Hong Kong Architecture - Part I

As a major global financial centre, Hong Kong has it's fair share of landmark buildings. One of the most recognisable buildings is the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank - when it was built it was one of the most expensive buildings in the World. Designed by Sir Norman Foster - this was his breakthrough into the world of elite Architects. A high-tech icon, this building was designed in modular components much like a Lego set which was built in different parts of the World and assembled on site. The bridge structure was revolutionary in allowing an almost entirely column free space inside.

Another landmark building - the Bank of China. This building was designed by renown American Chinese Architect I.M. Pei. It was meant to upstage the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank building, and to a certain extent it succeeded through it's sheer aggressive stance. When the design was first unveiled, it was widely criticized as being not good Feng Shui due to the many sharp corners. Later on it was revealed that the sharp corners were deliberately introduced to weaken other financial instutitions in Hong Kong in order to ensure the BOC's eminence. Beileve it or not !