Why are "leaky" skyscrapers being built in Hong Kong

For a person visiting China for the first time, many things familiar to the locals will be a novelty. A lot of questions will be raised by local architecture and it's not even about the Asian scale. Many skyscrapers are built with openings, thereby significantly complicating the design and wastefully losing precious usable area. This feature of buildings in Hong Kong, where the most grandiose and fashionable buildings are located, is especially striking.

For us living in countries where strict pragmatism reigns, the use of feng shui principles in construction seems strange. But for the Chinese, who revere ancient traditions, this is not unusual. Real estate developers in this country pay tribute to customs by erecting residential and office buildings. Of course, if such an approach is approved by the customer.

If you ask a Westerner for an opinion about through holes in Hong Kong skyscrapers, you can hear a variety of versions. Some will say that these openings are necessary for normal air circulation in urban conditions. Others will suggest that the holes are needed so that an airplane can fly through the building. At the same time, few people will be able to explain why a pilot would risk doing such a cinematic trick.

In fact, everything is much more complicated and at the same time simpler. Architects simply use the ancient principles of feng shui, on which many aspects of Chinese life are based. The inhabitants of the Celestial Empire, regardless of age, education and position in society, believe in the existence of mystical entities. They not only believe, but also want to live with them in peace and harmony.

Chinese mythology is very confusing and it features a huge number of spirits and deities. A special place in this pantheon is occupied by dragons, symbolizing wealth and power. People are sure that dragons live among us and their interests must be taken into account. In order for mythical creatures to fly freely in the densest urban development, large holes are left in buildings.

For Hong Kong, taking care of dragons is especially important. The city is located between the mountains and the sea. Dragons living in mountain caves must fly freely to the water and back. If people do not violate the millennial way of life of these creatures, then they treat them favorably.

The demand for apartments and offices in buildings built taking into account ancient traditions is always higher. Therefore, "leaky" skyscrapers in China will always be built, although this is associated with many engineering nuances that increase the cost of construction.