Operations was encumbered by outdated amenities and lack of storage, and as consequence, circulation and use of the space between staff versus guests were overlapped, to the detriment of the guest experience. Additionally, due to the heritage building, structural changes were avoided. Built on a slope with slanted floor and walls created spatial challenges. New lighting and electrical conduits, millwork, and drainage needed to be carefully assessed.

Defective elements were retained, restored, and improved where possible rather than simply ripped out and created anew. A custom-designed art panel featuring indigenous flora and fauna adorns the entrance archways. Existing timber wainscoting is restored in grey while high-vaulted ceilings are painted to highlight the original architectural structure. The Munro Bar features a carpet of tartan in soft colors, a nod to its former Scottish Chairman. William Morris wallpaper injects touches of English Arts and Craft. A new marble fireplace invites respite after a round of golf. Daylight is brought inside with tuneable white cove lighting, fading to an incandescent glow at sunset.