HSBC Building (Penang)

HSBC Building
General information
Architectural style	Art Deco
Address	1 Downing Street, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Town or city	George Town
Country	Malaysia
Coordinates	5°25′06″N100°20′36″E / 5.41825°N 100.34334°E / 5.41825; 100.34334
Current tenants	HSBC
Completed	1951
Opened	1951
Owner	HSBC
Height
Top floor	6
Technical details
Floor count	6

The HSBC Building is a historical building in George Town within the Malaysian state of Penang. Opened in 1951, the office building, situated at Downing Street within the city's Central Business District (CBD), houses the Penang branch of HSBC.

History

The original HSBC Building, designed in Neoclassical style and bedecked with a domed tower, c. 1910.

Side façade of the HSBC Building in 2024.

HSBC established its presence in Malaysia in 1884 with the opening of its first branch in George Town. ^[1] The branch was initially housed within the Logan Building at Beach Street. ^{[1] [2]}

The present-day HSBC Building occupies the site that was previously home to a telegraph office. As banks began to establish offices around the northern end of Beach Street, HSBC acquired the site and commissioned a three-storey building with a domed tower. ^[2] The building was designed by architects and civil engineers Wilson & Neubronner in Neoclassical style, with its domed tower bearing resemblance to that of the adjacent Bank of China Building. Construction was completed at a cost of $250,000 (Straits dollar) and HSBC moved into the premises in 1906. ^{[2] [3]} The building, standing at a height of 120 ft (37 m), was considered the tallest in George Town until the completion of the nearby railway station, and held the distinction of being the first in Penang to be equipped with electric lifts. ^[2]

The original HSBC building was destroyed during World War II. ^[3] Following the war, in 1948, HSBC made the decision to reconstruct the building while temporarily operating its Penang branch from the India House. ^{[2] [3]} By 1949, the 200 piles required to support the new foundations had been driven. The new building cost $1.5 million (Malayan dollar) and was inaugurated by British high commissioner Henry Gurney in 1951. ^[2] The first building in George Town to be completed after the war, it was also the tallest in the city, until the completion of the adjacent Tuanku Syed Putra Building in 1962. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Description

The building was designed in Art Deco style, featuring elements commonly found in bank offices in Shanghai. The lower two levels are rusticated while the four upper floors incorporate a different façade. ^[3]

See also

• Bank of China Building
• OCBC Building
• Standard Chartered Bank building

References 

1. Siddiq, Omar (12 Aug 2024). "Sowing seeds over the last 140 years to foster Penang's progression". The Edge . Retrieved 9 Oct 2024.
2. Langdon, Marcus (2014). A Guide to George Town's Historic Commercial and Civic Precincts. George Town: George Town World Heritage Incorporated. p. 30.
3. Hockton, Keith (2012). Penang: An Inside Guide to Its Historic Homes, Buildings, Monuments and Parks. MPH Group. ISBN   978-967-415-303-8.
4. "Penang's Tallest Building Ready Soon". Singapore Standard . 16 Mar 1951. p. 3. Retrieved 15 Oct 2024– via National Library Board.
5. Gunn, Chit Thye (30 Aug 1962). "Penang is expanding—skywards: Now a multi-storeys trend". The Straits Times . p. 13. Retrieved 15 Oct 2024– via National Library Board.