Then and Now Hong Kong - The Big 3 Banks on Des Vouex Rd
... and the curious case of their street address numbers & such
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Then and Now Hong Kong - The Big 3 Banks on Des Vouex Rd
... and the curious case of their street address numbers & such
Foreword
Hong Kong has so many interesting stories and some stories have a long history and have taken on a life of their own and it can be hard to separate fact from fiction, some stories are true, some are false and some are just all about superstition and that’s what makes them interesting.
Like a lot of people I have always been interested in supposed rivalry between the Bank of China on the left, HSBC in the middle and The Standard Chartered Bank on the right, the big 3 so to speak (see image below) there are many stories and these stories are as current now as they where in the 1970’s, as they say, things change but nothing changes.
The basic story is very simple, Feng Shui (which I will cover in another post) and the very curios case of the actual street addresses of the 3 banks, all 3 banks can be accessed at street level by Des Vouex Road and Queens Road Central however
The confirmed and legal street addresses are ar follows
The Bank of China : 2A Des Vouex Road Central
HSBC : 1 Queens Road Central
Standard Chartered Bank : 4 - 4A Des Vouex Road Central
My initial interest though ( see historic images) was the story | legend behind the height ot The Bank of China building (1952) and the height of the HSBC Building (1935) - the Standard Chartered Bank building plays in a role in the modern day story.
So essentially it was a always a bone of contention that the Bank of China building which opened in 1952 was TALLER rhan HSBC which was opened in 1935, both in basci Art Deco style, HSBC has always been considered THE bank in Hong Kong and now it was somewhat dwarfed by the Bank of China! hence the decision to knock down the old 1935 headquarters and replace it in 1985 with the Norman Foster designed building…. not quite the end of the srory in 1990 the Bank of China opened its new headquarters a few hundred yards away to the left which dwarfs HSBC whilst keeping the old building!
I guess at the stage HSBC thought enough is enough, they would had have to have built a 100 storey building to get back the bragging rights!
click on the image to enlarge
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The Big 3 Banks | Central District | Hong Kong - mid 1970’s
So there has been a story circulating for a while now in so far as HSBC had requested the Srandard Chartered Bank do NOT build its headquarters taller than HSBC, i think they did but depending on where you are standing they look almost the same height and at other angles the Standard Chartered Bank shades it by a few meters, so much for that agreement!
The Standard Chartered Bank Building and the HSBC Main Building are both located in Central, Hong Kong, near Des Voeux Road Central, but they are not immediately adjacent. The Standard Chartered Bank Building is at 4-4A Des Voeux Road Central, while the HSBC Main Building is at 1 Queen's Road Central, with access from Des Voeux Road Central. Here are the details regarding their heights and any agreement on height differences:
Heights of the Buildings
Standard Chartered Bank Building:
Height: Sources provide conflicting figures. Wikipedia and some sources state it is 191 meters (627 feet) tall with 42 storeys. However, JLL Hong Kong lists it as 185 meters (607 feet) with 42 floors and other sources claim 187 meters (614 feet) .
Heights of the Buildings
HSBC Building:
Height: Sources provide the height of 187 meters or 587 feet with 44 floors
So this is where the confusion comes in, 3 different heights for the Standard Chartered Bank Building which makes it taller or smaller than HSBC which is the actual story.. So open to interpretation! And the smaller height fits with the alleged agreements that Standard Chartered Bank Building would be slightly smaller than HSBC Headquarters
I should point out that HSBC and SCB have a cosy relationship, they have an internal bridge connecting them at the 1st floor main lobby!
click on the image to enlarge
© Copyright - this is one of my own images | All rights reserved.
The Big 3 Banks | Central District | Hong Kong - 2025
Left to right | Old Bank of China (left) HSBC Headquarters (middle) Standard Chartered Bank Headquarters (right) all with entrances on Queens Road Central and Des Vouex Road Central
As you can see from this image, the Art Deco Bank of China, is dwarfed by HSBC and the Stanadard Chartered Bank who are in turn dwarfed by the Bank of China Tower (far left with the antenna on top)
…. and that leads nicely into the rather curious case of street numbers and addresses with regards to the 3 banks
So the question remains, are there any historical records that show a building listed at either 1 Des Vouex Road or 3 Des Vouex Road, the obbious conclusion would be HSBC given its dual entrances and also you can access the old Bank of China building from Queens Road Central, or it could be there is no buildings listed as using no. 1 or 3 Des Vouex Road and HSBC just stuck with 1 Queens Road Central
The question of whether historical records show buildings listed at 1 Des Voeux Road or 3 Des Voeux Road in Hong Kong’s Central District, and whether these addresses relate to the HSBC or Standard Chartered Bank headquarters, requires examining the historical and current address details of these buildings. Below, I address the query by analyzing available information and clarifying the address usage for both banks, focusing on the Central District and the historical context of Des Voeux Road and Queen’s Road Central.
HSBC Headquarters Address and Historical Context
Current Address: The HSBC Main Building is officially located at 1 Queen’s Road Central, Central District, Hong Kong. This address has been consistently used since the bank’s establishment in 1865. The building is situated on the southern side of Statue Square, with its main entrance facing Queen’s Road Central, but it also has a north-facing side along Des Voeux Road Central, which was historically significant due to its proximity to the original shoreline before land reclamation.
Historical Buildings on the Site:
Wardley House (1865–1882): The first HSBC office was in Wardley House, located at the present site of 1 Queen’s Road Central. It was leased for HKD 500 a month and served as the bank’s headquarters from 1865 to 1882.
Second Building (1886–1933): Designed by Clement Palmer, this building was constructed on the same site and featured two distinct facades: a Victorian-style structure with a verandah, colonnades, and an octagonal dome on Queen’s Road Central, and an arcade harmonizing with adjacent buildings on Des Voeux Road.Third Building (1935–1981): Completed in 1935, this Art Deco and Stripped Classical-style building was the first air-conditioned building in Hong Kong. It was also located at 1 Queen’s Road Central.
Current Building (1985–present): Designed by Norman Foster, the current HSBC Main Building, opened in 1985, continues to use the address 1 Queen’s Road Central. It is an architectural marvel with external structural components and iconic bronze lions at the entrance.Des Voeux Road Connection: Historically, the HSBC building’s north-facing side was along Des Voeux Road Central, which was known as Praya Central before land reclamation projects pushed the shoreline northward. The second building (1886–1933) explicitly had an arcade entrance on Des Voeux Road, but the official address remained 1 Queen’s Road Central due to the primary entrance being on Queen’s Road. No historical records explicitly list the HSBC headquarters as 1 Des Voeux Road or 3 Des Voeux Road. The dual entrances (Queen’s Road Central and Des Voeux Road Central) likely contribute to the perception that the building could be associated with Des Voeux Road, but the official address has consistently been 1 Queen’s Road Central.
Standard Chartered Bank Headquarters Address and Historical Context
Current Address: The Standard Chartered Bank Building is located at 4–4A Des Voeux Road Central, Central District, Hong Kong. This address is well-documented and places the building near the HSBC Main Building, also facing Statue Square.
Historical Context:
Standard Chartered’s headquarters in Hong Kong has been at 4–4A Des Voeux Road Central for its modern history. The current building, designed by Palmer & Turner and completed in 1990, is a 42-storey tower. Unlike HSBC, Standard Chartered’s address is explicitly tied to Des Voeux Road Central, reflecting its primary entrance and orientation.
Historical records do not indicate Standard Chartered using 1 Des Voeux Road or 3 Des Voeux Road. The bank’s presence in Hong Kong dates back to 1859, but specific historical addresses prior to the current building are less detailed in the provided sources. However, the consistent use of 4–4A Des Voeux Road Central for the modern headquarters suggests no overlap with 1 or 3 Des Voeux Road.
Proximity to HSBC: The Standard Chartered Bank Building is adjacent to other key landmarks like the Old Bank of China Building and the Legislative Council Building, all near Statue Square. Its distinct address on Des Voeux Road Central differentiates it from HSBC’s Queen’s Road Central address.
Old Bank of China Building built in 1952
Address and Access: The Old Bank of China Building, constructed in 1952, is located at 2A Des Voeux Road Central. It is noted that this building can be accessed from Queen’s Road Central, likely due to its proximity to the junction of Queen’s Road Central and Des Voeux Road Central, and the interconnected urban layout of Central.
Historical Significance: This building served as the Bank of China’s headquarters in Hong Kong until the modern Bank of China Tower (designed by I.M. Pei) was completed in 1990 at 1 Garden Road. The Old Bank of China Building’s address at 2A Des Voeux Road Central is distinct from 1 or 3 Des Voeux Road, and its accessibility from Queen’s Road Central does not imply it used that address officially.
Analysis of 1 Des Voeux Road and 3 Des Voeux Road, missing buildings or the power of HBSC
Historical Records for 1 Des Voeux Road: There are no definitive historical records in the provided sources that list a building at 1 Des Voeux Road Central. Given the HSBC building’s dual entrances and its historical arcade on Des Voeux Road, it’s possible that confusion arises from the north-facing Des Voeux Road entrance. However, HSBC’s official address has always been 1 Queen’s Road Central, and no evidence suggests it was ever listed as 1 Des Voeux Road. The numbering on Des Voeux Road Central starts with 2A (Old Bank of China Building) and 4–4A (Standard Chartered), suggesting that 1 Des Voeux Road may not have been used as a distinct address for a major building.
Historical Records for 3 Des Voeux Road: Similarly, no records confirm a building at 3 Des Voeux Road Central. The numbering on Des Voeux Road Central appears to skip directly to 2A and 4–4A for prominent buildings, and no major bank headquarters (HSBC, Standard Chartered, or Bank of China) are associated with this address. The absence of 3 Des Voeux Road in historical records could indicate it was never assigned to a significant building or was absorbed into adjacent plots during reclamation and development.
Land Reclamation Impact: Des Voeux Road Central was originally Praya Central, part of the shoreline before the 1857 and 1887 reclamation projects under Governors Bowring and Des Voeux. These projects extended the waterfront northward, renaming the road Des Voeux Road Central in 1890. The shifting shoreline and subsequent development may have led to irregular numbering or unassigned addresses like 1 or 3 Des Voeux Road.
From my perspective this in nonsense, the Bank of China could have been listed as 1 Des Vouex Road but it is unlikely that HSBC would have agreed, the Standard Chartered Bank could have been no. 3 Des Vouex Road. the 3 buildings are next to each other literally and where not affected by land reclamation., just another chapter in the story.
… and just to show the power if HSBC, Cheung Kong Center is listed at No. 2 Queens Road Central and yet logically based on normal conventions it should have been listed as No. 1 Queens Road Central! and yes, the Hong Kong Hilton Hotel which stood on the site of Cheung Kong Center was also listed at No. 2 Queens Road Central.
Conclusion
HSBC Headquarters: The HSBC Main Building is officially at 1 Queen’s Road Central, with a historical and current north-facing entrance on Des Voeux Road Central. However, no historical records list it as 1 Des Voeux Road or 3 Des Voeux Road. The dual entrances and the historical prominence of Des Voeux Road (as Praya Central) likely contribute to the perception of a Des Voeux Road address, but the official address remains unchanged.
Standard Chartered Headquarters: Located at 4–4A Des Voeux Road Central, Standard Chartered has no historical association with 1 or 3 Des Voeux Road based on available records.
Old Bank of China Building: At 2A Des Voeux Road Central, this building is accessible from Queen’s Road Central but is not listed as 1 or 3 Des Voeux Road
There is no evidence in the provided sources that any major building, including those of HSBC, Standard Chartered, or the Bank of China, was ever officially listed at 1 Des Voeux Road or 3 Des Voeux Road. The numbering on Des Voeux Road Central appears to start with 2A and 4–4A, possibly due to historical land reclamation and plot consolidation.
The obvious conclusion, as you suggested, is that HSBC’s dual entrances (Queen’s Road Central and Des Voeux Road Central) may cause confusion, but its official address has always been 1 Queen’s Road Central. No records confirm 1 or 3 Des Voeux Road as addresses for any of these banks’ headquarters or any prior building
So in a nutshell historically both the Bank of China or Cheung Kong Center could have been listed as No. 1 Queens Road Central based on normal numbering conventions, bear in mind that all of the 3 banks front Queens Road Central and Des Vouex Road Central with public access to the banks by either road
Historically the 1935 HSBC Headquarters was at 1 Queens Road Central and I am betting the address was the same going back to the 1860’s, so quite simply, they where there first!
So there you go
My insider tip
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