Sam Kee Building

This structure near the corner of Carrall St made it into the Guinness World Records as the world’s narrowest office building. It’s easy to miss because it looks like the front of the larger building behind, to which it is attached. A businessman’s vendetta against city hall led to the structure’s anorexic shape. Chang Toy, the Sam Kee Co owner, bought land at this site in 1906, but in 1926 all but a 1.8m-wide strip was expropriated by the city to widen Pender St. Toy’s way of thumbing his nose at city officials was to build anyway, and up sprang the unusual ‘Slender on Pender’ dwelling. It’s almost in the shadow of the towering Millennium Gate.