So it's set.
After weeks of deliberations, I was set. Some wonderful people from the States, who I've been keeping in touch with these past few years after meeting them just once in KL, who lead amazing lives globe trotting all over, running humanitarian missions, with well connected and established contacts, visiting one international film festival after another, finally confirmed the dates. We had been planning to meet for a long time, with several failed attempts, but this time, things seemed promising.
And like some strange prophecy that would ensure our paths would intertwine again, it came to pass.I was off to Hong Kong. Again!
You see, after I told this couple in the US about my award and subsequent trip to Korea, these kind people forwarded my company profile to a prolific couple in Hong Kong, and they too were pleased about the recent win. You gotta understand, I wasn't kidding when I said that these people from the US were very, very well connected and were prominent globe trotters. They really DO have friends from all over the planet. Friends with equally unbelievable connections, and deep, deep pockets, I assure you.
Now here comes the interesting part.
The people in Hong Kong are multi - millionaires, owning properties and businesses all over the world, and so when the couple from the States told me they were looking for someone to help them with a project of theirs, a personal, close to the heart, kinda project, they asked me!
Me!
I couldn't believe it .. I was being invited to view a project in Hong Kong and to see whether there could be any possible future collaboration between ourselves. I was asked to come, view the site, study the historical significance of the venue, and propose design concepts to complement the location.
What a surreal proposal!
And so, after numerous emails, on deciding the best dates, we finally confirmed that December 18, 2009 would be the best time to meet. I would arrive on the 17th, and the couple from the States would come at the same time. So I left KL on Airasia flight to Macau (cause it was peak season, and no direct flights to HK were available)and arrived in Hong Kong, after taking the ferry from Tapai in Macau at 1030. By the way, the flight was delayed. Typical uh?
I reached Shun Tak Terminal at 11.30pm in Hong Kong, where once again some of my closest friends came to pick me up. Freezing in the 15 degree ambiance, they met me, and of course we exchanged hugs and off to a late night supper in Sai Wan. Bittersweet feelings about being here though. This was the fourth time I visited HK, and as much as I was happy about the whole affair, including meeting my Malaysian counterparts here, I wasn't as excited as I thought I would be.
Don't get me wrong.
The whole excursion was thrilling, and everything was sponsored, plus my eventual meeting the Americans, The Hong Kong couple and my buddies here in HK was a wonderful way to spend an early Xmas. But being here 4 times already...I'm sure you know what I mean.And so, once the night was over, I would meet with the international guests first thing Friday morning, and off we would go.
The name of the place, The Dragon Gardens. Just the mere mention of the name resounds the air with an Oriental flavour, doesn't it? Lets see.
Friday Morning. Dragon Gardens. Well, sorta.
Got a call this morning around 8am. Still in a state of drifting consciousness, I answered it. Oh yes, it was the American lady wishing me as politely as usual 'good morning', and telling me, that the meeting was postponed till 12pm. I said no problem. The truth was, I was smiling..great, I get to sleep in a little longer...oh yes..bliss....at least for 2 more hours, snuggled in the cold.
I was up at 10am. Got dressed snazzily, and was ready to leave. We were supposed to rendezvous at the Four Seasons around 12pm to meet everyone and have lunch. Oh wow, one of the premier hotels on the face of the earth, overlooking the cold, peaceful ocean, in truly opulent settings, with a tinge of Oriental influence here and there. Subtle but present. And after i got there, waited for a bit, and finally saw the lady that I hadn't met in about 4 years. Looking at each other we smiled our flashiest smiles in an instant, giving each other a hug and saying how wonderful it was to see each other again. She introduced me to her husband, after we meet the prominent couple from Hong Kong, we were off.
Off to the Gardens!
But first, we wine and dine! Before leaving for the venue, the first thing on everyone's mind was of course, food! And so, we hopped into the car, and ventured into Kowloon, and eventually to the New Territories where the Gardens were. We missed a couple of turns and got lost because of that, but the Americans jokingly said that they were grateful to the Hong Kong couple for the unexpected tour of the islands!
Well, a little bit of humour to lighten the situation always helps.
We eventually arrived at this one restaurant where they decided to come to, and it seems the best duck meat, the best scallops, the best fishcakes, the best pork soups etc. were served here. Unassuming place though, hidden behind an alley, but rose to prominence after THE Jackie Chan paid this place a visit in the past. Yup, it seems that's all you need to make sure that if you ever decide to open an eatery, get a celebrity to endorse it, and you'll be rolling in the dough soon enough.
Once we were done, it was time.
Time to finally head to the Gardens. Yes, it was exhilarating. I felt like a big time architect, off to see a mysterious site, realizing the opportunity to materialize the tremendous design potential this place has to offer.
A venue steeped in history, permeating with cultural and personal significance.
This was surreal, and we had arrived, the location definitely did not disappoint. Here we were at the side of a terraced mountain, clearly landscaped with beautiful rock gardens, lined with streams of water flowing naturally from one end to another, peppered with porcelain deities and ceramic pagodas, within a setting of a variety of lush, verdant greenery that carpeted the site, all undoubtedly presented in an oriental atmosphere.
As we walked along the stone pathways, in meandering directions, I ensured that my eyes keenly observed the key elements that made this place unique in its own identity. Starting from 1 point, with a lawn in one side and a rock garden on the other, we headed up where at first I saw a simple, understated but undeniably elegant contemporary Chinese - style villa, with some auxiliary structures augmenting its presence, such as the Rest House, the Swimming Pool and The Cafeteria / Changing Room Annexe, all built on different levels in relation to the site where we stood.
All lushly landscaped, all well positioned.
Continuing to walk up, I begin to feel with a greater sensitivity, the Oriental influence in the space on a more subtle level. The decorative bridge and pathway balustrades, points of interest highlighted with Chinese characters and structures, the tendency of using natural materials in their natural form, the shapes and designs associated with Chinese culture, placing structures and pathways in accordance with natural terrain of the mountain, and a host of other minute, incorporations began to seep into my visual and tactile sensing organs, and I feel like I'm beginning to appreciate the owner's pride in his heritage, culture and traditions.One interesting point was mentioned. The original walkways were about 3 feet in width, which is pretty standard in dimension when designing a path, but there was a clear indication that the pathways had been extended. A very morbid reason was the basis for this extension it seems, as I was told that the reason had to do with the fact that the pathways had to be widened, so that the funeral procession that was needed to escort the deceased owner's coffin to the top, could comfortably walk up to the apex, and allow the owners last wish to be granted.
It seems, even in death, the owner had his way.
One particular spot caught my attention. It was simple space, with a partial retaining wall at the back, but what made this space stand out were 4 Chinese characters that once loosely translated, read, "All work is for the betterment of the public". It was a saying of great historical magnitude, and it was uttered by Dr. Sun Yat Sen, a prominent leader, who back in 1911, was part of the political and cultural momentous revolutions that had swept China, and had put her on the road to becoming the giant she is today.
There was a clearly magnetism in the air, when those words were uttered. You could feel the pride the lady had in her voice when she mentioned these words, and she could convey that pride to you personally through her spirit to yours.Such is the power of literature.
Passion in every word, tangibly shared and celebrated.
As we kept walking up, we came to another significant point. A dull, shimmering Dragon Head statue, covered with thousands of pieces of broken coloured glass on its skin, clearly acted as a sculptural piece in the waterways of the gardens. Its head prominently rising above the surface of the water, where a stream sprouted from its mouth, and where its eel - like body occasionally broke the surface of the pond at certain places, conveying, perhaps a sense of fluidity and life.
"Look at me, o' wanderer, for though I may appear
still, tranquil and frozen,I am undeniably alive and I
guard this sanctimonious space,as I live within the
pristine, life - giving waters of this mountain, and
within the ancient trees and flowers that breathe
within the crevices of the earth, and within all the
living spirits that inhabit these dwellings that
you witness," whispered the dragon's soul in the
chambers of my mind.
As I touched its skin, feeling welcomed and no sense of trepidation, I observed that some of the pieces have inevitably been broken off, due to wear and tear. A natural state of things, no doubt. We then proceeded to the top of the site, the literal apex of the gardens. This was the most significant place in the entire scheme, as it was clearly the spiritual heart of the gardens. We walked through a gateway, and lo and behold, 3 prominent structures clearly stole my gaze, where I stood before a pond.
The first of course was the Mausoleum, where the owner had been buried. It was a smooth, clean hemi-spherical dome of considerable size that was finished in a dull, stone grey appearance, and at the back were 2 immense fan like retaining walls, one stacked on another, that swept across one end of the dome to another. Reminiscent of a Buddhist Pagoda built in an Indian tradition, especially like the ones found in Sri Lanka, this dome was in the middle of the space.
It was flanked with a Closed Structure on one side, that previously housed some family heirlooms and an Open Pavilion on the other, which had painted artwork highlighting the seasons on the other, both extensively decorated from the inside and the outside. Next to these 2 edifices, were 2 smaller Circular Pavilions, which were based on pavilions in ancient China, where scholars and poets would gather to discuss ideas on philosophy, religion, art and everything else under the sky, and beyond it as well, I guess.
It was clear that this man was proud of his heritage, and the architecture he employed to construct his tomb, the eternal place he would lie, bones and flesh and all, conveyed his desire to showcase his pride, even from the afterlife.
We spent some time here, and eventually made our way down to the villa, that I first saw when I got here. Now, getting there was an interesting journey in itself. After taking several pictures, I went down, into a forest of Long An trees, which I was told that each tree was priced at one million dollars. They looked so lush and verdant, so alive and huge, and the canopy of leaves that towered the tops of these magnificent organisms created a beautifully dramatic play of light and shadow that flooded the surrounding environment in every corner. These trees were culturally important, and were valuable, in more ways than one.One Million! Each! One Tree! One Million!
So I walked through this million dollar forest (literally) and headed to the villa to with the rest of them. We entered this villa, and immediately it looked like something out of a movie set from the 60's. It had an unmistakable, bygone nostalgic charm to its appearance, that obviously greatly enhanced its identity as a historical site. I was told that the house was designed back in the 6os by a prominent Chinese architect, that modelled certain elements of the house after traditional Chinese concepts that were linked to royalty and aristocracy, such as the sweeping roofs, the semi-symmetrical layout, the oriental motif inspired screens of the doors and windows, the usage of timber panelling and red columns and so forth, but neatly presented in a modern context. A stone platform of 2 dragons intertwined with each other in flight, marked the entrance, and welcomed us into the villa with steps directing us to the living space, flanked on both sides, like entering the Great Hall at the Forbidden City in Beijing.
The villa itself interestingly had many little 'treasures' that were lying unnoticed and forgotten all over. One of the more peculiar 'gems' I had noticed was the collection of miniature figures of all the presidents of the United States in the dining room, arranged in a circular fashion on the dining table, neglected and fatigued. It was a curious sight, but amusing nonetheless. Other artifacts included, geisha dolls in a glass cases, and old style timber frame mirror etched with Chinese characters on its dull surface, and other curious mementos and souvenirs.
Undeniably, besides the house itself being rich,
it was a house sprinkled with rich things.
And what a view the house commanded! In the distance was the ocean, vast and gorgeous, and beyond that, a suspension bridge, like a floating, towering sculpture, placed in the backdrop, far, far away. The site was very cleverly chosen, and I suspect the view played an utmost important influence in the genral design of the house and the strategic location of the house, and dictated, to a certain extent, the layout of the interior.
The views, truly were, to die for.
The collective and intangible ambiance of the house
suggested a sense of quiet dignity.
Humble yet expressive.
Surrounding the villas were more courtyards and gardens, all designed to convey traditional elements in a modern setting, and after spending time here, I headed to the Rest House, one level below the villa. This was the spot which would house the weary soul on a hot summers day after swimming in the pool, and no doubt the setting for many a glamorous party, attended by the who's who of the elite, back in the good old days.
So much history behind each wall, behind each door, behind each window.
The last points of interest in this site were the fountain in front of the Rest House, the swimming pool and the adjacent annexe, which was easily twice the size of an Olympic pool and 2 pavilions that were located within the proximity of the space. One was a Tang Dynasty Style Stone Pavilion, located way up on one side of the mountain, and a Floating Japanese Teahouse Style Pavilion, situated in a pond nearby.
All wonderful pieces of intricate design, scattered selectively around the site, that enriched the cultural prominence of the gardens.
When we were finally done, and needed to leave, I tried to savor as quickly as I could, the final few moments I had here. The purpose of my visit to Hong Kong, had been served, and now we had to head back to our respective accommodations. This had been a wonderful eye-opening excursion, and my sense of passion to my work obligates me to propose ideas and concepts that would enhance this spectacular setting, while allowing its existing identity to retain its presence and flourish now and in the future. And I profusely thank my guests who made all this happen for me once we parted ways back at the hotel.
Oh yes, I can't wait to get started on this when I get home.
