… steel scaffolding and tape, on the street, Shek Tong Tsui, Hong Kong, 27 May 2024 /
The large retrospective exhibition devoted to the Chinese-American architect IM Pei (1917-2019) organised by Hong Kong’s M+ museum motivated me to look again at his Bank of China Tower in Central. Built on the site of Murray House, the former officers’ quarters of the British Army at Murray Barracks, its location, surrounded by major roads and on a sloping site, was described at the time of construction as “difficult”.
If there were initial spatial restrictions, these are not obvious now. The tower has good ground-level pedestrian access and an imposing presence, with an architectural height of 315 metres; together with its two distinctive antenna masts, the building’s total height is 367 metres. The tower’s height impressively overwhelms the tight site and reaches upwards to overshadow lower adjacent buildings. Working with long-time structural engineering collaborator Leslie E Robertson (1928-2021), IM Pei developed the building’s form from four steel corner columns, onto which its weight transfers from its distinctive triangular/diamond framework. The building’s great height and angular appearance give it great presence that fits perfectly into Hong Kong island’s mountain-backed and harbour-fronted urban topography.
However, the Bank of China Tower does not dominate Hong Kong like some tall buildings and structures in other cities – such as the Taipei 101 tower in Taiwan. The building backs onto The Peak, and it is this landscape and orientation, with mountains and other high-rise buildings running through Hong Kong island, that blocks views of the tower from even nearby locales, such as Sheung Wan and Happy Valley. The Tower has a stronger presence when viewed from Kowloon, especially from higher elevations.
However, we see tracings of the Bank of China Tower throughout Hong Kong. The building’s form is a universal structural strengthening solution. Bamboo and ground steel-support scaffolding is seen throughout the city, and whether it’s a big or small job, cross-bracing using triangle, diamond or X formations can be seen on all scaffolding work. Cross-hatching is also seen on road markings and signage: a practical graphic design element used on the city’s streets. Nonchalantly placed objects encountered on the street, such as ladders, warning tape and mirrored reflections, also often give impressions of the Bank of China Tower.
I have photographed many reminders of the Bank of China Tower from around Hong Kong – of which the above is just one. A selection of these impressions can be seen below. IM Pei’s life work can be seen at M+ throughout 2024.
I.M. Pei: Life is Architecture
M+ museum, Hong Kong
Jun 29, 2024 – Jan 5, 2025
約翰·伯德：《由鋼棚和膠帶聯想到貝聿銘的香港中銀大廈，2024年5月27日香港石塘咀街頭》
香港M+博物館舉辦的美籍華裔建築師貝聿銘（1917-2019年）大型回顧展促使我開始重新審視他設計的中環中銀大廈。大廈建在美利樓的舊址上（原美利兵房的英國陸軍軍官宿舍），四周被主幹道環繞，地勢傾斜，建造時被認為「困難重重」。
當初的這些空間束縛，現在已不再明顯。如今，大廈氣勢恢宏，在地面擁有便捷的行人通道，建築本身高度為315米，加上兩根獨特的天線杆，使得整體達到367米。如此的高度在這密集區域中展現出壓倒性的氣勢，高聳入雲遮蔽了鄰近的低矮建築。貝聿銘與長期合作的結構工程師萊斯利·羅伯森（1928-2021年）一起，將大樓架構建立在四根鋼角柱之上，其獨特的三角形/菱形框架將大樓的重力荷載轉移至這四根鋼柱上。大廈壯觀的高度和棱角分明的外觀使得其與港島背山面海的都市地形完美融合。
然而，中銀大廈並不像台北101大樓等其他城市的一些高樓大廈那般俯視著城市。由於它背靠太平山，外加周圍有山巒和其他高樓貫穿港島，正是這種地形和朝向，使得即使在上環或跑馬地等毗鄰地方也看不到這座塔樓。相較之下，從九龍區，尤其是在地勢較高處看，大廈的存在感要更為強烈。
不過，中銀大廈的痕跡在全港到處可見。其建築外形採用的是普遍的結構加固方案，香港遍佈竹棚和地面鋼棚。無論大小工程，所有棚架上都能看到類似的三角形、菱形或X形的交叉支撐；此外，在路標和標識上也能看到交叉劃線：這是一種城市街道中非常實用的圖形設計項目。還有一些街上隨處可見的物品，如梯子、警示帶和鏡面反射，也常常能讓人想到中銀大廈。
我在香港各地拍攝了許多類似能讓人想到中銀大廈的照片，上圖只是其中之一。在Artomity網站上可以看到精選的部分照片。貝聿銘的畢生作品在2024年於M+持續展出。
貝聿銘：人生如建築
香港M+博物館
