The past weekend marked a momentous occasion for global auction house Sotheby’s as it opened its highly anticipated maison at Landmark Chater in the heart of Hong Kong’s luxury hub on Saturday, July 27.
SEE ALSO: Hermès defies H1 luxury sales slowdown, China weighs on Asia sales in Q2
The unveiling promises the ultimate in luxury retail and museum-quality exhibitions within the opulent confines of the new maison, designed by Rotterdam-based architectural firm MVRDV.
The opening is a key piece and the first completed phase of Hongkong Land’s USD400 million-transformation of its Landmark assets, where anchor tenants including Cartier, Chanel, Dior, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Saint Laurent, Tiffany and Co., and Van Cleef & Arpels are slated to unveil upgraded, multi-storey boutiques.
“Our Sotheby’s Maison has been long in the making,” says Nathan Drahi, managing director of Sotheby’s Asia.
“We envision for this state-of-the-art space in Hong Kong to be the epicentre of culture for global visitors – a destination where generations of art and culture enthusiasts come to engage with and be inspired by extraordinary objects and experiences.”
With foot traffic exceeding 1.3 million visitors monthly, the maison’s strategic location in the heart of Central’s luxury retail district ensures a steady flow of art enthusiasts and connoisseurs.
Inside the maison
Spanning two storeys and covering an expansive 24,000 square feet, the maison features a street-level entrance that leads to a museum-grade space designed to captivate visitors with an immersive viewing encounter.
The journey commences on the first floor with Sotheby’s Salon, where five distinct spaces divided into seven salons showcase over 200 objects spanning geographies and genres, available for immediate purchase.
From dinosaur fossils and jewellery to African art and Old Master drawings, each Salon presents a curated universe that caters to diverse tastes and aspirations.
The maison’s open design seamlessly integrates individual boutiques, connecting them through walk-through spaces and expansive glass fronts.
Upon transitioning to the ground floor, Sotheby’s takes inspiration from the Taoist principle of dynamic change and harmony with nature.
Here, the Grotto, Pantheon, and Sanctum provide a contemplative environment for exhibitions, performances, and marquee auction exhibitions.
The ground floor’s Grotto and Pantheon will host the exhibition “Bodhi: Masterpieces of Monumental Buddhist Art,” showcasing monumental Buddhist sculpture, while the Sanctum will feature masterpieces on loan from the Long Museum in Shanghai, including Gerhard Richter’s Eisberg and a rare Ru ware brush washer.
To enhance the overall experience, a food and beverage offering will soon open on the first floor, extending Sotheby’s Maison accessibility to a wider audience.
SEE ALSO: LVMH sales inch forward 1 percent on weaker China market
“Our vision is to build a space that expands the curiosity and imagination, from dinosaur fossils to handbags, contemporary design furniture from Africa to old master drawings from Italy, rare movie posters to Picasso ceramics, Korean contemporary craft to rare vintage watches, gothic sculptures to contemporary jewellery designs, ancient Chinese art to rare books and manuscripts, contemporary art to samurai armour,” says Nicolas Chow, chairman of Sotheby’s Asia.
“There will be something here to inspire and engage both our existing collectors and new audiences alike.”