Christie’s announced that it will open a vast new, state-of-the-art Hong Kong headquarters in 2024 where it will launch year-round auctions. Christie’s will move its Asian Headquarter to The Henderson, a new flagship building of The Henderson Land Group designed by Zaha Hadid Architects in 2024.
Measuring more than 50,000 sq. ft over four storeys, the auction house’s new headquarters, which incorporates a permanent saleroom and galleries, is comparable in size to Christie’s London headquarters on King Street, St James’s.
Phillips, Sotheby’s, and Christie’s typically hold their auctions at the same time in the global sales centers of New York and London. But in Hong Kong, Christie’s and Sotheby’s have had to jockey for space at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre for the past 30 years. Limited access to the convention center has hampered their ability to grow in recent years as the Asian market has expanded.
Marquee sales in Hong Kong currently take place in May and November, at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, while mid-season sales are held in the James Christie Room at Alexandra House. According to Francis Belin, Christie’s Asia Pacific president, the move will enable a “major revamp” of the firm’s auction calendar. “We will evolve from primarily hosting two main auction seasons a year, to programming all year-round,” he says.
“The establishment of our first year-round saleroom and gallery space in Hong Kong provides us with the long-needed flexibility,” said Christie’s Asia head Francis Belin, “to transform our sales and events schedule from two main seasons a year, to year-round programming.” He added that space is “designed to meet the unique business needs of an international auction house. Our new galleries at The Henderson are ideal for Christie’s presentation of large-scale artworks, live auctions, private sales, and educational programs.”
The amount Christie’s is investing in the new space is confidential, but Belin says it underscores the firm’s confidence in Hong Kong “as the preeminent art and culture hub in Asia” as well as testifying to the “strong resilience” of the art market in the region.
No new building, especially in Hong Kong, can be launched without addressing its impact on the environment. Christie’s has announced a global sustainability initiative with a commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. The Henderson has received LEED Platinum and WELL Platinum pre-certification together with the highest 3-star rating of China’s Green Building Rating Program keeping it within that goal.