Hong Kong Architecture

Tuesday, August 15th we departed Salt Lake City for Hong Kong. The exhausting flight took us from Salt Lake City to San Francisco to Taipei and finally arriving in Hong Kong on the morning of the 17th. Hong Kong (Xiang Gang) literally means “fragrant harbor” but many would disagree. It is also known as “Pearl of the Orient” with its impressive architecture, towering skyscrapers, and wealthy business buildings. The skyline leaves you with a lasting impression of this former British colony’s financial wealth and power, not only in Asia but the world.

I know nothing about architecture, but talking with my friend who is a future architect has piqued an interest in thinking about why buildings look the way they do. In Hong Kong the harbor view is home to some of the most unique and outrageously wealthy architecture on the globe. A statement of the city’s power, wealth, and innovation.

Also, a lot of the architecture in Hong Kong is simply fun to observe. The Lippo Center below looks like koala bears climbing a tree:

Even residential areas are comprised of skyscrapers. Many residential buildings reach over 50 floors high. Land here is so valuable and expensive, everyone must build up. Here is a view of the Mid-Levels area where my family used to live as seen from Hong Kong Park:

The Arch is a new apartment complex on the Kowloon peninsula where my parents currently live. It is the perhaps one of the most expensive properties in the area. Literally minutes from the water, The Arch offers some of the best views of Hong Kong and its harbor. It’s obvious where The Arch gets the name, but not many know according to fengshui, the gap is considered good for tall buildings which sit so close to the water. The empty space in the building allows the mythical dragon which lives in the sea room to fly freely. Without this space, the dragon would crash into the tall building making it unsafe for residents living there.