K11 MUSEA: Where art meets commerce in Hong Kong

K11 Victoria Dockside in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.

IS it an art gallery, a museum, or a shopping mall? Hong Kong’s K11 MUSEA (pronounced: meu-see-ah), an integral part of the K11 Victoria Dockside complex, blurs the lines between them all.

K11 MUSEA, the brainchild of Adrian Cheng, chief executive officer of New World Development Co Ltd and founder of K11 Group, has been fusing art and commerce in its properties since its establishment.

The museum-worthy landmark showcases the fusion of culture and commerce, embodying K11 Group's belief that art is for the masses.

Since 2019, the mall has ushered in a new era of cultural retail, meeting the rising demand for immersive art, culture, nature and commerce experiences.

During this year’s golden weeks of the Lunar New Year holidays (From Feb 3 to 13), combined with the impact of Valentine's Day, sales of jewellery, watches and international luxury brands at K11 MUSEA soared by 80% compared to the same period last year.

K11 Group also noted that cultural and artistic boutiques saw a remarkable 40% year-on-year increase.

In addition, its KLUB 11 Black Card members, the highest-spending clientele, experienced a significant boost in sales, with a nearly 40% surge.

Footfall at K11 MUSEA and K11 Art Mall observed an almost 50% increase, with visitor sales demonstrating noteworthy growth of over 40%.

K11 Group noted that the success of the “cultural commerce” business model has also contributed to its unique and artistic tenant mix.

Modern architecture

K11 MUSEA isn't just a mall; it's a work of art. The architecture of K11 MUSEA was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and James Corner Field Operations, in collaboration with 100 creative powers.

As visitors pass through the doors, they will be greeted by the striking Opera Theatre, the grand atrium of the K11 MUSEA complex with a fluid contour made up of hand-painted aluminium panels created by local craftsmen and LAAB Architects.

Visitors will see some of the most intricate interior details, such as the Oculus—a sculpture that comprises a network of branches that envelop two skylights.

K11 MUSEA Opera Theatre

The standout is the Gold Ball, a spherical chamber adorned with v-cut glass panels and LED lights. It doubles up as a venue for art, pop-ups and performances.

K11 MUSEA’s entrance, designed by PLandscape Thailand, draws from Middle Eastern geometric patterns, gradually simplifying from top to bottom to allow natural sunlight inside.

Another interesting feature is the specially designed elevator. The elevator buttons are nestled within open books. The open book on each floor contains different contents, each showcasing different knowledge, experiences, and explorations.

Artwork

The annual Art Karnival is currently happening at K11 MUSEA from March 26 to May 19.

The annual art celebration pulls focus to the art of the East — from artificial intelligence human-machine collaboration “Us In Another Form” by Sougwen Chung to towering, larger-than-life installations by Alicja Kwade, Zhang Enli, and more.

Kwade's towering sculpture "l’ordre des mondes (Totem)," measuring 6.8 metres tall, made its global debut on the promenade.

The artwork delves into time, space and science, with marble spheres representing planets intricately arranged within a towering chair structure.

This juxtaposition explores the connection between human existence and the vast universe.

Alicja Kwade's sculpture I'ordre des mondes (Totem) at the K11 MUSEA promenade.

Beethoven’s Trumpet (With Ear), Opus 127 is American conceptual artist John Balessari’s creation in 2007 and is also on display at K11 MUSEA. The large sculptural work is composed of two main parts ─ a fibreglass ear and a bronze trumpet.

Speaking into the bell of the trumpet produces a classical melody from Beethoven's String Quartet No. 12 in E-flat major, Op. 127.

Also on display is Chiharu Shiota's 'I Hope' art installation, featuring floating red paper boats suspended in mid-air in the opera theatre or grand atrium, adding a touch of whimsy and contemplation to the space.

For more information on the Art Karnival, visit Book the Art Karnival Tour Now! | K11 MUSEA

K11 Victoria Dockside

In creating K11 Victoria Dockside — New World Development’s most ambitious project to date — Cheng’s vision is to inspire global millennials by establishing K11 MUSEA as the “Silicon Valley of Culture” while facilitating a broader discussion on the interconnectedness of creativity, culture, and innovation.

K11 MUSEA is the last segment of the ambitious 10-year, US$2.6bil K11 Victoria Dockside cultural district on a 28-hectare site on the Tsim Sha Tsui harbourfront.

Originally known as Holt’s Wharf, the district was an important logistics hub before it was acquired in 1971 by Cheng’s grandfather, the property magnate Cheng Yu-Tung.

Closed in 2009 for redevelopment, it now houses K11 MUSEA, K11 ARTUS luxury residence, K11 ATELIER office tower, Rosewood Hong Kong & Rosewood Residence and the Avenue of Stars and Salisbury Garden.

The whole area of K11 Victoria Dockside covers 280,000 sq metres, which is equivalent to almost 40 standard-sized football pitches.

The revitalised and modernised space now serves as a beautiful tribute to Hong Kong's iconic symbol: the harbour.

Artisanal homes

Meanwhile, K11 ARTUS represents another significant milestone for the K11 brand as it ventures into the hospitality sector.

Perched above K11 MUSEA, K11 ARTUS consists of 287 residences spread across 14 storeys, offering the privacy and luxury of a five-star hotel.

Each artisanal home features a cosy living room, a fully equipped kitchen, and a wrap-around balcony overlooking one of the world's most coveted views of the Hong Kong skyline and cityscape, or the unobstructed view of the Victoria Harbour.

Some of the rooms allow you to look out to the stunning view of Victoria Harbour from its private balcony, extending the interior space to the Victoria Harbour.

As Asia’s first luxury residences with a social mission to preserve and promote fast-disappearing artisanship, K11 ARTUS features traditional Chinese art pieces that date back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, such as wooden furniture made using baibaoqian techniques and ceramics with guangcai.

The rare Chinese arts and crafts are handpicked for K11 ARTUS in collaboration with K11 Craft & Guild Foundation, a charity that conserves and rejuvenates Chinese craftsmanship.

Residents can purchase the artisanal objects displayed with proceeds going back to the charity, while 1% of all room revenue is donated to the foundation.

Expansion

Large investment properties in the pipeline include Hong Kong’s “Sportainment” landmark, Kai Tak Sports Park, 11 SKIES in SKYCITY and a one-of-a-kind commercial complex, K11 ECOAST located in Prince Bay in Nanshan, Shenzhen.

To be completed in the second half of 2024, Kai Tak Mall will be situated inside the Kai Tak Sports Park, which is slated to open in the first half of 2025.

K11 Group said it is keen to develop a new "sports and entertainment" model for its retail mall, in which one-third of the stores offer sports and entertainment-related retail experiences.

Meanwhile, the RMB10bil K11 ECOAST in Shenzhen is expected to open by end-2024.

The project encompasses the K11 Art Mall, K11 HACC multi-purpose art space, K11 ATELIER office building and the Promenade, covering a gross floor area of 228,500 sq metres.