Cheung Kong Center I & II Office Guide: Leasing, Workplace Planning & Fit-Out Considerations
Cheung Kong Center I and Cheung Kong Center II occupy two prominent positions in Central, but they represent very different generations of Grade A office space.
Cheung Kong Center I at 2 Queen’s Road Central was completed in 1999 and has long been associated with major financial institutions, professional firms and multinational companies. Cheung Kong Center II, at 10 Harcourt Road, is a newer development completed in 2024 on the former Hutchison House site. Its specifications place greater emphasis on ceiling height, daylight, smart building systems and sustainability.
For companies considering either building, the more useful question is not simply which tower is newer. Floor size, building services, client-facing requirements, technology infrastructure and fit-out strategy can all influence which property is more suitable for a particular organisation.
Cheung Kong Center I & II at a Glance
The two buildings are both positioned within Central, but their physical characteristics differ substantially.
| Building feature | Cheung Kong Center I | Cheung Kong Center II |
| Address | 2 Queen’s Road Central | 10 Harcourt Road |
| Completion | 1999 | 2024 |
| Office floors | 62-storey tower | 32 office floors |
| Total office area | Approx. 1.26 million sq ft | Approx. 560,000 sq ft gross leasable area |
| Typical floor area | Approx. 21,000 sq ft | Approx. 17,254 sq ft gross |
| Raised floor | Approx. 400mm | Approx. 150mm |
| Air conditioning | Under-floor TAAS system | VAV system with DDC zoning |
| Clear headroom | Approx. 2.77m according to commercial property records | Approx. 3.2m; 45/F approx. 7m |
| Floor loading | 3 + 1 kPa | 5 kPa |
| Sustainability | Established Grade A building | BEAM Plus Platinum, LEED Platinum and WELL Platinum |
CK Asset states that Cheung Kong Center I contains approximately 1.26 million sq ft of office space and uses a distinctive under-floor TAAS air-conditioning system together with a 400mm raised floor.
Cheung Kong Center II, meanwhile, provides approximately 560,000 sq ft of gross leasable area, with a typical office floor of around 17,254 sq ft gross, approximately 3.2m clear headroom and a 150mm raised floor. Its official building information also lists BEAM Plus Platinum, LEED Platinum and WELL Platinum certifications.
The figures should not be used as a simple size comparison without checking measurement basis. CKC I and CKC II are described using different floor-area conventions across public sources.
How Cheung Kong Center I and II Differ for Occupiers
Cheung Kong Center I sits at 2 Queen’s Road Central, within the traditional banking and professional-services core of Central. Cheung Kong Center II is slightly further east at 10 Harcourt Road, closer to Admiralty and the Central waterfront.
The location difference is relatively modest compared with the difference in the buildings themselves.
CKC I offers the scale and established corporate character of a large Central tower. Its typical floors are relatively substantial, making it potentially suitable for occupiers that want to consolidate a larger workforce onto fewer floors.
The under-floor air-conditioning system is also unusual compared with many conventional Hong Kong offices. CK Asset describes the building as using an ultra-modern TAAS under-floor air-conditioning system, while the 400mm raised floor provides considerable space for building services beneath the office floor.
CKC II takes a more contemporary approach. Its official specifications include approximately 3.2m clear headroom, wide façade modules and floor-to-ceiling glazing designed to increase natural light and harbour views. The building states that its glass modules are approximately 2.7m wide.
The newer building also provides a range of smart-building features, including provision for IoT-controlled lighting and air-conditioning, 5G mobile coverage, dual telecommunications lead-ins and individual-zone VAV air-conditioning control.
For companies prioritising contemporary workplace aesthetics, larger visual volume and newer building technology, those features may carry practical value. For larger occupiers, however, CKC I’s greater floor area may still be attractive depending on availability and the organisation’s space requirements.
Current Leasing Considerations
The comparison is taking place against a significantly firmer Central Grade A office market than businesses encountered several years ago.
The Central Grade A office vacancy rate fell to 8.0% by the end of July 2026, according to JLL, representing the strongest monthly improvement among Hong Kong’s major office districts.
Earlier in the year, JLL specifically highlighted Cheung Kong Center II when discussing the changing leasing market. As top-tier Central buildings moved closer to full occupancy, the consultancy reported that demand was beginning to spill over into newer Grade A developments such as CKC II.
Rental pressure has also increased. Central Grade A office rents rose strongly during the first half of 2026, leading JLL to forecast full-year growth of 10% to 15% for the district.
Recent transaction records provide further context for CKC II. Centaline Commercial recorded multiple leases at the building as of September 2026, including:
| Approx. area | Reported rent |
| 3,359 sq ft | HK$95 psf |
| 5,268 sq ft | HK$98 psf |
| 14,886 sq ft | HK$95 psf |
| 17,254 sq ft | HK$98 psf |
| 17,254 sq ft | HK$100 psf |
| 17,254 sq ft | HK$102 psf |
These Cheung Kong Center II leasing transactions are useful as current market references, particularly because several involve whole or near-whole typical floors. They should not be interpreted as a universal asking-rent range, since effective rents and lease terms vary according to floor, condition, size, incentives and negotiation.
Companies comparing the CKC buildings with other Central or decentralised locations can also refer to MJPM’s Hong Kong Office Rent Guide for wider market considerations.
Workplace Planning: Which Building May Suit Your Team?
Workplace planning is where the differences between the two buildings become more meaningful.
A company that needs a large trading floor, substantial open-plan workspace or a sizeable professional-services operation may value the larger floor plates available in CKC I. Consolidating staff onto a single floor can reduce internal circulation between levels and may make communication easier for teams that work closely together.
A financial or investment business may need:
- dense open-plan team areas;
- private meeting rooms;
- executive offices;
- boardrooms;
- secure IT infrastructure;
- collaboration areas;
- reception and client facilities.
A legal or professional-services firm may require more enclosed rooms, while a family office or wealth-management business may devote a larger proportion of its floor area to private client suites and hospitality.
An early test fit is therefore useful before a lease is finalised. Quoted square footage alone does not show how effectively a floor can accommodate workstations, meeting rooms, circulation and support areas. CKC II introduces a different set of opportunities.
Its approximately 3.2m clear headroom can support a more open visual character and offers greater flexibility for feature ceilings, larger reception areas and hospitality-oriented spaces. Its wider glazing modules can also encourage a workplace plan that takes advantage of natural light rather than allocating the entire perimeter to enclosed private offices.
The building’s official site also describes a tenant arrangement where East and West Tower occupants, as well as whole-floor tenants, can have their own lift lobby and direct lobby access to their entrance. For client-facing companies, this can influence reception planning and visitor experience.
MJPM’s office interior design and construction work can incorporate these requirements during test fitting, detailed workplace planning and the subsequent fit-out.
Fit-Out Considerations at CKC I and CKC II
The largest technical distinction between the buildings is the floor and air-conditioning arrangement.
CKC I: under-floor air distribution
Cheung Kong Center I uses a TAAS under-floor air-conditioning system and approximately 400mm raised floor.
This can provide considerable flexibility beneath the floor, but the interior layout has to be coordinated with the way air is distributed.
Partition positions, enclosed offices, meeting rooms and workstation zones can interact with floor diffusers and under-floor services. A design team therefore needs to understand the existing system before fixing the floor plan.
The same space below the floor may also accommodate power and data infrastructure. For occupiers with substantial technology requirements, workstation density and cabling routes should be coordinated alongside the air-conditioning strategy rather than addressed as separate workstreams.
CKC II: newer building systems and higher headroom
CKC II uses a VAV air-conditioning system with Direct Digital Control for individual zones. The official landlord provisions also state that dedicated 24-hour chilled-water supply is available for tenant essential equipment, subject to the building’s stated provisions. ~~
The building provides 400 amps of electrical provision per floor, backup power provision for essential tenant equipment and dual telecommunications lead-ins and risers.
These specifications may be particularly relevant to financial businesses, professional firms or regional headquarters with substantial IT, communications or meeting-room technology requirements.
The 150mm raised floor is shallower than CKC I’s 400mm system, so the coordination strategy is different. Power, data, floor boxes and other services still need to be planned carefully, particularly where workstation density is high.
Technology planning should cover items such as structured cabling, Wi-Fi, AV systems, access control, meeting-room booking systems and network equipment.
MJPM’s workplace technology integration service can be coordinated alongside interior design and construction rather than added after the workplace layout has been fixed.
CKC II’s higher ceiling also creates more design flexibility, but the fit-out must still coordinate lighting, sprinklers, air-conditioning, acoustic treatment and other building services.
Planning a Move to Cheung Kong Center I or II
For companies choosing between the two buildings, property selection and workplace planning can run in parallel.
A test fit can help determine whether the larger CKC I floor plate or the more contemporary CKC II environment produces the more effective workplace for the organisation. It can also highlight the effect of meeting-room requirements, executive offices, visitor circulation and technology infrastructure before the lease is committed.
The relocation programme may then need to coordinate:
- design development;
- landlord submissions and approvals;
- building-services coordination;
- construction;
- IT and AV installation;
- furniture procurement;
- testing and commissioning;
- staff relocation;
- handover of the previous office.
Businesses leaving another leased office should also review reinstatement obligations early. The programme for office reinstatement works can overlap with the new fit-out and may need to be incorporated into the overall project schedule.
Organisations evaluating Cheung Kong Center I, Cheung Kong Center II or another Central office can contact MJPM to discuss workplace planning, fit-out requirements and the practical implications of a potential space.