Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong

Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong Overview

Bank of China Tower, also known as BOC Tower, antes up the Hong Kong’s skyline. This skyscraper has a prism-like frontage consisting of four triangular towers, all built of varying heights, made up of aluminum and glass. Designed by the American architect I.M. Pei, the building stands 72 stories tall, reaching the height of 1,084 feet (330.4 meters) and is the fourth tallest building in Hong Kong.

Located at 1 Garden Road, Bank of China Tower houses the Hong Kong headquarters of the Beijing based central Bank of China, hence the name. Once the visitors get inside the building, they can take a quick elevator ride up to the 43rd floor where they would get to see the panoramic views of the mid-city. Pei was asked to create a building that shows both the aspirations of Chinese people and symbolize the goodwill towards the British colony. Hence, he created the Bank of China tower which, for a few years, was the tallest building in the world.

Bank of China Tower Architecture

The building was built by Japanese contractor Kumagai Gumi and designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning architect I.M.Pei. The whole building structure is supported by five steel columns. The diagonal cuts that generate the prism-like look make the tower look like flooded with natural light.

The edifice of Bank of China Tower has often been compared to a bamboo plant that expands its trunks with each new opening of growth and symbolizes livelihood and prosperity. Though Pei was commissioned in 1982, the construction didn't start till 1985 due to certain challenges. Despite all the challenges, Pei realized the advantage of the location (just out of the airport flight path) and the building was completed in 1989.

How To Reach Bank of China Tower

The most convenient way to reach Bank of China Tower is to get off at MTR Central station, exit J2 and walk towards the Garden Road.

There are other abundant means of transport to choose from, all thanks to Hong Kong’s highly developed public transportation system, like - buses, minibuses, trams, ferries and so on which drop the tourist near the Bank of China Tower.