So that’s what a Frank Gehry building looks like on day one

Everyone living in or near a city knows the impact a stellar new building can have on the neighbourhood but how often do we get to see one in its initial idea stage?  The drawing above is the original doodle by Bilbao Guggenheim and LA Walt Disney Concert Hall architect Frank Gehry of a 12-storey residential tower overlooking Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong.

Each of the 12 apartments in Opus Hong Kong - one per floor - has 6,000 square feet with major sea views from the balconies. The building is currently going up at 53 Stubbs Road. The apartments themselves go on sale this Friday when the developers, Swire Properties, will stage a mini Gehry retrospective at ArtisTree in Quarry Bay to welcome the architect to the city.

Victoria Harbour however, is the most desirable postcode in the third most expensive property market in the world. Apartments on the same street, a third of the size and obviously not designed by Gehry, go for around 8 million US dollars.

The architect's maquette for Opus Hong Kong