- 2026 Gold Prize
- From Office Space
Wilkinson & Grist
Project Description
Conceived as a spatial response to a 140-year legacy in Hong Kong, Wilkinson & Grist—one of the city’s oldest law firms—redefines how tradition can be expressed within a contemporary workplace. Designed by FIOworks, the 1,500 sqm office at Great Eagle Centre features an open layout with panoramic views of Victoria Harbour, where high-quality materials and crisp detailing shape a sophisticated modern aesthetic. The project is guided by a clear philosophy: to distill the firm’s heritage into a refined, experiential environment that is both enduring and forward-looking.
Rather than adopting a generic corporate language, the design is rooted in sensitivity—toward history, materiality, and the way people inhabit space. “We didn’t want a sterile ‘modern’ office,” notes Ferdinand Cheung, Founder and Chairman of FIOworks. “This is a space that breathes—where the weight of history meets the lightness of innovation.”
Spatial planning is driven by sequencing and narrative —an approach particularly resonant for one of Hong Kong’s longest-standing legal institutions. The arrival Gallery establishes identity through a curated timeline of the firm’s history, juxtaposed with contemporary art and sculptural marble surfaces. This layered threshold sets the tone for a workplace where memory and modernity coexist. Beyond, the Library acts as both intellectual anchor and social condenser—an immersive environment where legal tradition, material richness, and informal interaction intersect.
Material restraint plays a critical role in shaping spatial quality. A limited palette of marble and oak is articulated through contrast, proportion, and detailing, allowing texture, light, and craftsmanship to define the experience. This approach creates a calm yet authoritative atmosphere—one that reflects the firm’s stature without excess.
Flexibility is seamlessly embedded within the architecture. The Lounge, Boardroom, and Library operate as interconnected volumes, capable of transforming into a unified event space. This adaptability supports evolving modes of work while maintaining a strong spatial coherence.
Equally, the design prioritizes human experience. Work areas are positioned along the perimeter to maximize natural light and harbour views, while breakout spaces, greenery, and intimate meeting zones foster well-being and collaboration. “The best projects aren’t just about beautiful spaces—they’re about understanding how people actually work,” Ferdinand reflects.
Central to the project is the integration of the client’s identity. Existing artworks and newly commissioned pieces are curated as cultural anchors, reinforcing a sense of continuity while enriching the spatial narrative. The result is not an applied aesthetic, but a deeply embedded identity—one that resonates with both the firm’s legacy and its future.
As Paul Liu, Managing Partner of Wilkinson & Grist, affirms: “FIOworks’ innovative vision, attention to detail, and professionalism have created an inspiring and enjoyable environment for all of us.”
This project demonstrates how design can move beyond representation to become a medium of translation—where legacy is not preserved statically, but reinterpreted into a living, spatial experience.
FIOworks is an incubator for conscious architecture.
Our awareness of diverse and complex challenges confronting individuals, businesses, and society drives us to push the boundaries of architecture to improve the world around us.
We are more than architects. We are a team of forward-thinking designers who consciously give shape and purpose to spaces that define our future.
Each project at FIO is a seed planted that grows along with its environment, people, and the community it touches.
We strive to grow and build on our experiences to provide holistic solutions that counter the complexities of global changes and evolving human needs.
Conscious architecture aims to create structures that not only have function, aesthetics, and sustainability; more importantly, it prioritizes environments that support social, economic, and cultural values.
Understanding our environments' impact on people, we devised a collaborative design process to craft spaces that elevate physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Our vision is to inspire a united consciousness. To achieve this, we must bring people together with enhanced collective experiences, opportunities for new encounters, and places that foster a sense of community and interconnection.
At FIOworks, we make engaging spaces that have the power to spark meaningful connections and ignite profound positive impacts across cultures and generations.
We create conscious architecture.
