Quest for the Ultra-Skyscraper

[NYguy]

Business Week

http://www.businessweek.com/globalbi...e_great+spaces

Asia's Quest for the Ultra-Skyscraper
Wealth, growth, and the desire to make a mark are spurring cities to build ever higher power-towers—and reshaping architectural design in the process

by Brian Bremner

Scientists haven't isolated the "trophy tower" gene just yet. But there is something almost primal about the century-plus quest by some mega-ambitious cities to build the ultimate, record-busting, flat-out tallest skyscraper on the planet. The old power-tower rivalry early last century between New York and Chicago is legendary. Now the obsession to build mega-structures in nose-bleed territory has gripped much of Asia.

True, oil-rich countries in the Middle East have their living-large dreams, too, and there is one mind-blowing project now under way in Dubai. Still, the betting is that Asian cities likely will transform 21st-century skyscraper architecture in the biggest way. Currently eight of the world's 10 tallest skyscrapers are in the region. And the present reigning champ among skyscrapers globally is Taiwan's Taipei 101, a structure that soars 509 meters, or 1,671 ft.

On top of that, there is the right combination of high-speed growth, accumulated wealth and power tower-obsessed politicians from Kuala Lumpur to Shanghai that will keep the boom going for many years to come. Even lesser-known regional cities that have a burning ambition to make their mark view big, gutsy, and distinctively designed skyscrapers as potential game-changers—and are willing to offer serious incentives to make them happen.

Boon for Builders

That's pretty much what city leaders in the South Korean port city of Busan (formerly known as Pusan) hope to accomplish with the planned 560-meter (1,837-ft.) Millennium Tower World Business Center that is expected to be completed in 2010 or 2011. And this will be no bland, monolithic building.

New York-based Asymptote Architecture, which won an international design competition for a project that will result in the tallest building in Asia, came up with a concept that features three tapered towers emerging from a powerful base of floors offering stunning ocean and mountain views. "They were looking for something bold," says Hani Rashid, a principal architect with Asymptote. "We actually went in and tried to do something more reflective, to reset the game in terms of this tower mania" in Asia.

Whether the Millennium Tower in Busan (a city also hoping to host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games) results in a huge economic lift is uncertain. But plenty of cities in Asia are definitely willing to roll the dice, and that is sweet news for international architectural firms and general contractors alike. "The market outlook for ultra-high buildings in the region is pretty bright," says Kang Sun Jong, vice-president in charge of architectural design and consulting at Samsung Corp.

Temporarily on Top

There is also, of course, a super-size building boom now raging in parts of the Middle East such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. In fact, Samsung snagged the construction work for the monstrously high Burj Dubai, a tower complex slated to reach 800 meters (2624 ft.) in height and easily blow by Taipei 101 as the world's tallest building when it is completed in late 2008. (It was designed by the U.S. architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.)

Yet if recent history is any judge, the pride of ownership for a city that manages to get one of these ultra-high towers off the ground will be fleeting. Consider: New York's fabled Empire State Building, finished in 1931, held the world record for height for more than 40 years, while Chicago's Sears Tower, completed in 1973, had a 25-year run.

These days, cities are lucky to hold the title for a half-decade. The 452-meter (1,483-ft.) Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, built in 1998, were eclipsed by Taipei 101 just six years later. The Taiwanese are going to lose their title after only four years when Burj Dubai opens its doors.

Lofty Shanghai

Some argue that the economic development boost a city ultimately garners from a successful mega-structure is far more important than whether it is the world's tallest or not. The Petronas Towers "may no longer be the tallest building in the world, but it changed Malaysia and the perception of Kuala Lumpur" worldwide, says Goh Tuan Sui, chief executive of property consultancy WTW Malaysia. "A world-class building can also raise the bar for other buildings in the city, be it malls, office blocks, or hotels," he adds.

When it comes to sheer scale of tall building construction activity, it's hard to match Shanghai. Since 1990, the city has erected enough high-rises to fill a big chunk of Manhattan (see Businessweek.com, 2/8/07, "Shanghai Rising").

The 88-story Jin Mao Tower, with its distinctive tiered pagoda design, is the tallest building in China, rising to 421 meters (1,380 ft.). Or at least it will be until the Shanghai World Financial Center (492 meters, or 1,614 ft.) is completed in 2008.

Supply Shortage

So is the current wave of next-generation skyscrapers starting to hit the limits of modern-day construction engineering and material science? Rashid with Asymptote Architecture doesn't think so given new construction materials coming on stream, advances in computer-aided building design, and the increasing use of robotic technology in building. "There are new materials emerging that could replace steel," he says.

Probably the biggest challenge for general contractors at the moment is getting their hands on needed engineering and construction talent, and even some basic construction materials, in a timely fashion given the construction boom in Asia and the Middle East. "So many projects are being undertaken at the same time that securing in-time delivery of construction materials has emerged as a challenging task," Samsung's Kang says in reference to the Burj Dubai project.

No doubt some ambitious city planner or real estate developer in Asia will be sketching the outlines for another sky-hugger to overtake the Burj Dubai and grab tallest building honors before too long.

With Moon Ihlwan in Seoul and Assif Shameen in Singapore

[NYguy]

Part II

Asia’s Edifice Complex
Tower mania is sweeping Asia, a part of the world that now boasts the most innovative and daring skyscraper designs on the planet.

By Brian Bremner

Call it Asia’s “Edifice Complex.” The race to build the boldest and biggest skyscrapers is unrelenting in Asia. And the region’s economic dynamism has given cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, and Shanghai the resources needed to make their mark on 21st century architecture. In late January, the South Korean business hub, Busan, announced plans to erect a 560 m. (1,837 ft.)-tall skyscraper complex dubbed the Millennium Tower World Business Center that will reshape the city’s skyline and be the tallest building in Asia when completed in 2010 or 2011.

Meanwhile, the new 492 m. (1614 ft.) Shanghai World Financial Center, which will feature a five-star hotel and luxury retail space, is set to open in early 2008. True, bragging rights for the world’s mightiest building (currently Taiwan’s Taipei 101 building) will belong to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, where the 800 m. (2624 ft.) Burj Dubai is expected to be completed in November, 2008. But with the technological advances in construction materials, glass, and building bracings, expect Asian cities to spend lavishly on monster towers in the decade ahead. Here’s a sampling of the world’s tallest buildings in Asia and elsewhere.







Burj Dubai
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Designed by the U.S. architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in Chicago, the Burj Tower will reach 800 m. (2624 ft.) in height and eclipse Taiwan’s Taipei 101 building when it is completed in late 2008. The tower complex will have 160 floors and feature a hotel, a shopping mall, offices, and luxury apartments. Oil-rich Dubai, part of the United Arab Emirates, is spending lavishly to position itself as a global financial center and world business hub.




Millennium Tower
Busan, South Korea
In late January, the New York-based design firm Asymptote Architecture won an international design competition — held by the municipal government in Busan, South Korea -- to build what will be Asia’s tallest tower early next decade. The 560 m. (1,837 ft.) Millennium Tower World Business Center will boast a breakthrough design with three slender towers emerging from a powerful base.




Taipei 101
Taiwan
Back in 2004, this 509 m. (1,671 ft.) spiraling skyscraper overtook Malaysia’s Petronas Twin Towers as the world’s tallest building as measured from the ground to the tower’s structural top. It was designed by C.Y. Lee & Partners. Taipei 101 also holds the world’s record for the fastest ascending elevators that clock 60.4 km. per hour (37.5 mph). It will be overtaken as the world’s mightiest skyscraper when the Dubai Burj Tower is completed in late 2008.

(old design)


Shanghai World Financial Center
China
Shanghai is the Chinese mainland’s premier business center and already home to some stunning skyscrapers. It will get another one in 2008 with the opening of the 492 m. (1614 ft.) Shanghai World Financial Center that will feature the world's highest observatory, a five-star luxury hotel, and acres of retail space. It was designed by the architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox and developed by Mori Building Group of Japan




Petronas Twin Towers
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Standing 452 m. (1,482 ft.), these iconic towers were designed by renowned architect Cesar Pelli and were the world’s tallest buildings when completed in 1998. The mega-structure’s steel and glass design has elements of Islamic art motifs and sits atop the world’s deepest building foundations.




Sears Tower
Chicago, Ill.
This 442 m. (1,450 ft.) Chicago landmark was completed in 1973 and designed by the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill for Sears, Roebuck & Company, then the world’s biggest retailer. It held the record for tallest building for 25 years until Malaysia’s Petronas Towers were erected in 1998. Fiercely proud Chicagoans, however, still note that the building is No.1 if you measure from ground to the top of the tower’s antennas.




Jin Mao Tower
Shanghai, China
The 88-story Jin Mao Tower, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, is the tallest building in China. It rises to 421 m. (1,380 ft.) and is a centerpiece structure in Shanghai’s Pudong financial district. Its tiered pagoda draws heavily from traditional Chinese architecture and its name in English can be translated as the “Golden Prosperity Building.”




Two International Finance Center
Hong Kong, China
Cesar Pelli designed this mega-structure that now towers over the Hong Kong skyline overlooking Victoria Harbor. It stands at 415 m. (1,366 ft.) and is one of the most prestigious business addresses in Hong Kong.




CITIC Plaza
Guangzhou, China
This 80-story high-rise is situated in the Tianhe District of Guangzhou, a thriving business center in southern China about an hour’s train ride from Hong Kong. It was completed in 1997 and while it is no longer the tallest in China (that title belongs presently to the Jin Mao Building in Shanghai) the 391 m. (1,283 ft.) structure is the tallest concrete building in the world.




Shun Hing Square
Shenzhen, China
Things move fast on the mainland, and when the 384 m. (1,260 ft.) Shun Hing Square was finished in 1996, the 69-story skyscraper was the tallest building in China — until the CITIC Plaza in nearby Guangzhou arrived on the scene a year later.




Empire State Building
New York, NY
This fabled product of Art Deco design was finished back in 1931 and was the world’s tallest building for more than 40 years. It stands at 381 m. (1,250 ft.). Following the demise of the World Trade Center during the 2001 terrorist attacks, the building is the tallest in New York and the second tallest in the U.S. after Chicago’s Sears Tower.




Central Plaza
Hong Kong, China
From 1992 through 1996 the Central Plaza in the Wan Chai district had a run as the tallest building in Asia. And the 374 m. (1,227 ft.) skyscraper was tops in Hong Kong until the completion of Two International Finance Center a few years back.




Bank of China Tower
Hong Kong, China
One of the most recognizable buildings in Hong Kong, if not the world, this building designed by I.M. Pei and completed in 1989 resembles sprouting bamboo shoots, a symbol of prosperity in Chinese culture. It stands 367 m. (1,205 ft.) and was the tallest mega-structure outside of the U.S. until 1990.




Emirates Office Tower
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Finished in 1999, the Emirates Office Tower is a 54-floor office building in Dubai and is currently one of the city’s tallest structures. However it will soon be dwarfed by the 800 m. (2624 ft.) Burj Tower set to be completed in late 2008.




Tuntex Sky Tower
Kaohsiung, Taiwan
This tower boasts a distinctive design with a central tower that rises to a spire and emerges from a broader base structure. Opened in 1997, the Tuntex Sky Tower is designed to resemble the Chinese character meaning tall. It’s the second tallest building behind Taipei 101 in Taiwan.

[malec]

[phillyskyline]

I'm Envious Of The Lengths These Cities Will Go To In Designing These Magnificent Skyscrapers.

[NYguy]

I usually don't care for these stand alone supertowers, but I like this one...







Brings back memories of this though...

[JBinCalgary]

it is strikingly similar

[cur_sed]

Wow, that's a really impressive article - they seem to have gotten their facts pretty damn straight on this one - which is more than you ca say about most skyscraper-themed news articles.

[Aleks]

this is so fugly

oh thats right Asia will soon be the sky scraper continent

sky scraper capital soon to be cities

Dubai
Shanghai
Kuala Lumpur
and Hong Kong

which dont only have 1 huge building but several ones

[AuxTown]

I agree that Asian cities are building the tallest and coolest skyscrapers ever, but are they building great cities? I've never been to any of these places but I can't imagine it is very nice atmosphere at ground-level being surrounded by 1000-foot towers. I think the great cities of the world will continue to be those that are pedestrian friendly and those that have beautiful public outdoor spaces. I don't know if places like Dubai and Hong Kong have such characteristics but you never hear much about them if they do.

[Derek]

Originally Posted by malec

[staff]

Originally Posted by O-Town Hockey

I agree that Asian cities are building the tallest and coolest skyscrapers ever, but are they building great cities? I've never been to any of these places but I can't imagine it is very nice atmosphere at ground-level being surrounded by 1000-foot towers. I think the great cities of the world will continue to be those that are pedestrian friendly and those that have beautiful public outdoor spaces. I don't know if places like Dubai and Hong Kong have such characteristics but you never hear much about them if they do.

I can't speak for Dubai, but Hong Kong not being pedestrian friendly? In comparission to what?
Legoland?

[Caernavon]

Originally Posted by malec

That's a pretty cool design. Very futuristic, even in a way lots of other futuristic skyscrapers haven't been. It reminds me of Logan's Run for some reason. I don't know if it's what I'd call pretty, but interesting it definitely is.

[volguus zildrohar]

Busan gives us The Hypercactus - and it ain't bad.

[elsonic]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Illinois

http://www.fabiofeminofantascience.o...OFUTURE11.html

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by O-Town Hockey

I think the great cities of the world will continue to be those that are pedestrian friendly and those that have beautiful public outdoor spaces.

That's true, which is why I don't usually like these towers built in open spaces. It's always more impressive to me when these towers are built on actual inhabited, city streets. Wall to wall buildings and people.

[alleystreetindustry]

i have noticed in all of the fastest growing cities in the world, alot of the architecture for the buildings is cookie cutter, bland, un original, and ugly as a whole. the slower paced a city grows, the better the architecture. miami's boom for residential highrises is reflected in the buildings going up. someone needs to make something new, and not re-use old shapes and styles. atlanta had a boom, but the fact that only a few buildings were built one at a time is reflected in the architectural diversity that makes it a beautiful city. now that my city is having another boom, this time mostly for residential buildings, alot of them are the same old s***, especially from novare. the atlantic is gorgeous, but when you look at viewpoint and the spire side by side, they are most certainly the same. besides, whatever happenned to buildings coated in stone and metals? everything (almost everything) now is glass. we need to bring back the old stuff. the beautiful stuff.

[Eigenwelt]

Wow, I had missed the Busan tower.

That's a design that goes to 11 on a scale of 1 to 10.

[Bergenser]

I like this very much.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Bergenser

I like this very much.

That one seems to be the favorite of the group...

[MolsonExport]

^Does not look like a very lively pedestrian city. All my favourite cities have an incredibly rich urban fabric at the street level. The above (Busan) is quite surprising to me...I recently visited Seoul and found it to be a fantastic city with so much urban vitality.