“Hong Kong brings together people, ideas, businesses and creative disciplines from across the globe. This spirit of exchange strongly aligns with Snøhetta’s dialogue-driven approach,” said Richard Wood, Managing Director Asia of Snøhetta.
Founded in Norway in 1989, Snøhetta is a globally renowned architecture and design practice with studios spanning Europe, North America and Asia. What began as a boutique outpost in Hong Kong in 2018 has now expanded into the firm’s Asia Regional hub. It leverages the city’s rich cultural diversity, global connectivity, transparent business environment, proximity to the Chinese Mainland and world-class talent to drive a growing portfolio of clients and projects across Asia.
A Strategic and Cultural Crossroads
Snøhetta’s first significant project was reviving Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the ancient library in Egypt in 1989. Since then, the firm has led numerous major cultural landmarks, including the Oslo Opera House, the Beijing Library and the Shanghai Grand Opera House, which will open in October this year. Alongside these cultural institutions, Snøhetta has delivered multiple notable campus masterplan projects across Europe and Asia.
Hong Kong, being the world’s “most international and culturally diverse city”, supports the firm’s strength in culture and education, while bringing together its world-class talent pool. “The city’s design professionals are well-educated, multilingual, and experienced in working across different cultures and markets. This aligns particularly well with our international way of working,” Wood noted. In fact, Snøhetta’s Hong Kong team consists of multicultural professionals from a wide range of nationalities, backgrounds, and disciplines, creating an environment where different perspectives can come together to generate stronger design solutions.
“Establishing a permanent presence here allowed us to build deeper relationships, better support our projects, and develop a long-term commitment to Asia,” he added.
Deepening Roots in the Creative Community
Solidifying its commitment to Hong Kong and the wider Asia region, Snøhetta recently moved into an expanded office space designed by its own team. “The space includes areas for exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and events, allowing us to engage more actively with Hong Kong’s creative community while providing a collaborative environment for our multidisciplinary teams,” Wood said. He added that the new studio serves as a physical expression of Snøhetta’s belief in collaboration, sustainability, and community engagement.
“The support of Hong Kong, along with key organisations like InvestHK, has been instrumental in Snøhetta’s growth across Asia,” Wood said. “As we continue to expand our presence throughout Asia-Pacific, we remain committed to contributing to Hong Kong’s design ecosystem, supporting local talent, and using design as a tool to create more sustainable, inclusive and resilient communities.”
