Keith Griffiths
Who? He heads the Aedas Hong Kong office after merging his company with it in 1992. He has more than 28 years of experience in architecture, 23 of those while living in Hong Kong.
What's he done? What hasn't he done? He's been involved in much of Central's upmarket office and retail space, including Prince's Building, Chater House, Alexandra House and the Landmark. He also worked on Hong Kong International Airport's SkyPlaza and the MTR Corporation's Sunny Bay station. Most recently, he was involved in the revamp of the Ruttonjee Centre (left).
Where did he study? St John's College, University of Cambridge, England, where he read architecture. He also completed a master of architecture degree and a diploma in architecture (first class).
What's his style? He describes his work as minimalist, simple, reactive and proactive. 'Start with a minimalist brief then distil, distil, distil until it feels right - back to the essence of the design.'
Where does he get his inspiration? From daily life. The more he travels, the more he sees. 'Inspiration never comes from any one place. Your kit of parts comes from visions of past solutions. That can instil you with a lot of confidence and that's important. The older you get, the more experiences you have.'
What's his signature? 'My designs are simple, straightforward. I'll start with a simple approach and a restricted palette. My materials are limestone, stainless steel, aluminium and glass. I pay a huge amount of attention to detail - exquisite detail.'
What about the Ruttonjee Centre? 'The main aim was to open up the front and make it a welcoming building by putting in glass frontage to expose the products inside the shops. We cut back the entrance in successive waves, drawing people in.'
Was it a challenge? 'It's always a challenge to make renovations to an existing building. You are trying to create maximum impact but within an existing framework, so you don't want to screw up.'
What is his motto? 'To seek excellence in every design and every opportunity.'
Who is his inspiration? Historical, classical architects from different periods. However, if he were back in the classroom, it would be Louis Kahn (1901-1974) standing on the rostrum. 'I admire many different architects for many different reasons, but Kahn was one of the world's greatest 20th-century architects.
He was able to create such grace and solemnity from simple spaces and volumes. To be able to touch the soul with a building is one of the greatest of gifts.'
