Only Two Buildings in Hong Kong Are Taller than 400 Meters

Hong Kong is home to about 600 skyscrapers taller than 150 meters (492 feet), making it the global leader in the number of skyscrapers. However, while this figure is impressive in and of itself, the sheer volume of skyscrapers in the city means that it is very difficult for architects to design buildings that stand out.

Yet, one way to stand out in such a densely built city is precisely size. Standing 416 meters (1,364 feet) tall, 2 International Finance Centre (better known as 2IFC) was the tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong between 2003 and 2010; meanwhile, the International Commerce Centre (better known as ICC), completed in West Kowloon in 2010, has been the city’s tallest building ever since, standing 484 meters (1,588 feet) tall.

Although Hong Kong was home to the tallest building in Asia on three separate occasions—with Jardine House (completed in 1973), the Bank of China Tower (completed in 1990), and Central Plaza (completed in 1992)—that honor was, quite surprisingly, never bestowed upon 2IFC or ICC. Upon completion, neither building stood as tall as Petronas Towers 1 and 2, completed in 1998 in Kuala Lumpur, or Taipei 101, completed in 2004 in Taipei, both of which were, for a time, the tallest buildings in the world.

Moreover, since the completion of 2IFC and the ICC, numerous supertall and megatall skyscrapers have been built around the world. As a result, as of 2026, the ICC has dropped to the 13th spot in the ranking of the tallest buildings in the world, while 2IFC has dropped to the 41st spot.