The crux of this design for an EU embassy lies in the paradox that whereas the security aspect implies a bunker-like design, the building's public and ceremonial nature cries out for openness and transparency. What is required, then, is a design that expresses a democratic Europe within the appointed security requirements, while taking the context of Hong Kong into consideration.

The embassy is sited on Victoria Peak, a sharply rising hillside that forms a backdrop to the skyline of Victoria Harbour. Its programme of a good 13,000 m2 has been split in two. The office portion sits in a high-rise slab set lower down the hill, with the public portion and ancillary facilities in a horizontal slab acting as an elevated walkway between the access road and the high-rise.

In view of Hong Kong's subtropical climate, airconditioning is an essential component of the design. The choice of site on a steep hillside means that the theory and practice of construction are crucial to the brief.

Its distinctive shape and siting elevate the ensemble to an icon in the Hong Kong skyline.

Place of education: TU Delft
Specialization: architecture
Tutors: Carel Weeber, Henk Mihl & Ben Bronsema