Hong Kong
Completed in 2003, Two International Finance Centre (2 IFC) is the center of a major mixed-use commercial complex and transportation hub located on the waterfront of Hong Kong’s Central District. Now the second tallest building in Hong Kong after it was surpassed by the International Commerce Center in 2010, 2IFC is an icon in the Hong Kong Special Administrative District with its population of nearly 8 million.
Built on landfill at the harbor’s edge as part of a government master plan, the multi-level development is a transit nexus that includes the MTR subway station, the terminal for the airport express trains, a bus station, as well as connections to the cross-harbor ferries. A multi-story shopping center offers public space on the roof, a raised podium with gardens, and an underground mall. From this base rise two towers: the 55-story 1 IFC, which contains a Four Seasons Hotel and the 88-story 2 IFC. To maximize the panoramic views, the tower employs a structure with 79 ft. spans between mega-columns.