The Henderson,
Hong Kong

Mesmerising liquid light animates the curved façade after dark, symbolizing energy, prosperity, and the sparkling flow of water and sunlight.
Client
Henderson Land
Date
2020-2025
Architect
Zaha Hadid Architects
Executive Architect
Ronald Lu Partners
Control Systems Integration
Ptarmigan Intergration
Project Tem
Keith Bradshaw, James Fuentes McGreevy, Iain Ruxton, Gordon Chan

Liquid Light

Rising in the heart of Hong Kong’s vibrant central business district, the new 36-storey supertower reimagines urban space as a sanctuary of nature and light.


As night falls, The Henderson’s all-glass façade comes alive in a mesmerising display of animated light. Reflecting Feng Shui principles woven into the architecture, the illumination evokes the flow of Qi—the vital life force—and symbolizes water, signifying abundance and prosperity. Light cascades along the building’s creases like a shimmering river of diamonds, penetrating horizontally at transom intersections before ebbing away.

“
Holistically integrated into the façade, this is light as structure, light as emotion—a true embodiment of light architecture. ”

Two discreet bands of media screens embedded in the façade offer dynamic programming—from digital art and live visuals to celebratory and branded content.


Digital content is fully randomised, ensuring that—like a real river—the visual experience is never the same twice. Periodically, the play of light calms to a standstill and then regenerates, bringing a gentle sense of rhythmic serenity within the city's energy.

As the cascading light reaches the base, it settles into the courtyards and gardens where the lush greenery and rich materiality of the hard landscaping are amplified with a warm, welcoming glow. Here, design and nature converge in a poetic experience—connecting sky to ground, motion to stillness, architecture to art.