Ed Ng and Terence Ngan
International design studio, AB Concept,
Founded in 1999, AB Concept has continually flourished within the world of luxury design.
The designer and architect duo of Ed Ng and Terence Ngan have built their practice into an international design powerhouse, that has established a well- respected name in hospitality, retail, wellness, F&B, commercial and residential projects.
With their headquarters based in the multicultural city of Hong Kong, AB Concept continues to gain worldwide recognition for their innovative concepts and projects. Today Ed and Terence oversee their design ateliers across multiple locations and manage a talented team to translate their unique vision into truly extraordinary spaces. The company is celebrating their 20th anniversary throughout this year in Milan, Vienna, Shanghai, and Paris. To reinforce the brand’s strong ties with France and Europe, Ed Ng will be traveling to Paris in September 2019 to celebrate AB Concept’s 20th anniversary and to meet with French luxury brands, artisans and hoteliers.
The designer and architect duo of Ed Ng and Terence Ngan have built their practice into an international design powerhouse, that has established a well- respected name in hospitality, retail, wellness, F&B, commercial and residential projects.
With their headquarters based in the multicultural city of Hong Kong, AB Concept continues to gain worldwide recognition for their innovative concepts and projects. Today Ed and Terence oversee their design ateliers across multiple locations and manage a talented team to translate their unique vision into truly extraordinary spaces. The company is celebrating their 20th anniversary throughout this year in Milan, Vienna, Shanghai, and Paris. To reinforce the brand’s strong ties with France and Europe, Ed Ng will be traveling to Paris in September 2019 to celebrate AB Concept’s 20th anniversary and to meet with French luxury brands, artisans and hoteliers.
AB Concept has previously designed for luxury brands such as Lalique, and leading hospitality operators such as Rosewood, Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental and Shangri-La Hotel. The company is known for their incomparable attention to detail, using bespoke furniture and fine craftmanship throughout their work. AB Concept contributes to the preservation of local and ancient know-how through collaborations with the best artisans around the world. Hand- sketching and designing each component, the AB Concept team of talented designers ensures that every project is a unique and cultural journey through light, form and space.
Aqua Restaurant Group Colaberation
International design studio, AB Concept, has unveiled the interiors of Aqua Restaurant Group’s trio of new dining outlets in the former Central Police Station in Hong Kong.
The three dining and bar destinations, named The Chinese Library, Statement, and The Dispensary, occupy the 7,500 square foot venue within the 100-year old former Police Headquarters. The renowned heritage site and former police station, which has been revitalised as the Tai Kwun Cultural Centre for Heritage & Arts, is the last cluster of iconic colonial buildings of this large scale in Hong Kong.
Co-Founders of AB Concept, Ed Ng and Terence Ngan, have reimagined the spaces with three distinct designs that marry the past life of the building together with the rich historical narrative of Hong Kong itself.
Upon arrival, guests enter the space by walking up the grand iron-balustrade staircase, an original feature, passing double-storey circular windows that offer a lookout to the city streets that lay beneath. Situated on the top floor of the neo-classical old Police Headquarter building, which dates back to the mid-19th Century, the venue is divided into three areas.
To the east is ‘The Chinese Library’, a restaurant conceived to reflect the historic influx of migrants from regions all over China, The Chinese Library’s menu pays
The three dining and bar destinations, named The Chinese Library, Statement, and The Dispensary, occupy the 7,500 square foot venue within the 100-year old former Police Headquarters. The renowned heritage site and former police station, which has been revitalised as the Tai Kwun Cultural Centre for Heritage & Arts, is the last cluster of iconic colonial buildings of this large scale in Hong Kong.
Co-Founders of AB Concept, Ed Ng and Terence Ngan, have reimagined the spaces with three distinct designs that marry the past life of the building together with the rich historical narrative of Hong Kong itself.
Upon arrival, guests enter the space by walking up the grand iron-balustrade staircase, an original feature, passing double-storey circular windows that offer a lookout to the city streets that lay beneath. Situated on the top floor of the neo-classical old Police Headquarter building, which dates back to the mid-19th Century, the venue is divided into three areas.
To the east is ‘The Chinese Library’, a restaurant conceived to reflect the historic influx of migrants from regions all over China, The Chinese Library’s menu pays
About Aqua Restaurant Group
In 2000, former lawyer David Yeo, launched Aqua Restaurant with a vision to bring some of the chic restaurant buzz of New York, Tokyo and London to Hong Kong. It proved such a phenomenal success that today Aqua Restaurant Group has grown to a formidable culinary empire of 24 groundbreaking outlets in Hong Kong, London and Beijing. A remarkable portfolio which embraces Hong Kong’s most innovative destination restaurants including aqua, Hutong, Tivo, Shiro, Ayuthaiya, Dim Sum Library, aqua luna I & II and most recently two new restaurants in Tai Kwun - The Chinese Library, Statement as well as bar - The Dispensary. Throughout the years, Aqua Restaurant Group’s fundamental philosophy has remained unchanged; to prepare exquisite food using the freshest, highest quality produce and to prepare it in a way where the true flavours shine.
This is coupled with service that is approachable and unobtrusive, and always in a jaw-dropping stylish environment that features the very best of innovative Asian- inspired contemporary design, right down to the last small details, which has become the hallmark of the Aqua Restaurant Group. In early 2012, David Yeo was awarded ‘Restaurateur of the Year’ by the prestigious World Gourmet Series. This was followed by the ‘Ospitalità Italiana’ award in September 2012 for Best Italian Restaurant in Hong Kong which was presented to aqua by the Italian Chamber of Commerce.
This is coupled with service that is approachable and unobtrusive, and always in a jaw-dropping stylish environment that features the very best of innovative Asian- inspired contemporary design, right down to the last small details, which has become the hallmark of the Aqua Restaurant Group. In early 2012, David Yeo was awarded ‘Restaurateur of the Year’ by the prestigious World Gourmet Series. This was followed by the ‘Ospitalità Italiana’ award in September 2012 for Best Italian Restaurant in Hong Kong which was presented to aqua by the Italian Chamber of Commerce.
PAPERMOON GIARDINO
Via Bagutta, 12 Milan, Italy
Each of the six main rooms in the restaurant is named after their original purpose in the heritage mansion: a grand salon, a parlour, a wine library, and a striking “giardino” or courtyard garden. The vaulted ceilings and view of the garden inspired Ed and Terence to turn each chamber into intimate dining spaces each with their own personality and design separated by sandstone arches.
The restaurant feels as comfortable as a home and suitable for any time of the day. In the morning, guests can enjoy a nice lunch or coffee in the parlour then move to the salon for afternoon tea in the garden before settling in the private dinner rooms. The flat top bar at the entrance with high back chairs and a wine fridge is created to provide a quick coffee in the day and a small sip in the evening.
The restaurant feels as comfortable as a home and suitable for any time of the day. In the morning, guests can enjoy a nice lunch or coffee in the parlour then move to the salon for afternoon tea in the garden before settling in the private dinner rooms. The flat top bar at the entrance with high back chairs and a wine fridge is created to provide a quick coffee in the day and a small sip in the evening.
( April, 2018 – MILAN ) – Milan fans take note! Hong Kong’s leading designer duo Ed Ng and Terence Ngan of AB Concept have unveiled their latest project, adding a hot new destination to the city’s fantastic dining scene, Paper Moon Giardino. Paper Moon has always been a place of gathering and a central meeting point where guests, such as the late Gianni Versace, could sit and relax in the living room-like space amongst Milan’s busiest and most luxurious street, Via Monte Napoleone.
Heritage Considerations
The beautiful chambers presented a key challenge for the designers to create a restaurant atmosphere: the main structures had to be preserved and the original layout of the rooms could not be altered. “The biggest impediment is to work under this constraint, to elaborate and gain inspiration from the givens and continue to develop a new design that works in harmony,” says Ed Ng.
The geometric shapes and murals on the antique vaulted ceiling, windows, and even the terrazzo flooring are unmistakably Italian. Ed and Terence complemented the existing architecture with multiple mirrors, elegant floral arrangements, lounge chairs and sofas in earthy and cream nature-inspired tones with a more casual feel to contrast the glitzy boutiques down the road. The decorative light installations throughout were carefully designed for each space. This includes a hexagon floor lamp inspired from the ceiling mural, and a series of wall sconces created for the FLUX collaboration with Lasvit, which coincidentally first debuted in the Salone del Mobile 2017.
The Paper Moon Giardino flagship on 12 Via Bagutta introduces a different palette and ambience than the other seven locations in order to pay homage to the heritage mansion. The softer colours and art complement the garden and the intimate dining areas of the former mansion. However, the iconic portraits of Paper Moon are still featured, but on a smaller scale and specially curated to tell the story of a home. “Having known Paper Moon’s owners for a long time, it has been a very exciting journey working with them to create this upscale design.” says Ed Ng.
There are seven Paper Moon restaurants around the world: Hong Kong, Doha, La Spiga Doha, Istanbul, Manila, Beirut and Milan. Paper Moon Giardino located on 12 Via Bagutta will be the flagship restaurant.
The geometric shapes and murals on the antique vaulted ceiling, windows, and even the terrazzo flooring are unmistakably Italian. Ed and Terence complemented the existing architecture with multiple mirrors, elegant floral arrangements, lounge chairs and sofas in earthy and cream nature-inspired tones with a more casual feel to contrast the glitzy boutiques down the road. The decorative light installations throughout were carefully designed for each space. This includes a hexagon floor lamp inspired from the ceiling mural, and a series of wall sconces created for the FLUX collaboration with Lasvit, which coincidentally first debuted in the Salone del Mobile 2017.
The Paper Moon Giardino flagship on 12 Via Bagutta introduces a different palette and ambience than the other seven locations in order to pay homage to the heritage mansion. The softer colours and art complement the garden and the intimate dining areas of the former mansion. However, the iconic portraits of Paper Moon are still featured, but on a smaller scale and specially curated to tell the story of a home. “Having known Paper Moon’s owners for a long time, it has been a very exciting journey working with them to create this upscale design.” says Ed Ng.
There are seven Paper Moon restaurants around the world: Hong Kong, Doha, La Spiga Doha, Istanbul, Manila, Beirut and Milan. Paper Moon Giardino located on 12 Via Bagutta will be the flagship restaurant.
Whilst preserving the main structure and original layout of the 200-year old heritage mansion, AB Concept created a décor that complements the existing architecture. Inspired by the geometric shapes and intricate frescoes on the antique vaulted ceiling, the design studio turned each of the six main rooms into an intimate dining space, with their own design and ambiance. Ed Ng & Terence Ngan
TAI KWUN CENTRE FOR HERITAGE & ARTS
AB Concept designed three dining and bar destinations within Hong Kong’s former Police Head-quarters, a 100-year old colonial building. The heritage site has now been converted to the Tai Kwun Cultural Centre for Heritage & Arts.
Statement
10 Hollywood Road, Central Hong Kong, China
In a true East-meets-West fashion, the restaurant Statement pays tribute to Hong Kong’s colonial heritage. Along with the ceiling, AB Concept voluntarily left the wood floor and window frames untouched, in order to carefully keep the historic building’s originality. The mirrors on the turquoise cracked plaster walls, the Victorian globe lanterns and traditional- style louvers situated on top of the countless windows surrounding the room add a sense of delicacy to the whole space.
THE DISPENSARY
10 Hollywood Road, Central Hong Kong, China
The Dispensary is a Lounge and Bar that pays tribute to the building’s history. The space boasts a winter blue colour and stories about of the century-old building’s had been inscribed on two shield-shapes mirrors that adorn the walls. The copper-tray tabletops are also a reference to the law enforcement forces plaque, and the bar itself is encased in a metallic fence - a nod to the old armoury.
THE CHINESE LIBRARY
10 Hollywood Road, Central Hong Kong, China
From the original roof structure, a monumental chandelier inspired by Chinese lanterns hangs gracefully - AB Concept retained historical features, including doors, windows and the century-old flooring, and created an contemporary décor. Inspired by a library, AB Concept imagined an intimate and welcoming atmosphere for the restaurant, with bespoke round banquette booths and dim lightings. A sense of serenity is conveyed through a colour palette ranging from bronze, copper and jade.
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