Two International Finance Center (IFC)
Our short video of IFC and Jardine House Towers: https://youtube.com/shorts/FOoXaikCXRY?feature=shareIFC (IFC One and Two)There are several definitions of "Feng Shui": in a few words it is the practice of aligning buildings and objects so that they attract good luck and ward off misfortune. This is what we tried to show in our visit, with the different architectures and also the fact that these seven places are relatively close to each other and "influence" each other, especially in terms of energy and landscape (we will explain this).History: So, the first place on our tour is one of the International Finance Central. The IFC is composed of two towers. The most recent one is the second tallest building in Hong Kong, with 415 meters. The first tower (the smallest, 210m) opened in July 1998 and the second one in October 2003.Architecture: These two towers, and more precisely the second one, are among the most iconic when it comes to Feng Shui in architecture. They have special characteristics. Their architecture is supposed to bring good fortune, especially as most of the businesses in these buildings are banks and important trading places.According to the belief, the two towers benefit from luck and richness, which is a great advantage because they are located on Victoria Harbourfront and open water represents wealth. Another thing is that it represents well the Feng Shui style and its beliefs because, like most skyscrapers in Hong Kong, IFC towers do not have floors 14 and 24 (considered as "taboo floors") because the translation of the number four in Cantonese sounds like the word "death".And finally, Two IFC's iconic roof is designed to resemble a crown, a symbol of its elite status and prestige. But some people also believe that it resembles fingers reaching for the sky, or even heaven. Sources: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/things-to-do/hong-kong-buildings-with-the-most-iconic-feng-shui-featureshttps://theculturetrip.com/asia/china/hong-kong/articles/6-times-feng-shui-influenced-hong-kongs-skyline/
Jardine House
Picture of Jardine HouseCompleted in 1972, then the tallest building in Hong Kong (52 floors) (doubled from 1980 by the Hopewell Centre). Located at 1 Connaught Place. Designed by the architect Palmer & Turner. Example of dichotomy between Chinese design and Western engineering and technology. Owned by Hongkong Land Limited (a subsidiary of Jardines) and houses many offices. Connected to Exchange Square, IFC Two, The Landmark and World Wide House. Special feature of the facade: its identical rows of circular windows ➝ nicknamed "The House of a Thousand Arseholes". Symmetry: each window = two vertical rectangular panels pierced by an oculus. According to Feng shui principles: resemble coins (associated with wealth) and the sun (associated with heaven). The circular windows look like portholes, a nod to the history of the Jardine family (maritime trade) + portholes are elements associated with water in feng shui.Direct view on the Victoria harbor (= water). The government agreed that no building would be built to obstruct its view (consequence: height of the General Post Office building capped at 120 feet or 37 meters). View on a mountain behind.Landscaping: small garden on the east facade; 2 rectangular ponds; 6 fountains.Principles of feng shui also taken into account inside the building: presence of diagonals in all the lower floors of the building to repel evil; choice of materials (aluminum, marble in the hall, ... : it symbolize wealth)
HSBC Main Building
Picture of HSBC BuildingOne might expect banks to operate according to strictly rational and bureaucratic procedures. However, even the most important banks in Hong Kong use Feng Shui. This is the case of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, the largest bank in Hong Kong. This building was built in 1985 and is located in No 1 Queen's Road Central in the Central district on Hong Kong Island. When designing the new 47-story HSBC, a geomancer was engaged to apply feng shui principles. The building is built in front of Statue Square, which allows it to have a clear view of the harbor because no building blocks the view of the water, associated with prosperity. The geomancer's intervention led to the reversal of the direction of the triangular elements that you can see on the exterior facade. In the late 1980s, a new Bank of China was built next to the HSBC Main Building. Its construction was controversial because it is known to ignore feng shui principles and therefore have negative energy. To prevent bad luck by deflecting negative energy, HSBC installed two cannon-like structures towards the Bank of China Tower on its top. The feng shui principles can also be found inside the building. The escalators were placed at an angle to the entrance, to prevent evil spirits from entering the building and because evil spirits can only move in straight lines. The ground floor is completely open, to let the wind and positive qi flow. Two bronze lion statues supposed to bring luck and prosperity were placed in the hall after careful consultation with feng shui experts.Thanks to the consideration of all these elements, the building is known to have an excellent feng shui.
Cheung Kong Center
The Cheung Kong Center is a skyscraper in Central, Hong Kong designed by Cesar Pelli and opened in 1999. It is 68 stories tall with a height of 283m. The is the headquarters of Cheung Kong holidays (CHL) building is place to multinational banking firms & the coloured lights during the light show at night.When relating this to the Feng Shui we can see that the Cheung Kong Centre sits right between the Bank of China Tower and the HSBC building – caught between the negative energy radiated by the former and the deflecting cannons by the latter. That meant that the designers of Cheung Kong Centre had to be extra careful when it came to managing feng shui.In the end it was a square shape with a reflective glass exterior was designed with the orientation that ensured that qi was able to flow smoothly around the building. This reflective glass exterior has the purpose of balancing out the negative energy in the environment and to immunize the building against bad qi. Although the building is 283 meter high, this was actually a restricted height, reinforcing the principle of harmonizing with the environment rather than competing with its more ostentatious neighbours.
Bank of China Tower
Picture of Bank of China TowerThe Bank of China tower was designed by a Chinese-American architect I. M. Pei and its construction was completed in 1990. It is 315 meters high and is located at 1 Garden Road on Hong Kong Island. If it is appreciated by tourists and locals, and represents the modern architecture of Hong Kong, it has not always had a good reputation. Indeed, this tower with its angular structure is known to ignore the principles of feng shui. The sharp edges of the building "cut" the good qi and would transmit negative energy.Moreover, many unfortunate incidents took place during the construction and led to fuel superstitions, such as the sudden death of Hong Kong's governor and an economic downturn.To remedy this, new elements had to be incorporated. A small waterfall was installed next to the building to introduce the element of water. Giant rocks were also placed, symbolizing harmony and stability. Finally, many trees were installed around the building to purify the environment.Notorious for ignoring good feng shui principles.The Bank of China Tower is the only major building in Hong Kong that doesn’t follow the 3,000-year-old Chinese practice of feng shui, the belief that the energy of your environment affects well-being and prosperity.
Hong Kong Park
The public park opened in 1991Combines landscape and facilitiesFeng shui practice for inner balance
Central Government Complex of HKSAR
Short video of the Central Government Complex of HKSAR: https://youtube.com/shorts/FOoXaikCXRY?feature=shareHistory and location: The Hong Kong government complex is located on the Tamar site in Central. Since 2011, it has been the headquarters of the Government of Hong Kong.Beyond its architecture, the particularity of this building lies in the fact that it replaces many former places of power to form a single one, which brings everything together. The complex includes the administrative offices of the Hong Kong government, but also the Legislative Council Complex.This building, whose construction began in 2001, replaces the former government headquarters, which was considered too small and too costly to maintain. It can also be considered as the beginning of a new area.To make the link with our Feng Shui theme, we can also deduce that this new building and the energies that emanate from it are supposed to have a positive influence on the policies and decisions taken within it. It was therefore important for the architects and the executive to have such a building, which could cope with this. Because of Hong Kong's pride in "open and transparent governance”, the complex was originally conceived under the concept of the "Door Always Open", and is supposed to symbolize this. That is why the complex was to be publicly accessible and integrated into the surrounding urban context, and includes a series of public spaces.
