Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Zac Hardina #5

The tallest building in the picture is the Shanghai Tower. The Shanghai Tower was designed by Gensler, an architectural firm located in Chine. Impressively, this structure is tall enough that it shares airspace with low flying clouds. It currently stands as the world's second tallest structure at a height of 2,073 feet. The main structure is supported by a large concrete core with two story trusses and supercolumns to form the frame. The building is comprised of 121 floors spread over 9 "zones." One idea incorporated into the building is that of a self-contained city. The building contains retail stores, office space, a hotel, and observation facilities. The building was designed for sustainability and efficiency and has been LEED Gold Certified. The gentle curvature gives the building a simple but attractive aesthetic, while also minimizing the structural load placed on the frame due to wind. Internal elevators can reach speeds up to 40mph, making them the fastest in the world.

Photograph by Andrew Rochfort
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8281403@N07/15132565888/in/photostream/

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