Andre Fu, architect of Upper House in Hong Kong launches lifestyle collaborations

When people think of Hong Kong designer and architect Andre Fu, they imagine being ensconced in one of his beautifully designed, quietly luxurious spaces. Scenes from his standout work at The Upper House in Hong Kong, of Seoul’s Kioku restaurant or of the Gong Bar at the Shangri-La in London’s Shard spring to mind.

What they may not know is that his carefully conceived concept of so-called “relaxed luxury” is something attainable in their own homes. This is exactly what Fu is setting out to deliver in his new project, the launch of Andre Fu Living, a carefully considered collection of products and collaborations that will form a lifestyle range from the man generally thought of as the master of sumptuous yet understated Asian design.

“I set up my studio over 10 years ago,” he says. “We’ve been involved in a lot of projects in hospitality and even in pop-up spaces for Vuitton and COS and last year I had a moment when I thought, ‘Ok, I have created all these experiences, but what if I can do the same in products’. I wanted to see whether I could express a similar sensibility in much smaller, tangible objects. I think that’s probably the main thing.”

From the base of a new retail platform created on his own website, Fu will take on collaborations with different specialist artisans found all over the world to produce a series of distinct and items that reflect his aesthetic.

“Every collaboration is different and happens for a different reason, but the whole vision for the website is that people can actually access these products and see them all together and be able to purchase them on this platform,” he explains. “In my view, it’s like a select show. It’s about working with people that have intrigued me. They could be artisans in an undiscovered workshop somewhere, or established big brands looking for an injection of new ideas.”

The first product off the blocks was a fragrance conceived in tandem with Julian Bedel, a perfumer whose laboratory in Buenos Aries has quickly achieved a cult following.

“Some of my friends had been talking about his products and I started to look into it. I realised this is a brand that has only been a few years in the making and yet has such an artisanal quality to it, from its niche Argentinian background to his use of organic products and how they are packaged. So when I got the chance to meet him in Tokyo, we decided to collaborate,” Fu says.