Hong Kong is experiencing a new booming sector – the data centre, a kind of ‘computer hotel’. Not one in which you can stay and use computer, but one in which the computers are the customers, and the tariff payable is dependent upon the level of servicing required.
The Jumbo iAdvantage is situated in central Tsuen Wan, an area populated by large warehouses in various stages of dereliction, and a short cab ride from central Hong Kong.
The old warehouse is washed with lime green, over which the corporate trademark ‘JUMBO IADVANTAGE’ in two rows of letters three storeys high, running the length of the building, giving a bright and surprising look to the shanty context.
The iAdvantage centre provides round-the-clock facility management and server services with backup and disaster recovery services. Given the demands for uninterruptible power supply systems, dedicated diesel generators and sophisticated alarm systems, the whole of the entry level is given over to plant rooms, except for the reception in the far corner. The reception area is formed from the extension of the sloping louvre from the exterior, with a seamless white stretch ceiling on top and epoxy painted floor on ground. Washed with blue fluorescent lights, the whole space gives an industrial hygienic appearance.
While devoting the first seven floors for pure computer space-server hosting data centre, the top floor is the most ‘peopled’ area in Jumbo iAdvantage. Contrasting with the industrial detailing in the data centre areas, the more ‘peopled’ an area, the more friendly materials and use of colour. The heart of data centre, the primary areas-lounge, engineer’s room, control room and conference room- wrap around each other. These layers reveal an ‘ivory ball’ situation. Varying layers of transparency allows views through different layers. The centre within the transparent wraps is the huge timber infilled conference table. The warmest object for the pure people space.
The notable thing about this project is about our concern in detailing and finishes in cheap materials, within a restricted budget and ridiculous tight schedule. The Jumbo iAdvantage was completed in five months, from commission to completion.