Star Ferry Pier, Central

Star Ferry Pier, Central
Southern façade of Star Ferry Pier in 2012.
Traditional Chinese	中環天星碼頭
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhōnghuán Tiānxīng Mǎtóu Hakka Romanization Zung1van2 Tien1sin1 Ma1tiu2 Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Zung1waan4 Tin1sing1 Ma5tau4

Star Ferry Pier, Central (Chinese: 中環天星碼頭) may refer to any of the successive generations of pier in Central, Hong Kong used by the Star Ferry for its services across Victoria Harbour to Tsim Sha Tsui Ferry Pier and until April 2011, to Hung Hom Pier. The current Star Ferry pier is the fourth to bear the name in Central. It opened for public service on 12 November 2006.

First Generation (1890) was located at the junction of Pedder Street and Chater Road. The first ferry pier was a simple wooden shelter with a roof.

A temporary pier off Ice House Street, located across from Queen's Building was then leased to the Star Ferry Co. from 1900. It was replaced in 1912 by the Second Generation pier, at the same location.

Second Generation (1912) was located opposite the end of Ice House Street, at the present site of Jardine House.

Third Generation (1957) near Edinburgh Place, decommissioned 11 November 2006.

The pier was created in the late 1950s following a major land reclamation in Central. The pier was built in 1957 in the Streamline Moderne style at the height of the Modern Movement near the City Hall complex, which was being planned at the time. Its completion was concurrent with the completion of the still standing Tsim Sha Tsui Ferry Pier, which was built on the Kowloon side.

The Star Ferry Pier was designed by a local Chinese architect, Hung Yip Chan (born in 1921). He worked at the Architectural Office (AO) of the Hong Kong Government from 1952 to 1957 as an assistant architect. He designed the facade of the pier, and the Chief Architect Michael Wright added the Clock Tower to make the pier more balanced and practical.