The gentrification of Kennedy Town took another giant step forward earlier this year with the opening of 2CS, a community-centric retail and entertainment hub featuring the first independent movie cinema in Hong Kong Island’s western district.

Commissioned by British real estate firm Grosvenor Hong Kong, local studio 4N Design has brilliantly walked the fine line between respecting the existing concrete structure and creating an elegant and tasteful retail podium to meet the more discerning needs of KT’s new demographic profile. Named after its location on Catchick Street, 2CS houses a variety of retailers, caterers and most notably the Golden Scene theatre, championed by its founder, Winnie Tsang Lai-fun, as a venue to reignite people’s interest in independent films from Hong Kong and beyond.

But transforming the original building was no easy task, with heaps of local restrictions, according to 4N’s Danny Ng. “So, it was all the more satisfying to see the client super happy with the result and the local community really embracing the new space.”

The 4N design team used an innovative foam-like PU paint product from Japan, in white, grey and black, which adhered directly to the concrete façade over of all four levels to create a holistic design feel. Layered lighting was also a critical element of the design, with prominent lighting at street level to illuminate signage and more subtle, warm-coloured LED strips to highlight the canopies and walkways. The ground floor shop front is clad with a black metal frame, with white aluminium panels, clear glass and black metal louvres to incorporating building services such as aircon and exhaust.

Ng describes the overall design as a “monolithic and minimalist addition to the streetscape and the local community, a design statement to be timeless, elegant and harmonious with its surroundings”. For cinema fans, visitors and residents alike, 2CS is all of that and more. A fabulous design and a wonderful addition to Kennedy Town.