Arguably one of Hong Kong’s most distinctive buildings, Bank of China Tower is situated in the center of the city’s skyline. At the ground level, the tower is set back from the street to create an inviting pedestrian environment that is convenient, yet secluded from urban congestion. It is surrounded by a broad promenade, and flanked by cooling water gardens intended to muffle the noise of nearby traffic. The building is known for its observation deck on the 43rd floor, which offers unique views of the city from its central vantage point.

The architects were challenged to design a distinctive regional headquarters with a grand banking hall and office space, its use divided between the bank’s operations and tenant leasing. Another challenge in designing the building was to execute the building at the required height, with the added difficulties of building on a site in a typhoon zone, and keeping within fairly tight budget constraints. The solution, involving both creative architecture and engineering, involves an asymmetrical tower that addresses both skyline and street.

Designers looked to the form of bamboo shoots—as symbols of strength, growth, and prosperity—for inspiration. The tower is comprised of four vertical shafts; it emerges from a 52-meter cube and diminishes its mass incrementally, quadrant by quadrant, until a single triangular prism remains. The faceted prism is clad in reflective glass that mirrors the changing sky.

The whole structure is supported by five steel columns at the corners of the building, with the triangular frameworks transferring the weight of the structure onto these five columns. This innovative composite structural system not only resists high-velocity winds, but also realized significant savings in construction time and materials.