It’s fair to say that Sir Norman Foster’s work is often representative of Hong Kong’s development, and their intertwined trajectory begins with HSBC Main Building. The groundbreaking skyscraper, designed in 1978 and completed in 1985, was a departure from the previous headquarters’ colonial grandeur, and as his studio’s first overseas project it established Foster as a global brand. The brief was to create ‘the best bank building in the world’ and through a process of questioning and challenging – and recruiting a feng shui master – a hitech masterpiece with a striking steel ‘exoskeleton’ was born. A mirrored ‘sun scoop’ reflects sunlight through the full-height atrium to the open plaza at ground level, boosting energy efficiency and creating a sheltered space, which becomes a lively public spot at weekends. From the plaza, escalators rise through the glass to the 3/F banking hall, a dramatic experience that allows you to enter the ‘shop window for banking’.