“Hong Kong has always evolved, and always will, and I think that’s its beauty,” says architect André Fu of his hometown. With a cornucopia of credits to his name—having designed some of Asia’s hottest new hotels including the Waldorf Astoria Osaka, Capella Taipei, and Upper House Hong Kong; restaurants like Duddell’s and Estro in Hong Kong; and even furniture for Louis Vuitton—Fu needs as much artistic inspiration as he can get to fuel his work. Fortunately, he doesn’t have to go far in this dynamic city: “There’s the ultramodern and chic, yes, but the city’s spirit is rooted in places that are grounded and authentic,” he says. Here, Fu shares where he finds culture and calm around the Fragrant Harbor.
Where to go in Hong Kong for art
Some of Fu’s favorite museums are in the West Kowloon Cultural District: the contemporary M+, for its interactive exhibits and off-site excursions, and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, which collaborates with global institutions like the Louvre in Paris. “That level of cultural dialogue embodies what Hong Kong is,” he says. As an architect, Fu gravitates toward unique structures such as the colorful Haw Par Mansion in the Wan Chai district, done in the rarely seen Chinese Renaissance style: “It captures a specific period of Hong Kong. It’s a hybrid of East and West in a surprising way.”
Where to go in Hong Kong for food
On Hong Kong Island, Fu spends time in Repulse Bay, taking in views of Middle Island and the boats bobbing on the water: “There’s something a little bit Portofino about it.” There he gets his pastries at The Verandah and brunch at Caffè Parabolica. In the Happy Valley neighborhood, he goes to down-to-earth Cheung Hing Coffee Shop, a cha chaan teng (Hong Kong–style café): “They serve the yummiest milk tea and crispy pineapple buns, usually with a poached egg and sausage meat inside,” he says, “and the egg tarts come out of the oven every 30 minutes.”
