The Bank Of China Tower

The Bank of China Tower
The Bank of China Tower (abbreviated BOC Tower) is one of the most recognisable skyscrapers in Admiralty, Hong Kong. Ithouses the headquarters for the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited. The building is located at 1 Garden Road, in Central and Western District onHong Kong Island.

Designed by I. M. Pei, the building is 315.0 meters high with two masts reaching 367.4 meters high. It was the tallestbuilding in Hong Kong and Asia from 1989 to 1992, and it was the first building outside the United States to break the 305 meters mark. It is now thefourth tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong, after International Commerce Centre, Two International Finance Centre and Central Plaza.

The 6,700 m2site on which the building is constructed was formerly the location of Murray House. After its brick-by-brick relocation to Stanley, the site wassold by the Government for "only $1 billion" in August 1982 amidst growing concern over the future of Hong Kong in the run-up to the transfer ofsovereignty.

The building was initially built by the Hong Kong Branch of the Bank of China; its Garden Road entrance continues to display the name"Bank of China", rather than BOCHK. The top four and the bottom 19 stories are used by the Bank, while the other floors are leased out. Ownershiphas since been transferred to BOCHK, although the Bank of China has leased back several floors for use by its own operations in Hong Kong.