Battle of The Buildings
Blue skies, holiday lights, this is the time of year our world-class buildings look best. But who’s the big daddy? Scott Murphy and Sheena Liang put the major contenders into a four-round knockout competition to duke it out.
HONG DIVISION
Two International Finance Center VS Jardine House
Two International Finance Center
Stats: 1,378 feet high, 88 stories, six years old.
Secret Weapon: Tallest building in the city, sixth highest in the world.
Form: One of the city’s true can’t-miss buildings. Alternately called “the shaver” and “the giant penis.” Should dwarf opponents.
Address: 8 Finance Street, Central
Jardine House
Stats: 586 feet, 52 floors, 32 years old.
Secret Weapon: Back in 1977, Jardine House starred as Hong Kong’s answer to the Empire State Building in our version of “King Kong” - “The Mighty Peking Man” – when the beast climbs the building before meeting his end.
Form: Long known as the “Building of a Thousand Assholes,” it was once officially named the Connaught Centre and was the tallest building in town - but that was more than 30 years ago. Expect humiliating defeat.
Address: Connaught Place, Central
Winner: TWO IFC
IFC’s double elevators drill a gaping hole in Jardine House’s kitsch look. “King Kong climbed us in ‘Mighty Peking Man,’” retorts Jardine House. “But we’ve had Angelina Jolie,” sighs IFC. Two IFC slam dunks the House into the harbor and comes back for more.
Hong Kong Cultural Center VS The Peninsula
Hong Kong Cultural Center
Stats: Boasts the widest range of first-class cultural performances in the city and Asia’s largest pipe organ, 16 years old.
Secret Weapon: Don’t underestimate its shape, visibility and most of all, the color.
Form: It’s not nicknamed the “pink elephant” for nothing.
Address: Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
The Peninsula
Stats: 399 feet, 30 floors, 300 rooms, 78 years old (tower 11 years old).
Secret Weapon: The rooftop helipad.
Form: It’s the last colonial hotel in the city, offering class to burn, and street-cred in the form of the Philippe Starck-designed Felix restaurant. A sleeper.
Address: Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Winner: The Peninsula
The Pen’s old-school elegance doesn’t even recognize its nouveau riche neighbor. “Tacky,” it sneers. Aptly, the Cultural Center collapses into a puddle of tears and asks for advice from the neighboring Clock Tower.
Convention and Exhibition Center VS Central Plaza
Convention and Exhibition Center
Stats: Five exhibition halls, two convention halls, two theaters, 52 meeting rooms, a business center and seven restaurants. Newest phase is eight years old.
Secret Weapon: A prime city-center harborfront location topped off by that eye-catching rooftop, nicknamed the “turtle” by some.
Form: Voted Asia-Pacific’s leading conference center numerous times, the Turtle looks like a lock.
Address: Harbour Road, Wan Chai