1. THE BANK OF CHINA TOWER

2. Background Information
Located in the Heart of Downtown Hong Kong
1208 ft. tall
72 Floors
Commercial Use, Bank Branch
Hybrid of Hancock (X Brace) and Sears Tower (Tapered)
5th Tallest When Built
11th Tallest Currently
Steel, Concrete, Glass, Aluminum
Cost of Construction: Approx. $150 Million

3. I.M. PEI Chinese-American Harvard & MIT Famous Architect
Most Famous Works Include
Pyramide du Louvre
Hancock Place (Boston)
Sharp geometry
Conceived Idea for Tower Himself
Worked with Robertson previously

4. Leslie Robertson Berkley- Civil Engineer
Owns Structural Engineering Firm
World Trade Center Twin Towers
ENR Constructions Man of the Year 1989
Figured out how to Support Pei’s Inventive idea
Utilizes innovative forms (3D Space Truss)

5. Thesis
The Bank of China Building is the most unique work of Structural Art of its kind, ever.
IM Pei has the ability to create simple yet unbelievably exciting forms which enthrall the viewer and satisfy the ideals of Society and Symbolism.
Pei’s genius however would never be portrayed if not for the incredible technical imagination of Leslie Robertson, responsible for the Scientific aspects of the building.

6. Social/Economic Very Economic Open Floors—Many Uses Open to Public
$150 Million to Build
Uses Much less Steel than similar buildings
Only Excess is Aluminum Cladding
Open Floors—Many Uses
Open to Public
Easily Experienced

7. Scientific/Efficient
Materials
Steel
Glass
Aluminum
Concrete
3-D Space Truss Design
Withstands
Winds 2x NYC
Earthquakes 4x LA

8. Support Column Comparisons
Traditional
Tube (Hancock)
Bank of China
Tier Tier Tier Tier 4

9. Video

10. Live Load vs. Height BOC Tower
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Tier 4
Load/Column

11. Symbolic/Elegant The Pride of China
Designed, Financed and Built by Chinese
Sharp, Smooth
Visually Intriguing
Unique
Began Hong Kong Tower Race
Built and Modified to Pass Fung Shui
X’s turned to Diamonds
Chopsticks on top
Sharp Edges Under Fire

12. Scientific Comparison
Hancock Tower
Cross Bracing
Hancock’s Supports Building from Wind Loads
BOC’s Supports Wind Loads and Building Forces while being more Artistic & Pleasing
Hancock uses much more Steel

13. Form Comparison Sears Tower Similar Form
Bundled Tube
Smaller Towers abruptly end as Building Rises
However BOC maintains Fluidity as tower rises
BOC more Artistic

14. Cost Comparison HSBC Tower Bank Headquarters Norman Foster Designed
Believed $1 Billion Cost
Same Floor Space as BOC

15. Structural Art? YOU KNOW IT First of its kind
Building Integrates Aluminum and Glass as one
Sharp edges as insisted by Pei
Peak Blends into Backdrop (Mt. Victoria)
Geometry is not rigid—Form Flows
Makes you want to experience the building