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Hongkong Land’s Jardine House, iconic witness to 50 years of city’s development, celebrates milestone with exhibitions
- The stories behind the distinctive round windows and the unobstructed harbour view of what was once the tallest building in Hong Kong
- Tower’s history spans city’s growth from a mere US$8 billion economy to US$360 billion last year
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Jardine House, the 52-storey building with the distinctive circular windows at the heart of Hong Kong’s Central district, is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its completion this year, a silent witness to the city’s development as a premier financial hub in Asia.
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Then known as Connaught Centre, the building was the tallest in Asia at 178.5 metres when it opened in 1973 but only held that record until 1974, according to Hongkong Land, the owner and operator of the property and one of Hong Kong’s largest commercial property landlords.
It remained the tallest building in Hong Kong until 1980.
“When completed in 1973, Jardine House set new standards with its robust design, the fastest lifts in Asia, the largest air-conditioning chillers and iconic 1,748 circular glazed windows that offer unobstructed harbour views,” said Jonathan Lloyd, group head of corporate affairs and sustainability with Jardine Matheson, the conglomerate that owns 53.3 per cent of Hongkong Land.
Jardine House continues to innovate, Lloyd added. With its BEAM Plus Platinum certification, the building is an important example of how existing buildings can be retrofitted to meet modern standards.
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