HONG KONG | International Commerce Centre | 1,608 FT / 490 M | 118 FLOORS | T/O

[Fabb]

Only two cranes at US7 ! Come on !!

Thanks for the update.

[Jaroslaw]

Thanks for the updates.

US6 will look quite slender!

[Fabb]

Maybe. But not as slender as the tallest of the Sorrento.

[Jaroslaw]

It will also be slightly taller (9m.) and much more on its own than the Sorrento, with more space around it; Sorrento I may be slender, but it really looks like the the edge of a long wall...

[Fabb]

That's true.
US6 will also be more distinctive.

[Jaroslaw]

Yes, I am pleasantly surprised at the cut-out on the side of US6. Quite unique! The only thing I'm worried about is that the floor divisions will not be clearly visible in the facade, making the building too abstract-looking. Cheung Kong Center is the only one that does it wel, to my mind, of the recent big office towers. And maybe 2 IFC...

[Fabb]

I'm like you. I prefer the claddings that clearly show the floor divisions.
I also regret the version of US6 with slanted roof.

[Rachmaninov]

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/6-1.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/6-2.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/6-3.jpg

Shot on 18th June. Obviously I was on a speeding taxi so apologies for the bad quality!

[Aboveday]

thanks !
both tower were finished in my dream yesturday night. :) a structure connected both tower .....

[Chad]

Is this considered as "fast rising", in HK standard?

[try 2B funny]

Is this considered as "fast rising", in HK standard?

Yes, especially consider that in the last two months there were just around 5 days without raining....

[JACKinBeantown]

Clearly they skipped a numbered floor between 20 and 25. Would that be "24" and why?

[Fabb]

Same as always in HK.
"4" has something to do with death (is it the pronounciation ?).

[Aboveday]

http://www.rwdi.com/aspx/pub/Misc/ProjectUnionSquareMegaTower.aspx (http://)

quote from the web site of RWDI:

Projects:

Union Square Mega Tower

Hong Kong's tallest building - 490m in height - located in Kowloon Station Development.

Location:

Hong Kong, China


Services provided:

* Defined effects of far-field topography, wind speed and turbulence at the site

* Wind Loading (tested building for cladding wind pressures / structural loads)

http://www.rwdi.com/User/ProjectProfiles/Img/MegaTower.jpg

Quote end.

:D

[deejer8]

:help: those above construction pics, are they US6 or US7?:???:

[Rachmaninov]

They are US6.
The skipped number was 24 which sounds horribly like "Easy to die".

[vincent]

nice!!

[Chad]

24...Yee-sip-see....

[ENDOPHINS]

Progress of US7 on 19June2005

http://image2.xitek.com/forum/200506/285/28539/28539_1119151363.jpg

posted by D1XF90X in cameraunion forum

[Rachmaninov]

I can see the octagonal shape from THAT. Great pic!!

[-$i-]

That site seems so much smaller than Shanghai's WFC

[Aboveday]

wow,2nd floor above the podium!

[Fabb]

It's octogonal ?!
Was it supposed to be ?

[try 2B funny]

It's octogonal ?!
Was it supposed to be ?

And it looks small, maybe something virtually different from the rendering....

[coth]

It's octogonal ?!
Was it supposed to be ?
i think yes
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/attachment.php?postid=1422388

[try 2B funny]

It's octogonal ?!
Was it supposed to be ?
i think yes
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/attachment.php?postid=1422388

This is so funny. They skip dozens floors to make a building eighty-something storey tall (The Arch), and now they extend the skin to make it bigger.

What next?

[Fabb]

I'm shocked.
I never realized that there were those wall extentions all along the façade.
Won't they block the view from many parts of the building ?

[coth]

I'm shocked.
I never realized that there were those wall extentions all along the façade.
Won't they block the view from many parts of the building ?
look at rendering, you will see it

[try 2B funny]

This makes me stand with the Nimby this time. To build something like this is plain embarrassing.

Now I suspect the next HK mega tower will be something like that

http://home.i-cable.com/rickpn2/New-1.jpg

[vvill]

It's octogonal ?!
Was it supposed to be ?
i think yes
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/attachment.php?postid=1422388

This is so funny. They skip dozens floors to make a building eighty-something storey tall (The Arch), and now they extend the skin to make it bigger.

What next?

no no they're not wall extensions....

the building starts off to be octogonal and then gradually turns into a square.. (not a proper square cos each corner is turned inwards)

will post a series of plans later on!

[Aboveday]

http://netalbum.netvigator.com/photos/2005/06/26/c3321472153534571119761947368.jpg

US7 floor plan.

[some_stupid_nut]

Wow thats interesting! You dont really notice it in the renderings.

[Fabb]

I wonder if there'll be many of those refuge floors.

[vincent]

Wow thats interesting! You dont really notice it in the renderings.
not for shape-sensitive person, i noticed it when the rendering was first published.

[vincent]

wow,2nd floor above the podium!
i believe it is an illusion (by the gap between the the tower and the podium), i think they are the same level as the podium.

[vincent]

That site seems so much smaller than Shanghai's WFC
i can pretty much tell in the very early stage of foundation construction of swfc that the circular coffedam is larger than US7 mainly because of its super-columns location. The floor plan size of US7 and swfc are around the same.
This pic again prove i am right...
http://www.worldisround.com/hosted/15/380/639_o.jpg
notice the super columans locates at the very tip of each corners (of the tower foot print), while the US7's two super columns for one side are being put closer to the center, thus smaller circular coffedam.

[Rachmaninov]

http://www.globalphotos.org/rach/CIMG0364.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/rach/CIMG0366.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/rach/CIMG0367.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/rach/CIMG0368.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/rach/CIMG0372.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/rach/CIMG0375.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/rach/CIMG0376.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/rach/CIMG0380.jpg

Time for more updates! A big thanks to hkskyline for hosting the photos for me!!

[Aboveday]

wow. everything is so huge!
thanks for these great pic!

[shogun]

Greeeeeaaaat updates , thanx alot. US7 seems to rise now!

[Fabb]

Thanks !
Exactly what we've been waiting for !

[Sher]

June 26 @ 3pm - same day as Rach took! :cool:
..so i will post only 2

http://www.pbase.com/csher/image/45594838/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/csher/image/45594736/original.jpg

[Aboveday]

http://www.lera.com/pimg/kowloonstation/7905981_large.jpg

[Lecom]

The last one is awesome, Sher.

[Fabb]

Is it going to be that tall and slender ? Really ?

Thanks Sher for the photos. I never have enough of them !

[Aboveday]

http://pds.exblog.jp/pds/1/200407/05/80/a0015180_221230.jpg

A design by 丹下健三(1913-2005) ,not adopted.

[some_stupid_nut]

http://pds.exblog.jp/pds/1/200407/05/80/a0015180_221230.jpg

A design by 丹下健三(1913-2005) ,not adopted.

WOW! First time I've seen this design! Do you have anymore pictures? Looks like a nice decent design to me!

[Fabb]

I'm happy with KPF's design.
This one is interesting nonetheless.

[Rachmaninov]

OK How old are you Sher? I saw another guy shooting pics opposite to Union Square...

[Fabb]

That's what I think all the time when I see someone taking pictures of skyscrapers... maybe he's one of us.

[igzaklee]

funny to think none of us really knows what each other looks like, yet it's so natural to converse daily on topics...


:cool:


there was that shot taken about a month or so ago of the ferry on the harbour which two of us took pics of just seconds apart!
that was crazy...

[vincent]

the us6 south tower passed the podium part.

[Sher]

OK How old are you Sher? I saw another guy shooting pics opposite to Union Square...

hehe... I'm 21, i think i wore white shirt with a darkbrown bag on that day! :cool:

One more to share, from the peak few days ago:

http://www.pbase.com/csher/image/45756046/original.jpg

[Fabb]

US looks fantastic already.
The whole thing will be just great.

[deejer8]

:eek: Uh oh, I think I found a new desktop photo...:eek:

[deejer8]

:eek: Uh oh, I think I found a new desktop photo...:eek:

[hkskyline]

Originally posted by Martin on a Hong Kong discussion board on July 5th :

http://ml.zoominhk.com/558.jpg

[Aboveday]

中建三局中标香港118层联合广场工程

中建三局 于 2005年07月04日

　　“七一”前夕，以中建三局为主，联合香港协兴建筑有限公司，中标香港九龙联合广场7标段摩天大楼（mega tower）钢结构工程，总造价7.5588亿港币。

　　该工程是一幢118层的办公及酒店大楼，建筑高度为490米，仅比目前由中建总公司为主施工的世界楼顶最高楼上海环球金融中心大楼矮2米。该工程位于香港西九龙港填海地九龙综合开发区西南角九龙地铁站上盖，其钢结构总重约32000余吨；发展商为香港新鸿基地产发展有限公司及香港地铁公司，工程预计2009年9月30日竣工。

[hkskyline]

By Hendrix from a Hong Kong discussion board :

http://www.look.com.hk/view/sunset/026.jpg

[Fabb]

Bring more cranes people !

[Rachmaninov]

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/CIMG0726.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/CIMG0733.jpg

Some far updates shot two hours ago!

[Fabb]

Thanks !
The pogress of US6 is impressive.
Too bad US7 is not really catching up.

[vincent]

looks like it is from 2ifc?

[igzaklee]

i will forever be in awe that US7 is 2X the height of Harbourside...

[cas1976]

could anyone tell me the exact number of floors of US6(both towers)?

i saw some details stated that US6 will have 90/F !!!
i want to know if it is true.....

[Fabb]

Not true.
This is probably the advertised number of floors.

[buildup]

It's moving right along! Nice photos.

[Rachmaninov]

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/CIMG0985.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/CIMG0986.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/CIMG0987.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/CIMG0988.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/CIMG0989.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/CIMG0990.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/CIMG0991.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/CIMG0992.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/CIMG0993.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/CIMG0994.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/CIMG0995.jpg

Union Square updates!!! (shot by myself today)

[Fabb]

The beast is slowly emerging.
It's going to be great.

Thanks for your extensive contribution today !

[vincent]

us7 has almost no progress...

[Chad]

same as US6, very slow.

[Chad]

same as US6, very slow.

[philip]

us7 has almost no progress...

It is scheduled for completion in Sept 2009, that's 4 years later.
118 stories / 4 years / 12 months = approximately 2.5 floors per month.

That's why the progress is so slow. ;)

[Fabb]

It'll speed up in a few weeks. The first floors usually take longer.
I also suspect that the priority is given to the construction of US6.

[Jaroslaw]

< "Completion" means that it will be topped at least a year before then. It will go at a reasonable clip of a floor a week.

[Fabb]

Well, if it's a concrete building, it won't rise as fast as 2IFC that has a stell structure around a concrete core.

[igzaklee]

completion is now set for Sept 2009??

[Aboveday]

http://netalbum.netvigator.com/photos/2005/07/31/c3321461152640261122804209834.jpg

Phase 6.

[malec]

us7 has almost no progress...
Well, as someone said before. Greatness takes time to build ;)

[Fabb]

Apparently, the most active construction is that of the north tower of US6. I bet they want to finish it fast so as to gain revenue from it.

[ENDOPHINS]

http://netalbum.netvigator.com/photos/2005/07/31/c3321461152640261122804209834.jpg

lighting test on the North tower ?

[Fabb]

Really ?
Timid test in that case.

[deejer8]

I did not realize there were that many lanes of highway at the base of the tower!

WOW!:crazy:

[Jaroslaw]

-That's the somewhat reduntant lanes for the toll gates for the West Harbour Tunne, plus merge lanesl. The tunnel itself has two or at most three lanes in each direction, as I recall. I hope someday they cover up this road here.

[Rachmaninov]

3 in each direction, and Disney is nearing its opening.

[Sher]

http://www.pbase.com/csher/image/47128870/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/csher/image/47128872/original.jpg

taken few weeks ago

[giallo]

^ What a fantastic new neighborhood. I love it!

[Jared]

^ What a fantastic new neighborhood. I love it!
Yup. And what a fantastic looking chic in his avatar. :naughty:

[Fabb]

US is huge !

[Chad]

Grande !!!

[Fabb]

The complex will be best seen from the water. Tourists are going to love it.

[ENDOPHINS]

deleted [double post]

[ENDOPHINS]

the TV Commercial including some Union Square developments :

http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=247421

[Fabb]

Thanks !
I was afraid all the threads about HK were dead.

[Rachmaninov]

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/CIMG1247.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/CIMG1248.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/CIMG1250.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/CIMG1251.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Rachmaninov/CIMG1252.jpg

Shot today on my way to HKIA. Sorry for the bad quality but enjoy anyway :P

[Fabb]

The quality of the photos is fine. Thanks for the update !

The progress is slow but visible.
I bet most of the work is done on US6.

[Aboveday]

found this pic from the web:

http://netalbum.netvigator.com/photos/2005/09/12/c3321461111550711126540318687.jpg

[BANKofMANHATTAN]

that's awesome! ^

[Fabb]

Very realistic. Could be true.

[malec]

The only thing is that US7 should be a tad bit taller

[Fabb]

I thought the same, but it's hard to tell. It's a little farther than 2IFC.
I like the way the cladding of US7 is dark at the base and lighter as it reaches the top.