The autonomous territory that is part of the PRC, everyone is accustomed to consider a country. Hong Kong, grown from a small village, is one of the most mysterious and colorful places on our planet. The largest business and cultural center of Asia is a real paradise for tourists who dream of exoticism.
Residential skyscrapers directed to the sky
The business card of a city-state growing upwards is skyscrapers. Hong Kong, the former British enclave, has succeeded in building the tallest buildings in the world, more like buildings from science fiction films, and has long overshadowed competitors in Japan, the USA and Singapore. High population density and land scarcity are the main reasons for the transformation of the administrative center of China into the most densely built-up city on our planet.
The authorities found the only way to satisfy the housing needs of more than 7 million citizens, and anthill houses appear every year, piercing the heights and consisting of cubes of tiny apartments with narrow balconies.
Metropolis business cards
In the Asian city of the future, fitted to European standards, skyscrapers are everywhere. The first giant, consisting of glass and concrete, appeared in the 30s of the last century. The 13-story building of HSBC Bank was the first building about 70 meters high. But the real boom in building skyscrapers in Hong Kong falls on the 80s. At this time, 60 buildings with a height of more than 200 meters appear. Most of them are located in the Kowloon area.
The skyscrapers that have made Asia's leading financial center world famous are a necessity due to its special status. They accommodate business and office premises, as well as satisfy the needs of the local population and visitors to housing. Many buildings are being erected in filled sea areas. It should be noted that all skyscrapers are able to withstand the most destructive blows of the elements, and designers provide them with colorful evening illumination.
The building of the International Financial Center
The colorful Hong Kong, whose skyscrapers are recognized as the most beautiful on the planet, ranks first in the world in their number. The tallest building in the metropolis is the building of the International Financial Center, 425 meters high. The 90-story building, which has been under construction for 6 years, rises on the promenade in the Central District. For its unusual shape, residents called the tower, equipped with high-tech telecommunications, "corn."
It houses the offices of major financial companies. The MFC is the main attraction of the city, due to the construction of which a scandal erupted. Residents were unhappy that the building closed the panorama of the picturesque Mount Victoria and complained to local authorities, however, the authorities were on the side of the designers.
High-rise Central Plaza
Among the tallest skyscrapers in Hong Kong, a building stands out on top of which are installed large neon clocks that change color. Central Plaza, built of reinforced concrete, resembles a volumetric triangle in its shape. The real giant, 374 meters high, consists of two parts - the office building itself and a huge recreation area with green gardens and magnificent fountains. At the very top of the building stands a spire, which houses the tallest church in the world.
Feng Shui construction: skyscrapers with holes in Hong Kong
When building skyscrapers, builders take into account the rules of feng shui: in many buildings there are no 4th, 14th and 24th floors. The fact is that their name in Cantonese is consonant with the words associated with death.
In addition, tourists are extremely surprised by the fact that huge openings gap in the middle of the skyscrapers. And such an unusual architecture for Europeans raises a lot of questions. Some people think that this is done so that huge houses can cope with wind loads, while others simply admire the unusual modern design.
However, in fact, strange constructions are evidence that the traditions of the most ancient Chinese civilization are sacredly honored in the Middle Kingdom. For many centuries, people have comprehended the wisdom of interacting with the world. Locals worship dragons that descend from the mountains to the water to swim and get drunk. Each year, the coastline is surrounded by skyscrapers, covering mythical creatures that are carriers of positive energy, the path to life-giving moisture, which is fraught with trouble. And developers must leave giant holes the size of several apartments in Hong Kong's skyscrapers, which are called "dragon holes."
As modern architects say, designing such a hole is not so simple, and it takes a lot of skill to create additional space.
The modern urban landscape of a large financial center, where life does not stop for a second, is impossible to imagine without tall skyscrapers. Hong Kong is a rhythm city with many surprises. Projects of high-rises of the metropolis are developed both by architects and feng shui masters, who do everything to ensure that residents are in harmony with nature. It is no coincidence that large-scale structures are compared with the ancient Chinese teaching, which is undergoing a rebirth, and well-known companies spend fabulous sums on specialist consultations.