International Commerce Centre

Infobox Skyscraper
building_name = International Commerce Center
環球貿易廣場


caption = The International Commerce Center CG illustration
year_highest =
year_end =
plural =
location = Flagicon|Hong Kong Hong Kong
coordinates = coord|22|18|12.21|N|114|9|36.61|E|region:HK_type:landmark|display=inline,title
status =
groundbreaking = 2002
constructed =
est_completion = 2010
opening =
demolished =
destroyed =
use = Mixed use, hotel, observation, office, parking garage, retail
antenna_spire =
roof = convert|484.0|m|ft|1|abbr=on
top_floor = convert|476.0|m|ft|1|abbr=on
floor_count = 118
elevator_count =

Passenger lifts

30

Shuttle lifts

14

VIP lifts

2

cost =
floor_area = convert|262176|m2|sqft|0|abbr=on
architect =

Architect

Wong & Ouyang (HK) Ltd.

Design Architect

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates

Landscape Architect

Belt Collins & Associates

engineer = Arup
contractor =
developer = Sun Hung Kai Properties
owner =
management = Kai Shing Management Services Limited
references = [ cite web
url = http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=12
title = International Commerce Centre - SkyscraperPage.com
accessdate = 2007-10-03 ] cite web
url = http://www.shkp-icc.com
title = International Commerce Centre - www.shkp-icc.com - developer
accessdate = 2007-10-03 ]

International Commerce Centre (zh-t|t=環球貿易廣場) (abbr. ICC) is a 118 story, 484 m (1,587.9 ft.) skyscraper under construction in West Kowloon, Hong Kong; as part of the Union Square project built on top of Kowloon Station. The development is owned and jointly developed by MTR Corporation Limited and Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP); Hong Kong's metro operator and largest property developer respectively.

Its formal development name is Union Square Phase 7; and the name International Commerce Centre was officially announced in 2005. Upon completion by 2010, the skyscraper will become Hong Kong's tallest building and will have the third highest roof in the world, after the Burj Dubai complex and the Shanghai World Financial Center.

SHKP, together with another major Hong Kong developer, Henderson Land, also co-developed the current record holder for Hong Kong's tallest building, 2 IFC; located directly across Victoria Harbour in Central, Hong Kong Island.

Development

The height has been scaled back from earlier plans due to regulations that didn't allow buildings to be taller than the surrounding mountains. The original proposal for this building was called Kowloon Station Phase 7 and it was supposed to be 102 floors and 574 m (1,883 feet) tall. However, the roof is still set to reach 490 m (1,608 feet) [ [http://www.lera.com/lerastallbuildings.htm LERA | Tallest Buildings ] ] , taller than the roof of the proposed Freedom Tower in New York, though shorter than the roofs of the Burj Dubai, Chicago Spire, and the Shanghai World Financial Center. It will tower 75 m (247 feet) over the current tallest in Hong Kong, 2 IFC.

The tower was designed by the American architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) in association with Wong & Ouyang (HK) Ltd.

Tenants

A five-star hotel operated by Ritz-Carlton will occupy the top 15 floors of the tower. The hotel's lobby is at 425 meters (1,394 feet) above the ground, becoming the highest hotel in the world when completed, surpassing the Grand Hyatt Hotel in the Jin Mao Tower in Pudong, Shanghai.

Current progress

As of 2 May, 2008, the concrete core is at level 102 and the core's height is about convert|419.5|m|ft|0|abbr=onFact|date=July 2008.

At its basement is the "Elements" shopping mall, which has already been opened in October 2007. Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse have confirmed moving into ICC and will occupy 10 floors each [cite web|url=http://www.shkp-icc.com/pdf/8Aug_mStanley.pdf|title=SHKP Welcomes Morgan Stanley’s Asia-Pacific Headquarters to International Commerce Centre (ICC)|accessdate=2007-10-05] , Deutsche Bank also confirmed to move in and will occupy 12 floors with the option to expand to 18 floors. [cite web|url=http://www.shk.com.hk/en/scripts/news/news_press_detail.php?press_id=3688|title=Deutsche Bank selects 12 floors of ICC for its Hong Kong business|accessdate=2007-10-05]

A viewing deck on the 100th floor will be opened to the public when the building opens.

Gallery

6 December, 2006
25 February, 2007. To the right are the buildings The Harbourside (blue) and The Arch (red). The Sorrento towers can be seen in the back in between the ICC and the Harbourside.
31 March, 2007
16 July, 2007
29 August, 2007
1 October, 2007

See also

* List of tallest buildings in Hong Kong
* List of skyscrapers
* List of tallest freestanding structures in the world

References

External links

* [http://www.shkp-icc.com/ Building's website]
* [http://www.elementshk.com/ Elements shopping mall official website]
* [http://union-square.com.hk/ Union Square]
* [http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=101555 Emporis article on International Commerce Centre]
* [http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=170380 Original proposal]
* [http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=34949&page=46 Skyscraperpage.com]