Jockey Club Innovation Tower, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
香港理工大學賽馬會創新樓
2013, Institutional 機構建築
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
九龍紅磡香港理工大學
Architect: 哈迪德 Zaha Hadid
Architect Firm: Zaha Hadid Architects 及 AGC Design Limited
The Jockey Club Innovation Tower (Innovation Tower) is designed by renowned British architect Zaha Hadid. Its construction was completed in 2013.
The tower is composed of a 15-storey high block and a 10-storey low block. Located at the northeastern tip of the campus, the tower can be seen from Chatham Road. Among the many flat and foursquare buildings on campus, Innovation Tower is one of the very few designed without straight lines. The tower looks different at different angles. It resembles a soap from one angle, a bird from another. “The design dissolves the typical typography of tower and podium into a more fluid composition. Interior and exterior courtyards create informal spaces to meet and interact.” Hadid explained.
The main entrance of the building is connected to the podium of the University, resembling the tail of a bird extending from the tip of campus. The roof of the entrance gradually transforms into the streamline exterior wall and extends to the roof of the tower. The ever-changing streamline exterior makes the tower one of the most unique buildings in town with different layouts on different levels.
The exterior wall was constructed with glass curtain walls, white aluminum panels, as well as architectural concrete at the bottom of the building. Horizontal white aluminum panels were installed on the curtain walls to provide shading for sunlight and echo the horizontal windows in the surroundings. The panels were gently twisted to create a wavy pattern to amplify the fluid composition of the tower.
The path from campus podium guides visitors to the main entrance and from here, a white open public area provides access to supporting facilities including exhibition galleries, cafeteria and shops. A long escalator guide visitors upward to a long and tall indoor courtyard with interior glazing, creating a visual impact by showcasing long, narrows staircases irregularly connecting to different floors.
Different from common teaching buildings packed with long corridors and closed classrooms, Hadid redefines learning environment by using large glass panels as exterior walls and connecting classrooms with corridors that integrate openly at the indoor courtyard, to encourage end-users on different levels to meet and interact with each other under natural sunlight.
創新樓由英國著名建築師札哈。哈迪德(Zaha Hadid)設計，於二零一三年落成。
創新樓由兩座一高一低的大樓組成，高座是十五層﹐低座是十層；座落於校園的北面，從漆咸道清晰可見。有別於大學其他形態平穩方正的樓宇，哈迪德卻做了這座幾乎沒有一條直線的建築。從外面不同角度看，都有不同的形態，時而像塊肥皂﹐時而又像隻小鳥。「我們的理念是把香港傳統的塔樓與平台，融化成如流質一樣的建築物，把地面、外牆和屋頂無縫地連接起來。」哈迪德在介紹設計時這樣說。
大樓的主入口與理大校園平台連接，就像小鳥的尾巴，由平台地面斜斜向上延伸。入口屋頂逐漸變成了流線型的外牆，外牆又直達建築物的頂端，變成屋頂。正是如此，建築物的平面層層各異，全部都是流線型。
大樓的外牆以三種物料組成，分別是玻璃幕牆和白色的鋁板，而建築物的底部﹐便用上了清水混凝土。玻璃幕牆外加上了橫向的條子，條子都是以白色鋁板製成的遮陽裝置。橫向的線條，便與周邊建築的橫向形窗戶相呼應了。哈迪德還把遮陽裝置徐徐扭動，形成如波浪起伏的圖案，強化了建築物的流動形態。
從校園平台進入創新樓，迎面是一個偌大的白色開放空間，包容了展覽館、茶座和小商店的功能。一道長長的行人電梯，引領遊人進入上層開了天窗的一個窄長而高挑的中庭。從中庭向上看﹐可見多條同是窄長的樓梯連接各樓層，哈迪德卻把樓梯不規則地互相重疊，造成極具動感的視覺效果。
一般校舍多以長走廊和密閉式課室的設計，哈迪德不但把課室以落地玻璃作外牆，與外邊的通道彼此相通，通道又經中庭互相連接，形成一道由上而下有如瀑布流水般的一系列大小展館。札哈的理念，是以建築空間鼓勵各樓層使用者在天然光下的互動與交流。
文：吳永順 (香港註冊建築師)
攝影：Zaha Hadid及AGC Design Limited
http://www.etnet.com.hk/www/tc/diva/art_hkac_detail.php?id=29039&page=4
