Hauser & Wirth, a major Swiss contemporary and modern art gallery, is relocating to new premises in Hong Kong’s Central business district, to give art patrons and customers better access to its galleries, according to one of its top executives.

Zurich-headquartered Hauser will occupy 10,000 sq ft of space on the ground and first level of 8 Queen’s Road Central, located at the intersection of Queen’s Road Central, Ice House Street and Duddell Street, before the end of the year. Hauser currently occupies the 15th and 16th floors at H Queen’s, also in Central.

“Art is for all, and as a gallery we try and make it accessible and spark curiosity,” said Elaine Kwok, managing partner for Asia at Hauser. “Being able to welcome visitors to the space at street level is a wonderful feature of our new enhanced space, and it brings it in line with our galleries in major art hubs globally, making it more accessible for both local audiences and overseas travellers.” Central is also easy to reach and has an established network of galleries and institutions, she added.

The move comes as Hong Kong and mainland China have fully reopened after nearly three years of Covid-19 pandemic curbs, including strict travel requirements, allowing the return of mainland Chinese tourists to the city. It also follows some other top galleries that are moving to newer and much larger premises.

Hauser did not share details of its current and new lease agreements, but space at H Queen’s is available between HK$70 (US$8.92) and HK$130 per square foot per month versus HK$92 and HK$100 per square foot at 8 Queen’s, according to the property agency.

H Queen’s, developed by Henderson Land in 2017, has four other galleries including David Zwirner and Tang Contemporary Art. The tenants at the 23-year-old 8 Queen’s, owned by Sing Pao Investment, are mostly accounting and law firms.

“In terms of location, 8 Queen’s is closer to the heart of Central, but H Queen’s has sophisticated bundling specifications, which can cater to the galleries and lifestyle businesses,” said Vincent Cheung, managing director of Vincorn Consulting and Appraisal.

Hauser opened its Hong Kong gallery five years ago and has hosted exhibitions, including solo presentations by Annie Leibovitz and Mark Bradford among others.

Christie’s signed a 10-year lease in 2021 at The Henderson, owned by the developer of the same name and designed by Zaha Hadid architects. The building, is located in Central where the Murray Road multistorey car park used to stand. With a space of 50,000 sq ft across four storeys, the prestigious auctioneer says the space would allow it to hold year-round auctions and private sales from 2024.

Russian-owned auction house Phillips signed a leasing deal in December to occupy 48,000 sq ft of space at the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Tower to house its Asia headquarters. Phillips moved its gallery from St George’s Building in Central this month, while its office is set to move to the new location later this year.