The architect family behind Hong Kong’s Bank of China Tower

The iconic Bank of China Tower on Garden Road in Central is one of Hong Kong’s landmark buildings – a “masterpiece” designed by well known architect I.M. Pei.

Pei’s son Sandi Pei Li-Chung, 67, who followed in his father’s footsteps to become an architect in New York, spent eight years helping his father design for the 70-storey tower which, when completed in 1990, was the tallest building in Hong Kong.

The Pei family has a strong relationship with Bank of China. Sandi Pei’s grandfather, Pei Tsu-yee, was the first general manager to head the Hong Kong office of Bank of China before world war two.

Sandi Pei is the third of four children by I.M Pei, who will turn 100 year this year – the same age as Bank of China in Hong Kong. Sandi and his second eldest brother Didi Pei Chien-chung, both followed their father to become architects, with the two brothers having set up Pei Partnership Architects 25 years ago.

Sandi Pei has visited Hong Kong many times during the past year to work on the design for the refurbishment of the old Bank of China building in Queen’s Road, which will turn part of the historical building into a private banking regional headquarters, set to open in June this year.

In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Sandi Pei talked about his father, his vision of what makes a good architect, and the feng shui behind the design of the Bank of China Tower.