The nature of work shifted irrevocably during the pandemic and continues to evolve. For its own family of talents, Link envisioned an iconic building in Kowloon East to be part of a wellness hub that extends into the district as an ecosystem. It is a lighthouse on the harbour, beckoning.
The Kwun Tong district in east Kowloon is where Hong Kong made its mark as the world’s manufacturing hub. After the city transitioned from predominantly industrial to predominantly service-oriented companies, factories and warehouses in Kwun Tong became ripe for redevelopment. Immediately after Hong Kong International Airport’s move from nearby Kai Tak to north Lantau in 1998, cancelled height restrictions spurred a development overdrive. Kwun Tong today is very different than two decades ago. It is now one of the city’s key financial and residential hubs with sleek towers dominating its skyline. By 2026, it is projected to swell with more than 30% of the city’s workforce as ties to the Chinese mainland strengthen.
Standing next to Kwun Tong’s waterfront promenade is The Quayside, Link’s headquarters since 2019. As skyscrapers replaced empty factories virtually overnight, the government put the block previously occupied by Kowloon Bay Factory Estate up for tender in 2014. As Link’s first new built office project—unchartered territory for a company specialising in non-discretionary retail properties and without development experience—it formed a 60:40 joint venture with Nan Fung Group.
The Quayside is a 17-level office tower above a three-level retail podium. An underground carpark accommodates more than 450 electric or standard vehicles across three levels—one of the city’s most EV-friendly buildings. The retail and office portions sandwich an open air garden with jogging track and picnic tables available to the Kwun Tong community. Capping it is a landscaped roof with 360 panoramas of Victoria Harbour and the Kowloon mountain range.
The Quayside’s architecture echoes the undulations of nearby ocean currents while its curtain wall is punctuated by a rhythmic series of fins that resemble sea creatures breaking the waves. Its 23/F frieze is a contemporary marquee for compelling signage and marketing opportunities with long reach. In plan, The Quayside resembles a figure of eight and an infinity symbol. Originally intended as two separate towers, its design underwent various iterations before the final solution of joining the towers in the centre.
Link’s global headquarters occupies 20/F and 21/F, with the intersection of the two towers a showcase for different tangents that work can take. The shared open space encourages functions including focused tasks, casual discussions and digitally-supported town halls with colleagues from every corner of Link’s portfolio. Bonding endeavours such as quiet lunches between different departments, birthday celebrations and snooker competitions all take place in this hub. Approximately 4,700 sqm per floor offer corporations the chance to house everyone on one level; each level’s 4.5-metre average ceiling height benefits firms with specific technical requirements to hide them within ceiling or floor cavities. The Quayside’s state-of-the-art premises helped Link sign anchor tenant JPMorgan Chase & Co. to 25,500 sqm across five floors prior to the building’s completion. Bupa, Adidas and Gammon soon followed suit to call The Quayside home.
Green is designed into The Quayside’s DNA. Daylight is maximised throughout the premises while newly invented air induction units reduce energy consumption by 65%. Exterior fins act as solar shades to reduce heat load impact and glare for those inside. Together, these features and many others reduce energy consumption and reliance on the city’s power grid, with The Quayside achieving Platinum in BEAM Plus, LEED (Core and Shell) and WELL CORE.
The Quayside’s sustainability features ensure it as a self-contained ecosystem for Kwun Tong and extend to everyone in the community it touches. EV drivers brunch within its outlets before a stroll along the Promenade or a concert at Kai Tak Sports Park. Those working international hours can de-stress on the city’s only Jacob’s Ladder workout equipment at UTime Gym downstairs. Budding or pro golfers can practise their swing during lunch breaks at GOLFZON: with its state-of-the-art simulations, players can enjoy being on a beautiful green course all within the climate controlled comfort of The Quayside. Casual international dining choices with al fresco seating encourage delicious refuelling, while its clinics, convenience stores and services add buzz throughout the day.
Just as industrial Hong Kong has transformed into an Asia-Pacific financial tiger, what Link offers it through The Quayside feeds its roar. Imbedded into its design is Link’s blueprint for a brilliant path ahead.
“As our first project built ground up, The Quayside allowed us to plan a hub for Kwun Tong; people today are drawn to the area when before they were not”
“ It energises me that our dedication resulted in The Quayside’s reputation already as one of Hong Kong’s best grade A offices with consistent grade A management”
