Jardine House (Formerly Connaught Centre)
怡和大廈(前康樂大廈)
1972, Commercial 商業建築
Jardine House,1 Connaught Place
香港中環康樂廣場1號
Architect: 木下一
Architect Firm: 巴馬丹拿公司
Jardine House was completed in 1972. Once known as Connaught Centre, Jardine House is located at 1 Connaught Place. It was designed by James H Kinoshita, partner of Palmer & Turner Group in the 1970s, for Hongkong Land. Mr. Kinoshita took into consideration the functionality, structure and locality in his design for this 52-storey Grade A office building. With 1,748 iconic circular windows on the exterior, the building was a landmark of Central’s reclaimed land.
The truncated square-pyramid roof, housing the engine room, tops the building and gives it a unique character. On first floor lobby, it joins an extensive network of elevated walkways in Central, connecting other properties under the same developer, setting a classic example in separating road and pedestrian traffic. A few years ago when the exterior wall was being renovated, the original mosaic material was preserved and covered with aluminum curtain wall, the renovation turned out to be a highly regarded exercise.
怡和大廈於1972年落成。曾稱為康樂大廈的怡和大廈，位於康樂廣場一號，是巴馬丹拿公司合夥人木下一先生為置地公司在上世紀70年代初設計的。他綜合了功能，结構及地利的考慮，規劃一座52層高，方柱體的甲級商廈。外牆採用標誌的圓窗，共1,748個，成為當年中環新填海區的地標。在頂層機房，也特別引用半金字塔頂，收畫龍點睛之效果。 大廈以高架人行橋接駁發展商的其他物業，為人車分流的典範。數年前大廈進行外牆修葺，原來馬賽克的物料，被鋁質幕牆式組件覆蓋，但也保存了本來特色，成為佳話。
文及攝影：李培基 (香港註冊建築師)
http://www.etnet.com.hk/www/tc/diva/art_hkac_detail.php?id=29101&page=1
