While you may not be familiar with its name, you have undoubtedly seen images of it. The Bank of China Tower (BOC Tower) is a quintessential symbol of Hong Kong. Not only does it stand out among the city's forest of skyscrapers, but it also has been immortalized in pop culture, featured in the Transformers franchise and the video game SimCity.

The BOC Tower was the brainchild of avant-garde architect I. M. Pei, who also made the bold decision to place a glass pyramid in the Louvre courtyard. Given his track record for innovative design, it's not surprising that his modern approach to the tower initially sparked controversy.

The story of how the 30-year-old tower secured its prime location in the Central area is worth noting. The site was originally occupied by the Murray House, a British officers' quarters built in 1844 that is now located in Stanley. When the Bank of China acquired the land in a lucrative deal in 1982 amid skyrocketing land prices, some viewed it as the British government showing favoritism towards a Chinese entity. In hindsight, this act of replacing a colonial establishment with the headquarters of a Chinese company could be seen as a precursor to the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration.

Official reports state that the design of the tower reflects bamboo shoots, symbolizing Chinese values such as aspiration and growth. However, public perception varied greatly. Viewed from the ground, the building resembles a sword thrusting into the sky, its edges seemingly threatening the Government House (the official residence of Governors during British rule, and Chief Executives after the Handover) and the neighboring HSBC headquarters. Even though Pei denied intentionally disregarding feng shui principles when creating the design, the building's knife-like silhouette was still disconcerting to its neighbors. This led to fascinating feng shui countermeasures, such as the installation of canons on the rooftop of the HSBC headquarters. Some people even attributed the sudden death of Governor Sir Edward Youde (1924 - 1986) and the 1989 financial crisis to the building's existence.

Did the building's design deliberately ignore traditional principles to affirm a strong Chinese presence? The truth remains unknown. What is certain is that the BOC Tower will continue to illuminate Hong Kong's skyline, standing tall as a landmark of this vibrant Asian metropolis.