Bank of China Tower, Bank skyscraper in Central and Western District, Hong Kong
The Bank of China Tower is a 72-story office building that rises 367.4 meters above Hong Kong's financial district. Its exterior is made of glass and aluminum arranged in a geometric pattern of stacked triangular sections.
The tower opened in 1990 as the first building outside the United States to exceed 300 meters in height. This milestone redefined Asia's skyline and established Hong Kong as a major center for tall-building construction.
The design follows bamboo, whose segmented growth stands for strength and vigour in Chinese tradition, while the granite-clad base represents the Great Wall. Feng shui practitioners objected to the sharp edges and the X shapes of the original scheme, and I. M. Pei altered the design after their feedback. The profile is likened to a meat cleaver, earning the Cantonese nickname 一把刀, 'one knife'.
The 43rd-floor observation deck closed in October 2014 and is no longer open to the public. The tower is reached on foot from Central MTR station Exit J2 through Chater Garden. The Garden Road entrance is the main access point.
The tower's profile from certain angles resembles a meat cleaver, earning it the Cantonese nickname 一把刀 (yaat baa dou), meaning 'one knife'. Feng shui practitioners criticised its sharp edges and the 'X' shapes in the original design; architect I. M. Pei modified the design after their feedback. The building was the only major structure in Hong Kong built without consulting feng shui masters beforehand.
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