The distinctly angled profile of the Bank of China Tower is one of the stars of the Hong Kong skyline: only Norman Foster's nearby Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank building rivals it for architectural ambition. 

Owned by the People's Republic of China, the bank provides a graphic symbol of that country's wealth and power, not to mention its determination to remain on level terms - literally and architecturally - with its capitalist rivals. 

Designed by the Chinese-American architect I M Pei, the bank was built between 1985 and 1990, and at 70 storeys and a height of 300m was the city's tallest structure until the arrival of Wan Chai's Central Plaza. 


Not everyone is happy with the tower, however, and there are claims that its many sharp angles, spikes and corners are at odds with the principles of fengshui ('wind and water'). Few buildings are built in Hong Kong without consulting a feng shui master, someone who understands and can advise on the machinations of the vital life force, or qi (chi). Poor design, bad positioning or the wrong alignment of a building or its interior can result in bad chi and bad luck. Sharp angles - such as those on the bank - produce bad chi. Among a number of other things considered luckier are water and mirrors. Several buildings around the new tower have been altered to block out the bad chi apparently emanating from the bank.