Later this year, The Murray, Hong Kong will open as a Niccolo hotel with more than 300 rooms inside the structure formerly known as the Murray Building. Built in 1969, the 25-story tower once served as a government office, and has been lauded as an early example of sustainable design. It was sold to conglomerate Wharf Holdings in 2013, which immediately announced plans to repurpose the landmark into a premium accommodation, making up for the shortage of hotel rooms in the business district of Central. The company assured the public that it will preserve much of the Murray Building’s original features, such as its imposing arches and square-shaped windows.
The designers’ goal was to create a place for travelers to “rediscover the romance of going to a hotel.”
The responsibility for delivering on this promise fell on architectural firm Foster and Partners, the same company that designed the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank headquarters and the groundbreaking main terminal at Hong Kong International Airport.
Chic bathrooms provide a soothing space for guests.
Led by the firm’s partners Colin Ward and Armstrong Yakubu, the redesign retained the structure’s trademark charm, while updating it to meet the requirements of hotel guests. Says Ward, “The Murray Building had been fenced off from the surrounding areas for many years for security reasons. One of the central aims of the project was to reconnect the building with the city at ground level, creating a new street frontage on Garden Road with open routes. There will be transparent and welcoming ground floor spaces, and enhanced and extended landscaped grounds.”
For more information, visit The Murray, Hong Kong.
