Jardine House

Picture of Jardine House

• Completed 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)