The International Commerce Centre is a 103-storey, 454 m (1,490 ft) supertall skyscraper in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. On top of the shopping mall, Elements, near West Kowloon Cultural District, and the south side of ICC faces Victoria Harbour, directly opposite Hong Kong's 2nd tallest building, Two ifc. Standing on about 30 m (98 ft)-tall podium floor (level 8), the tower itself would be 454 m (1,490 ft) tall while the top floor is 103 (official 118), but the official incorporates the levels of the mall, making it has a final height of 484 m (1,588 ft) with 108 storeys. With the 6 m (20 ft)-tall parapets on the roof, its official height is 490 m (1,608 ft). Compare with Two ifc, is on the ground, rather than a mall. Following the most commonly used measurement worldwide – height to architectural top, it is the world's 13th tallest building, 10th tallest by number of floors, also Hong Kong's tallest and the only building with over 100 storeys. It was the world's 4th tallest and 3rd in Asia when completed in 2010.

History

MTR Corporation Limited and Sun Hung Kai Properties, Hong Kong's metro operator and largest property developer respectively, were responsible for the development. Known in development as Union Square Phase 7, its current name was officially announced in 2005. The building was completed in phases from 2007 to 2010, and opened in 2011, while The Ritz-Carlton opened in March and Sky100 in April. It was designed to be 574 m (1,883 ft) tall with 102 storeys, one of the reasons to the current height is airways.

Floor count

The top floor is "118". However, levels with "4" in the last digit were skipped because it sounds like "death" in Cantonese and Mandarin (tetraphobia), it also makes levels "higher", similar to Western superstition about the number 13 (triskaidekaphobia). e.g. the 68-storey building, The Cullinan, is declared 93 storeys. Except for level 3, 103 and 113, levels with "3" in the last digit were also skipped, level 5, 6, 7, 26, 28, 29 and 105 were skipped as well for unknown reason. They are currently replaced by levels with "M" & "R", which stand for "Mechanical" and "Refuge". Although the levels missing, it still shows on the elevator's screen of Sky100 and Skydining 101 while going up and down. 28 floors were skipped: 4, 5, 6, 7, 13, 14, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 33, 34, 43, 44, 53, 54, 63, 64, 73, 74, 83, 84, 93, 94, 104, 105, 114 18 floors were added: UG, M1-1, M1-2, M1-3, M1-5, R1, R2, M2-1, M2-2, R3, M3-1, M3-2, R4, M4-1, M4-2, M4-3, M5, M6

The ICC Light and Music Show

The LED light show set a new Guinness World Record for the “largest light and sound show on a single building” using a total of 50,000 m2 on two facades of ICC. The Show is designed by the lighting design supervisor, Hirohito Totsune, who already designed the lighting system of the Tokyo Skytree. It creates a theme and story line by using lights and music elements, similar to "A Symphony of Lights" in Victoria Harbour.

Sky100 & Skydining 101

A 67-second journey takes guests to the 360-degree, 393-metre high indoor observation deck Sky100 on level 100 from level 2. It is the 2nd highest observation deck in Hong Kong, after outdoor Sky Terrace 428 on The Peak Tower. It opens from 1000 to 2030 daily (last entry at 2000), but depends on the weather and sometimes for private only, the admission fee of aged 12 to 64 is $198. The Hong Kong action film, Cold War, which stars Aaron Kwok and Tony Leung Ka-fai as the main character, was also filmed here in 2011. Skydining 101 (Inakaya, Odyssée, The Sky Boss and The Kitin) sits on level 101 at 399 m (1,309 ft).

The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong

The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong is the highest five-star hotel in Hong Kong and 3rd highest in the world, which occupies level 3, 8, 9 and the top 17 floors (M4-3 to 118), offering 312 rooms. The Ritz-Carlton is a brand of the American company Marriott International. It was the world's highest hotel when opened in March 2011, and was surpassed by Rosewood Guangzhou on the top 16 floors of 530 m-tall Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre in September 2019, and Heavenly Jin Restaurant of J Hotel Shanghai Tower on the 120th floor at 556.36 m (1,825.33 ft) in June 2021, although it says "HIGHEST HOTEL IN THE WORLD AT THE RITZ-CARLTON, HONG KONG" on its official website until present day (November 2024). The hotel was located on Chater Road, Central from August 1993 to January 2008, and re-opened at ICC on 29 March 2011. Its interior lighting is designed by British lighting designer, Sally Storey.

Features

A 90-second journey takes guests to the reception lobby and Café 103 (buffet) on level 103 from level 9; another coffee zone, Café 100, located on the west side of Sky100 on level 100. The Michelin-dining can be experienced on level 102, including a one-starred Italian cuisine, Tosca di Angelo, and two-starred Cantonese cuisine, Tin Lung Heen, which has been awarded since 2013 and was one-starred in 2012; the Hong Kong action film, Raging Fire, which stars Donnie Yen as the main character, was also filmed here in 2019. The spa and club lounge are on level 116 at 465 m (1,526 ft); the world's highest presidential suite sits on level 117, covering an area of 366 sqm, with a 270-degree, floor-to-ceiling city view of Hong Kong Island, Victoria Harbour, and Kowloon Peninsula; the world's highest swimming pool, fitness centre and outdoor Ozone bar set on the top floor 118 at 476 m (1,562 ft), although it says "490 metres above sea level" on its official website, Facebook page, and the sign on that level.

Suicide & homicide of The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong

A woman jumped to death from 84th floor

On 8 August 2017, a 29-year-old guest, Liao Yi-lin, was found dead on the ground outside of level 8 at 0300. She was a daughter of Liao Rong-jiu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Guangdong Political Consultative Conference. She climbed over the fence and jumped from the fire barrier on level "R4", which is the 84th floor at about 404 m (1,325 ft) above sea level. The protruding windows on level M1-1 were shattered after she fell.

A South Korean CEO murdered wife and son

On 14 January 2018, a 42-year-old South Korean CEO of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, murdered his 42-year-old wife and 7-year-old son in Room 31 on level 109 because of business failure and told his friend who was in South Korea that he was going to commit suicide. The South Korean police and the Consulate General in Hong Kong intervened. He was arrested at the crime scene and remanded in Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre. On 16 April, he hanged himself with a bed sheet.

Murder of yoga instructor

A 23-year-old yoga instructor, Aqua Chow, was going to the United States for studying and boarding by 0200 on 30 June 2022. She disappeared after leaving her apartment, Seaside Sonata in Sham Shui Po, at 1634 of 29 June with her 28-year-old ex-boyfriend, Alex Lo, who was arrested next day. Her corpse with more than 30 stab wounds, and the 27-centimetre-long knife were found in a bathtub in Room 05 on level 106.

Transport (daily)

All-day: Mass Transit Railway (MTR): Kowloon station / Austin station / High-speed rail Hong Kong West Kowloon station Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB): 8, 11, 95, 203E, 215X, 260X, 269B, 280X, 281A, 296D,, , , 960, 961, 968, 978, W2 City Bus (CTB): 50,, , , 930, 930X, 952, 962X, 969, 970, 970X, 971, 973, A10, A11, A12, A22, E11 (E11A), E23 (E23A) (Routes refers to "jointly operated"!) Public light bus (minibus): 26, 74, 74S, 77M, CX1 Overnight: City Bus (CTB): N50, N930, N952, N962, N969, NA11, NA12

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