HSBC Building
Hong Kong, China

HEIGHT: 179m
FLOORS: 41 floors
COMPLETION: ?
ARCHITECT: Norman Foster

http://www.kiat.net/pix/asia/images/hsbc3.jpg
http://www.kiat.net/pix/asia/images/hsbc19.jpg
http://www.kiat.net/pix/asia/images/hsbc6.jpg

:omg: too much foster!

5/10

too small to impose a mark on the HK skyline. 7/10

not tall enough to make a big impact.

5/10

The HSBC building is one of the best and most famous building in Hong Kong
I give it 10/10 definitely

to do this tower justice you have to post pics of its INSIDE

8/10

I've heard a lot of raves about this building, but frankly, its exterior isnt appealing at all. Nevertheless i'll give it an 8.

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<td align=left valign=center> <smallfont> <b>Quote</B> <I>originally posted by SteelCity41 </i></b> </smallfont> </td>
<tr><td align=left valign=top>not tall enough to make a big impact.

5/10</td></tr>
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Never mind its impact on the skyline. I'm getting really irritated with people docking major pointage for supposed "lack of height.” The idea that a building of this caliber of architecture should get a 5 merely on the basis of height is laughable. HSBC–Hong Kong, is so far ahead of it’s time that architectural trends are just now catching up with it. In fact, the “lack of height” is more than made up by the building’s location – it can easily be spotted from the Harbor, and is one of the most recognizable and well-lit structures in the city.

10/10

(BTW - that first pic is orgasmic.)

http://www.kleptography.com/images-angles/hsbc/crw_0294-800usps120-70.jpg

You will be surprise if you look inside of the building

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<td align=left valign=center> <smallfont> <b>Quote</B> <I>originally posted by skyway </i></b> </smallfont> </td>
<tr><td align=left valign=top>:omg: too much foster!

5/10</td></tr>
</table>
Couldn't agree more.

9.5/10

I can never get enough of Foster!

this is a master peice, maybe not as much as BOC but it sure is a landmark! 9.5/10

Damn!! :puke:

That doesn't look pretty!

4/10

Haha.. HSBC is definately the most controversial and unique building in Hong Kong - if *thats* possible !!!

I couldn't make up my mind when I was there if it was masterpiece or giant meccano set !!

In hindsight I think I like it.. its so intricate and detailed .. and I'm very tempted by this talk of the inside..

8/10

So-so: 6/10.

i like this building! it has quite a unique design...
so what's about the inside of this building?

I like the basic premise of the design, but honestly it looks like you could launch a rocket out of it!6

One of the best in Hong Kong.I love it!
9.5/10

I give it a 10 of course.

Why does it seem most people don't appreciate (or don't understand) hyper-diversity in highrise architecture?

Eww... it looks really messed up. :(

4.0

can you imagine this was designed in the late70s to early 80s ...
the skeletal design the open atrium the lions with gun-shot holes

this is a masterpiece

Uhhh... what is that!?!?!? :? 0/10

Masterpiece

One of the best skyscraper in the world!
10/10

9/10
Unusual design :)

no doubt about that masterpiece 20/10!

Best Hong Kong building, far more impressive than Foster's Easter Egg, the Swiss RE.

9.5/10

Originally posted by airsickpenthousedweller

... far more impressive than Foster's Easter Egg, the Swiss RE.

9.5/10

Couldn't agree more. The building's cool. 8/10.

7.5/10

5/10

8/10


quite unique

looks like some factory building with all these exterior steel decorational columns. it looks like it's got 2 machine guns on top of it too. cool...

i like its hi-tech feel, but the bucks they spent on the construction of this building is rather ridiculous.

6

Landmark

9/10

it's too expensive...........

3.5/10
To industrial. Not as plesent as the one in London:)

http://www.pbase.com/image/26106893.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/image/25306084.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/image/27912707.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/image/28416395.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/image/28416393.jpg

10/10

Unique construction, but the facade is to messed up, 6/10

4.5/10, not liking it at all.

Description from the Foster & Partners Website

Conceived during a sensitive period in the former colony's history, the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Headquarters was a statement of confidence, created without compromise: the brief was for nothing less than 'the best bank building in the world'. Through a process of questioning and challenging - including the involvement of a feng shui geomancer - the project addressed the nature of banking in Hong Kong and how it should be expressed in built form. In doing so it virtually reinvented the office tower.

The requirement to build in excess of a million square feet in a short time-scale suggested a high degree of prefabrication, including factory-finished modules, while the need to build downwards and upwards simultaneously led to the adoption of a suspension structure, with pairs of steel masts arranged in three bays. The building form is articulated in a stepped profile of individual towers - respectively 29, 36 and 44 storeys high - which create floors of varying width and depth, garden terraces on the roof of each tower, and vigorous east and west elevations.

The 'bridges' that span between the masts define double-height reception areas. These spaces break down the scale of the building both visually and socially, reflecting village-like clusters of space. A unique system of movement through the building combines high-speed lifts to the reception spaces with escalators beyond.

From the outset the Bank placed a high priority on flexibility. The masted structure allows another radical move, pushing the service cores to the perimeter to create deep-plan floors around a ten-storey atrium. Interestingly, over the years, the Bank has been able to reconfigure office layouts with ease, even incorporating a large dealers' room into one floor - a move that could not have been anticipated when the building was designed.

At the top of the building, a mirrored 'sunscoop' reflects sunlight down through the atrium to the floor of a public plaza below. At weekends this sheltered space has become a lively picnic spot. Significantly, it also allowed the bank to develop the site at a plot ratio of 18:1 when 14:1 was the norm. From here escalators rise up to the main banking hall. With its glass underbelly, it is literally a shop window for banking.

Appointment Date: 1979
Construction Date: 1983
Completion Date: 1986
Statistics: Area: 99 000 m2

I've never really liked this building. 6.5/10

Clever structural system, designed with environmental considerations in mind (eg. use giant reflector at the top to scoop lights into the building's atrium). The external braced columns allow for open floor plans. What a beauty! 10/10

That's the worst Norman Foster I've ever seen! Ugly as hell.
3/10

9/10

An outstanding piece of architecture. Reminds me of the Lloyds Building in London. Shame it couldn't have been taller.

6/10

Foster is THE man. ...10... :)

very unique... 8/10

I dont like it too much, way to industrial looking, not my style
3/10

Fits in well and looks impressive at night but I don't particularly like it.

6/10

I rate it 9/10, I remember visiting it in 2000 and I was hugely impressed. :okay:

Foster's best work imo, 9/10

10.0/10

LOVE IT!!!!

6/10

9.5

Different. 5.5/10.

7/10

mmh don't like sorry :(
5.5

7/10. Its alright, but its exterior is a little too complicated. Reminds me of the Lloyds Building in London.

Bold but not tall enough for HK. 7.5/10

10/10

8/10

very skeletal

9/10

6/10

:omg: I like this building! I just love the design! :)

Absolutely, positively not my cup of tea. 6

more than 10 for me...

this building reminds me of playing the Lego...

This is Norman Foster classic! Also, even if it was built during the 80s, it still has an ultramodern look!

10/10

I like the idea.
But the execution is just not working for me.
Still a very impressive piece of construction-skills.

7/10

8/10
A very good example of High-tech Modernism Style!!

9.5/10

Great building, it's really interesting... the exterior, the interior, the street level, everything about it.

This is one of the greatest buildings of all time.

It is said to have perfect Fung Shui, both in its interior and exterior.
It was build so it could be disassembled and moved completely!
This was because of the fear of the 1997 Chinese takeover may stop
capitalism.
It is one of the most expensive buildings of all time, at over $2 billion.
Plus, its a Foster!

10/10

I noticed that this thread is lacking in picture representation.


I like it, especially the gun turrets at the top. The crossbraces are also quite interesting. The downside is that 180m is not tall enough for HK. Still, the lighting scheme compensates for its height. 9.5
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/5218/1263573003a73c52e4co9rd.jpg

good tower, i like it 8/10

It simply looks like a pile of trash metal. Although it might look good from a different perspective, I don't like the look of this building.
5/10

Who cares about the height, it's the look!!!

Night: 8/10
Day:5/10
Average :6.5/10

8/10

Interior and exterior are superb, 9/10

8 / 10

technologically advanced (modular design) but not very elegant in appearance.

An architectual masterpiece! As a building built 30 years ago it now fits in with modern skyscrapers. This building helped define modern skyscrapers.
10/10

9/10

I would like to continue to stress that this building is an engineering masterpiece.

I got lost in Hong Kong and went up the open air escalator, hoping there was [another] mall inside. Though I was confused when I found the largest bank lobby I had ever seen, I was very impressed with the building. Lots of people enjoyed taking refuge under it during the rainstorm too. :)

A perfect 10!

:grouphug:

http://static.flickr.com/63/180220113_ba83a90474_b.jpg

8/10

10/10

5/10

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/176/426659468_a77e7933b4_b.jpg
source: http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=426659468&size=l

5/10

7/10

structure is good... beautiful... 6/10

not high but classic 10/10

so powerful! 9/10...looks so sci-fi! great! :applause:

8/10

5/10

10

10!
so futuristic
love it!

9/10 wow it looks so awesome! :eek: very nice.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3050/2597446340_397f107c01_o.jpg
source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wing1990hk/

8/10:)

9,5/10

8/10

9.5/10

10/10

my favotite 9/10

9. Very good building. Regards.

9/10

8/10

8/10

6/10

7.5/10

Kind of messy to me.....lack of height.....not very pretty

6/10

7/10

6,5/10

7,5/10

10/10!