A marriage between operational expertise and industry-leading design has become a boon for Asia’s most competitive market. The one-stop-shop from LUBUDS-AXIS LTD offers more than just design. LOUIE CHUNG and BILL CHEN present a curtain raiser on market dynamics, reality and the importance of added-value.


Bill Chen and Louie Chung, Founders of Lubuds-Axis Ltd.

Hong Kong has no shortage of smart, experienced and innovative design firms. But, few design houses have the experience of actually running retail/commercial operations. To the design-seeking customer this makes an invisible but hugely important difference. In fact, it makes a crucial difference because commercial space in Hong Kong is dreadfully expensive. Design has to be human-friendly, tailor-made to enhance work flow and avoid unforeseen blocks in the workplace. These are issues only a seasoned operator would know and hence Lubuds’ partnership with Axis is a note-worthy symbiosis. 

ANA TEN in Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui.

Club Albergue 1601 in Times Square, Causeway Bay.

Louie Chung, CEO of Lubuds is a veteran operator of food and beverage outlets many of which pepper Hong Kong’s upmarket shopping malls. He is no stranger to the problems that arise from dis-functional design and its impact on the brand’s image, work-flow, customer satisfaction and bottom-line profits. 

“Our clients need design that is life-enhancing, work-flow supporting and offers their customers that warm, comfortable, welcoming feel that is not over-whelming or intimidating.”

 

“Our clients need design that is life-enhancing, work-flow supporting and offers their customers that warm, comfortable, welcoming feel that is not over-whelming or intimidating,” explains Chung, adding that most local retailers particularly restaurants target very high traffic and design must be conducive to enhancing quality service. “While, the ‘wow’ factor is nice to have, functionality is more crucial.” Chung should know. He operates a range of Asian/Japanese restaurants in Hong Kong and grooming icons too like Tony & Guy. Among the brands that Lubuds-Axis has served include – ZARA, Bershka and Pull & Bear.

Director of Axis, Bill Chen, cites drastic changes in the office world as first-world thinking seeps into traditional local work practices. 

Zara in Elements, Hong Kong.

The Future is…Now!

“We completed the design for a shared work-space facility for Fintech companies at the Cyberport, offering unprecedented flexibility for further nurture digital tech start-ups,” Chen says. 

“Technology is impacting work practices like never before. Hong Kong’s skyrocketing commercial property prices are creating shared workspaces and innovation, thought-leading design is the need of the hour.”

According to Chen, the design industry is evolving at fever-pitch pace and complacence is not an option for a market leader. Repeat business and referrals pave the way to sustainable market positioning and as a designer you only get to that point when your design delivers, provides the customer with more than just cosmetics. It must deliver warmth, functionality, efficiency, and value in terms of versatility! This is the key! This is the magic! This is the future!”  

Boston Scientific R&D office, Beijing.

Boston Scientific R&D office, Beijing.

Smart-Space FinTech in Cyberport, Hong Kong.

Bringing Dreams to Life

“While our track record of successful design makes a convincing case, education is still key to procuring business because every client is individual, unique and therefore has particular needs. What we offer is the patience to listen, the willingness to share our experience and solutions,” Chung says. “One a clear understanding is reached, we follow the timeline to ensure the project is completed on time and within budget. Our project managers are always on site ensuring that every step is taken with clock-work precision. Every project is a journey from start to finish and it is not just important to achieve the goal. The fun is in the client also enjoying the journey, watching the dream come to life,” Chung explains.   

Together Bill and Louie are helping Hong Kong’s corporate captains reach for new horizons and in turn creating new experiences for us all, in Hong Kong. As long as this remains the goal, the marriage looks poised to grow and blossom into a partnership icon well worth celebrating.

For additional information, please visit www.lubuds-axis.com


Hong Kong’s Business Leaders share market and interest intelligence in the pages of HKMVC 2019