Jardine House
| Company type | Commercial office building |
|---|---|
| Industry | Real estate |
| Founded | 1973 |
| Headquarters | Central, Hong Kong Island , Hong Kong |
| Products | Office space |
| Owner | Hongkong Land Limited (subsidiary of Jardines) |
| Website | www |
Jardine House (), previously known as Connaught Centre (), is a commercial office skyscraper situated at 1 Connaught Place in Central on Hong Kong Island. It is owned by Hongkong Land Limited, a subsidiary of the conglomerate Jardines. Upon its completion in 1973, it held the distinction of being the tallest building in both Hong Kong and Asia, a record that was eventually overtaken by the Hopewell Centre in 1980. Jardine House is linked through the Central Elevated Walkway network to other prominent Hongkong Land developments such as Exchange Square and the International Finance Centre.
Apart from this location, Jardines also manages another property named Jardine House in Hamilton, Bermuda, which functions as the registered office for its Bermuda-based operations, including Jardine Matheson Holdings and Hongkong Land.
Earlier Jardine Houses
The initial trio of Jardine Houses were positioned at 20 Pedder Street, at the intersection with Des Voeux Road Central. The first building was probably constructed around 1841 after Jardines successfully acquired land on The Praya Central. This original edifice showcased typical nineteenth-century commercial architecture, characterized by Neoclassical features such as arches and columns. In 1908, a second Jardine House was built on the site and later reconstructed around 1956 into a sixteen-storey structure. This property was eventually sold by Jardines during the land acquisition phase for the development of the Landmark complex. Today, 20 Pedder Street is occupied by Wheelock House.
Current Jardine House
The existing Jardine House was erected on reclaimed land secured under a 75-year lease obtained by Hongkong Land Limited for a record sum of HK$258 million in 1970, payable without interest over ten years. As part of this agreement, the government imposed height restrictions on adjacent northern buildings to preserve unobstructed views, limiting the neighboring General Post Office to a maximum height of . The construction expenses were estimated at HK$120 million. This fifty-two-storey tower was completed within sixteen months and incorporated metal signage salvaged from the Old Jardine House into its lobby interior.
Design
The structure employs a metal framework combined with a curtain wall featuring unique circular windows, which allow for thinner structural framing.
Elevators were provided by Otis Elevator, marking an uncommon choice for a Jardine property; they included Asia’s fastest elevators at the time of inauguration, achieving speeds up to . Escalators were supplied by Schindler Elevator, a longstanding partner of Jardines in Asia; Schindler later upgraded these elevators during the mid-2000s refurbishment.
The distinctive round window design has earned the building the colloquial nickname "The House of a Thousand Arseholes."
In popular culture
Jardine House was portrayed as the fictional headquarters of Struan & Company in the 1988 NBC miniseries Noble House, highlighting Jardines’ significant role in the storyline. It has also appeared in films such as The Amsterdam Kill and The Mighty Peking Man (1977), as well as featuring in a 1978 episode of The Amazing Spider-Man television series.
Moreover, Jardine House is depicted in the Dockside level of the video game Burnout 3: Takedown.
See also
External links
- Jardine House information on Hong Kong Land's official site
- Photographs of Jardine House available at skyscraperphotos.com
- Gwulo page featuring historical insights on earlier Jardine House buildings