Highcliff

From Towrs

Highcliff in Hong Kong. Photograph courtesy of [1].

Overview

Few cities face a land crunch as accute as Hong Kong. And few towers in Hong Kong deal with the problem as gracefully as Highcliff. Though the skyscraper is backed into a cliff, it has no implicit back or front. The tower is formed from a pair of intersecting oval cylinders which provide sweeping views of the city, Victoria Harbour, and the lush mountain.

To say this is a luxury building is an understatement. When it opened, it had just 131 units, with an average size of 3,000 square feet. On a footprint as small as Highcliff's, that means just two homes per floor, and thus spectacular views for all residents. It also means views for many neighbors were preserved. In constrast to so very many Hong Kong apartment complexes, Highcliff is a shimmering 60-foot-wide low-profile object d'art, rather than a monsterous cliff-side wall, blocking out the sun. This design also means minimal impact at ground level. Instead of having building facilities clustered at the bottom, there is a curving driveway leading from the access road, surrounded by landscaping, and a pool.

Notes

• Built: 2000-2003
• Cost: HK$1,500,000,000
• Designed by: DLN Architects & Engineers
• Type: Skyscraper
• Stories: 72
• Maximum Height: 828 feet / 252 meters
• Location: 41D Stubbs Road, Hong Kong, China