How Hong Kong architect and designer André Fu bridges East and West

The Upper House holds a special place in André Fu’s heart.

“It was my first hotel and it defined my career,” says the Hong Kong-based designer and architect, via email, of the Admiralty hotel that celebrated its 10th anni­ver­sary last October. “In many ways, it was the anti­thesis of the typical luxury Asian hotel at that time, which comprised grand lobbies, multiple food and beverage venues, and banquet facilities. It was conceived with the experience of the guest at its core.”

It’s not surprising then that the hotel features in his new book, Crossing Cultures With Design, as one of 18 projects that showcase his design range and global reach. As well as hotels – from The Berkeley, London, to the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok – these include the Perrotin art gallery, in Shanghai, French restaurant Louise, in Hong Kong, and his creations for Louis Vuitton’s Objets Nomades furniture collection.

Published by Thames & Hudson, the book was penned by design critic Catherine Shaw and is illustrated with Fu’s sketches and mood boards.

“With my upbringing in Asia as well as Europe, and a substantial portfolio of works that span multiple destinations, my approach is not about combining styles; rather, it revolves around a core value to navigate different cultures and styles,” Fu says. “Many projects are merely a reflection of time and place to me, it is about how I interpret the client’s vision at the time.”