50 Connaught Road Central

This stone building makes specific reference to Hong Kong's history as a city where East meets West. Hong Kong is dominated by modernist glass-and-steel office buildings that derive their expression from the International Style of the 1920s and 1930s. Our facades are organized according to the rules of Western classicism, rendered in stone, which takes the light in a way that glass and steel curtain walls never do.  

The base provides wide openings for retail and an iconic, memorable entrance to the office building. Simplified classical detailing gives the building a dignified yet contemporary character. Above, rusticated stone with inset punched windows mitigate glare, allowing glass that is clearer than curtainwall windows. The center of the building shaft is punctuated with shallow triple-height windows that create an intermediate scale and a rich texture for sunlight to play upon. At the top, set-back floors with bay-windows take full advantage of the views. The building's bronze and stone crown is a memorable addition to the busy skyline and, when lighted at night, stands out amidst the glassy tops of the building's neighbors. 

RAMSA Partners Robert A.M. Stern and Paul Whalen led the design.