Top 8 Modern Buildings in Hong Kong
Two International Finance Centre
Soaring 420 metres above the Central waterfront, this imposing landmark is currently Hong Kong's tallest building and among the world leaders. The skyscraper was completed in 2003 as part of a complex that includes the upmarket ifc mall and Four Seasons Hotel, as well as the Hong Kong station of the Airport Express and Tung Chung MTR lines.
Cheung Kong Center
This 62-storey building at the junction of Queen's Road Central and Garden Road is the headquarters for renowned property tycoon Li Ka-Shing's Cheung Kong Group. Designed by acclaimed architects Leo A Daly and Cesar Pelli, the building is enclosed in a sheath of reflective glass interwoven in a rich tapestry of stainless steel. At night, a computer-controlled optic lighting system gives the building a stunningly beautiful glow.
Exchange Square
Home to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and other financial institutions, this spectacular building was recognised as an important architectural achievement by Time Magazine, and was awarded a Silver Medal by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects in 1985. The complex comprises three office towers, two of 52 storeys and one 33 storeys high.
HSBC
HSBC Main Building is the first building of its size in Hong Kong constructed entirely of structural steel without any reinforced concrete in the inner core. Designed by acclaimed British architect Lord Norman Foster, the super hi-tech building in Central is a marvel of modern architectural design, costing nearly US$1 billion to construct. For good luck, rub the paws of the two bronze lions that guard the portals of the bank.
The Center
Best viewed at night, this 80-storey harbour-side skyscraper rising to a height of 350m is decorated top to bottom with the latest computerised neon lighting. The Center has a vivid low-voltage neon light system consisting of 8,784 red, green and blue tubes that create a slowly changing light show during the night, providing a spectacle that has become a Central landmark in its own right.
Bank of China Tower
This spectacular, 70-storey (368m), prism-like structure is the work of the renowned American-Chinese architect I.M. Pei. Completed in 1990, the building's asymmetrical form is pure geometry, and has been compared to a bamboo plant, which extends its trunk successively higher with each new burst of growth. The Bank of China is one of three note-issuing banks in Hong Kong (the others being HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank).
Central Plaza
Located on reclaimed land in North Wan Chai, the 78-storey (374m) Central Plaza is among the tallest buildings in Asia. After dusk, bright neon rods at the top of the building change colour each quarter-hour, creating the city's most visible timepiece. The vast 30m-high lobby is a palatial vision of marble, paintings and real palm trees.
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Jutting into Victoria Harbour on the Wan Chai waterfront is one of Hong Kong's most impressive and stunning pieces of architecture. The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, with its sweeping sails roof and vast glass windows, is a striking visual testament to Hong Kong's ongoing development. As the site of the 1997 ceremony returning Hong Kong to China, the adjacent commemorative Bauhinia Square is a huge attraction for Mainland visitors.