Raiders of the lost arc

A couple of architects have used the semicircular design of an innovative Mid-Levels building to stunning effect, finding the cool in their fan-shaped home.

Until the 1970s, it was virtually impossible to build high-rise blocks on the hills of Hong Kong that could withstand the force of typhoons. Then, a revolutionary building with a remarkably rigid structure sprang into being on Tregunter Path, Mid-Levels, stunning Hong Kong architects. Century Tower 1, a 31-storey residential complex, became famous for its semicylindrical shape, a design conceived to deflect the impact of strong winds.

The sophisticated design soon became standard study material for many architecture students of the 70s, including Stephen Ku and Nora Leung, who were left spellbound after a tour of the tower. Not long after, the pair began working as architects, got married and started a family in a townhouse in Chung Hum Kok. But Century Tower 1 stuck in their minds.

Recently, when the couple decided to move closer to the city centre, their favourite building came to mind. 'It's an icon, an architectural statement. We love it,' says Ku, who is one-third of Chau, Ku & Leung Architects & Engineers. His wife is the Leung. Without any hesitation, they decided to build their urban refuge in the tower.

Like all Century Tower 1 flats, the couple's 2,565 sq ft home is fan shaped, with the whole of the outer curve forming a series of windows, affording a panoramic view of the harbour. Because of the layout the flat is bright but design-wise, it proved a challenge.

The first thorny issue had to do with the pair's passion for perfection. Each floor of the building is made up of a series of wedge-shaped concrete blocks, the grid lines of which meet at the centre of the semicylinder, in the vicinity of the lift shaft. To pay tribute to what they saw as a fascinating design, the couple decided to lay the floor tiles following the original radial pattern.