HSBC Headquarters Building (3rd generation) [1935-1984]

I recently came across the following document which provides some interesting information about the wonderful mosaic in the main banking hall of the old HSBC building, which I am sure that many of the more mature readers of this forum will remember. I am sure that I have a couple of photos of the ceiling somewhere, which I will try to post here later.

"The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, 1, Queen’s Road, Central, Hong Kong

Mosaic on Barrel Vault Ceiling of Main Banking Hall, Constructed in 1935

 The work is an excellent example of what is generally known as "Venetian mosaic", the manufacture of the raw materials having been a Venetian monopoly handed down from the Byzantine period. The ceiling of the famous St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice is one of the earliest and best examples of this kind of work.

The coloured pieces which form the pattern or design are a composition of glass paste to which different metal oxides have been added at high temperature, the chemical reaction producing the various colours. The gold and silver pieces are produced by applying layers of real gold or silver to ordinary glass before it has completely solidified. Varied shades of gold are obtained by mixing different metals to the gold-alloy. Both types of mosaic are unaffected by wear or climatic conditions.

Number of Pieces used

It is difficult to give the exact number of pieces used in the composition of the ceiling because of the many tiny pieces that make up the smallest detail. For example, several pieces had to be cut to form the various parts of an eye. However, working on the basis that about 500 coloured and 350 gold or silver pieces are required to cover a square foot, it is estimated that around four million pieces were used in the whole ceiling.

Design

The theme and basic design were suggested by the architects Messrs. Palmer & Turner. Mr. Raoul Bigazzi was the contractor, and the Russian artist Poudgoursky prepared the actual design.

Manufacture

Mr. Bigazzi went to Venice to order the materials, and Mr. Poudgoursky assisted by Professor Dal Zotto drew the full scale plan from the original sketch in Florence. As it was found impossible to do this in an ordinary building, permission was obtained from the Italian Government to rent a disused church which offered sufficient wall area on which the full scale drawings could be made. These drawings were executed on large sheets of thick paper and were coloured in accordance with the original sketch, which itself only measured 34 inches by 18 inches. In the process of enlarging the drawings many changes were made to improve the shadings, perspective effects etc., taking into consideration the exact position and lighting of the finished work.

The large drawings were then assembled and sent to the manufacturer, where under the supervision of Professor Dal Zotto the various pieces were pasted face downwards onto the drawings with special glue. Extreme care was necessary to ensure that the colour of each piece was exactly the shade indicated on the drawing. When a large area of the design had been completely covered with the corresponding pieces, the design was cut into small irregular sections similar to those of an ordinary jigsaw puzzle, each averaging from two to four square feet in size. Each section was numbered, and a key plan drawn with sections numbered in accordance with the full size design. The sections were then packed and shipped to Hong Kong.

Method of Installation

The ceiling of the Banking Hall was covered with a layer of well levelled and smoothly finished cement, and when this was dry a thin coating of white cement was spread over it. Under the direct supervision of Mr. Bigazzi and Professor Monti the various sections of paper and mosaic were then gently pressed into the cement in accordance with the key plan until they adhered.

The adjoining lines of each section were carefully placed together until each section blended into the next. When the cement was dry, the paper on the outside-that is the full size colour drawing of the original design-was removed with warm water and a hard brush, so that only the finished mosaic design was left embedded in the ceiling. Its surface was then washed with muriatic acid to remove glue and cement stains, and to bring out the full brilliance of the colour.

The actual task of applying the mosaic to the ceiling was carried out by skilled Chinese workers, mostly from Shanghai.

The ceiling is the largest of its kind in the Far East and is the second largest in the world. The entire work was completed within six months."