| World / China / Hongkong / Xianggangdao, 3 km from center | Coordinates: 22°17'8"N 114°9'33"E |
International Finance Centre (abbr. IFC, branded as "ifc") is an integrated commercial development on the waterfront of Hong Kong's Central District.
A prominent landmark on Hong Kong Island, it consists of two skyscrapers, the ifc mall, and the 55-storey Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong. Tower 2 is the tallest building in Hong Kong, usurping the place once occupied by Central Plaza. It is the third-tallest building in the Greater China region and the seventh-tallest office building in the world, based on structural heights; by roof height, only Taipei 101 and Sears Tower exceed it. The International Commerce Centre, currently under construction above the MTR Kowloon station and scheduled for completion in 2010, will usurp 2IFC's various titles.
The Airport Express Hong Kong Station is directly beneath it.
The complex was built entirely on reclaimed land, as part of a $40 billion complex for the Central station of the Airport Express line,[2] and was developed by Central Waterfront Property, a joint venture between Henderson Land Development and Sun Hung Kai Properties. In 1996, lead developer Sun Hung Kai had bid the sum of HK$5.5 billion to acquire the rights to develop from the Government. The MTR Corporation retained a stake in the venture. Sun Hung Kai, owns 47.5 per cent of the development, Henderson Land took a 32.5 per cent stake in the project and its associate Hong Kong and China Gas unit owns 15 per cent. Bank of China holds 5 per cent.[3]
The MTR issued a booklet showing its grand design in 1996 called Building Hong Kong's Future, which showed two 40-storey office blocks in front of the Hong Kong Station, each about 200 metres high. However, following advice from property agents, the MTR was persuaded to drop this plan for a single Megatower, 400 metres high, to make a distinctive landmark and provide better views for tenants. The apparent trade-off was that having one tall tower allowed open space to double, and 50 per cent more parking spaces are provided.[2]
Both 1IFC and 2IFC were designed by César Pelli, architect of the Petronas Towers[2]. 1IFC resembles the Goldman Sachs Tower in Jersey City, a tower also designed by Pelli. The construction costs of 2IFC was reputed to have been HK$ 19.5 billion[3]. More than 3,500 workers from various places around the world worked at the construction site during the peak construction period.
The Megatower not only failed to comply with the original design plan, it also breached Metroplan guidelines prohibiting new developments from cutting the ridge-line of Victoria Peak when seen from various key points[2]. The Metroplan states that viewers should be able to see at least 20 to 30 per cent of the hill above new developments when viewed from key points on the waterfront, including the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront[4]. As the top floor of Two ifc is slightly higher than the city's Victoria Peak viewing gallery in Hong Kong, many locals and tourists canvassed by The Standard objected that the tower would obstruct the famous view of Victoria Harbour from the Peak[2].
There had been some letters of complaints to the local newspapers about the proposed development including one from local historian, Jason Wordie, suggesting that the building may break government height guidelines[2]. "We try to adhere to the guidelines as far as possible," Chief Town Planner Chu Hing-yin says. "Visual impact and urban design is only one of them."[4]. The Town Planning Board had given its approval for the development in August 1996[2].
Christine Loh complained about the lack of transparency in decision-making: The Town Planning Board habitually meets behind closed doors, and its papers are classified[2]. Chief Executive Tung Chee-Hwa admitted that there may be a "mismatch between the understanding of our professional planners.... and the views that many in the community have about what sort of development is acceptable"[2].
Costly piling repairs were necessary after short-piling of part of the site was discovered by engineers, who found discrepancies in the volume of concrete usage and the volume of concrete actually required[5].
The problems affected the nine-level northern podium, close to the new ferry piers. Remedial measures involved the construction of two new bored piles either side of each of the 13 that had not reached rock level. The 38-storey South West Tower was apparently unaffected. Central Waterfront said that of the 110 bored piles used in the northern podium complex, "most of them were short", and blamed the contractor, B+B Construction[5].
One International Finance Centre was completed in 1998 and opened in 1999. It is 210 m tall[1], has 38 storeys and four trading floors, 18 high speed passenger lifts in 4 zones, and comprises 784,000 square feet (72,850 m²). The building currently accommodates approximately 5,000 people.
Category: hong kong skyscraper two highest na mataas gusali
place comments: |
5 months ago Ari | +1 |
 
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Splendid architecture,looks awesome at night! | ||||
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