Construction Underway for Zaha Hadid Hong Kong Office Tower on World’s Most Expensive Land Plot

Main construction for Zaha Hadid-designed “The Henderson” has begun in early September 2021, as pilons installed and concrete set mark the first phases for the “urban oasis” office tower, adjacent to Carter Garden and Admiralty MTR station.

The 190m office tower replaces the site of former-Murray Road Multi-storey Car Park Building, an un-assuming 10-story structure opened in 1973, housing 388 public parking spaces for private cars.

In 2017, Henderson Land Development, current lease holders of “The Henderson”, bid successfully to acquire the government-owned plot of land where the former car park stood.

Henderson Land would pay HK$23.28 billion (US$2.9 billion) for the plot of land for re-development – to date the most expensive purchase of land plot in the world.

The contract for construction of 2 Murray Road was awarded to local-real estate and construction moguls, Hip Hing, in March 2020, with a target set for completion in the first quarter of 2023.

Construction is ongoing with Hong Kong and mainland Chinese construction partners tending efforts to begin work on the redevelopment program, by simultaneously implementing deep basement and above-ground construction.

In September 2020, Zaha Hadid Architects revealed designs for the grade-A 36-story office tower located on the former car park site for Henderson Land, located in the heart of Hong Kong’s Admiralty.

The sleek glass form of the tower references Hong Kong’s city flower, the Bauhinia, with the façade design both reflecting light onto the green “oasis garden” below whilst also reducing cooling and preventing damage in Hong Kong’s summer typhoon season.

The 465,000 square foot commercial tower will feature a sky garden, banquet hall, courtyards, financial firms, and a wealth of commercial properties.