Two Sides of Timber Design: What BIG's Möbius Loop Teaches Us About Hong Kong Homes

Danish architecture firm BIG recently completed a Möbius-loop headquarters built from massive timber structures, with a striking sense of geometry and a central courtyard. It photographs beautifully. But when we bring these ideas back to Hong Kong, a humid, space-constrained city that has to contend with mould, we need to look at them in practice: are timber and bold geometry an asset here, or a risk?

Timber: the physical limits behind that warmth

The appeal of timber barely needs explaining: it feels natural to the touch, helps regulate humidity, and is visually calming. But Hong Kong’s spring and summer humidity regularly sits above 80%, and solid wood can warp and grow mould under those conditions, and can even attract termites. Even engineered wood like CLT (cross-laminated timber) needs a proper moisture barrier and ventilation design to hold up. Many clients assume “wood flooring is just wood,” when really it comes in several distinct types: solid wood, engineered multi-layer wood, and laminate. Without a proper moisture-barrier underlay, or in a home that does not ventilate well, solid wood flooring can start cupping within a year.

Geometry: visual impact versus usable space

BIG’s headquarters uses circular forms and a Möbius loop to create a sense of flow and a central courtyard. But most Hong Kong flats are rectangular, and designers constantly have to work around window sills and structural beams. Forcing in geometric forms (a curved wall, an angled cabinet) tends to waste a good deal of usable floor area, and makes cleaning and furniture selection more demanding. We once worked on a project where the owner wanted to echo Zaha Hadid’s curves, but with only a 2.4-metre ceiling, the curved ceiling ended up making the space feel more cramped, not more dramatic. In the end we switched to partial geometric touches instead: rounded cabinet edges, a curved mirror, or lighting that traces a visual path through the room, and that was enough.

From office to home: three ideas worth borrowing

You obviously cannot copy a Danish timber office wholesale, but the underlying concepts do translate.

If you are facing a similar design dilemma (wanting to bring in timber but worried about Hong Kong’s climate, or wanting some geometric lines without knowing how to keep them practical), please contact our team to discuss your requirements.