Guide to Hong Kong Buildings / Architects



Hong Kong was once owned by the British but is now controlled by China. It is a major world business city, a trading post between the Orient and the Occident, the east and the west. The city is famous for the grouping of skyscrapers seen in the photo above.

Famous architects with buildings in the city include Foster & Partners, Cesar Pelli, Terry Farrell and I M Pei. The tallest building currently is 2 IFC. Famous Hong Kong architecture includes the Bank of China, Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank and The Peak.

Enjoy your visit!




All Hong Kong buildings are listed using a standard format:

- Title in English
- Key date of building completion; key dates of subsequent work
- Architect or Architects
- A short description of the architecture & personal evaluation


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 Architecture - Photos with captions only


Key Hong Kong Buildings (alphabetical):

1. Happy Valley Racecourse
-
from 1846
Architects n/a

World-famous multistorey stadium: Hong Kong Racecourse building


2. 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 relative to recent Hong Kong skyscrapers but at the time became world-famous for its strong concept and clean expression of technology and structure: Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank


3. Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre - HKCEC
Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, 1 Expo Drive, Wanchai, Hong Kong
1988; extension 1997
Architects n/a
Based on the idea of a seabird with its wings as the cantilevering roof this building juts out into Hong Kong harbour: Hong Kong Convention Centre


4. Bank of China - Tower
Bank of China, 1 Garden Rd, Central, Hong Kong
1985-90
I.M. Pei & Partners, Sherman Kung & Associates Architects Ltd

high towers cluster, bank of china on left
367m high skyscraper, clean styling with strong diagonal motif and double spikes
at top. Apparently bad feng shui according to Hong Kong architects that I spoke
to. Tallest building in Hong Kong and Asia from 1989 to 1992, until the completion
of Central Plaza, 374m high: Bank of China Tower.


5. The Peak - Peak Tower
Victoria Peak
1991-95
Terry Farrell, Architects

View from the peak tower

Curious building shaped like a Wok on two legs. Designed to look good on the skyline this is an early 'icon building'.


Peak Tram

The Peak Hong Kong is reached by a funicular ride through upper Hong Kong


6. One International Finance Centre
One International Finance Centre, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong
1998
Cesar Pelli & Associates Architects, Rocco Design Limited, Hirsch Bedner
Associates

One International Finance Centre in foreground with 2 IFC behind on left

210m high
The forerunner to the higher IFC 2 skyscraper, also by architects Cesar Pelli
with Rocco Design.


7. Chep Lap Kok Airport
Lantau Island, Hong Kong
1998
Foster & Partners, Architects

Chep Lap Kok Hong Kong photo - credit: Dennis Gilbert/VIEW
HACTL Center Hong Kong - Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd
Hong Kong Airport has been No.1 in the world since 1996 in terms of international air cargo throughput. Reports suggest it cost $20bn. Two islands were flattened to form roughly a quarter of the new island. Hong Kong International Airport is reputedly the world's largest at approx. 550,000 sqm: Hong Kong Airport


8. The Center
The Center, Central / Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
1998
DLN Architects & Engineers

View looking up The Center skyscraper

346m high
located in centre of Hong Kong business district, rather tacky reflective glass tower based on square plan with smaller 45 degree rotated square within and expressed. The Center Hong Kong glows in different colours at night with a sequence of neon horizontal strips getting progressively closer to each other up the building.


9. Cosco Tower
183 Queen's Road, Central / Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
1998
Hsin Yieh Architects & Associates Ltd

views from this hong kong skyscraper out over centre to east

228m high
contains RMJM Architects' offices


10. Two International Finance Centre - 2 IFC Hong Kong
Two International Finance Centre, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong
2003
Rocco Design Limited, Cesar Pelli & Associates Architects

ifc2 skyscraper the tallest tower in hong kong - cesar pelli - on left of image with smaller One International Finance Centre in foreground, both in similar styles by same architects


harbour views looking to hong kong with pencil of 2 IFC on right

This is the tallest Hong Kong building, taking over from the 374m high Central Plaza at 415m high.

The International Commerce Centre skyscraper is under construction and should overtake 2 IFC by 2007.


Hong Kong Architects - with buildings featured in this guide


Hong Kong Buildings - General Photos:


typical views in wan chai looking west to hong kong centre


views looking south from wan chai skyscraper (happy valley racecourse on right)


modernist office building on hillside to southwest of centre


modern housing high on hillside to southwest of Hong Kong centre


view looking north over wan chai towards kowloon


Other buildings in this Guide to Hong Kong Architecture (alphabetical):

Central Plaza
reclaimed land, north Wan Chai
1992
DLN Architects & Engineers
374m high
The tallest building in Hong Kong until completion of Two International Finance
Center - 2 IFC - in 2003. Central Plaza was the tallest building in Asia from 1992 until Shun Hing Square was completed in 1996. Central Plaza Hong Kong was the World's tallest reinforced-concrete building until the completion of CITIC Plaza, Guangzhou. This skyscraper became the tallest building in Hong Kong: the previous tower was I M Pei's Bank of China.

The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre - HKCEC - is located immediately to the north, jutting out into Hong Kong harbour.

Cheung Kong Centre
Cheung Kong Centre, 2 Queens Rd. Central Hong Kong
1999
Hsin Yieh Architects & Associates Ltd; Cesar Pelli & Associates Architects, Leo Daly, Architect

The Cheung Kong Centre is pictured centre; Bank of China tower to left


Cheung Kong Centre is pictured centre; hsbc bank by foster & partners to left

283m high
The Cheung Kong Centre is the simplest (some might say dullest) Hong Kong skyscraper, extruded rectilinear tower with no frills: Hong Kong Skyscraper

Creative Media Centre
City University of Hong Kong
2006
Studio Daniel Libeskind
This is the first 'chinese building' by architect Daniel Libeskind.
Another featured building by Daniel Libeskind: Freedom Tower - see New York page

Emporio Armani Hong Kong
2001-2002
Massimiliano Fuksas Architects

The Highcliff and the Summit, Hong Kong
2002
Dennis Lau Wing-kwong, architect - Dennis Lau & Ny Chun Man Architects &
Engineers

Hong Kong Science Park Phase 2
-
Leigh & Orange Ltd

Hong Kong University of Science & Technology
2007-
Woods Bagot
Business School and Advanced Learning Centre
US$100m

Hopewell Centre
183 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai / Central, Hong Kong
1980
WMKY Ltd, Architects
216m high
Refreshing for Hong Kong skyscrapers this tower is circular and its main mass is
quite attractive due to well-designed rhythmic fenestration. Echoing James Bond
movies it has a swimming pool at the top and a revolving restaurant! It held
the title of tallest Hong Kong skyscraper from 1980 until 1989. It lost the
title to the Bank of China tower by architect I M Pei.

Innovation Tower, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University - PolyU
2007-
Zaha Hadid Architects

Hong Kong University Building

Jardine House
1 Connaught Place, Central, Hong Kong
1973
P & T Architects & Engineers Ltd

179m high
This building is easilt recognisable with a regular grid of circular windows,
earning it a nickname 'the building of a thousand ****holes'. Jardine house
would be more attractive without its silly angled hat, as the rectilinear
extrusion and clean grid of windows makes it quite striking. Located in the
historic centre of Hong Kong by the harbour this 50-storey skyscraper was the
tallest building in Hong Kong from 1972 to 1980. It lost the title of Hong
Kong's tallest building to the Hopewell Center.
Hong Kong building

Lippo Center
89 Queensway, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island
1998
Paul Rudolph, Wong & Ouyang (HK) Ltd

172m high
Hong Kong skyscraper

Ristorante Isola
-
Leigh & Orange Ltd

Hong Kong - Architecture News:
Nina Towers
2008
-
pair of towers, tallest at 319m high, currently 22nd tallest tower in world
For Chinachem Group

West Kowloon Cultural Complex
-
Foster & Partners

Human Genome Research Institute
-
Llewelyn Davies Yeang, with T. R. Hamzah & Yeang
Hong Kong building

Hong Kong - General Photos:

night swimming in wan chai, hong kong


stanley - beach on south side of hong kong island


bamboo scaffolding - building tradition


lush vegetation in central hong kong


church at base of the peak


typical alleyway

Hong Kong building by Massimiliano Fuksas Architects
Emporio Armani, Hong Kong
2001-02



Useful Links re Hong Kong Buildings:

Hong Kong Institute of Architects - www.hkia.net

Hong Kong Architecture - Guide to the Culture

Hong Kong Buildings : News

Key building in Canton, north of Hong Kong:
Guangzhou West Tower, China
Wilkinson Eyre Architects

World Architecture - City Guides:
Barcelona Architecture
Cambridge Architecture
Copenhagen Architecture
Hong Kong Architecture
New York Architecture
Paris Architecture



Architecture Competition

Most famous Hong Kong building - Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank

Chep Lap Kok Airport + HSBC Bank building are both by Foster & Partners

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

Buildings / photos for the Hong Kong Architecture page welcome:
info@e-architect.co.uk

Hong Kong Building Photos © adrian welch / isabelle lomholt unless stated otherwise