Wheelock Properties celebrates Hong Kong’s most elite legacy in their Peak Collection, paying homage to the city’s storied pinnacle of luxury heritage and sophistication
Victoria Peak has an appeal that’s hard to characterise in singular terms. Standing far above the city, overseeing its vast expanses of skyscrapers, greenery and seas, it can feel as if the world is at your feet. It’s a place generations of elites have called home, dating back to the colonial period up to modern times. A continuation of the location’s long history, Wheelock Properties’ Peak Collection is proof of this thriving legacy’s ever increasing allure.
Stretching across the landscape, flagship projects include the neoclassical-inspired Mount Nicholson, the heritage-preserving 77/79 Peak Road and their most recent record-breaking 1 Plantation Road. Defined by thoughtful design, properties transcend from simple residences to transformative living experiences.
Encapsulating a unique history as the centre of the Fragrant Harbour’s beau monde, every road, avenue and street is layered with rich narratives of the people who set the foundations of Hong Kong as we know it. The privacy, rarity and environment have also made it incredibly desirable. “Looking back at the early years, as we understand it, British high officials, tycoons, and prestigious families chose to live on The Peak. The reason was that they felt the air and environment were superior. Because of this, they established a community here,” explains Ricky Wong, managing director of Wheelock Properties. “The land available for development at the Peak is also actually quite scarce, so once a property is sold, there is one less available on the market.”
Epitomised in 1 Plantation Road – a name derived from a colonial directive to plant 100,000 trees – it was formerly the site of the Lane Crawford family mansion. With past governors, tycoons and aristocratic families as neighbours, it’s become a symbol of success – senior executives of the world’s largest financial institutions reside on what is today affectionately referred to as “Banker’s Row”.
Retaining this prestige, development features a distinct focus on preservation. Native camphor trees which were believed to repel mosquitoes and insects – some of which are over 100-years old – are carefully incorporated, resulting in a harmonious synergy between nature and technology. Interiors draw from European thought, reimagining the villas of Southern France for the island’s more tropical climate. Material choices in marble, stone and wood inject an atmosphere of classical civility, for a seamless blend of modern life and living legacy. “Design trends often shift and change. While many luxury homes focus on being opulent or glittering, we aim for a design that is enduring, embodying a classic aesthetic,” Wong says.
Every component has been meticulously tailored for a truly elevated sophistication. Taking into account all aspects of residential lifestyle – from the basics of staff quarters to minuscule adjustments for driver access – Wheelock prides themselves on supreme painstaking diligence.
Being present in the house itself, it’s almost impossible to notice all the small choices made that seamlessly guide user convenience. Automatic doors to the kitchen aid domestic helpers in carrying dishes in and out, washing machines are intentionally numbered to generate efficiency for all household members, and spaces are purposefully allocated for bodyguards and drivers. A testament to the level of consideration with each brick laid, dwellings ensure that all needs and wants are duly fulfilled.
“After finishing every project, we value one thing highly – feedback from people who have visited or bought. We pay attention to this so we can implement it in the next project,” says Wong. “In recent years, we found that some Mainland buyers have extra requirements. For example, they might have drivers or bodyguards who need to live in the house too, so we have to do more work on space allocation. At Mount Nicholson, we have an area where cars can be parked. What is the convenience there? It’s for the drivers so as soon as the owner or family needs to go out, the drivers can already be on standby. Our designs are not limited to just inside the house – we look at how the entire project’s facilities can cater to their needs. They are looking for time, efficiency and convenience. And we hope the overall design supports this. These clients already live in luxury properties, so when they come to us to consider a new property, it has to have everything. Otherwise they have no incentive to choose us.”
Not just in physical function, addresses combine Chinese philosophies with Western conceptions to aid in clients’ spiritual endeavours. Although not their most important consideration, projects always take into account expert opinions, aligning traditional wisdom with complete design.
The vast majority of units face South, allowing for rooms to not only be filled with positive Yang energy but also avoid harsh afternoon sunlight for a pleasant mix of practicality and spirituality. Balancing the five elements, water is equalised by metallic gold sculptures. Emphasising artwork as a top priority for potential buyers’, spaces not only serve as areas of living but also galleries – enabling homeowners to display their own curated taste and character anywhere – no matter how mundane or unexpected. “Garages are often functional, but if we can add special functions, it’s quite interesting,” says Wong. “For 77 Peak Road, I showed a photo to someone and asked, ‘What place is this?’ Everyone thought it was the living room. Actually, it was the garage.”
A tenet that stays with them as they expand beyond Mount Austin, Wheelock’s expansion into Kowloon is planned for the foot of Lion Rock. An origin point for nine powerful dragon veins, the orientation is believed to remain prosperous into the foreseeable future. Located directly in front of a reservoir, water bodies attract wealth and luck to the site.
Envisioned as a culmination of the group’s core beliefs, it’s arranged for Kowloon Tong: a low-density neighbourhood and similarly historically significant area as home to Hong Kong’s most influential figures – from shipping king Tung Chao-Yang to legendary businessman Sir Robert Ho Tung and others like the Lui family of KMB, ginger-export pioneer Yu Tat-chee and even action hero Bruce Lee.
Rooted in the chronicles of the Pearl of the Orient, Wheelock Properties hopes to share more of these stories with their first foray across the harbour. “I feel that when we undertake a project, it is not just about development,” Wong says. “We should foster connections within that community, allowing residents to continue expanding their social circles. I believe everyone understands the significance of this.”
