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Outstanding

architectures
in

Hong Kong

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ARCHI
TEC
TURES
IN
HONG
KONG

Postmodern style

Modern style

HSBC Main Building

After 1990s, some Hong Kong
architectures have outstanding
shapes. The architectural style
is keep on changing to improve
the quality and performance
of architectures allowing us to
understand human civilization
and culture in different
dynasties.

01

But first, have you discover and

realise that the architectures in
Hong Kong are having various
styles and special shapes?

It is clear that the

architecture that having
an outstanding shape is
belonging to Postmodern
style.
Bank Of America Tower

Islamic style
Responding to the statment, it is obvious to know the
outstanding shapes mean Postmodern style. There is
no doubt that Hong Kong has number of postmodern
architectures and they really draw our attraction, such
as HSBC building, Hong Kong Central Library and
the newest Central Government Complex.

Classic style

Jamia Mosque

But is the changing and

improvement of architectural style
really in order to let us understand
human cilivlization and culture in
different dynasties?
Legislative Council Building

And is the development of

civilization the main reason
leading to the rise of postmodern
architecture?

02

PHENOMENON
After 1990, Hong Kong really have many postmodern architectures. They are
in different shapes and for different use.

The famous one must be HSBC Main Building

which in Central. This building was designed
by the British architect by Sir Norman Foster.
From the concept to completion, it took 7 years
(19781985). It is considered one of the finest
and most innovative bank buildings in the
world.

03

The Hong Kong Central Library was

constructed in Neoclassical-Postmodern
style. It completes with arches, columns, and
a Roman pediment. Also features a circle, a
square and a triangle.

The Central Government Complex which in Tamar,

designs a mix of postmodern architecture and
international design by Rocco Design Ltd. The open
door symbolizes openness and transparency of
governance. The architecture also demonstrates a
passionate commitment to sustainable design,
contributing to the concerted effort to bring back the
blue sky.1

Run Run Shaw Creative Media Centre. It

was design by New York architect
Daniel Libeskind in 2011. The distinctive
crystalline design forms an extraordinary
range of spaces rich in form, light, and
material that, together, create an interactive
environment for research and creativity.2

Agricultural Bank of China Tower (also called 50 Connaught

Road Central) was designed by postmodern architect
Robert A.M. Stern and located in the heart of Central.
The buildings facades are organized according to the rules of
Western classicism; simplified classical detailing gives the
building a dignified yet contemporary character.3

Building Journal Hongkong China - Tamar Development (February 2008)

Studio Daniel Libeskind
Robert A.M. Stern Architects - 50 Connaught Road Central

04

1
2
3

WHY DO POSTMODERN
ARCHITECTURES
ARISE

05

As we can see,

Hong Kong has lots of

postmodern architectures. So why do

these architectures arise? Is the development

of civilization the main reason leading to the rise of them?

So following are the explaination of the reason why postmodern
architectures appear and become a popular trend in the architecture field.

THE HEROIC PERIOD OF

MODERN ARCHITECTURES

Modern style began at the turn of the 20th century, and the Internetional style is a major
architectural style that emerged in the mid 1920s, which are the formative decades of Modern
architecture. The reason why postmodern architectural style arise is due to the monopolization of
modern and international style. The history and timeline showed that the1920s to the 1960s is the
period that modern architecture and international style monopolized.
In Hong Kong, we can see lots of modern architectures in everywhere, such as Central, Kwun Tong
and Kowlonn West etc. These skyscrapers showed us the result of a design should come from its
purpose. And also showed us the use of less materials, as well as more natural light.

The Center

Millennium 5

ICC

Cheung Kong Centre

06

 Architecture starts when you

carefully put two bricks together.
There it begins. 1

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Modernist Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is associated with the phrase Less is More. Based on this
principle, these architectures had became a popular trend for architects and shape a clear form
and appearance.
But these modern architectures became:
Monotonous

Almost same with others

Dehumanization

07

Therefore, a group of young architects tried to change the

appearance of current architectural phenomenon, and led to the
revolution of architectonics.

Brainy Quotes

THE ARISING OF
POSTMODERN
ARCHITECTURES
The Postmodernist movement began in America in the 1960s.
Robert Venturi was at the forefront of this movement. He
challenge Mies van der Rohes famous maxim Less is more
and proposed the pricinple of "Less is a bore".

VS

His book, Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture

(published in 1966)1, was instrumental in opening readers
eyes to new ways of thinking about buildings, as it drew
from the entire history of architectureboth high style
and vernacular, both historic and modernand lambasted
overly simplistic Functional Modernism.

Then postmodernism gained popularity

in late 1970s and widely spread to
worldwide like Europe, Asia through
several postmodern architect. And this
architectural style is keep on existing in
nowadays.

Philip Johnson

08

1 modernism101

Micheal Graves

CHARACTERISTICS

Pluralism

There are several kinds of

postmodern architectural styles,
like Deconstructivism that the
photo showing, Classicism and
Neovernacular.

Highly decorative

They are highly decorative

than modern architectures.
Some of them have flying
buttresses, high ceilings or
some decoration to show
diverse aesthetics.

Double coding

09

It means the buildings convey

many meanings.
For example, the design of
HSBC building is related to
Feng Shui.

Various forms

Pluralism
- Mixed style
- Broken style

They included the use of

sculptural forms, ornaments,
anthropomorphism and
materials which perform
trompe loeil.

Witty and humorous

One of the most notable
among their characteristics
is the playfully extravagant
forms and the humour of
the meanings the buildings
conveyed.

With human thinking

Pluralism
- Mixed style
- Broken style

Some of them showed

the visible concept and
consideration can be seen in the
architecture.

10

POSTMODERN ARCHITECTURE
DECONSTRUCTIVISM
Deconstructivism, it is one of the postmodern architectural styles that
began in the late 1980s. It is characterized by fragmentation, an interest
in manipulating a structure's surface or skin, non-rectilinear shapes
which appear to distort and dislocate elements of architecture, such as
structure and envelope.1
The Run Run Shaw Creative Media Centre of City University of Hong
Kong was completed in 2011. It was designed by American architect
Daniel Libeskind.

11

Non-center

Deconstructivist Architecture

To provide meaningful architecture is not

to parody history but to articulate it. 1
Daniel Libeskind

Unbalance

Dislocated

Brainy Quote

12

The Creative Media Centre for the City University of Hong Kong provides facilities that
enable the University to become the first in Asia to offer the highest level of education and
training in the creative media fields.1 And here are Daniel Libeskind project development.
i)

iv)

ii)

v)

13

iii)
i) Concept Sketch1
ii) Sketches (overlays from photographs)2
iii) Sketches II (overlays from photographs)
iv) Diagram3
v) Structure floorplan4

1
2
3
4

Studio Daniel Libeskind

Daniel Libeskind City University Creative Media Centre
Sean T Ellis - Run Run Shaw Creative Media Centre Hong Kong
The Crystalline, Creative Media Centre Hong Kong

Being Daniel Libeskinds first Chinese project,

it is stirring up quite a lot of controversy in the
architectural community.1
The Run Run Shaw Creative Media Centre has been
given the following awards2:
2013 Asia Property Award- Best Public Service
Architecture in Hong Kong- 5 stars
2012 China Green Building Design Label- 2 stars
2012 Fujian Construction Science and Technology
Achievement Certificate
The Crystalline, Creative Media Centre Hong Kong
Studio Daniel Libeskind

14

1
2

2013-2014

Author: See Man Yi, Cman

LAC24904 Research Methodology

L01 53050268

6 Dec 2013