Johnny Li · CLIENT: Audemars Piguet
Ap House is a social club interior located by the sea in Macao. The design combines the idea of a modern chalet inspired by the Swiss Alps with colonial Macanese heritage. A cozy house sits within a vast space with tall ceilings, so the interior feels serene and intimate while keeping its grandeur. The club offers a bar, dining and watchmaking classes. Details include split-faced bamboo cast in bronze on door handles and table legs, and a solid wenge dining table for twelve. Lighting, audio, video and climate control are managed from a single tablet.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The design studio was shortlisted and selected through a design competition to create a “modern chalet” inspired by Swiss Alpines, mixing colonial Macanese heritage by the sea in Macao. The design brief requested a concept in creating a cozy house that sits in a vast space with tall ceilings, yet the space should feel serene and intimate without sacrificing the grandeur of the interior architecture. Collectively, the social club house also wants the overall look and feel to be understated and timeless, without being ostentatious, stereotypical and cliches.
- Tags
- Audemars Piguet, Social Club House, AP House, Luxury Retail, Watch, Horology
- Production Technology
- Some of the details, including HVAC and Architectural elements were 3D printed, surprised a lot of visitors. Customized details of Split-Faced Bamboo casted in Bronze were used in door handles and table legs. Customized Dining table in solid Wenge to seat for 12, were made in Italy. All lighting, Audio and Visual plus HVAC are controlled by a single iPad
- Design Challenge
- Delicate balance of creatives are often over shadowed by cliches and misinterpretations of the topics. This was emphasized during design briefing by the client. Sophistication, understated and timeless without being ostentatious, were some of the key words used. Besides the creative challenge, Local regulations and rules in Macao are some of the most extremes in the world, which often dictates the outcome of the projects.
- Project Duration
- Design Competition September 2022,
Competition Awarded March 2023,
Soft Opening September 2024 - Operation Flow
- The new house represents forward thinking in pampering the most sophisticated customers, by invitation to the social club house. Guests often arrange a booking to use the house, where bar, dining, master class for watchmaking are offered. Both DJ/Music Station are also part of the program. Micheline Star chefs are often creating for invited guests.
- Research
- Extensive Research was made on the history and legacy of Audemars Piguet, the town of Le Brassus, and older period of Macao, especially in the 1920-50s. Multiple visits to some existing AP Houses were made, including Zurich, London, New York, and Hong Kong, Plus The in-house Museum of Audemars Piguet in Le Brassus. Many of the older history in Macao has been lost.
- Inspiration
- Tracing Time was the design concept for the new house in Macao, initiated by reexamining of the past, to marking of the present, and onto exploring of the future. Juxtaposition of the opposites to create the synergy between Le Brassus and Macao guided the design process throughout. Like the mechanics of time pieces in ticktock dynamics, the design details took references from a hike in Swiss Alpines to leisurely wondering into an oriental garden; a journey interpreted through conceptual abstraction.
- Image Credits
- All Images : Robyn Lea Photography
Captions and Text : Catherine Shaw
Video : Johnny Li - Patents
- All YILINE furniture are trademarked in Asia, including China and USA.
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