Just a few short years ago, nobody had heard of Joyce Wang. Now, three years after the inception of her own design practice, WANG, she is rapidly becoming a powerful force in the world of design. After her successful project for the renovation of a 60 room hotel in Los Angeles, a surprising commission for a newly set up firm, she was inundated with work from some of the most prestigious international companies and has never looked back since!
Her most recent project was the interior of a very special space in Hong Kong which houses the restaurant, AMMO. The historical and cultural significance of the location dates back to the British military presence in the colonial era of the mid 19th century when it was used as an explosives storage site, hence the name, AMMO. The inspiration for the re-invented interior was from a 1960s science fiction noir classic directed by Jean-Luc Godard, ‘Alphaville.
The arched bunker like ceiling of the spectacular restaurant is supported by gleaming copper ribs. An amazing attention to detail for which WANG has become known has been employed in every aspect of the project, creating points of interest throughout the 6 m. high space. Impossible to define, at once retro, contemporary and futuristic but with a powerful industrial feel due to the copper piping which plays a vital role, from the three custom built spiral staircases, a theme from ‘Alphaville’ to the gigantic abstract sculpture behind the bar area.
The lush almost jungle like garden visible through the tinted windows creates a primitive backdrop to the glittering interior. The inspirational execution of this project is yet another reason why we will be seeing a lot more of Joyce Wang in the not too distant future!
