Picture of the Day: The Old Bank of China

The old Bank of China building surrounded by water barricades

 

This is the old Bank of China building, that stands next to the HSBC headquarters in Central, and a stone's throw away from the modern Bank of China building, designed by the late I.M. Pei.

The bank established its Hong Kong branch in 1917, and incidentally in the 1940s, Pei's father was the general manager.

Fast forward to a few years ago just before the centenary anniversary of the Bank of China, Pei's son, Sandy Pei was commissioned to refurbish the old bank. 

It is now the bank of the Hong Kong government which makes it vulnerable to protests, but with the coronavirus pandemic going on, it seems excessive to have these water barricades surrounding the elegant stone building.

They just make the building look uninviting and intimidating with a security guard to boot.