International Finance Centre

International Finance Centre (IFC) is an integrated commercial development on the waterfront of Hong Kong's Central District. A prominent landmark on Hong Kong Island, it consists of three skyscrapers, the IFC Mall and the Airport Express Hong Kong Station, owned by the MTR Corporation.

One International Finance Centre was completed in 1998. It is 180 m tall, has 39 storeys and four trading floors, 18 high speed passenger lifts in 4 zones, and comprises 784,000 square feet (72,800 m²). The building has attracted global financial institutions as its tenants, making One IFC a key business destination in Hong Kong. The building current accommodates approximately 5,000 people.

Two International Finance Centre was completed in 2003. Designed by Cesar Pelli, this 415.8 m tall building is currently Hong Kong's tallest, with 88 storeys (an extremely lucky number in Cantonese culture) and 22 high-ceiling trading floors. The highrise is designed to accommodate financial firms. For example, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority(HKMA) is located at the 55th floor. It is equipped with state of the art telecommunications, raised floors for flexible cabling management, and nearly column-free floor plans. The Center expects to accommodate up to 15,000 people.

It should be noted that, however, the 88 storeys do not comprise of an actual number of 88 storeys. Some of the "taboo floors" like 14 and 24 (Sounds like You must be dead and It is easy to be dead in Cantonese respectively) are omitted.

The top floor of Two IFC is slightly higher than the city's landmark the Peak viewing gallery in Hong Kong. It is the third tallest building in Greater China and the 6th tallest office building in the world after:

• Taipei 101 in Taiwan
• the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• the Sears Tower in Chicago, USA
• the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, China

These ranks are based on structural heights; by roof height only Taipei 101 and Sears Tower exceed it.

Tenants of the building include Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Warburg Pincus, Nomura Group, UBS AG, Ernst & Young, State Street Bank, and Lehman Brothers.

The 40-storeyed Four Seasons Hotel and Suites will complete the third phase of the development and is expected to open in 2005. It will be the first Four Seasons in Hong Kong.

The IFC mall features a number of top fashion, health & skin care, jewelry & accessories shops, restaurants, and a cinema. The IFC mall houses over 200 different brands. It also features Hong Kong's third city'super store, a gourmet food grocery.

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Missing image Ifc_logo.jpg The IFC logo on the building facade.

Missing image Ifc_interior.jpg Various shops and a cinema inside IFC.

Missing image Ifc_fashion_show.jpg A fashion show performed in IFC.

Missing image Ifc_office.jpg The office lobby in IFC.

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Notes on Two IFC

• There are relatively few buildings in the world equipped with double-deck elevators.
• The Hong Kong Monetary Authority bought several floors in the top portion of the tower for USD 0.48 bn.
• Financial Times, HSBC, and Cathay Pacific put up an advertisement on the facade from October to November of 2003 that stretched more than 50 storeys tall, covering an area of 0.2 million square ft (19,000 m²) and a length of 230 m; making it the world's largest advertisement ever put on skyscraper.
• This is the tallest building in Hong Kong, surpassing the Central Plaza.
• IFC2's reign as Hong Kong's tallest will not be long, as Union Square Phase 7 is under construction and will claim the title in 2007.
• More than 3,500 workers from various places around the world worked at the construction site during the peak construction period.
• This building was featured in the Hollywood movie Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life.
• The 88th floor of the tower contains the office of the Chief Executive of the HK Monetary Authority. It is served by an individual lift.
• The tower is attached to the second phase of IFC Mall.
• There is no public viewing gallery in IFC2.
• An exhibition area and a library of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority Information Centre occupy the 55th floor and are open to the public during office hours.
• The number of storeys (88) has in this case a special significance, as the number eight (八, formal writing 捌, pinyin ba1) is considered a lucky number in Chinese culture because it sounds like the word "prosperity" (發 pinyin fa1).
• Developed by a consortium lead by Sun Hung Kai Properties & MTR Corp.

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Missing image Ifc_hong_kong_station.jpg The Hong Kong Station in IFC.	Missing image Ifc_way_to_pier.jpg A flyover from IFC to the outlying island piers. (Small) The Lantau Island Pier.	Missing image Ifc_in_town_check_in.jpg Passengers can have in-town check-in at IFC.	Missing image Ifc_hotel.jpg The 40-storeyed Four Seasons Hotel and Suites in construction.
Missing image Ifc_hong_kong_station_ad.jpg An Airport Express advertisement outside the IFC building.

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See also

• List of the world's tallest structures
• List of buildings, sites and areas in Hong Kong

External links

• IFC's website (http://www.ifc.com.hk/)
• 2ifc.com - IFC's other website (http://www.2ifc.com/)
• Emporis - Two International Finance Centre  (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=100614)de:2 International Finance Centre

no:International Finance Centre zh:國際金融中心