Starcrest Lounge is a peaceful refuge in the Heart of Shanghai. To bring some warmth and brightness to the open plan space, we introduced a light color palette combined with earthy accent tones as well as creamy and stone natural textures. We reorganized the layout to create an open plan in the common areas by incorporating a kitchen near the lounge area.
B Arch (Hons) UNSW,
AIA, J.P., Registered Architect NSW I VIC I ACT I WA I QLD
Design Practitioner, Principal Design Practitioner
"Design is the harmonious intersection of creativity and functionality, where every space becomes a canvas for innovation. My work is a testament to the power of thoughtful design, where form follows function, and where every detail carries the weight of my commitment to excellence."
Darren Kong is the visionary force behind the firm, with a career spanning over a quarter of a century, Darren's profound design acumen and leadership prowess have made him the cornerstone of the firm, serving as its Project Lead and trusted client representative on an array of transformative development projects.
Darren's distinguished portfolio boasts an eclectic array of triumphs, including the meticulous restoration of heritage buildings, redefining of commercial office spaces, creation of captivating retail environments, and the crafting of immersive hospitality brands. His imprint extends not only across Sydney but reaches beyond, leaving a lasting mark on diverse landscapes. As the principal of the Sydney headquarter, Darren thrives on delivering personalized and tailored solutions to each project he undertakes. He possesses a unique talent for assembling the most adept teams of architects, engineers, and consultants to bring his clients' aspirations to life. His unwavering commitment to being a proactive and dependable partner ensures the realization of promises made and the satisfaction of his clients' needs.
Beyond his illustrious career in architecture and design, Darren actively engages with and enriches his local community. He is the esteemed founder of the Haymarket Institute, a distinguished not-for-profit organization, and plays a pivotal role as a panel advisor for the City of Sydney Council Multicultural Advisory Panel. His steadfast dedication to creating iconic designs that seamlessly fuse cultural sensitivity with commercial viability underscores his profound passion for elevating the built environment. Darren's work stands as a testament to his unwavering dedication to celebrating and supporting the diverse communities he serves, with an unwavering commitment to enhancing the urban fabric.
B Arch, M Arch, Msc Lands, DBA, Registered Architect, HKIA
“Identifying unique values and concepts based on the characteristics of people, cultures and places has always been the core spirit of my design philosophy. With strong sense of time and emotion, reconstructing the harmonious relationship between man and nature occupy an important and profound position in my creative orientation. My architecture is consciously being kept rational, modest, serene and timeless, yet at the same time with power and exclusive aura. I am fascinated by the search for balance between poetic and rational, and I always strive to make my works well casting appropriate brilliance and temperament.”
Allan is a registered architect in Hong Kong. He attained B Arch, M Arch, M Land Economics, and Doctorate in Management in Texas, USA and Paris, France. As an associate/partner, he worked in the Hong Kong headquarters of P&T Architects Group and has worked as chief architect in various renowned design firms in North America and Europe. Allan founded ADARC International Architects in 2005, a studio focusing on avant-garde urban design and architecture in public and cultural sector; and lately established a joint studio with MCG to actively expand design practice in Asia-Pacific regions and around the world.
With an extensive career in architecture spanning over 20 years, Allan has extraordinary facility and experience in high-rise tower, retail complex, office park and public cultural architecture projects. He believes that architectural designs should be rooted in a specific environment; to endow unique temperaments and characteristics that reflect regional cultures. Significant achievements include HHICC Plaza and Hilton Hotel, The Lantern Art Space, Lihu Cultural Centre, Nanhai Cultural Centre, Shunde Performing Art Centre, Luofu Shanshui Museum, Lesso Four Seasons Villa and Shunde Qing-hui Garden & Historic Town Centre Preservation and Urban Regeneration.
Over the years, his projects have received design excellence awards such as A&D Trophy Architecture Award, iF Architecture Awards, the CTBUH World's Best Tall Building Award, AIA Global Library Award for Best Public Architecture, Chivas Cultural Architect Award, American Masterprize Award, German Iconic Arch Award, HKIA Merit Awards, DFA Awards, ID Best of Year, Guangzhou Design Week Cultural Award, and his talented contribution to architecture has won him Hong Kong Young Architects Award.
B Arch (Hons) UNSW, Registered Architect
“Designing architecture and interior is about creating emotions. This dynamic immerses the end-user with the physical space and invites them to participate in the journey we have crafted. We ought to develop a distinctive language that is restrained in its elements but opulent in spirit. Creating a sense of calmness and serenity in every zone with our natural materials and colour palette.”
With significant experience in leading large architectural and consultant teams, Kelvin works with clients from the earliest stages of a project through to completion. He has extensive experience across commercial, residential, hospitality, infrastructure and urban design projects. Kelvin strives to create a feeling of authenticity, with an exceptional talent for ‘setting the scene’.
Prior to founding MCG I SNS and becoming Board of Directors of ADARC, Kelvin attained his professional experiences in renowned Ronald Lu & Partners in Hong Kong and previously worked for the internationally acclaimed Sydney Architect, Bligh Voller Nield, he has designed some of the World’s most significant architecture projects such as master planning and design development of the Hellinikon Olympic Complex for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, the Beijing 2008 Olympic Green Tennis Centre, the National Bank of Australia and many others.
Kelvin was instrumental in translating the complex interfaces and briefs for Shanghai Wuyi Creative Park, Huaihai 627, New Bund International Centre, Qiantan Financial Centre, Funlive Starcrest Apartments, Lesso Four Seasons and numerous Runaway Cow Winery projects into architecture and interior design works that will achieve the highest commercial and liveability standards. He has also led the design and realization of many residential interior projects such as Azure Garden, Donghe Apartments, Eco City Site 29, 8 Park Avenue and Twin River. Using innovation as a tool for success, Kelvin works to turn complex briefs into built forms, bringing clients’ ideas and aspirations to life with user-focused architecture that is humanistic, contextually responsive, sustainable and flexible. He was inducted into the Boao Forum Asia Award in 2016, in recognition of outstanding contributions to the architecture industry in Asia pacific.
B Arch (Hons) UNSW, Registered Architect, HKIA, RAIA, IPMA
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication with thoughtful attention to detail, executed in a timeless manner."
With more than 20 years’ experience in architecture and interior, Gavin's keen appreciation of quality design & detail and targets perfection on each MCG I SNS projects. He embraces the company core values, exemplifies passion and he also recognises the importance of a positive and dynamic work in the delivery of great client service with excellent results.
Gavin has a great diversity in project experiences including commercial, hospitality, residential, retail, education and health, all of them promotes a deep cross-disciplinary insight. Aside from his project work, he plays a vital role in process and system development to ensure consistence and high quality design outcomes.
Gavin is one of the co-founders of MCG I SNS and he has led the design and realization of The Altron, The Consonance, High Street 126, The Mondrian Hotel, Fenix Furano Hotel and various hospitality and workplace projects such as Toritama, Lian Taikoo Li, Azalvo and Orbusneich. Prior to founding MCG I SNS and becoming Board of Directors of ADARC, Gavin attained his professional experiences in renowned Architectural firms in both private and public sectors such as RMJM, Leigh & Orange and Architectural Services Department. His experience is evident in projects such as Margret Trench Red Cross Special School in HK and Al Shaqab Arena in Qatar among many others, which have been awarded several prestigious accolades, including HKIA Special Architectural Awards, ARCASIA Awards for Architecture and Multiple Awards in Architectural Design Competitions.
B Arch (Hons) UNSW, Registered Architect, HKIA, RAIA
“My approach to design is contemporary yet timeless, drawing from a myriad of historical and contemporary references and a strong sense of intuition. Carrying out research to understand the cultural and historical context is vital in our inception stage. It influences how we layer a sense of place into the design.”
Kenneth is an experienced architect focussed on the design and delivery of high quality residential, commercial and hospitality projects. He specialises in the early design and planning stages of the creative process, working with clients and sites to establish the conceptual basis and trajectory of a project. He also plays a pivotal role in managing client relations, industry networking, strategic planning and talent management.
He develops sound design strategies and innovative solutions that respond directly to a clients’ needs and motivations. His respectful and collaborative relationship with partners allows him to resolve complex design issues and navigate challenging projects through the planning and design development stages. Kenneth has built a culture of design in the practice, ensuring we have a broad spectrum of ability to meet the requirements of each project, and has helped to implement many new technologies within the studio, including virtual reality tools.
Clients appreciate his solutions based approach to design, his technical knowledge and his ability to effectively communicate with all project stakeholders. Kenneth co-founded MCG I SNS in 2005, and meantime sits on Board of Directors of ADARC for more global strategic collaborations. He has led hospitality projects including Fenix Furano Hotel, Chuan Spa, Bostonian and The Grill at The Langham Hotel, Lee Kum Kee Museum, The Consonance, La Salle Residence, and numerous high-end residential and workplace projects. Prior to founding MCG I SNS, he worked on award winning projects in P&T Architects Group which include the Royal Phuket Marina in Phuket, Wadi Walk residential development at City of Arabia in Dubai, Oberoi Hotel in Mumbai and many more. His significant achievements have been recognised with Boao Forum Asia Award, HKIA Merit Awards, Asia Property Awards, A&D and DFA Awards.