BuildMost丨QUAD Studio: Design without Boundaries

QUAD Studio

QUAD Studio was co-founded in 2017 by architects Wai Tang, Charles Ho, and Kelvin Chu in Hong Kong. The fourth partner Sean Leung joined in 2020, who would then later oversee the interior projects of QUAD Studio.

The passion of QUAD Studio has led them to participate in both domestic and global projects. They have won numerous accolades since 2017.

QUAD Studio believes there should be no boundaries in design. They have offices now in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Chengdu. Their special way of approaching design and different projects, cooperating with talents from different fields, together make them stand out in global high-end projects.

QUAD Studio joined BuildMost platform in August 2023. Kelvin Chu and Wai Tang were invited to share the story of QUAD Studio and their careers with BuildMost.

Design Services Offered by QUAD Studio

Our practice has a wide range of project types, from large-scale mixed-use developments to individual buildings like shopping malls, hotels, offices, and housing. We also work on interior design projects, such as hotels, galleries, and residential projects. We have the experience to work on projects from China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

BM: What is QUAD’s design concept? How did it come about?

WT: We're living in a world where the resurgence of Renaissance, where people want architects to do more than just architecture. Like the period of the Renaissance. They are in search of a holistic design narrative that allows designers to blur the lines between different disciplines. Hence gave birth to the “Collective Polymath”.

Our team enjoys working as a group of creative individuals, engaging ourselves in creativity where design has no boundaries. From Architecture to Interiors, to Urban Design, to Landscape, Art, and Product Design.

“Collective Polymath” is the Design Philosophy of QUAD Studio

 When I was back at the University of Westminster, I was taught by David Greene, the founder and poet of Archigram. He never taught me how to design, because design is subjective. Instead, he taught me how to create a good narrative. Because everyone likes a good story. If you ask David now, what he has taught to students, he would say, throughout his teaching career, he hasn't taught anybody anything. But there are a lot of good ideas that were discussed.

Hence at QUAD Studio, narrative always comes before the design.

BM: What motivated you to found QUAD Studio? What is the meaning behind the name “QUAD”?

WT: As Kelvin said, before QUAD Studio for seven years, our founders ran one of the largest teams in one of the largest architectural firms in the world. It came to a point where the design philosophy was not progressing as we liked.

It's almost like steering a very big ship, where it is getting more difficult to get to where we want to go. So in 2017, supported by two, one or two clients, we decided to set up our own company, and this year marks our sixth-year anniversary.

Regards of QUAD, QUAD not only represents our 4 partners, but it also represents an abbreviation standing for "Quantum", "Urban", "Architecture" and "Design". Basically, the four pillars of the concept of the “Collective Polymath”.

Four Partners of QUAD Studio

BM: What is your take on BuildMost platform, why did you choose to join?

KC: We're very happy that BuildMost has approached us. It means that our work has received good recognition from the industry. I think BuildMost is a very good platform that could allow more and more clients to find out more about our company, when they're looking for designers, especially in countries outside China.

And vice versa, we've been able to use the platform to find out about different projects in different places in the world. Where we could contact the client directly through the BuildMost platform.

QUAD Studio’s Homepage on BuildMost

BM: Could you share the most representative projects done by QUAD Studio?

WT: Yes, in fact, I do. In 2018, we were shortlisted from 74 companies to optimize of the Urban Design of 5 million square meters of a real estate in Shenzhen Bay Head Quarter Base. At that time our company was only one-year-old, and it was a competition where the best architectural firms in the world were included, including MDRDV, Miralles Taglebue, Massimiliano Fuksas, LAB, Henning Larsen, and so-called fifteen of the best architects in the world.

Shenzhen Bay Headquarters Base Design Concept (1)

In this competition, we called our project Megalopolis X, describing the future central hub between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, where it becomes borderless in the future. It describes that expertise of our mixed-use development that we are quite versed with.

Shenzhen Bay Headquarters Base Design Concept (2)

Although we were only 3rd Runner up, we are humble that many of our ideas were later adopted in the final master plan.

BM: Could you please introduce the design works you uploaded to BuildMost?

KC: We have uploaded these projects to show our design capability across different types of projects. For example, the NBD Center is a very unique project that the client is looking for something that is a truly iconic piece of architecture that could become a new landmark destination in Chengdu.

NBD Project in Chengdu

 And then the Yibin High-Speed Rail City shows our capability to design a large-scale architectural project that comprised of office, hotel, retail, and a one- kilometer city park, where we have also designed the landscape.

Yibin High Speed Rail City

Other projects such as the C Future Lab and other interior projects, show our ability to design interior spaces, we have dedicated interior designers that would realise projects from concept stage to site completion to the project, from the most creative part in the beginning all the way to working on the details and controlling the budget for actual construction.

BM: How does QUAD Studio communicate with clients?

KC: There's a good question. In most projects, we have very close communications with the client to make sure we understand their needs. From face-to-face meetings to video conferences, and daily communication through emails and other tools like WeChat or WhatsApp.

We believe a good project would require commitments from both the designer and the client, that we could really respect and understand each other, in order to realise the good quality of final product.

BM: Any special stories behind your projects?

KC: Yes, I would like to use the C Future Lab as an example, because it was quite special. In the beginning, the client gave us an open brief, meaning there was not a very clear definition of the function in the space, besides only the name Future Lab.

The C Future Lab in Shenzhen

Around this time, we have many brainstorm sessions with our design team, to define what this space could be. Through many meetings with clients, and also through collaborations with many artists and designers, in the end, the C Future Lab had become a hit destination in the city of Shenzhen, it is not only a gallery, but also an experiential destination that are full of surprises.

The C Future Lab in Shenzhen

 What was also memorable to us was that during the construction of the space, the pandemic had begun, so it was a very difficult stage for everyone. The construction has stopped for around 6 months, and we are soon back again. At that time, we couldn’t travel to Shenzhen because of the travel restrictions. So, in the end, our colleagues in Shenzhen have done a really good job, together with the client team.

In the end, we were able to go there after a while the situation of the pandemic had gotten better, it was already like 8 months after the completion and then the clients held a welcoming session for the two of us in Shenzhen, and it was truly something special.

BM: QUAD Studio has been participating in projects in the Greater Bay Area. What is your take on architecture and the Greater Bay Area?

What we did in the Megalopolis X was to actually expand this idea and look at the concept of what if the city was truly sustainable and totally connected to the rest of the proximities, which is what we try to create.

Try to imagine what would happen if 2047 Shenzhen and Hong Kong have no boundaries, it kind of changes the whole demographics, and in terms of the design, there are a lot of ideas we can actually put into it. That creates a further, better space for everyone to live in.

BM: What will the future be like for QUAD Studio?

WT: With over twenty years of experience in the PRC and our international background. We have the privilege of knowing and understanding cultures between both the East and the West. With a wide spectrum of iconic cutting-edge projects, QUAD Studio has the ambition to expand its ideas to Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and even Europe. We offer our clients a new perspective towards iconic design and place-making.

Ultimately, we want to make the world a better place for everyone.