Bank of China Tower

Address: Bank of China, 1 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong
Date: 1985-90
Design: I.M. Pei & Partners, Sherman Kung & Associates Architects Ltd


Photos © Andrew McRae

high towers cluster, bank of china on left:

Photo © adrian welch

Height: 367m high

Famous skyscraper with clean styling with strong diagonal motif and double spikes
at top. Apparently bad feng shui according to some Hong Kong architects that I spoke to.

Public viewing at 42nd floor at time of writing, 2005 - views from bank of china:

Photos © adrian welch

Bank of China Tower Architects - I M Pei & Partners

Tallest building in Hong Kong and Asia from 1989 to 1992, until the completion
of Central Plaza, 374m high.

Bank of China landscape on east side

Photo © adrian welch

I M Pei & Partners were formed in 1966 and received the American Institute of Architects 1968 Architectural Firm Award. I M Pei & Partners have since become Pei Cobb Freed & Partners: their office is in New York. Other buildings featured online by I M Pei architect are Javits Convention Center and Johnson Museum of Art - New York Architecture - and The Louvre Pyramid in Paris - Paris Buildings

A key Hong Kong building close to the Bank of China Tower:

Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank - HSBC Building
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd, 1 Queen's Road, Central
Hong Kong
Foster & Partners
1979-85

hsbc bank by foster & partners, left; in the middle is the Cheung Kong Centre

At 179m high the HSBC Bank seems tiny now elative to recent Hong Kong skyscrapers but at the time became world -famous for its strong concept and clean expression of technology and structure. Norman Foster combines some ideas from Lloyds building in London with local requirements to creat a simple but striking tower. The space underneath is amazing, a public space the size of a cathedral nave in the heart of the city: visit on a Sunday for the throb of Filipino's gathered below.

Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank Tower Architects - Foster & Partners

Ten Key Hong Kong Buildings (chronological):

1. Happy Valley Racecourse
from 1846
Architects n/a

2. Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank - HSBC Building
1979-85
Foster & Partners

3. Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre - HKCEC
1988
Architects n/a

4. Bank of China
1985-90
I M Pei & Partners; Sherman Kung & Associates Architects Ltd

5. The Peak
1991-95
Terry Farrell, Architects

6. One International Finance Centre
1998
Cesar Pelli & Associates Architects; Rocco Design Limited; Hirsch Bedner
Associates

7. Chep Lap Kok Airport
1998
Foster & Partners, Architects

8. The Center
1998
DLN Architects & Engineers

9. Cosco Tower
1998
Hsin Yieh Architects & Associates Ltd

10. Two International Finance Centre - 2 IFC Hong Kong
2003
Rocco Design Limited, Cesar Pelli & Associates Architects



Hong Kong Architects - with buildings featured in this guide

New York Architecture

Modern Architects

Royal Bank of Scotland HQ building. RBS have major links with the Bank of China.



World Architecture : e-architect - a guide to key buildings across the globe

Hong Kong Architecture - Photos with captions only

Comments / photos for the Bank of China Tower page welcome:
info@e-architect.co.uk

Bank of China Hong Kong Building - page : adrian welch / isabelle lomholt