Property developer Heron International held a ceremony this summer to bury a time capsule in its Heron Tower development at Bishopsgate in the City of London. Its contents included an ethically sourced tortoiseshell.

“In feng shui, the tortoiseshell represents a strong back, protection and security,” explained Gerald Ronson, Heron's chief executive. “For this reason, a tortoiseshell is commonly placed into the foundations of a building that incorporates feng shui principles. It is believed to help keep it safe and is considered an auspicious symbol.”

Another corporate exponent of feng shui is HSBC. Its headquarters on Hong Kong's waterfront, designed by Sir Norman Foster, is considered to have very good feng shui for reasons ranging from its harbour view to the lions at the building's entrance. A similar pair of lions can be found at the bank's offices in London's Canary Wharf.