As one of the key financial centers in the world, Hong Kong boasts the largest number of skyscrapers of any city. Its famed skyline is the feature of many postcards and Instagram photos. Tourists flock to Victoria Peak, the highest point on Hong Kong Island, for a view of the city’s densely populated skyscrapers and other tall buildings. Below is a list of five of the most prominent skyscrapers in the city.
1. International Commerce Centre
Completed in 2010 and designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, the International Commerce Centre, or ICC as it is more commonly known, is the tallest building in Hong Kong and the 10th-tallest in the world, standing 484 meters. It also houses The Ritz-Carlton hotel. A mix of offices and retail stores completes the tenant mix of the 118-story building in Kowloon. The ICC also has a 360-degree observation deck for those inclined.
2. Bank of China Tower
Designed by famed Chinese-American architect I. M. Pei, the 70-story building has an asymmetrical design that is said to resemble a bamboo shooting upwards. It is also claimed to be in accordance with feng shui principles. Completed in 1990, it was the tallest building in Hong Kong at the time.
3. International Finance Centre Two (Two IFC)
Located in the center of Hong Kong’s business district, the International Finance Centre Two is the second-tallest building in the city at 415 meters. More commonly known as Two IFC, the building was designed by Argentine-American architect César Pelli and completed in 2003. Some would say that it stands out as a symbol of Hong Kong’s status as a finance hub, while others would note that its design stands out like a sore thumb, or almost a phallic symbol.
4. Central Plaza
This was Asia’s tallest building from 1992 to 1996. The 78-story building stands at 378 meters, making it Hong Kong’s third-tallest. It also has the world’s highest church, the Sky City Church, which is located on the 75th floor. With a pointed structure sticking out like the Petronas Towers in Malaysia, some would argue that Central Plaza resembles a syringe.
5. Cheung Kong Center
At 283 meters high, the Cheung Kong Center is the headquarters of Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing’s Cheung Kong Group. The eighth-tallest building in Hong Kong has an evening light show, features a boxy design and sits next to the Bank of China Tower. Completed in 1999, it was the third-tallest building in Hong Kong then.
