How Jardine House, Hong Kong’s first skyscraper, led the evolution of the modern Central district
- Originally called Connaught Centre, Hongkong Land’s iconic waterfront building with the distinctive round windows opened in 1973 with a host of innovative features
- The development of the interconnected Landmark and Exchange Square complexes have also helped redefine Central as a destination for both business and leisure
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How the iconic Jardine House led the evolution of Hong Kong’s Central district
Hong Kong’s Central district has historically been the beating heart of the city, where the business elite close deals and the upper echelon of society mingle. But it was in 1973 that a groundbreaking building heralded the birth of the modern Central.
That year, Hong Kong’s first skyscraper, the 52-storey Connaught Centre, was opened by property developer Hongkong Land on a premium waterfront site in Central. It was Asia’s tallest skyscraper at the time, and also became one of the world’s most recognisable buildings with its 1,748 circular glazed windows.
The building was an example of modern architectural prowess, featuring what were Asia’s fastest lifts and largest air-conditioning chillers, along with pressurised stairwells that took fire safety to a new level.
More importantly, it marked a new era for Central as the commercial hub of Hong Kong, which over the next half-century would see its economy grow from US$8 billion (in today’s dollars) to a GDP of about US$360 billion in 2022.
Renamed Jardine House in 1989, the building remains an icon of Central in the present day. Its ample public space – the structure itself only covers 36 per cent of the total site – continues to be a popular hang-out spot, featuring a soothing rectangular pool with a waterfall as well as the timelessly elegant bronze sculpture Double Oval, by British artist Henry Moore
For five decades, Jardine House has attracted leading companies to take up tenancies there, including global financial institutions, prestigious law firms and accounting services firms. Many of the original tenants have never relocated anywhere else.
