Depending on where and when you gaze at it, the transformative facade of Ports 1961 in Hong Kong’s Kowloon district can evoke both a peaceful glow and a garish glare. It’s meant to distort and distract, according to its creators. The luminous face of the building in particular, designed by French engineering firm T/E/S/S atelier d’ingénierie, is built from glass-and-steel boxes that are open on one side: on each, two glass panels have a satin finish; two others, a sandblasted glass; the last is stainless steel. Installed together, the series of hollowed-out cubes creates a zigzag pattern, and its many angled reflective surfaces scatter both light and color. Canadian design studio UUfie, the architects behind the overall scheme for the exterior of the luxury clothing store, say it is meant to dazzle. Their official statement calls it “a mirage of an iceberg in the chaos.”
Ports 1961 Brightens Hong Kong With New Facade
![Ports 1961](https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/Static_Pages/SNAP/2018/September-October/Ports-1961/Ports-1961-01.jpg?height=720&t=1540401328)
The transformative façade of this high-end Hong Kong clothing store changes depending on where you stand and at what time of day.
Photo © Grischa Rüschendorf
![Ports 1961](https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/Static_Pages/SNAP/2018/September-October/Ports-1961/Ports-1961-02.jpg?height=720&t=1540401300)
The transformative façade of this high-end Hong Kong clothing store changes depending on where you stand and at what time of day.
Photo © Grischa Rüschendorf