Monster Building, an urban beauty in Hong Kong's concrete jungle

Any visitor to Hong Kong would take no time to realize that the place is indeed a concrete jungle. There are high-rises everywhere and among them, Monster Building at Quarry Bay stands out for its unique design. The building, in fact, is an interconnected complex of five tower blocks. A favourite spot of photographers, Monster Building also has been a location for several notable movies.

A densely-populated area on the eastern part of Hong Kong, Quarry Bay sees construction of new skyscrapers for commercial and residential purposes every year. However, none of these new buildings could match Monster Building.

Designed in the shape of the English alphabet ‘E’, the high-rise was named ‘Monster Building’ by the local people themselves. The five blocks of the building are Oceanic Mansion, Fook Cheong, Montane Mansion, Yick Cheong and Yick Fat. The building was constructed by the Hong Kong government during the 1960s considering the rising population for providing accommodation to low-income groups at subsidized rates. While the upper floors of Monster Building are residential areas, the lower floors have shops selling tea, fish and provisions.

The architectural style of the 1960s is pleasing and the urban beauty of Monster Building has made it a popular destination among tourists arriving in Hong Kong. Moreover, the building has appeared in films such as ‘Ghost in the Shell’ and ‘Transformers’.

To visit Monster Building, get down at Quarry Bay MTR station and walk along Kings Road to Tai Koo.