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Gensler announced that the world’s second tallest skyscraper has been topped out in Shanghai. The twisting, mixed-use Shanghai Tower soars up to 632 meters – a height only eclipsed by the the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The tower’s cleverly designed facade reduces wind load by 24 percent during typhoons, and sky gardens at the apex mimic traditional open courtyards.
The twisting form reduces the load by 24% during typhoons and also slashed construction costs by a whopping $58 million. The building is organized in nine vertical zones that distribute heating, cooling and water more efficiently, reducing these loads, as well as the costs of maintaining interior comfort. Sky gardens crown the mammoth building alongside observation decks and cultural facilities, while retail facilities are located at the base, with offices spread out between. The tower will open in 2014.
Via Lauren Moss, René Z.
My friend, Jim Young, recently returned from a personal visit to the top of this enormous building. The view was astounding. Certainly anything this tall is very much an ego driven edifice. Still there are lessons to be learned like how to better reduce sway and deal with wind or capture wind energy or capture elevator energy and so forth. Tall buildings will need to be made more efficient in the future as we densify our world.