Living in Larvotto Apartments

Larvotto, Creating a Masterpiece

Long before construction began, the brief for the appointed architects was to create an iconic building which went way beyond all standards for the highest level of luxury residential living, utilising a piece of land located on the waterfront of Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong which overlooked the Aberdeen harbour and typhoon shelters towards Ocean Park.

The site was considered challenging due to its location lying directly at the waterfront and envisaged noise pollution coming from the adjacent boat and shipyards of a working harbour. Working with the site’s natural geography and meeting the developers’ residential requirements, the architects designed a complex that incorporated nine towers that sat within a gentle curvature forming three clusters of three towers.  

Wanting to ensure that all nine towers could peacefully enjoy the sensational and panoramic waterfront views, the architects needed a new approach to creating an insulated barrier to keep out noise without compromising the overall design. The successful outcome was a method utilising non-opening curtain wall glazing on the façade. This created just the right buffer to insulate against any noise coming from the shipyards.

Another consideration the architects took into account was not just what impact the environment would have on the Larvotto development but also what effect would the Larvotto development have on the surrounding environment. The quality of the construction was paramount in the design, so in consideration, the towers were clad in non-reflective glass to minimise any perceived sun glare reflecting off the building and projected to the surrounding buildings and neighbourhoods.

Awarded

The finished result - Larvotto completed in 2011 resembles a beautifully sleek 300-metre sailing yacht located right at the water's edge with a magnificent green backdrop behind. All three building clusters have sky gardens punched through the midsections of the buildings to further the panoramic views throughout the development and to create a sense of lightness to the overall design. All 715 apartments have magnificent views across the marina and harbour to the outlying islands and the south china seas beyond.

The development has been hailed as an outstanding success creating a new benchmark for high-end residential developments. Larvotto’s unique design was awarded the International Real Estate Awards Highly Commended, The best building of Hong Kong (Skyscraper), which the International Real Estate Organization organised. The chosen architects are responsible for other iconic buildings in Hong Kong, such as the groundbreaking and supremely stylish Opus on Stubbs Road, Mid Levels, and the Peak Tower design icon.

What’s on Board

The nine towers sit high like sails above a five-storied podium deck which houses the undercover parking areas and The Clubhouse. The clever design gives vehicle and pedestrian access to a lobby area and lifts to whisk residents up to level one and above, raising their views above the boatyards from the first floor upwards. The luxuriously appointed apartments range in size from 600 sq ft for a spacious studio upwards to 3900 sq ft duplexes on the top floors.

Club House - The resident’s club house named Club Voyage clocks in at an incredible size of 150,000 square feet. In addition to the basic facilities that one would expect of such a development, the Larvotto also includes fitness and training coach services, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and jacuzzis with changing rooms, steam and sauna rooms, plenty of spacious leisure and activity storage space, multipurpose playgrounds, karaoke and entertainment rooms, a convenient sea view restaurant and bar, two ballrooms and three sky gardens.

The specialised services and facilities include an on-site Kindergarten which a reputable nursery school runs, and for those families or households with pets, Larvotto also has a cute pet park. Being located right on Aberdeen Harbour, the developers would include the added luxury of offering private yacht services to the residents.

Ap Lei Chau

The island of Ap Lei Chau started out as a small fishing village dating back to the Ming era, and was often referred to as The Fragrant Village on maps. The island was mostly left untouched throughout history with a peaceful fishing village atmosphere. In 1968 Hong Kong Electric opened a power station on the island that provided power to Hong Kong. This was eventually relocated to Lamma Island in 1989. A bridge was built in 1994 to connect Ap Lei Chau island to Hong Kong Island, which mostly propelled Ap Lei Chau into rapid economic development and the building of a number of industrial and residential estates.

Today Ap Lei Chau is a combination of modern luxury high-rise residential blocks blended with the rustic charm of a genuine fishing village, making this one of the most interesting neighbourhoods in which to live. The lively Main Street is buzzing with activity. Cool cafes are popping up and the area’s variety of restaurants from Italian, infusion, Thai, vegetarian offer a feast, which is definitely one of the best places to go eat wonderfully prepared fresh seafood. Busy shops sell everything from traditional herbs to Angus beef and Japanese sake.

The Horizon Plaza shopping centre complex has become a popular shopping destination for locals and visitors alike, having been converted from an industrial building into one of Hong Kong's busiest and best shopping outlets for furniture and fashion. Some of the best luxury brands have outlets here including Yves Saint Laurent, Ralph Lauren, Boss, Marc Jacobs, Lane Crawford, to name just a few.  

And now that Ap Lei Chau is finally connected to the MTR network, everything is much closer and within reach. If you see Larvotto Apartments being your future home, contact one of our selling agents to see whether there may be a Hong Kong apartment for sale that fits your needs.

Interested in living at or investing in Larvotto Apartments? It’s not only a great place to look for apartments for sale in Hong Kong, but also a great place for real estate investing in Hong Kong. Contact our real estate agents in Hong Kong at Engel & Volkers for more information and viewings of the luxury homes and apartments for sale and rental. 

Engel & Volkers’ product portfolio ranges from elite homes, luxury mansions, premium residential properties, and other real estate for sale in Hong Kong. We also provide information regarding the real estate market and housing market prices.

Find more at our website at https://www.hongkongev.com