Coolest Buildings In Hong Kong

Hong Kong island is a city known for its skyline. It has the largest number of skyscrapers per square meter of space, and if you look at the island from directly across Victoria Harbour you’ll notice that they even build the skyscrapers going up the side of the mountain. There is no shortage of interesting buildings in Hong Kong, from the tallest, to the most unique. Here is a list of the coolest Hong Kong buildings every architecture nerd will love to see.

Jardine House

Jardine House is not as popular as it once was, but it does have a storied history. It was the first skyscraper on the island and is immediately recognizable by its many “porthole” windows dotting its four sides. The building was formerly known as Connaught Centre as it is located at 1 Connaught Place, Central. It is currently owned by the Jardines company.

The building was completed in 1972, and at the time was the tallest building in Hong Kong. It held that title until 1980 which it was surpassed by the Hopewell Center.

Location: 1 Connaught Pl, Central, Hong Kong

The Repulse Bay

Venturing outside the center of Hong Kong Island is a place called Repulse Bay. This area is where the rich and famous have their weekend houses and is far away from the hustle and bustle of downtown. The Repulse Bay is a residential and commercial building overlooking the bay and the surrounding mountains.

The modern building is located at the former site of the Repulse Bay Hotel, which closed in 1982. There were a plethora of famous guests who took residence at the hotel including George Bernard Shaw, Noel Coward. The hotel also played host to the honeymoon of Spain’s Crown Prince Juan Carlos and Crown Princess Sofia.

Most notably, the building is known for the giant square cut out from the building. This was intentionally added for feng shui purposes to allow the dragon of the mountain easy access to the sea.

Location: 109 Repulse Bay Rd, Repulse Bay, Hong Kong

International Commerce Center (ICC)

This is the tallest building in Hong Kong and located on the Kowloon side. The building is 484 m tall and was completed in 2010. At the time of completion it was the 4^th tallest in the world, currently sitting at 12^th tallest.

The International Commerce Center plays home to The Ritz Carlton Hong Kong, as well as the tallest bar in the world, Ozone, on the 118^th floor. It offers a fantastic view of the island, as well as Hong Kong’s second tallest building, the IFC.

Location: 1 Austin Rd W, West Kowloon, Hong Kong

Highcliff

This is one of those buildings built into the side of the mountain previously mentioned. It is located on the south slope facing Happy Valley and is known for being one of the most expensive residential towers in Hong Kong. However, what makes this building extremely cool is how thin it is. Highcliff has a slenderness ration of 1:20, making it the tallest building in the world with that thinness.

Location: 41D Stubbs Rd, Hong Kong

Chi Lin Nunnery

In a city known for its skyscrapers, let’s take a break and check out the Chi Lin Nunnery. The nunnery is located in the Diamond Hill section of Hong Kong Island and was rebuilt in 1998. It is in a style reminiscent of the Tang Dynasty. Boasting several temple halls it is a popular tourist destination for both Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. One of the nunnery’s most popular features is the Nan Lian Garden, known for its serene beauty.

Location: 5 Chi Lin Dr, Sheung Yuen Leng, Hong Kong

The Jockey Club Innovation Tower

This curvy innovation tower was created by the late British architect Zaha Hadid. It is her only building in Hong Kong and is located at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. While it is only 15 stories it is known for its unique shape surrounded by fairly boring (in comparison) regular buildings.

Location: Hung Hom, Hong Kong

The Opus

While only 12 stories tall this building doesn’t quite classify as a skyscraper, but it is beautiful and unique nonetheless. It was designed by Frank Gehry, and was his first Asian residential project. It is located in the Mid-Levels which is the area behind central going up the side of the mountain. There are only 12 apartments in the building, each taking an entire floor. The one located on the 8^th floor was the most expensive apartment sold in Hong Kong going for 470 million HKD.

Location: Mount Cameron, Hong Kong

Coolest Buildings In Hong Kong