ivansychev February 13, 2017 at 11:42 am
The tallest skyscrapers in the world
- Urbanism
In the previous article we discussed. Unfortunately, now none of the high-rise buildings erected in the country is among the ten tallest buildings in the world. Therefore, until the completion of the construction of the Lakhta Center (hello to the commentators of the previous article), we will talk about skyscrapers in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, China, the USA, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Willis Tower
The oldest of the dozen currently existing tallest skyscrapers in the world was built in 1974 in Chicago. Its height is 442 meters without the spire, with the spire - 527 meters. In the Russian-language Wikipedia, the Willis Tower ranks 11th, but this is somewhat incorrect: the Lakhta Center, which has already been ranked 8th in the ranking, will be completed in 2018.Just think: in forty years, only nine skyscrapers in the world have surpassed the 108-story Willis Tower in Chicago, and in the United States this result was beaten only by the Freedom Tower, opened in 2014.
The design of the skyscraper was carried out by the architectural bureau Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, which later erected both the Freedom Tower and the tallest building at the moment - the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The building was originally called the Sears Tower, and received the name Willis in 2009. The foundation of Willis Tower rests on concrete piles driven into solid rock. The frame consists of nine square "tubes" forming one large square at the base. Each such “pipe” consists of 20 vertical beams and many horizontal ones. All nine “pipes” are welded up to the 50th floor, then seven pipes go up to 66, by the 90th floor five remain, and the remaining two “pipes” rise another 20 floors. Exactly what it looks like is clear from a photograph from 1971.
A worker stands on the spire of a tower.
The Willis Tower in this photo is on the right, with two spiers.
Zifeng Tower
In Nanjing, China, the Porcelain Pagoda, a 78-meter-tall Buddhist temple, stood until the mid-19th century. Travelers described it as one of the wonders of the world. It was replaced by the Zifeng skyscraper.Construction of the 450-meter high-rise Zifeng building was completed in 2009. It is the business center of the city. It houses offices, shops, shopping centers, restaurants and an observatory. Total - 89 floors.
Work on the construction of the tower lasted only four years. During the process, the project was changed: the tower could have a height of 300 meters. In China, where population density is extremely high, efficient use of land is essential. The triangular construction site was used to the maximum: the skyscraper has a triangular base.
The architects' idea was to interweave motifs of Chinese dragons, the Yangtze River and green gardens. The river is the vertical and horizontal seams that separate the glass surfaces. These surfaces themselves, according to architectural thought, are a reference to dancing dragons. Vegetation and pools were placed inside the building.
View of the city from a spire on a skyscraper.
Petronas Towers
In the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, skyscrapers called Petronas Towers were erected in 1998. The height of the two 88-story skyscrapers is 451 meters, including the spire.The skyscraper was built in the “Islamic” style; each building is an eight-pointed star with semicircular protrusions for stability. The construction site was changed after geological surveys. Initially, one skyscraper was supposed to stand on limestone, the other on rock, so one of the buildings could sag. The site was moved 60 meters. The foundation of the towers is the deepest concrete foundation at the moment: the piles are driven 100 meters into soft soil.
Construction was complicated by an important condition: only materials produced within the country could be used. Strong elastic concrete, reinforced with quartz and comparable in strength to steel, was developed especially for the building. The mass of the skyscraper was twice that of similar steel buildings.
The bridge between the twin towers is secured with ball bearings. Rigid fastening is impossible, as the towers sway.
The elevators in the building are two-story models designed by Otis. One cabin stops only on odd-numbered floors, the second - on even-numbered floors. This saved space inside skyscrapers.
International Commerce Center
The 118 floors of the Hong Kong International Commerce Center house offices, a hotel and shopping centers. The height of the building is 484 meters. Initially, they planned to build a skyscraper 574 meters high, but the project was changed due to a ban on the construction of buildings higher than Mount Victoria.Construction was completed in 2010, but there was no official opening: the building was already in full use by tenants. The 102nd to 118th floors are the highest above ground level hotel operated by the Ritz-Carlton. On the last, 118th floor, there is the world's highest swimming pool.
The building can withstand earthquakes up to magnitude seven and has fire-protected floors. After the attack on the Twin Towers in New York, the design of the building was modified so that it could withstand a direct hit from an airplane.
Thanks to its silhouette, the skyscraper received the name “opener”. The trapezoidal opening at the top was supposed to be spherical, but the Chinese government forced the design to be changed so that the building did not resemble the rising sun on the Japanese flag. Such changes made it possible to reduce the cost and simplify the design. This is how the upper part of the building was planned:
Here's what happened as a result:
Taipei 101
The capital of Taiwan, Taipei, boasts a skyscraper more than half a kilometer high. Together with the spire, the height of Taipei 101 is 509.2 meters, and the number of floors is 101.For some time, Taipei 101 was also distinguished by the fastest elevators in the world: they rise at a speed of more than 60 kilometers per hour, or 16.83 meters per second. People rise from the fifth to the eighty-ninth floor in 39 seconds. Now the new record belongs to the Shanghai Tower.
On the 87th and 88th floors there is a 660-ton steel pendulum ball. This architectural solution was made not only to decorate the interior. The pendulum allows the building to compensate for gusts of wind. The durable but not rigid steel frame can withstand the strongest earthquakes. These solutions, together with a foundation of piles one and a half meters in diameter driven 80 meters into the ground, made the building one of the safest in the world. On March 31, 2002, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake destroyed two cranes on the building, killing five people. There was no damage to the tower itself. But there is a theory that it was the skyscraper that activated the seismic activity.
Freedom Tower
World Trade Center 1 in Manhattan, New York, has surpassed its pursuer, Taipei 101, in terms of spire by 32 meters, although if we count the distance from the ground to the roof, the American Freedom Tower, on the contrary, is inferior to the Taiwanese tower by 37 meters. The height of the World Trade Center is 1 - 541.3 meters on the spire and 417 on the roof.The building stands on the site occupied by the twin towers of the World Trade Center, destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. When designing WTC1, past experience was taken into account, and the lower 57 meters were made using concrete instead of the standard steel structure.
The building officially opened on November 3, 2014. It is occupied by offices, retail spaces, restaurants and the City Television Alliance.
Royal Clock Tower
In Mecca in Saudi Arabia, in 2012, a complex of high-rise buildings, the Tower of the House, was built opposite the entrance to the al-Haram mosque, where the main shrine of Islam, the Kaaba, is located. The tallest building in the complex is the Royal Clock Tower Hotel, 601 meters high. It is designed to accommodate up to one hundred thousand pilgrims out of the five million people who visit Mecca annually. The Royal Clock Tower is the third tallest building in the world.On the tower at a height of 400 meters there are four dials with a diameter of 43 meters. They are visible from any part of the city. This is the highest altitude clock in the world at the moment.
The length of the spire at the top of the hotel is 45 meters. The spire contains 160 loudspeakers for the call to prayer. The 107-ton crescent at the very top of the building has several rooms, one of which is a prayer room.
The tower contains 21 thousand flashing lights and 2.2 million LEDs.
Shanghai Tower
The second tallest skyscraper is located in China. This is the Shanghai Tower, a 632-meter-tall building adjacent to another skyscraper on the list - the Shanghai World Financial Center. Offices, shopping and entertainment centers, and a hotel were located on 130 floors.The elevators in the building were developed by Mitsubishi Electric. Their speed is 18 meters per second, or 69 kilometers per hour. These are currently the fastest elevators in the world. There are three such elevators in the building, and four more two-story elevators reach a speed of 10 meters per second.
You shouldn't expect a beautiful view from the windows of a skyscraper. The building has double walls and has a second shell designed to maintain temperature.
The tower has a twisted design, which adds stability to combat wind.
From this angle, a spiral gutter is visible to collect rainwater used for heating and air conditioning.
Burj Khalifa
Opened in 2010 in Dubai, UAE, the Burj Khalifa tower has surpassed all existing skyscrapers and is still the leader in height.The tower was designed by the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, which created the Willis Tower and 1 World Trade Center, which we previously discussed. The construction of the Dubai Tower was carried out by Samsung, which also participated in the construction of the Petronas Towers. There are 57 elevators in the building, they must be used with transfers - only one service elevator can go up to the top floor.
The tower houses the Armani Hotel, designed by Giorgio Armani himself, apartments, offices, shopping centers, fitness centers and observation decks with jacuzzi. Indian billionaire B.R. Shetty completely purchased two floors, including the hundredth, at a cost of more than 12 million US dollars each.
As with the Petronas Towers, the world's tallest skyscraper developed its own special type of concrete. It can withstand temperatures up to 48 degrees Celsius. During construction, concrete was laid at night, adding ice to the solution. The builders did not have the opportunity to secure the foundation in the rocky soil, and they used two hundred piles 45 meters long and 1.5 meters in diameter.
If the Shanghai Tower has a gutter to collect rainwater, then in the case of the Burj Khalifa Tower such an approach is not needed: there is little rainfall in the desert. Instead, the building has a condensate collection system that can collect up to 40 million liters of water per year for watering plants.
During the filming of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Tom Cruise decided to climb the tower to write Katie Holmes' name there and get a great shot.
Planned buildings
At the moment, there are only two building projects that can rank first in the ranking of the tallest skyscrapers in the world.At 828 meters high, the Burj Khalifa seems less impressive compared to the Dubai Creek Harbor Tower project. Its roof height will be 928 meters - that is, it will already beat the current record by 100 meters. And the height of the spire will exceed a kilometer - it will reach 1014 meters. But this is not certain - the parameters of the building are kept secret. Like the Eiffel Tower, the Dubai Creek Harbor Tower will be open for World Expo 2020 if all goes according to plan. The foundation was laid on October 10, 2016.
The list has been compiled more than once by a variety of publications in the Old World. Today we decided to follow their example, presenting to your attention a small selection of the most impressive and unusual buildings with a height of more than 100 meters.
DC Tower (Vienna, Austria)
Our list opens with the tallest building in Austria, the environmentally friendly skyscraper DC Tower 1, also known as Donau City Tower. This structure was built on the banks of the Danube in 2013 and immediately found its way onto all sorts of lists of the most impressive structures of our time. The thing is that this 250-meter building with a wavy facade is one of the few skyscrapers on the planet built in accordance with all the standards of “green” architecture. In particular, the building has water-saving showers, energy-efficient elevators, as well as many other interesting features that are inextricably linked with environmental issues. The tower’s “life support” comes from environmentally friendly energy. The author of such an impressive project is the French architect Dominique Perrault.
Currently, opposite DC Tower 1, construction is underway on a second similar tower - DC Tower 2. Construction of the overall complex is planned to be completed in 2015, but already now the Vienna business center Donau City can safely be called one of the most beautiful skyscrapers planets.
Petronas Towers (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
Petronas Towers is one of the oldest complexes on our list. The construction of these two amazing towers lasted from 1992 to 1998. At the same time, the two towers were built in parallel by two different construction companies, and the then leader of the country, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, took an active part in the design of the facility. It was at his behest that eight-pointed stars were incorporated into the silhouette of the buildings, which was supposed to make the Petronas Towers the most “Islamic” skyscrapers in the world.
However, this is not what brought the complex worldwide fame. After its construction, Petronas Towers were recognized as one of the most structurally complex structures on the planet, as well as one of the largest structures in Southeast Asia. The usable area of the buildings is equal to the area of 48 football fields, and the total territory of the complex exceeds 40 hectares. In addition, the foundation on which 450-meter buildings are supported reaches 100 meters in depth, which is an absolute record on the planet.
Currently, the Petronas Towers are one of the most recognizable symbols of Malaysia, as well as one the most beautiful skyscrapers Asia.
- Federation Tower (Moscow, Russia)
photo city.rf
A complex of two buildings in the center of Moscow rises above the ground by 242 (West) and 374 (East) meters, respectively. According to this indicator, the building ranks first in Europe, remaining not only one of the most beautiful skyscrapers in Russia, but also one of the tallest buildings in the Old World.
A total of 67 elevators are used to support the tower (10 more than in Burj Khalifa), each of which moves at a speed of 8 meters per second. And a special concrete frame, made of unique high-strength concrete grade B90, gives the complex increased stability, which, according to the authors of the project, should be enough for the building to withstand a direct hit from an aircraft.
photo gorproject.ru
Initially, the project also included a 506-meter spire, which was planned to house observation deck. However, this idea was later abandoned. Currently, the Federation Tower is in the final stages of construction. One of the most beautiful skyscrapers Europe will be finally put into operation in 2016.
CAYAN Tower (Dubai, UAE)
One of the most unusual buildings in Dubai, and also the tallest “twisted” building on the planet rightfully takes its place on the list the most beautiful skyscrapers our vast Earth. The design of this 300-meter tower was carried out by the famous American bureau Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and, as conceived by the architects, was supposed to minimize the influence of wind on the stability of the tower.
However, the twisted body of the high-rise also has a pronounced aesthetic significance: from the base to the roof, the silhouette of the building is twisted exactly 90 degrees. This fact allowed the CAYAN tower, also known as the Infinity Tower, to become one of the regular participants in various lists of the most impressive buildings on our planet.
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Flame Towers (Baku, Azerbaijan)
The “Fire Towers” of Azerbaijan are located exactly in the center of our list. The three gigantic buildings, 190 meters high, amaze with their unusual concept and impressive lighting. In 2013, the authoritative portal skyscrapercity.com ranked Flame Towers first in the list of buildings on earth with the most impressive lighting. Subsequently, the Discovery Channel and the Science Channel presented their separate reports about this complex. However, such attention is quite understandable. In fact, the entire façade of the buildings is made up of high-precision LED screens, thanks to which in the evenings Flame Towers look like giant tongues of flame.
Due to the favorable location of the building, it can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. At the moment, the “Fire Towers” are one of the main symbols of Baku and all of Azerbaijan, the name of which, by the way, is also translated from Persian as “Gathering Fire”.
CCTV Headquarters (Beijing, China)
Read also:
One of the most unusual buildings on our list. The China Central Television building was built in 2009 according to the design of Dutch and German architects Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren. The aesthetics of the 234-meter skyscraper have been repeatedly questioned. But the originality of the structure has always been noted by the leading architectural publications on the planet.
In 2010, the famous “Pants” were included in the TOP of the most unusual buildings in the Middle Kingdom. Several times CCTV Headquarters was also included in the list the most beautiful skyscrapers in the world.
Al Bahar (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
The headquarters of the Abu Dhabi Investment Council are two 145-meter towers located right in the middle of the Arabian deserts. The architecture of the towers is an amazing mixture modern technologies and the traditional “mashrabiya” style, characterized by an abundance of lattices with complex patterns. However, this fact is not the only interesting feature of these towers. The thing is that the golden “scales” of the buildings are not only a decorative element, but also a special ventilation system consisting of two thousand modules that open depending on the location of the sun. Thanks to them, even in 50-degree heat, a comfortable atmosphere is maintained in the building, and the energy consumption of the tower is reduced by 50 percent.
Burj al Arab (Dubai, UAE)
The next point is the UAE again. “Arab Tower” - Burj al Arab - opens the top three of our list the most beautiful skyscrapers on the planet. The 321-meter building, built on an artificial island, is rightfully considered one of the most elegant, aesthetic and recognizable buildings on our planet. In addition, the famous hotel is also a true embodiment of Arabian luxury. Helipads, an underwater restaurant simulating a submarine, a hall covered in gold leaf, panoramic elevators and golf courses located at dizzying heights - all this splendor has turned the Burj al Arab into a living symbol of Dubai life. Today, the image of a “seven-star” hotel appears on thousands of postcards, magnets and other souvenirs brought from Dubai.
A few years ago, the authorities of the emirate even presented a separate logo for the city, where the letter “D” in the word “Dubai” was made in the form of an “Arab Tower”.
Sheraton Huzhou Hotel (Huzhou, China)
Honorable silver on our list the most beautiful skyscrapers in the world goes to another representative of the Middle Kingdom - the Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort. This building, reaching a height of 102 meters, is more than half the height of the CCTV building, however, despite this, its construction cost investors almost twice as much - 1.5 billion dollars! This fact is associated with the unusual bionic shape of the hotel, which, in fact, made this skyscraper famous throughout the world. However, such a “horseshoe-shaped” structure also has a purely practical function. This engineering solution adds greater resistance to earthquakes to the structure.
In addition to the unusual silhouette, a striking detail of the skyscraper is also its façade, which is decorated with 19,000 LED lights.
Absolute Towers (Mississauga, Canada)
Despite the fact that most of the most beautiful and impressive skyscrapers of our time are located on the territory of the PRC and the United United Arab Emirates, the first place on our list today goes to the birthplace of high-rise buildings - North America. Canadian skyscrapers Absolute Towers today proudly top our list, as well as dozens of other “hit parades” of multi-story buildings.
It is very noteworthy that the author of this structure was the Chinese architects from the MAD studio, who developed the design of these amazing wave-shaped buildings. The "twisted" form of the building causes the building to visually rotate, and also helps to eliminate vertical barriers common in multi-story buildings. Both skyscrapers do not have a single repeating balcony or floor, which creates unique conditions for the residents of this residential complex.
Currently, two towers, 180 and 161 meters high, are the main symbol of the small town of Mississauga, located in the suburbs of Toronto. In 2012, the architectural complex was awarded the title of the best high-rise building in America. Today we decided to put it in first place in our ranking of the most beautiful skyscrapers on the planet.
Good luck and goodbye!
Based on the results of the recently held prestigious European architectural competition “The Emporis Awards - 2010”, 10 of the most beautiful and unusual high-rise buildings were selected - I propose to evaluate and discuss the choice of experts. Let me note once again that this is a subjective list, which may vary from source to source according to the ratings of different organizations. If you think it’s worth adding to it or replacing something, please leave a comment.
In total, European experts needed to carefully study 305 skyscrapers from around the world, the construction of which was completed last year. As a result, they placed an unusual residential building in New York in 10th place on the list.
This 47-story residence is located in the historic district of downtown New York, and includes 320 apartments of various layouts, including 2 penthouses with terraces, which offer magnificent views of the city and the river.
William Beaver House features an innovative design: the contrast of bronze and gray brick is emphasized by glazed yellow brick panels and large bays of windows. The interiors of the apartments at William Beaver House are carefully designed to provide the ultimate in luxury living. All apartments and apartments are connected to cable TV and the Internet.
9th on the list is a residential complex in San Francisco.
The skyscraper was opened in April 2009. Now people coming to San Francisco from Canada along the Bay Bridge will be able to notice from afar the top of the translucent gray-blue crystal that adorns the city's skyline. The 197-meter tower became the fourth largest skyscraper in San Francisco.
In fact, the Millennium Tower consists of two towers. Between the main 60-story building and the small 12-story building next to it there is a 2-story glass atrium
Residences and Grand Residences of the Millennium Tower complex have become the most expensive on the entire West Coast
In 8th place - built in Dubai Diamond Tower(Almas Tower). The height of this giant is 363 meters. The Almas tower has 74 floors, of which 70 are used for commercial purposes, and 4 are technical
The building is located on an artificial island located in the center of Jumeirah Lake Towers and is the tallest in the area. It was built from 2005 to 2008
The 7th skyscraper on the Emporis list is in Bryant Park in New York. This 54-story office building with a spire reaches a height of 366 meters. After the installation of the spire, the tower became the second tallest structure in New York after the Empire State Building
Bank of America Tower recognized as one of the most spectacular and environmentally friendly buildings in the world
The tower reached its maximum height on December 15, 2007, when the final part of the structure was installed. But it took another 2 years to complete the construction.
6th place is occupied by the 128-meter Rotterdam (Red Apple). This 40-story residential building caused the most controversial assessments even during construction - as always in the case of something new that stands out from the general picture, opinions were divided and two irreconcilable camps formed: “fans” and ardent opponents of the project. Red Apple was built in the so-called “wine haven”, on an island located in the center of Rotterdam on the Maas River
In the high-rise part of the skyscraper there is a residential complex, and the infrastructure serving it is located in a multi-level 21-meter podium, where shops, cafes and consumer services are located
Compositionally, the complex is designed in such a way that if you look at it from different points, it looks different. Thus, from the embankment, it resembles a stylized sailing ship that has just arrived at the port and has not yet lowered its sails: the 128-meter high part rises above a 53-meter superstructure in the stylobate, extending beyond the island and hanging over the canal, reminiscent of the stern of a Spanish galleon
When viewed from afar, the complex looks like a bright red rectangle. But take a closer look, and it becomes noticeable that the facades of vertical stripes smoothly bend at height. This seemingly simple technique dramatically changes the impression of the project - from a standard rectangular “box” the building turns into a work of art
Building 5 Tower, also known as Trump Tower, is a state-of-the-art skyscraper in Chicago.
The remarkable thing about Chicago's Trump Tower lies primarily in its height, as this skyscraper is one of the most majestic buildings in the world. Trump International Hotel and Tower has 96 floors (including underground), and the total height from the ground to the tip of the spire is 415 meters
Trump Tower is a mixed-use building. On the first levels there are retail areas, lobbies and parking for 1000 cars. The territory from the 14th to 27th floor is occupied by a 5-star hotel with 339 rooms, and levels from 29 to 89 inclusive are reserved for residential apartments. The last, 89th floor of the Tower is occupied by the residence of Donald Trump himself. The tycoon paid $28 million for his 14,000 square foot apartment!
There are 27 high-grade passenger elevators in Trump Tower. The building boasts huge 12-foot windows that literally go from floor to ceiling. In addition, the Tower has its own park and waterfront area adjacent to the Chicago River. Surprisingly, Trump Tower residents even have their own private dog walking area.
Emporis experts put it in 4th place Pillars of Hercules(Torres de Hercules) in Spanish Andalusia. Of course, this is not such a giant as the other high-rise buildings on the list, but due to its appearance, this office building could not help but be included in this list
Two towers, united by a glass walkway, rise 126 meters into the air. Moreover, at the base of each of them there is a pool filled with water.
On 20 floors of buildings there are many offices, branches of world banks, travel agencies, and the top floor is occupied by a restaurant with breathtaking panoramic views of Gibraltar
Another interesting fact is that in the intricacies of the patterns of the façade are encrypted the words of the well-known saying to the Spaniards “Non Plus Ultra” (“There is nowhere further” or “There is nothing more”), and the patterns themselves extend several tens of meters above the top floor, protecting the roof terrace
The top three “leaders” are opened by a building in Bangkok, although, to be honest, I would not at all classify this high-rise building among the 10 most beautiful and unusual skyscrapers - compared to other buildings, the Metropolitan looks somehow poor and ordinary, but since the experts decided to include it to our list - let's try to figure out what captivated them so much =)
The Metropolitan is a 69-story building, 228 meters high, divided into three vertical sections. It belongs to the chain of design hotels. But it turns out that its interiors are of particular value.
The interior design of the Metropolitan has been turned into a special art. The color, shape and location of every detail is precisely thought out. This is the realm of beautiful things and exquisite style. The decor of the rooms is dominated by minimalism and delicate pastel colors. White pillows, beige walls, curtains and bedspreads the color of a fading rose...
The paintings decorating the rooms were created by talented Asian artists. Furniture designs are created by leading craftsmen in this field. Even the exquisite Mediterranean cuisine in the elegant hotel restaurant is served with special taste)
“Silver” went to an office high-rise O-14 in the business district of Dubai. The building is a 22-story commercial skyscraper, the construction of which cost $81.9 million
A special feature of O-14 are external walls with round holes (there are more than 1000 of them in the project), made of concrete 400 mm thick
This architectural solution also has a functional significance; the openings serve as windows, letting in a limited amount of sunlight. There is an air gap between the walls and the glazing of the building, which creates the effect of a chimney, cooling the glass surface and thereby creating a passive cooling system
According to The Emporis Awards, the Chicago high-rise Aqua was recognized as the most beautiful skyscraper in the world. This huge 250-meter giant from a distance does not stand out in any way from the general Chicago “landscape”, but as soon as you get closer, it turns into a real waterfall, striking the imagination with the unreality of its design - it seems as if some fabulous ice colossus has grown in the middle of the city
The 250-meter high-rise building is divided into 81 floors. In a buiding Aqua there is a hotel and ordinary residential premises. The facades of the skyscraper are decorated with real “lakes”, in which the role of water is played by windows, skillfully accentuated by hiding the rest of the windows with elongated uneven protrusions of the facade
The Aqua skyscraper impressed Emporis experts with “an original design solution combined with environmentally sustainable design.” And here I completely agree with them - Aqua stands out qualitatively from all the buildings on this list and definitely deserves to be called the best of those currently built =)
It is difficult to imagine the modern world without skyscrapers. The first truly tall buildings appeared only about 120 years ago. The term "skyscraper" was coined in the United States for office buildings built in New York City in the 1980s. XIX century William Le Baron Jenney. Houses of 10-12 floors reached a height of 76 m. By modern standards they were not very impressive, but thanks to their steel construction they became a model for other buildings of this type that are being built today.
Currently, architects and designers are turning into reality the most daring skyscraper designs, for example, spiral, round, letter and crescent-shaped, “falling” skyscrapers and “cucumber” skyscrapers.
1. Tower of the Revolution, Panama
One of the most amazing and spectacular twisting towers can be seen in the capital of Panama, Panama City. The height of the Revolution Tower is 243 meters, and its rotation angle reaches 360 degrees. The construction of the office skyscraper was completed in 2011, its official name is The F&F Tower. The tower has 52 floors, its facade was lined with very beautiful mirror tiles, so in the daytime the building looks simply fantastic.
Construction of the skyscraper began in 2003 and was completed by 2008, but the skyscraper was put into operation three years later. The design of the tower is very complex; it is based on the principle of geometric rotation of a prism. Initially, the skyscraper construction project was a purely theoretical concept, which, thanks to the talent of local architects, was brought into reality.
One of the city’s busy commercial streets was chosen as the location for the skyscraper; initially, a very small area of about 2,000 square meters was allocated for the skyscraper construction project. meters. The budget allocated for the construction of the Revolution Tower was also strictly limited and amounted to 50 million US dollars. Initially, the architects had no room for error; they managed to implement an amazing project on the first try, without unnecessary time and material costs. Today, a skyscraper built from reinforced concrete with a spectacular emerald-colored facade is one of the main decorations of the city.
2. Torre Agbar, Barcelona
The creation of the Agbar Tower was carried out by the French architect Jean Nouvel. Agbar Tower is a modern skyscraper located in Plaza Glorias Catalanes, Barcelona. This modern building was named after the owner of the Agbar Group holding company. The large-scale project was implemented by two construction companies: Architectoz and Dragadoz. Built in 2005, Agbar Tower immediately attracted attention with its unusual design. The King of Spain was present at its opening and expressed gratitude for such a bright modern decoration of the city. The water element, mountain ranges, and urban motifs are woven together in this unique building in Barcelona.
The Agbar Tower is a 34-storey building (plus 4 underground floors) with a height of 145 meters; the Agbar Tower is the third tallest in Barcelona. Initially, it was assumed that the Agbar Tower would be the office of the Barcelona Vodokanal. There are 30,000 office premises here square meters. However, the magnificence of the Agbar Tower forced its owners to change the specifics of the office premises; soon this building will become a hotel, the rank of which will be at least five stars.
The unreality of the Agbar Tower is given by unusual lighting, consisting of 4,000 units of LED technology built into the metal surface. The rainbow sensation is created by complex color combinations (about 16 million colors), creating the effect of a kind of “pixelated” color, it seems that the tower is completely shrouded in color and light. Rectangular glass panels located along the entire perimeter of the tower are able to move following thermal sensors, creating an even greater impression of indescribable delight from what they see. Everything was thought out during construction, even turning off the lights when needed, because the blinds, which open depending on the lighting, help save quite a lot of energy.
Agbar Tower is a building with a special double facade. Two layers form the basis of the façade. The first layer is a dense concrete shell, lined with brightly painted metal sheets and randomly scattered squares of windows. The second layer is a system of translucent glass blinds placed at arm's length. This double-facade system is quite economical because it eliminates the need for air conditioning and an internal cooling system. The advantage of such construction is obvious - it is not cold in winter and not hot in summer, everything is thought out in such a ventilation system. This structure gives the outline of the building a peculiar mysticism and unusualness. In the evenings, the Agbar Tower looks especially fabulous.
3. Turning Torso, Malmo, Sweden
The Malmö skyscraper, called HSB Turning Torso, is located on the Swedish side of the Øresund Strait. After completion of construction, this skyscraper became the tallest building not only in Sweden, but throughout Scandinavia. The height of the tower is 190 meters. The skyscraper is a 54-story residential building, which houses 147 apartments, as well as beauty salons, spa centers, a gym, offices, a conference room, etc.
The project was designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and officially opened on August 27, 2005. In 1999, former managing director of HSB Malmö, Johnny Orback, saw in a brochure an image of a curved white marble sculpture of a man, which inspired him to build an unusual skyscraper. Soon after, he traveled to Zurich to persuade Calatrava to design a residential building based on the idea of a twisting cube structure.
As a result of their collaboration, a building was built in Malmö consisting of nine segments of five-story pentagons that are twisted relative to each other. The upper segment twists 90 degrees clockwise relative to the first floor. Each floor consists of an irregular pentagonal shape rotating around a vertical axis, which is supported by external reinforcement. The two lower segments are given over to office space. Initially, the apartments in the building were supposed to be sold, but insufficient interest in them has led to the fact that most of the apartments are now rented out. The owner tried unsuccessfully to sell the building several times.
Due to the fact that the building is private property, public access to it is limited.
4. Sheraton Huzhou Hotel, China
In 2013, MAD Architects unveiled its first five-star hotel and spa, the Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort. The architectural design of this ring-shaped 27-story building, located south of China's famous Taihu Lake in Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, is inspired by traditional arch bridges and ancient ink painting techniques.
The resort features 282 luxury rooms, 39 HotSpring Villas, two super-deluxe Presidential Villas, and a Spa Villa, which offers hotel guests a choice of five various types spa holiday
The design of the complex is based on the idea of unity and infinity. At night, the “ring” is reflected in the lake and looks like a full, luminescent moon. The hotel's five-star luxury is evident in the porticoes and ceilings inlaid with citrine, which symbolizes wealth. Red Rose cryolite and Silk Road cryolite are used to decorate the registration and concierge desks. However, along with outright extravagance and even some pretentiousness in the interior, the architects provided for the implementation of several energy-saving technologies in the project.
Unlike conventional glass facades, the reflective screens used in Sheraton Huzhou's design reduce the need for forced air conditioning. The very shape of the building provides shading for all balconies and promotes natural ventilation. Ultra-clear glass allows maximum access of natural light to interior spaces, thereby eliminating the need for additional artificial lighting during the day. This not only saves energy, but also creates a pleasant atmosphere.
People often have certain associations when they mention the word “skyscraper” - a tall, glassed, rectangular building with stunning views of the city. Most of them really are, but there are exceptions to the rules, which you will learn about in our review of the 14 most unusual skyscrapers in the world.
1. Genex Tower in Belgrade, Serbia
Located in third place in the city, the Genex Tower resembles a huge gate that welcomes tourists from the west. Appearance The complex is formed by concrete twin towers, united by a restaurant on the top floors. Initially, the Belgrade giant was supposed to become a new symbol of Serbia, but contrary to this, it became one of the strangest buildings in Eastern Europe and one of the worst examples of brutalist architecture.
2. Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, DPRK
The North Korean Ryugyong skyscraper is considered one of the most controversial buildings in the world. Construction of the 105-story hotel began back in 1987, was subsequently frozen many times and was finally completed only in 2014. The triangular structure of the building, made of raw concrete, has become a source of constant ridicule from professional architects. The skyscraper is regularly criticized - for example, in 2008, Esquire magazine called the hotel “the ugliest building in the history of mankind.”
3. Elephant Tower in Bangkok, Thailand
The construction of the 32-storey Bangkok tower, reaching 102 meters in height, was completed in 1997. Three concrete buildings connected to each other on the last 8 floors are shaped like the silhouette of an elephant. This building took 4th place in the list of "20 most original skyscrapers in the world."
4. Robot building in Bangkok, Thailand
The robot building in Bangkok immediately catches the eye of tourists due to its obvious resemblance to its prototype. The reason for the construction of the Bank of Asia building was the desire to attract public attention to the problem of computerization of the banking sector. The author of the project, Sumet Jumsai, took inspiration from his son’s toy robot. The architect sees his skyscraper as a protest against the postmodern architecture that swept the world in the early 1980s.
5. Headquarters of China Central Television CCTV in Beijing, China
The 44-story skyscraper, which serves as the headquarters of China Central Television, was nicknamed "pants" shortly after it opened in 2009. The building is built in an unusual style and is a ring structure of five horizontal and vertical sections that form an irregular lattice on the building's façade with an empty center.
6. Torre Velasca in Milan, Italy
The mushroom-shaped tower is located in the very center of Milan. Torre Velasca definitely contrasts with the surrounding architecture, even though this tower was designed in the style of Italian medieval castles. Since its construction in 1954, it has evoked a wide range of emotions among city residents - some admire the building, while others criticize it for being too large for the local area.
7. Kingdom Tower in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The tower-mosque, made in the shape of a keyhole, is located in the Arab city of Riyadh. It is the tallest building in Saudi Arabia and the second tallest mosque in the world. The Kingdom Tower, also known as Burj Al Mamlaka, has been awarded the prestigious Emporis Skyscraper Awards as the "most stylish skyscraper". It is interesting to note that the architects created a keyhole at the top of the building due to local laws prohibiting the construction of large structures above a certain height.
8. Lloyd's building in London, UK
Lloyd's building in London
Lloyd's building in London
Lloyd's building in London
The Llloyd's building, located in the English capital, has become a classic of the high-tech architectural style. This unusual complex attracts the attention of passers-by with pipes, cables, elevators, stairs and other engineering elements placed outside. All this was done with the aim of maximizing the internal space.
The Lippo Hong Kong office complex, consisting of two towers (48 and 44 floors), was built in 1988. The author of this skyscraper is the American architect Paul Rudolph. He was the one who came up with the original idea of creating large object of two towers, vaguely reminiscent of koalas hugging tree trunks.
10. Wooden skyscraper in Arkhangelsk, Russia
The tallest wooden building in the world, a 13-story "skyscraper" in Arkhangelsk, was built by Russian gangster Nikolai Sutyagin. It seems incredible that he built the house alone over 15 years, adding new floors every year. However, after his next imprisonment, the finally completed house turned out to be unnecessary to anyone and was demolished in 2012.
11. Watts Towers in Los Angeles, USA
Reaching more than 30 meters in height, the Watts Towers were erected by Italian immigrant Simon Rodia over 33 years. A simple Italian who knew nothing about construction used piles of scrap metal, plastic, sea shells, empty glass bottles and other garbage to create this masterpiece. Today, the incredible complex is considered one of the symbols of Los Angeles and is listed as a National Historic Landmark.
12. Umeda Skyscraper in Osaka, Japan
Located in the southern tropics of China, the Vanke Center, designed by American architect Steven Holl, is considered the world's first "horizontal skyscraper". Built in 2009, the complex is an intricate structure of towers literally lying on their sides. The Vanke Center is considered one of the most significant environmentally friendly structures in human history.The construction of skyscrapers is a kind of competition between architects, and the height of the building plays a very significant role. The largest skyscrapers on the European continent are included in our review. However, it is worth noting that today skyscrapers should not only amaze people with their size, but also create a favorable environment for them, which they successfully cope with