Sara Klomps, a director at Zaha Hadid Architects, is responsible for the realisation of The Henderson—a 36-storey building that stands as an architectural masterpiece in the heart of Hong Kong.
Inspired by Hong Kong’s vibrant mix of tradition and modern lifestyle, it stands out among the spectacular skyscrapers of the business district with its curved, organic-looking glass façade. dormakaba’s access solutions aided the architect in achieving her vision of a building that invites the public to visit and offers seamless, touch-free access.
Sara Klomps tells her story against the backdrop of Hong Kong’s skyscrapers, her small backpack slung over her shoulder and her cellphone in her hand. On the ferry approaching the metropolis’s business centre, her phone pings constantly, reminding her that there are still details to be worked out before her project is completed with the official opening of The Henderson, scheduled for 2026.
“That’s how it works here, always on the cutting edge,” she says with a smile, looking at her cellphone screen and typing as she continues talking. “There’s a lot of texting; my entire project is literally running on WhatsApp. I’m almost always on my cellphone.”
Jumping off the ferry and straight into a taxi, Sara quickly heads towards The Henderson. She has a lot to do today. She has to decide the layout of a floor that is still empty. Not all the counters are in the place she has planned for them. In the afternoon, she has a meeting with suppliers. After that, she has conferences with the Zaha Hadid office in London. Unexpected appointments always crop up.
The project has caused her countless long working days and sleepless nights, but she is happy to pay the price. “It’s always exciting to work on such a unique building. In Asia, customers love innovation. They often want smart architecture. And they want buildings that stand out, something that has never been done before. That’s fantastic for architects. It helps us realise our visions, of course.” She pauses briefly, smiles, and adds, “In Europe, people tend to be cautious about new things at first. Here, it’s the opposite. That gives me a lot of freedom, which I really enjoy.”
Sara alights at 2 Murray Road, where the real estate company Henderson Land Development bought the plot of land in 2017, on which The Henderson now stands. At the time, it was the most expensive building site in the world. This was partly because of its highly sought-after location right in the heart of Hong Kong with an unobstructed view of Chater Garden, the largest park in the otherwise extremely dense city centre.
In Charter Garden, the rest of the world seems to disappear for a moment. A path leads past old trees, landscaped gardens, a waterfall, and fountains—the place is ideal for those looking to take a break. From businesspeople working in the surrounding bank and office buildings, to tourists who want to recover from the hustle and bustle of the city, and senior citizens who traditionally meet in the green space to practice tai chi. This peaceful green outdoor area flows seamlessly into the spacious public areas inside The Henderson.
The reflections of the surroundings in the exceptionally precise façade emphasise the seamless connection between the garden, the city, and the interior of the building. The connection to the context played a central role in the design of The Henderson. The team at Zaha Hadid creatively raised the building on curved stilts to preserve as much of the existing public space under the building as possible, allowing visitors to be guided from Chater Garden into the publicly accessible area of The Henderson.
“It’s a magnificent sight when you look up from the park toward the sky and see the organically shaped silhouette of the building in front of you. Visitors can experience how the boundaries between outside and inside are connected and dissolved.”
Sara joined Zaha Hadid Architects in Hong Kong in November 2017. Almost 20 years earlier, shortly after graduating in Karlsruhe, she joined the London office of Zaha Hadid Architects. This allowed her to implement challenging projects and unconventional ideas, paving the way for her to become a multiple-award-winning architect.
As part of the team led by the famous founder Zaha Hadid, Sara drove the development and rise of the company to become one of the world’s leading architectural firms. In the London office, she played a key role in the design and implementation of award-winning buildings, such as the National Museum of 21st Century Arts Maxxi in Rome, the Phaneo Science Center with its experimental landscape in Wolfsburg, and the London Aquatics Centre, an important venue for the 2012 Olympic Games.
The Henderson joins this high-profile series of architectural masterpieces. People move seamlessly across walkways between the building and the park. An escalator leads to the third floor and the breathtaking lobby with panoramic views, shimmering walls, and light objects that look like works of art. Making this lobby public—with seating areas, art exhibitions, cafés, and restaurants—was an important decision and a central aspect of their design for The Henderson, says Sara Klomps. “We have created a new place for the public to come together and enjoy.”
From here, smart technology automatically opens sensor gates, doors, and elevator entrances for everyone who works here, has an appointment, or reservation at the rooftop restaurant, controlled only by cellphones or access cards. Part of this concept is the seamless and secure access solutions from dormakaba; security for access to the office floors was very important to the client.
“Once access authorisation has been checked, visitors can enjoy a seamless journey through the building,” explains Sara. The design of The Henderson already envisaged seamless movement within the building should be possible. No stopping, no waiting, no hesitation. After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, this idea became even more important—visitors can now go from the parking lot to the roof terrace without touching a single surface.
The building will officially open in 2026. Sara is delighted with the successful completion of her project and celebrated with her team and other stakeholders in March 2025. “Finishing something in life is always a strange moment—on the one hand, you’re sad, but at the same time, you’re happy because you’ve done it,” says Sara. She looks to the future with confidence and curiosity. “There will always be another challenging project that will inspire me.”
Watch the full video documentary on Sara Klomps here.
