Hong Kong Bank of China Tower

Deliberately planned to dwarf the neighbouring Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank Building, the Bank of China Tower is now Hong Kong’s ‘national’ monument.

The Chinese-American architect, I. M. Pei, developed Beijing’s triumphalist intentions into a soaring, gracefully irregular pinnacle, the design characteristics of which inspire lively debate among connoisseurs of feng shui.

The triangular and hexagonal structural logic requires some minutes of puzzled scrutiny.

The Hong Kong Bank of China Tower ( BOC Tower) houses the headquarters for the Bank of China (Hong Kong).

Designed by architect I. M. Pei, the building is 315 meters high with two masts reaching 369 meters (1209 feet) high.

The 70 story building was built in 1989 and is located near Central HK MTR station.

This was the tallest building in Hong Kong and Asia from 1989 to 1992, and it was the first building outside the United States to break the 1000 foot mark. That also means it was the tallest outside America from its completion year, 1990. It is now the third tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong, after Two International Finance Centre and Central Plaza.

The structural expressionism adopted in the design of this building resembles growing bamboo shoots, symbolising livelihood and prosperity. The whole structure is supported by the four steel columns at the corners of the building, with the triangular frameworks transferring the weight of the structure onto these four columns.

The building has been criticised by practitioners of Feng Shui for its sharp edges.

A small observation deck on the 43rd floor of the building is open to the public; visits to the main obsevation deck on the 70th floor are by appointment only.

The formal address of the building is: 1 Garden Road, Central HK, Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Bank of China Tower top

• Museum Pass
• Hong Kong Park
• Hong Kong Zoo
• HK Gold Coast
• HK Disneyland
• Hollywood Road
• Victoria Park
• Hong Kong Street Maps
• SOHO
• HSBC Bldg
• Victoria Peak