The building in figures

• Height above Des Voeux Road Central

178.8 metres (586.6 feet)


• Foundation depth below ground level

34 metres (111.5 feet)


• Basement depth

18.8 metres (61.7 feet)


• Air- conditioning seawater intake system tunnel below ground level

75 metres (246.1 feet)


• Building levels

52 levels - 47 above ground, four below ground and the Plaza at ground level


• Gross area

99,171 m² (1,067,467 ft²)


• Usable area

70,398 m² (757,757 ft²)


• Floor areas

Largest
    3,215 m² (34,607 ft²) gross
    2,656 m² (28,590 ft²) net
Smallest
    976 m² (10,505 ft²) gross
    687 m² (7,395 ft²) net
Public plaza
    3,514 m² (37,826 ft²)
Main banking halls
    2,178 m² (23,445 ft²)


• Teller positions

    44 on Level 3
    44 on Level 5
    28 on Basement Level 1


• Vault door and frame

50 tonnes - Basement Level 1


• Atrium (height from plaza)

52 metres (170 feet)


• Sunscoop

Exterior - Level 12
    480 computer-controlled glass mirrors
    Weight - 32 tonnes
Interior reflector
    225 aluminium mirrors


• Number of staff accommodated

5,000


• Internal transport

Lifts
    23 passenger and five goods
Escalators
    62 - including the longest freely supported escalators in the world running from the Plaza to Level 3
    (25 metres, 82.5 feet)


• Structural steel

27,000 tonnes


• Overall steel (including reinforcement)

30,000 tonnes


• Aluminium

Cladding
    3,500 tonnes
    93,000 m² (1,000,000 ft²)
Raised floor
    1,000 tonnes


• Concrete

35,000 m³ (1,236,013 ft³)


• Glass

32,000 m² (344,444 ft²)


• Modules

139


• Electrical and communication cabling

Over 3,600 km (11,880,000 ft)


• Electrical capacity

19,500 kVA


• Stand-by generators

6 megawatts


• Air-conditioning capacity

12,500 kilowatts


• Construction

Began
    Basements - November 1981
    Structural steel - January 1983
Completed
    November 1985
Phased occupation
    From July 1985


• Costs

HKD5,227 million


• Project consultants

Architects
    Foster Associates Hong Kong
Management contracto
    John Lok/Wimpey Joint Venture
Structural engineers
    Ove Arup & Partners
Services engineers
    J Roger Preston & Partners
Quantity surveyors
    Levett & Bailey in association with Northcroft,
    Neighbour & Nicholson