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CTBUHJournal

CTBUH 8th World Congress

The Race for the Sky: Unbuilt

The International Skyscraper

High-Rise Home Technology

Tallest 10 Completed in 2007

Tall buildings: design, construction and operation | 2008 Issue I


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Welcome

2 | Welcome

Welcome to the CTBUH Journal, the publication for the Council on Tall

Buildings and Urban Habitat.

Our first issue of 2008 celebrates the tremendous success of the CTBUH

8th World Congress in Dubai. Our authors this quarter present papers on

several of the most daring unbuilt tall building projects of the 20th century,

trends and shifts relating to building use from North America to Asia, and

the evolution of new technologies in high-rise residential buildings in the

United States. We hope you enjoy the issue. Zak Kostura, Editor

Published by

the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat

CTBUH 2007

Editor

Zak Kostura

t: +1 212 896 3240

e: [email protected]

Technical Editor

Robert Lau

Design & Layout

Katharina Holzapfel


Design Consultant

Thomas Graham

CTBUH Chairman

David Scott

CTBUH Executive Director

Antony Wood

Secretariat

Geri Kery

Council on Tall Buildings

and Urban Habitat

Illinois Institute of Technology

3360 South State Street

Chicago, IL 60616-3793

t: +1 312 909 0253

f: +1 610 419 0014


www.ctbuh.org

Copyright

CTBUH Journal has endeavored to determine the

copyright holders of all images. Those uncredited have

been sourced from listed authors or from within CTBUH.

Print

CTBUH Journal is printed by Source4-Chicago.

www.source4.com

Front cover: Welcome Cocktail Reception, Jumierah Beach

Hotel, CTBUH 8th World Congress - Dubai, March 2008 ,

showing Burj Al Arab in the background.

Photo: MCI Dubai

3News and Events

istockphoto.com/Jos Luis Gutirrez

Arup

34 CTBUH Structure

9 The Race for the Sky: Unbuilt

20 The International Skyscraper

31High-Rise Home Technology

4 CTBUH World Congress 2008

16 Tallest 10 Completed in 2007

35 CTBUH Members Listing

Arup

36 Call for CTBUH Awards 2008

CTBUH Journal | 2008 Issue I


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News |

CTBUH news and events

Council

It has been another momentous quarter for

the Council. The 8th World Congress in Dubaiin March, with 954 delegates from 43 countries

in attendance, was one of the most significant

gatherings in the 39-year history of the Council

(for more on this, see the Congress report on

pages 5-9). In addition the CTBUH Tall Building

Seismic Design working group has issued the

first draft of its report (seewww.ctbuh.org),

we are in the process of re-establishing a

significant tall building database on the

Council website, and the Tallest 10 Buildings

constructed during 2007 continue the

established trend for realizing super-tall

buildings in both the Middle East and Asia(see page 33 and back cover).

We are in what will no doubt be a seminal year

for this organization. The 2008 Congress

marked only the first of several anticipated

milestones for the Council this year. In the

coming months, we intend to appoint threenew full-time staff members

(see advertisement at right) and collaborate

with IABSE on their September conference in

Chicago. In addition, we are in the process of

creating several new publications on topics

that include Tall Buildings & Sustainability and

The History of the CTBUH, the latter of which

will mark the Councils 40th anniversary in

2009. Keep an eye out for news on these and

other exciting activities in the CTBUH news

column in future issues of the Journal.

Research Manager

The new Research Manager will initiate andspearhead a new Research Division for the Council,whose aim will be to generate and coordinatemuch-needed research into multi-disciplinary andcross-disciplinary aspects of tall buildings and theurban habitat internationally. The initial tasks for thenew Research Manager will be to analyze areas for

research, identify funding opportunities, and toprepare for submission to research funding bodies inorder to support funded research under the auspicesof CTBUH and IIT, in conjunction with relevantindustrial partners from within/without the CTBUHnetwork. Thereafter the Research Manager will beresponsible for coordinating the funded researchand ensuring the growth of the research division,and the relevance of the research output to theinternational community. It is anticipated that theResearch Manager will be heading a team of 3-4researchers within 18 months - 2 years of his/herappointment, as a result of the funded researchsubmissions.

Such are the challenges of this role that it is essentialthat the candidate comes from a researchbackground, with prior experience of compiling andsubmitting research funding bids, and undertakingfunded research. Whilst this candidate can be drawnfrom any of the building professions architecture,engineering, construction, financial etc a priorexperience with some aspect of tall buildings wouldbe considered an advantage. The hired candidatewould also be expected to contribute to the widerinitiatives of the Council beyond the new researchdivision.

This position could be filled through a fixed-termassignment from industry. Salary & benefits wouldbe commensurate with background and experience.Ideally candidates should hold a minimum of a PhDqualification.

Communications Manager

The new Communications Manager will build uponand drive recent initiatives in what and how wecommunicate with our membership and beyond.His / her tasks will include, but not be limited to:writing, editing and coordinating books, publicationsand newsletters; overseeing the CTBUH website;coordinating with and soliciting membership;soliciting sponsorship; coordinating working groups;coordinating press releases and media relations;

organizing conferences and events; and assistingwith the CTBUH Journal, annual awards etc. TheCouncil currently has plans for several new books /publications and the ability to contribute to andcoordinate these efforts is key.

It is hoped that this person will join us from aprofessional building background, preferably withsome prior experience of tall buildings, but with a

keen aptitude and track record for communicationsand production.

A proven track record as an author with previouslypublished material would also be an advantage.Salary & benefits would be commensurate withbackground and experience. Ideally candidatesshould hold a minimum of a Masters degreequalification.

Production Assistant

The Production Assistant would assist across allCTBUH initiatives, including but not limited to:publications; website; events; communications;

membership etc. A recent graduate from one of thebuilding/design disciplines (architecture,engineering etc) with strong graphic-design skillswould be a bonus. Salary & benefits would becommensurate with background and experience.Ideally candidates should hold a minimum of aMasters degree qualification.

Further Information

The formal job submission procedure will be postedon the CTBUH website (www.ctbuh.org) by end ofApril. For further information or an informaldiscussion on these opportunities in advance, pleas

contact CTBUH Executive Director, Antony Wood, atthe contact details below:

Antony WoodExecutive Director, CTBUH (Council on Tall Buildingsand Urban Habitat)

Illinois Institute of TechnologyS.R. Crown Hall3360 South State StreetChicago, IL 60616-3793

[email protected]

CTBUH - New Staff Positions

In line with recent successes and growth, the Council is pleased to announce the creation of 3

new full-time staff positions: a Research Manager, a Communications Manager and a ProductionAssistant. The deadline for receipt of applications is 30th June 2008. Interviews will take place in

late July and it is hoped that the new staff will take up their positions at CTBUH HQ in Chicago in

September.



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The 2008 CTBUH World Congress was a time

to explore the broad diversity inherent in

every aspect of the Building Industry.

Cruising the broad Sheikh Zayed strip in a

wood paneled Lexus taxi, the out-of-town

attendees of the Congress absorbed a visual

landscape marked by vast megaprojects and

impressively tall buildings with often non-

rectilinear geometry beset in an expansive

desert. For most, what they saw in Dubai was

a city unlike any they have seen before, but

one that increasingly impacts the nature of

their work back home.

The themes and topics of the 2008 Congress

embraced these vibrant contrasts. Theseminars and workshops conveyed the

wealth of diverse approaches to the

technologies, techniques and philosophies

inherent in the realization of tall buildings

and mega projects around the world.

Honored guests spoke of varied approaches

to sustainable design that ranged from the

conventional to the cutting edge. Those

interested in the latter were treated with

renderings and visuals of dynamic, motor-

driven floor plates that rotate about a central

core to optimize daylighting and passive heat

gain. Still more experts discussed ways ofincreasing the effectiveness of age-old

phenomena such as internal convection and

the stack effect, the very techniques that

helped keep the Bedouin cool during the

steamy summer nights in the Arabian desert.

Far-reaching tours of other Gulf region cities

served as bookends to the Congress.

Robert Lau, CTBUH Coordination Committee

Member and Technical Editor of the Journal,

was in attendance for the tours, the Congress,

and numerous networking events. His

experiences, logged in daily chronicles and

presented below, reflect the wealth of

insights and experiences offered to those

who participated.

Sunday

It is the day before the formal opening of the

2008 CTBUH World Congress. We left

Manama over the flat Bahrain desert toward

the southern tip of the island. Our destination

was the new resort project of Durrat Al

Bahrain (Figure 1). Our guide was Martin

Knights, Marketing Analyst of Atkins Northern

Gulf Region. Peter Land, Marilyn Denzer and I

have been looking forward to this site tour of

the island nation of Bahrain for some time.

The Durrat project entails a necklace of

islands connected to the mainland for a new

resort community. Dredging is creating these

islands where there had been only desert

sand.

The scale and magnitude of the project is

astounding. Not just homes are being built

but an entire community for 30,000 people.

Besides the resort element, the project also

includes schools, retail, and office towers. The

dredging of the islands and the construction

of the towers will continue until 2025. This is

an example of the typical Mideast mega-

project in the 21st Century!

Upon our return to Manama we saw our best

views of the Bahrain World Trade Center.

Prominent as a focal point to the citys skyline,

the twin towers are unique in their shape.

They are designed to funnel and force the

gulf breezes through their gap to power the

AuthorRobert Lau, Technical Editor

Roosevelt University

Evelyn T. Stone College of Professional Studies

430 S. Michigan Avenue

Chicago, IL 60605-1394, USA


Robert M. Lau received his Bachelor of Architecture

degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology and

his Master of Business Administration at the

Chicago School of Real Estate at Roosevelt

University.

He has worked with Myron Goldsmith and Lucien

Lagrange at Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill and with

Helmut Jahn and Jim Goettsch at Murphy/Jahn in

Chicago. He is an advocate of the Chicago School of

Architecture, beginning with William LeBaron

Jenny, John Root, and Louis Sullivan and continuing

through Fazlur Khan and Myron Goldsmith.

He presented the paper A Platonistic Program for

Block 37 in Chicagos Loop at the December 2001

conference Building for the 21st Century in London

and the paper Financial Aspects That Drive DesignDecisions at the October 2005 conference in New

York City. He was also a member of the NY

conferences committee that reviewed the papers

to be presented.

In addition to practicing architecture in Chicago, he

is a Construction Committee member with the

Windy City Habitat for Humanity.

Foreword by Zak Kostura.

Figure 1. Durrat Al Bahrain, www.durratbahrain.com

CTBUH 8th World Congress 2008

4 | CTBUH 8th World Congress 2008


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triple horizontal wind turbines suspended

between them (Figure 2). Innovative in

approach, this project will begin producing

electricity from wind power. Not only is it a

first for largescale wind power, it will also

provide performance data in the coming

years for the wind industry regarding building

-induced wind velocities (Figures 3 and 4).

This is an example of the progressive thinking

of the gulf regions projects. What others do

not even consider at the design stage the

gulf regions leadership not only proposes but

also provides the resources to make it

happen in fast track time.

We left Manama on an evening Emirates Airflight for the Dubai Congress. We arrived in

Dubai refreshed and anticipating the events

of the next few days.

Figure 2. North elevation of Bahrain World Trade Center

Figure 3. Wind Turbine and Bridge between towers

Figure 4. Viewing Wind Turbine from exterior balcony

Monday

We awoke to fog that had engulfed the

Grand Hyatt Hotel, the venue for the Councils

banner event. Chairman David Scott openedthe Congress of over 900 international

delegates by introducing Sadhu

Johnston, Chief Environmental Officer for the

City of Chicago; Peter Rees, City Planning

Officer for the Corporation of London, and

our host HE Hussain Nasser Lootah of Dubai

Municipality (Figure 5). Each of the

prominent panelists spoke of a starkly

different urban context; yet each underscored

the importance of promoting environmental

sustainability through management and

development of his city. The occasionally

contrasting philosophies conveyed by these

speakers set the stage for the diverse and

progressive discourse that unfolded in each

session of the 2008 Congress.

The speakers that participated in the days

sessions painted a vivid portrait of the tall

buildings of the future; one that embraces

technologies and design techniques that run

the gamut from the conventional to the far

fetched. David Fischer of Dynamic

Architecture Group set a futuristic precedent

early in the day with an introduction to high-

rise buildings with independently rotating

floor plates. Luke Leung and Peter

Weismantle of SOM (Figure 6) took an

alternative approach to forward thinking

design by studying the past, and presented

on naturally-occurring environmental

phenomena that are intensified by the heighof modern tall buildings. Leung and

Weismantle discussed the great potential for

utilizing these phenomena to either generate

energy or reduce the demand of the

buildings systems.

It is clear that there is much to be learned

from the projects currently under

development around the world. Roy Denoo

of CPP Wind Engineering and Air Quality

Consultants discussed essential

CTBUH 8th World Congress 2008 |

Figure 5. From left to right: David Scott, CTBUH Chairman; HE Hussain Nasser Lootah, Dubai Municipality; Sadhu Johnston,

Chief Environmental Officer for the City of Chicago; Peter Rees, Chief Planning Officer for the Corporation of LondonFigure 6. Luke Leung and Peter Weismantle, Skidmore

Owings & Merrill LLP


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considerations involved in the design of tall

buildings with wind energy turbines. He

presented findings from existing cases and

eluded to numerous buildings under

development with unprecedented amounts

of wind energy generation equipment

included in their current schemes. From this

new fleet of high-tech skyscrapers, we stand

to learn many lessons.

We broke for lunch to the outdoor oasis of

the Grand Hyatt. The blazing desert sun

greeted us as we consumed scrumptious

feasts sponsored by Autodesk, Gale

International, and Hyder Consulting. Mideast

hospitality was evident in these lunches. Thediversity of the foods and their presentations

made this international gathering feel

welcome, no matter where one was from.

These informal times reacquainted many of

us who had not seen each other since the

New York conference in 2005. For others, it

was a time to understand the many cultures

that had simultaneously converged on this

part of the world. We came together from the

far corners of the earth with the universal

objective of participating in a showcase of

diverse contemporary thought on the issues

related to building and urban sustainability.

In the evening we traveled to the Jumeirah

Beach Hotel for a Welcome Reception

sponsored by AECOM. Again, the Mideast

hospitality was evident with fresh juices and

first-class hors doeuvres that were

exceptional.

The view from the beach was the best part of

the evening. The Burj Al Arab Hotel, sitting on

its own island, was the star of the evening.

Shaun Killa of Atkins and I discussed his

design of the Bahrain World Trade Center into

the night as we gazed at the billowing-sail

profile of the Burj Al Arab (Figure 7).

Figure 7. Welcome Reception at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel viewing the Burj Al Arab Hotel

Tuesday

This was the day that everyone had been

waiting for. All talk had been about the

worlds newest tallest building. While notofficially the record holder, all of us know it is

only a matter of time.

Executive Director Antony Wood introduced

Mark Amirault, Emaar; HE Mohamed Ali

Alabbar, Emaar; Adrian Smith, Adrian Smith +

Gordon Gill; and William Baker, Skidmore

Owings & Merrill (Figure 8), who presented the

design input and direction for their soaring

tower. The progressive drive of this Mideast

municipality again revealed itself with this

presentation. All involved know how

significant this project is. HE Mohammed Ali

Alabbar of Emaar represented the developer

in this presentation. At its conclusion, we all

anticipated the question on everyones mind.

Sworn to secrecy, the designers have been

asked the same fundamental question so

many times they have lost count. Now it is the

developers turn to field the question that

everyone wants to know. From the audience,

which knew full well that any conventional

approach to the hackneyed inquiry would

yield no answer, comes an augmentation:

Figure 9. Ken Yeang, Llewelyn Davies Yeang,

Ecoskyscrapers & Ecomimesis: Typologies

Figure 8. From left to right: HE Mohamed Ali Alabbar,

Emaar; Adrian Smith, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill; and

William Baker, Skidmore Owings & Merrill



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When will you announce the final height of

the Burj Dubai tower?

The answer: Why ask the question?

The boldness of the Burj Dubai project was

aligned with the grandeur of Songdo City

(Figure 10), the development of which filled

the following morning session and assumed

the ponderous title of Instant Cities. Jamie

von Klemperer of KPF represented the master

planning team and gave insight into the

daunting question of where one might start

in the design of a brand new urban cityscape.

The architect was accompanied by Charles

Reid of the Songdo City developer GaleInternational and several sustainability and

structural engineering consultants.

The afternoon provided site visits to Dubais

landmarks, including the Burj Dubai itself. On

the way, the new rapid transit for the city

could be seen under construction (Figure 11).

This new form of public transportation should

greatly reduce the heavy traffic patterns that

Dubai is currently experiencing. We also could

see the transformation of this once dusty

desert town into a bustling green oasis city,

abounding with life.

Figures 12. Burj Dubai under construction at Level 160

Figure 13. Base of Burj Dubai Figure 14. Model of Emaars Burj Dubai developmen

(retail, office, and residential)

Figures 15 and 16. Burj Dubai development under construction (retail and office) with Burj Dubai Tower on rightFigure 11. Elevated Rapid Transit line under construction

along Sheikh Zayed Road

Figure 10. New Songdo View, Gale International

While observing the Burj Dubai tower from a

distance is impressive, looking up at it from

the Emaar site is staggering. Not only is it tall,

but tall by leaps and bounds. It is so tall that

the weather varies from its base to its summit.

It is so tall that its interior environment must

be segregated from itself. It is so tall that the

construction techniques had to be defined

because they had never been attempted

before (Figures 12 and 13).

And this tower is just one element of the

Emaar development. As a 21st Century

Mideast megaproject, this development has

many components on a grand scale. Dubai,

as the City of Cranes, is constructing at atorrid pace (Figures 14, 15, and 16).

The day concluded with a sumptuous dinner

on the grounds of the Grand Hyatt,

sponsored by Emaar. The first-class hospitality

continued well into the night. The highlight

of my evening was sitting next to Les

Robertson at this dinner. As the venue and

cuisine were both first-class, so too was the

gathering of international delegates that had

partaken.

CTBUH 8th World Congress 2008 |


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Wednesday

Our final day of the Congress was a discussion

of relevant industry issues. David Scott

explained the universal push for a transition

from LEED (Leadership in Energy and

Environmental Design) to LEEP (Leadership in

Energy and Environmental Performance).

Soon a project will not only be designed as

green, professed Mr. Scott, projects will

likewise be required to perform as green

throughout their useful lifetimes. Ole

Scheeren followed with presentation on the

philosophy of the Office of Metropolitan

Architecture, which he dubbed Architecture

as Experience, as exemplified in their CCTVproject. Ken Dalton of AECOM conveyed how

his experiences with holistic solutions and

team approach to projects produces the best

results. Les Robertson stated that most

building codes are conservative and

outdated compared to computer

performance data. While prescriptive building

codes are adequate for some projects,

computer data provides a better

understanding of a structures performance

and operation.

The Chairman marked the closing of thepanel sessions with an expression of gratitude

to all who were in attendance. As the crowds

thinned and corporate sponsors dismantled

their booths, the bustling energy of the

Congress gave way to a peaceful

environment conducive to thought and

reflection. We will all remember the drums

and horns that called us to gather for each

session. We learned much about Arab culture

and hospitality. The quality and craftsmanship

of the stonework at the Grand Hyatt venue

will remain in many of our minds. This event

was more than just continuing education

credits. This was an event to remember and

savor for the rest of our lives.

Thursday

Abu Dhabi was the site for this day s tour, the

city to the west of Dubai and also along the

Gulf Coast. As the political capital of the UAE,

this city is also constructing at a blazing pace

comparable with Dubai.

Our first stop was the Sheikh Zayed Bridge as

the new entry into Abu Dhabi. From here we

had an excellent view of the new Grand

Mosque to the west (Figure 17).

Next was the Al Reem Island project by

Sorough, featuring the Skytower and the

Suntower, among many other towers

(Figure 18). As we have learned all week,many projects in this part of the world are

megaprojects with construction anticipated

for decades to come. This site was followed

by the Saadiyat Island project, which will

house Mideast versions of the Guggenheim,

Louvre, Performing Arts, and Maritime

museums. This megaproject is an entire

island city with seven distinct districts,

expanding the Abu Dhabi metropolitan area

to the east.

We then entered the Abu Dhabi city proper

and toured the corniche waterfront. Our

destination was the Emirates Palace Hotel for

lunch. This five-star hotel is the official host of

the Emirates. Like the week we had just

experienced, the Emirates Palace Hotel

fulfilled our expectations.

Our final site on this tour was the Al Raha

megaproject, developed by Aldar. As is the

theme of these Mideast megaprojects, this

development also is to become an entire

planned city with residential, commercial, and

retail components. It also will expand AbuDhabis metro area to the east. What was

once flat desert, or in some cases shallow gulf

waters, will now become lush green oases of

a bustling urban district.

Conclusion

The New York Conference of 2005 was

successful. The Dubai Congress of

2008 has been even more successful: the

panels, workshops and technical visits

achieved the fundamental mission of theCongress to highlight the theme of

sustainability in tall buildings and

megaprojects. What was learned transcends

mere technical matter. An awakening to Arab

culture was learned by those of us who had

not been exposed to it before. For those who

have been living and working in the Gulf

region, this Congress showcased their work.

For many of us, we not only will remember

this experience but will also anticipate our

next visit to this region of the world.

Figure 18. Suntower and Skytower under construction

Figure 17. Grand Mosque as the entry to Abu Dhabi



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The skyscraper was mainly an American

invention that thrived and was propagated by

the work of architects from the Chicago

School, such as Sullivan, Burnham, Holabird,

and Roche William Le Baron Jenny, regarded as

the father of the Chicago School, designed the

Home Insurance Building of 1883, which was a

mere ten stories high, but considered the

worlds first steel skeleton skyscraper. It was

iterated upon by the designers of the

Woolworth, Empire State, and Chrysler

buildings in New York City, following the

institution of the 1916 Zoning Ordinance. The

technique of building skyscrapers was

subsequently refined by SOM (Skidmore,

Owings, and Merrill) and transferred

worldwide. Many of SOMs designs have

become icons of modern American

architecture, including the Lever House (1952)

in New York City and the John Hancock Center

(1969) and the Sears Tower (1973) in Chicago.

Their work has laid the ground for a revolution

in building heights that have currently

exceeded 1,670 feet with the Taipei 101 Tower

in Taiwan. In excess of 2000 feet, Burj Dubai in

the United Arab Emirates, which is scheduled

for completion in 2009, will probably break all

previous records.

Advancements in structural systems, building

materials and computer-aided design

technologies are driving todays skyscraper

design to a new horizon. Form and function

are no longer complementary or tied togetherin a linear equation. From helicoidal and spiral

designs to sail-shaped, cantilevered

configurations, the tall structure is regaining its

status as an icon and asserting itself as a

symbol of culture and civilization. Unbuilt

skyscraper designs are noted by many

architecture critics as the best in the genre of

tall buildings. This paper provides an

exposition of various iconic and unbuilt

skyscraper design proposals that have inspired

architects and engineers to build ever-taller

buildings and continue to fuel the twenty-first

century race for the sky. This study identifies

two categories of unbuilt skyscrapers. The first

group includes skyscraper visions that were

mainly proposed as part of a comprehensive

urban theory. Skyscraper proposals of the

second group were aborted due to various

conflicts that ranged from popular opposition

to economic crises or hurdles.

First Group: Skyscraper Urban Theories

Various twentieth-century skyscraper visions

incorporated solutions to urban development

problems, especially overcrowding and

unhealthy living conditions. Three schemes

were selected because of their comprehensive

scope and profound impact on the

development of modern architecture and

urbanism. These include Le Corbusiers

Contemporary City (Figure 1), Wrights

Broadacre City (Figure 2), and SantElias Citta

Nova (Figure 3).

The Race for the Sky: Unbuilt Skyscrapers

Figure 1. Le Corbusiers Contemporary City: Towers in

Parks; the heart of the Contemporary City included 60-

story skyscrapers and an airplane landing platform

(Boesiger et al. 2006)

Unbuilt skyscraper designs are noted by many architecture critics as the best in the genre of tall buildings. This paper provides an exposition of various

iconic and unbuilt skyscraper design proposals that have inspired architects and engineers to build ever-taller buildings and continue to fuel the

twenty-first century race for the sky. The study identifies two categories of unbuilt skyscrapers. The first group includes skyscraper visions that were

mainly proposed as part of a comprehensive urban development theory. Skyscraper proposals of the second group were aborted due to various

conflicts that ranged from popular opposition to economic crises or hurdles. The paper concludes with a discussion of the current most daring

skyscraper projects and the potential for revisiting some unbuilt skyscraper dreams.

AuthorMohamad Kashef, PhD

East Carolina University,

A 213 Brewster Building

Greenville,

NC 27858

United States

t: 252 367-1284

f: 252 737-1527

Mohamad Kashef practiced architecture, urban

planning, and project management with

multinational consulting firms and constructioncompanies in the United States, Canada, Egypt, and

Saudi Arabia. Taught courses, seminars, and studios

in urban design, history and theory of architecture

and urbanism, and historic preservation. Assisted

various cities and communities in the United States

in the preparation of downtown development

plans and urban design guidelines. Research is

focused on introducing a balanced physical

planning and design agenda that integrates both

architectural and planning knowledge with an

emphasis on sustainable practices. A special

research interest in tall buildings and multi-use

structures that integrate unique architectural

configurations with innovative technologies and

green solutions. Other design and research

concerns include heritage and urban conservation

within a global context. Participated in therevitalization and restoration efforts of the Historic

Citadel District in Cairo, Egypt.

The Race for the Sky: Unbuilt Skyscrapers |


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Le Corbusiers Contemporary City

Le Corbusier wanted to literally dismantle all

forms of pre-modem urbanism and replace

them with a scheme of towers and highways.

He believed that cities needed to have high

population densities to function properly.

Nevertheless, Le Corbusier was appalled by the

congestion of 1920s cities, which he attributed

to the inefficient road network and building

configurations that did not match the spirit of

the machine age. The key was the famous

paradox, We must decongest the centers of

our cities by increasing their density (Hall

1996, 207). He called for the demolition of

congested urban centers and their

replacement with soaring towers interspersed

by super highways and green spaces (Sewel1993, 32). Le Corbusier envisioned a

Contemporary City (1923) for millions of

people housed in skyscrapers that would

cover little more than five percent of the land.

Buildings would be elevated on pilotis (stilts)

to allow park space to flow right underneath

(Benevolo 1980; Boesiger et al. 2006). His

planning schemes departed dramatically from

those of then-existing cities, and generally

aimed to avail of the technological innovations

of the 20th century. Almost all of his schemes

remained on paper except for Chandigarah

and few single-block buildings that he built in

Paris and Berlin (Hall 1996, 212). However, Le

Corbusier had an immense influence on

modern architecture and planning. The idea of

a tower in a park that currently pervades mostcities was mainly derived from his urban vision

(Figure 1).

Frank Lloyd Wrights Broadacre City

Frank Lloyd Wright wanted to fuse the city and

the country so that the urban-rural distinction

would no longer exist. The individual house,

built within a one-acre farm, became the

center of the human settlement in which

everything from living and recreational

patterns to means of transport was flexible

and configured according to personal

imperatives (Wright 1958). Wrights Broadacre

City was highly progressive in the sense that it

afforded its inhabitants in the 1950s a kind of

technological and transportation gadgetry yet

to be achieved today. Forward-looking

helicopter flying crafts were portrayed

throughout the design proposal as the primary

mode of transportation in the city. Wright

envisioned a very low-density settlement that

comprised every building type he previously

designed (Lang 1994) (Figure 2).

Broadacre City never fully materialized, but in

many ways it represented the ultimate

American dream of a high level of

individualism, much open space, and high

mobility. The physical form of WrightsBroadacre City has partly become a reality in

the current American urban and suburban

landscapes. Ironically, Wright designed a mile-

high skyscraper (5,280 feet) to be the focal

point of such a very low density and rather

horizontal development. The tower was

estimated to have 528 stories and a gross area

of 18.46 million square feet. He envisioned the

tower as the visual anchor of the downtown

that would be seen from every corner of

Broadacre City. Wright conceived a slender

skyscraper with cantilevered floors. Following

his organic architecture credo, he likened his

tower to a tree trunk with branches (Linn

2004). Wrights tower (Figure 2) was never built,

but the concept of a mile-high skyscraper has

become engrained in the minds of many

architects and designers. It continues to fuel

the race for reaching higher altitudes, as

evidenced in Burj Dubai, which is somewhat

reminiscent of Wrights Mile High. When

completed in 2009, Burj Dubai will stand at

approximately 2,000 feet.

Figure 2. Images from Wrights

Broadacre City (Wright 1958),

the Mile High skyscraper and its

most recent inspiration: Burj

Dubai, The actual building

height as of February 2008 has

exceeded 2000 feet.

CTBUH Journal | 2008 Issue I10 | The Race for the Sky: Unbuilt Skyscrapers


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Antonio Sant Elias Citta Nova

Born in Lombardy, architect Antonio SantElia

became involved with the Futurist movementthat originated in Italy at the beginning of the

twentieth century. SantElia is the supposed

publisher of the manifesto Futurist

Architecture, in 1914, in which he articulated

his vision for the city of the future. Citta Nova

was a highly industrialized urban

conglomeration that featured bold groupings

of monolithic high-rise structures with terraces,

bridges and elevated walkways (Figure 3). His

ideas probably influenced the mega city

concepts of the sixties and seventies in which

an entire city was envisioned as a large-scale

disposition of interconnected buildings andenclosed city spaces. None of his designs were

ever built but the heroic industrial

expressionism of Sant Elia Citta Nova has

influenced many architects and designers and

probably inspired the designs of large indoor

shopping malls, college campuses and

massive industrial and office complexes across

the world.

Second Group: Commercial Skyscrapers

Skyscrapers in this group were mainly

proposed for commercial purposes in differentparts of the world. They were aborted due to

various conflicts that ranged from popular

opposition (The Grand Central Tower by I. M.

Pei) (Figure 5) to economic crises or hurdles

(the Dearborn Tower in Chicago by SOM,

Figure 6 and the Grollo Tower in Melbourne,

Figures 7 and 8).

Office Tower at Grand Central by I. M. Pei

The decision to abort building a tower on the

site of the Grand Central Terminal in New York

was hailed as a victory for the historicpreservation movement in the United States.

Grand Central (1903-13) was designed by Reed

and Stem and is considered a fine example of

American academic architecture that shows

the influence of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts

(Fletcher 1961, p. 1156). The Terminal faade is

topped by a finely sculptured clock and the

barrel-vaulted space inside is considered one

of the great interiors of the period. The

Landmarks Commission denied approval for

several skyscraper proposals at Grand Central

because of the Terminals historic significance

and the opposition by the public as well many

notables, including Jacqueline Kennedy

Onassis and architect Phillip Johnson, who

marched with many others in the streets to

save Grand Central (Tyler 2000, p. 85)

(Figure 4). I. M. Peis 80-story tower concept

had a tapered, circular cross-section with an

elegantly proportioned hourglass profile

(Figure 5). The building shell was encompassed

by a crisscross, structural bracing system that

met both at the base and beyond the top of

the building at twelve points. The hourglass

profile and the exposed structural bracingsystem, together with the various open floors,

provided the tower with a dramatic ethereal

effect and a rather futuristic look for a

skyscraper concept from the 1950s. Grand

Central Terminal would have been razed to

clear the way for I. M. Peis skyscraper proposal.

The opposition was so high that Peis concept

was passed up and development rights were

transferred to a nearby site.

Figure 3. Images from Antonio Sant Elias Citta Nova;

large groupings of monolithic high-rise structures withbold building masses interconnected with bridges and

elevated walkways

Figure 4. Philip Johnson, Jacqueline Onassis, Bess

Myerson, and Edward Koch marching in support of Grand

Central Terminal (Maddex 1985)

Figure 5. I. M. Peis 80-story tower proposal (Linn 2004)

CTBUH Journal | 2008 Issue I The Race for the Sky: Unbuilt Skyscrapers | 1


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7 South Dearborn, Chicago, Illinois

This tower proposal was slated to be 108

stories of usable space (1,550 feet) topped by450-foot-high communication antennas,

which would have been, at the time of its

projected completion (2004), the worlds tallest

building (Figure 6). It was planned as a 1.9

million square foot, mixed-use complex,

including 765,000 square feet of office space

and communication facilities, 90,600 square

feet of commercial space, and 75,000 square

feet of diverse retail functions, such as

restaurants, shops, a fitness club, and other

related services. As Skidmore Owings and

Merrill indicated, the tower would have

complemented the vibrant Central BusinessDistrict in Chicago with a full range of

residential, retail, and commercial activity 24

hours a day, seven days a week. With a smaller

footprint than that of many shorter

skyscrapers, the 2000-foot Dearborn tower

would have been one of the most slender

towers, with an overall aspect ratio of

approximately 8.5 to 1 (Baker et al. 2000). The

tower offered a major advancement in the

engineering of tall buildings. SOM indicated

that the tower design consisted of a stayed-

mast structural system; a reinforced concrete

wall in the core tied diagonally to structural

steel mega-trusses at the mechanical floors

(two points along the towers shaft) and widely

spaced columns at the perimeter of the lower

half of the building. The mast structural system

allowed column-free and reduced thickness

floor plates and also provided support for the

cantilevered sections of the building clusters

above (SOM). The tower was articulated into

six floor clusters. The lower two clusters were

separated by setbacks and the upper four

clusters were divided by notches and

cantilevered from the core. The aluminum andstainless steel exterior and the soaring

antennas underscored the buildings role as a

communication tower. The project was

cancelled because of financial difficulties

related to the high-tech market slump in the

late 1990s and especially because the

communication companies sponsoring the

broadcasting antennas backed out.

The Grollo Towers in Melbourne, Australia

The first project was proposed in the mid

1990s by architect Harry Seidler as a 120-storytower with 3.5 million square feet of functional

space and a total height of 1,640 feet. Had it

been built, it would have seized the title of the

tallest building in the world from Kuala

Lumpurs Petronas Towers (1,480 feet). Despite

the wide-open landscape and relaxed urban

fabric characteristic of Melbourne, the designer

portrayed the tower as an alternative to urban

congestion in the city (www.Seidler.net.au).

The developer (Bruno Grollo) conceived of the

tower as an icon or a landmark that would

confer a global character on Melbourne similar

to what the Opera House does for Sydney.Structural stability and graceful proportions

were achieved by a distinct upward, tapering

profile supported by six massive, triangular

columns defining the buildings exterior

corners (Figure 7). The exterior columns were

connected by a visible structural bracing

system shaped like upward-pointing arrows

that created a vertical sensation, moving the

eye toward the apex and bolstering the

perceived height of the skyscraper. The design

incorporated some green elements, such as

photovoltaic devices embedded in the facades

and a uniquely inclined pinnacle to harness

the suns energy and reduce the ecological

footprint of the tower (Seidler; www.Seidler.

net.au).

Figure 6. 7 South Dearborn, Chicago, Illinois by

Skidmore Owings and Merrill (www.emporis.com)

Figure 7. Grollo first tower; Harry Seidler & Associates

(www.seidler.net.au)



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Figure 9. ELA tower concept, Tel Aviv (Zukowski et al.

2000)

The second Grollo tower concept (Figure 8)

was proposed on a different site in Melbourne

(the Docklands) in 1996 by architects Denton

Corker Marshall (DCM). Shaped like an obelisk,

the proposed tower would have been 120

levels (1,148 feet) plus a light pinnacle that

would have reached 1,820 feet above the

ground. At this height, it would have surpassed

all other towers in the world (DCM; www.

dentoncorkermarshall.com). Despite popular

opposition, the second tower concept was

approved and given the go ahead in 1998. The

projects demise, however, was prompted by

the developers failure to meet conditions for

construction financing.

ELA tower, Tel Aviv

The ELA tower (Figure 9) was proposed in 1995

by the Japanese architect Shin Takamatzu, in

association with Eliakim Architects. The forty-

story tower concept (approximate height, 450

feet) had 280,000 square feet of office space,

100,000 square feet of residential space, and

20,000 square feet of commercial space, with

an estimated total area of 400,000 square feet

(Zukowsky et al. 2000; Emporis). The tower had

a striking configuration, in that it looked like a

butterfly that is ready to take flight. The

building mass was uniquely divided into two

parts: The building proper was shaped like

three attached convex lenses accentuated

with three pairs of communication antennas;

the wings gracefully embraced the central partand terminated in two major supports that

frame the main entrance of the building. Like

other designs by Shin Takamatzu, the building

mass was highly articulated and exuded a

hand-carved architectural sensation. The

building of this tower was postponed

indefinitely.

Figure 8. Grollo second tower by Denton Corker Marshall

(DCM) (www.skyscrapercity.com)



14/36

Al Rajhi Tower in Riyadh

Al Rajhi Tower (Figure 10) is still on the drawing

board and not yet finally cleared forconstruction. The tower is sponsored by Al

Rajhi family in Saudi Arabia, often described as

the countrys wealthiest non-royals and as

being among the worlds leading

philanthropists. The sail-shaped tower was

designed by architect W. S. Atkins and, if built,

could reach a height of 1,150 feet, with a gross

floor area of 865,000 square feet; it would be

the tallest tower in Saudi Arabia (Atkins, www.

atkins-me.com). It is planned as a commercial

tower for office use and ancillary facilities, such

as conference rooms, exhibition spaces,

restaurants, etc. The bottom floors aredesigned as a shopping mall and connected

with the rest of the development, which

boasts a lavishly designed piazza with water

features, cafes, and sitting areas nestled within

palm trees and an oasis landscape

environment.

The Helicoidal Skyscraper

Though not a commercial skyscraper proposal

per se, the Helicoidal Skyscraper (Figure 11)

vision by Manfredi Nicoletti was included here

due its ethereal composition and dramatic

architectural form that preceded some of the

recent helicoidal-inspired skyscraper visions.

Manfredi envisioned half-a-kilometer

skyscraper (1,600 feet) that would pose

minimum resistance to wind loads and

achieve maximum utilization of tension and

compression stresses. The open central

nucleus of the structure is composed of three

cylindrical columns that are disposed in an

equilateral triangle form. Three massive

helicoidal tension-loaded cables anchor the

nucleus to the foundation and provide thestructure with a torsional strain

counterbalancing an opposite torsional strain

exerted by cables inside the nucleus. The

Floors are connected between the nucleus

columns and helicoidal cables, giving

additional rigidity to the tower structure. The

vertical nucleus absorbs all vertical

compression loads and provides sufficient

space for elevators and other mechanical

installations (Nicoletti M 1970).

Figure 10. Al Rajhi tower concept, Atkins W. S. (www.

atkins-me.com)

Figure 11. The Helicoidal Skyscraper vision by Menfredi

Nicoletti (Nicolletti 1970)



15/36

Epilogue

Skyscraper building has been driven in part by

the scarcity of land in congested urban areas,as in the cities of New York and Hong Kong.

Higher land value renders a stacked-up office

space a more efficient and economically viable

solution; there is no where to go but up.

However, the sheer size and spectacular height

of skyscrapers engages peoples imaginations,

emotions, and memories. Once built, a

skyscraper becomes a symbol for the place

where it resides. The image of the Empire State

building has come to represent New York City

globally. The Sears Tower turned into a

household name that epitomizes

technological prowess and corporate power inChicago. Considered the last great engineering

achievement of the twentieth century and the

tallest buildings in the world for several years,

the Petronas oil company towers have

become symbols for the economic success

and arrival of modern Malaysia. They are a

source of national pride and provide

Malaysians with a sense of accomplishment

and reward for being the worlds chief exporter

of semi-conductors. Petronas Towers created a

powerful image that forever will be associated

with Kuala Lumpur.

The catastrophic collapse of New York World

Trade Center Towers in September 2001 led

some to predict the end of the Skyscraper Age.

These predictions proved to be wrong; New

York is rebuilding and when completed in

2010, the Freedom Tower will pierce the sky at

1,776 feet high, in a clear reference to the year

of U.S. independence. Despite the recent Asian

financial market crisis, the Shanghai World

Financial Center is moving ahead and

scheduled for completion in 2009. At 1,614

feet high, it is expected to be among the

tallest in the world. Taipei 101, the tallestbuilding in the world today (1,670 feet) is

being challenged by Burj Dubai, which is

expected to rise above the 2,000-foot mark.

A spiraling, 115-story tower is on the drawing

board and may be built along Chicagos

lakefront. This bold proposal comes on the

heels of equally bold, but unsuccessful

attempts, such as the famous Skyneedle of

Cesar Pelli. The race is on! The last hundred

years have produced three different skyscraper

styles. The golden age skyscrapers refer to

those built before the World War II, the

Woolworth, Empire State, and Chryslerbuildings. These were unique structures with

Art Deco ornamental references and iconic

configurations. After World War II, the elegant,

art deco skyscrapers gave way to the glass and

steel box characteristics of modern

architecture. The glass and steel box grew out

of a strict interpretation of the modern dictum,

form follows function. The idea of exposing

the steel and concrete members and

removing any ornamental references or

structural impurities was embraced as a

requisite for good architecture. The Seagram

building in New York epitomized thisSkyscraper Age that was summed in Mies Van

Der Rohs slogan less is more.

The next generation of skyscrapers is referred

to in different ways, such as postmodern, high-

tech, ultramodern, etc. Advanced building

materials and structural systems, as well as

digital media, are fueling architects

imaginations and desire to test the limits and

indulge in creating spectacular building

configurations that can be described as steel

and glass firework displays. Form and function

have become somewhat dissociated. Fromhelicoidal and spiral to sail-shaped,

cantilevered configurations defying gravity, the

tall structure is regaining its status as an icon

and asserting itself as a symbol of culture and

civilization. Unbuilt skyscrapers represent a rich

resource for ideas and building configurations.

Some unbuilt skyscrapers have been so iconic

and ahead of their time that they are noted as

the best in the genre of tall buildings and

often inspired the design of subsequently built

skyscrapers. This paper has not been an

exhaustive survey of unbuilt skyscrapers.

Rather, it mainly aimed to expose some of theunique designs that influenced the

development of 20th skyscrapers and to

articulate an outlook on the mind-blowing

possibilities of skyscrapers in the twenty-first

century.

References

BAKER W., SINN R. C, NOVAK L. C. & VIISE J. R. (2000)Advanced Technology in Structural Engineering.

Structures Congress 2000 (Elgaaly M. - Editor). AmericanSociety of Civil Engineers

BENEVOLO L. (1980). The History of the City.Scolar PressLondon

BOESIGER W., STONOROV O. & BILL M. (Eds). (2006) LeCorbusier: Complete Works in Eight Volumes.BirkhauseBasel. Germany.

BURJ DUBAI (burjdubaiskyscraper.com)

EMPORIS (www.emporis.com)

FISHMAN R. (1977) Urban Utopias in the TwentiethCentury: Ebenezer Howard, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Le

Corbusier.Basic Books. New York

FLETCHER, Sir Banister. (1963)A History of Architectureon the Comparative Method.Charles Scribners Sons.New York

HALL P. (1996) Cities of Tomorrow: An IntellectualHistory of Urban Planning and De-sign in the

Twentieth Century. Blackwell. Oxford

JAMES E. and VANCE Jr. (1990) The Continuing City:Urban Morphology in Western Civilization.The JohnsHopkins University Press. Baltimore and London

KOSTOF S. (1991) The City Shaped: Urban Patterns andMeanings Through History.Thames & Hudson. London

LANG J. (1994) Urban Design: The American ExperienceVan Nostrand Reinhold. New York

LINN C. (2004) Tall Tales.Architectural Record,INNOVATION, November 2004 (http://archrecord.construction.com/immvoation)

MADDEX D. (1985)All about old Buildings: The WholePreservation Catalog.The Preservation Press. New York

NICOLETTI M. (1970) The Helicoidal Skyscraper.Leonardo, Vol. 3, No. 2

SEIDLER H. & ASSOCIATES (www.seidler.net.au)

SEWEL J. (1993) The Shape of the City: Toronto strugglewith Modern Planning.University of Toronto Press.Toronto

SKYSCRAPER CITY (skyscrapercity.com)

SOM (www.som.com); Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP

STRUCTURE MAGAZINE (www.structuremag.org)A joint publication of the National Council ofSTRUCTURAL ENGINEERS ASSOCIATIONS (NCSEA), ASCEStructural Engineering Institute (SEI), and the Council ofAmerican Structural Engineers (CASE).

TAFURI M. and FRANCESCO D. C. (1986) History of WorldArchitecture.Rizzoli. New York

TYLER N. (2000) Historic Preservation: An Introduction tits History, Principles, and Practice.Norton. New York

WRIGHT F. L. (1958) The Living City. Horizon Press.NewYork

ZUKOWSKY J. & THORNE M. (2000) Skyscrapers: The newMillennium.Prestel Verlag. New York



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The Tallest 10 Completed in 2007

Rising 333 meters high, with 72 stories and 480

suites, the Rose Rotana Tower in Dubai heads

the list of the tallest ten buildings completed

in 2007, (Figure 1). The tower, designed by

architects Khatib & Alami and developed by

the Bonyan International Investment Group,

also becomes the worlds tallest single-use

hotel building, taking the title from the Shimao

International Plaza in Shanghai. Coming in at

second on the list is the New York Times Tower

at 319 meters high. The building the third

tallest in New York upon completion was

designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop

and FX Fowle Architects and developed by

Forest City Ratner Companies. Third on the list

is the China International Center Tower B inGuangzhou, whilst fourth is the Naberezhnaya

Tower C in Moscow, which at 268 meters high

also becomes Europes tallest building. All ten

tallest buildings constructed in 2007 are

outlined in the diagram on the right.

Geographically this list reinforces the currenttrend of the worlds tallest buildings being

completed in the Middle East or Asia; four of

the list are located in the Middle East, four in

Asia, one in North America, and one in Europe.

In terms of program, five of the list are office

towers, one accommodates solely hotel

function and the remaining four are mixed-use

buildings. As always, strict criteria have

influenced the putting together of this list;

buildings are only eligible if they are topped-

out, fully-clad and either open for business or

at least partially occupied.

The current year, 2008, also promises to be anexciting time in terms of high-rise

construction. With the 331 meter high

Minsheng Bank Building already completed in

Wuhan, and buildings such as the Shanghai

World Financial Center (492m, Shanghai), Bank

of America Tower (366m, New York), Almas

Tower (360m, Dubai), China World Trade

Center Tower III (330m, Beijing), One Island East

(308m, Hong Kong) and the Burj Dubai Lake

Hotel (306m, Dubai) already topped out, this

years tallest 10 is set to include at least seven

super-tall buildings (those with a height of

300 meters or more), a feat that isunprecedented in tall building history.

However, it is the year 2009 that is expected to

be the pinnacle of the current high-rise

construction boom, with the CTBUH

predicting the completion of some 20 super-

tall towers, led by the phenomenal 800m+ Burj

Dubai.

With this tall building boom in mind, the

CTBUH is delighted to announce the creation

of its Tall Building Database, which is

accessible to all via our website. The database

provides over 50 different lists of the worldstallest buildings, based on a variety of

categories. These include the historical and

future tallest buildings in the world (tallest

buildings in 1920, 1960, 2015, etc), the tallest

buildings in the world by location (tallest

buildings by continent / nation / city), the

tallest buildings in the world by structural

system (tallest steel / concrete / hybrid

buildings), the tallest buildings in the world by

usage (tallest office / residential / hotel /

mixed-use buildings) and many others. As this

database expands to include many more

Categories, it is hoped it will become aninvaluable source for architects, engineers and

enthusiasts alike to keep track with global tall

building design and construction. To view the

CTBUH Tallest Database, please go to:

http://www.ctbuh.org/Resources/

WorldsTallest/tabid/123/Default.aspx

An expanded version of the Tallest 10 in 2007

is available for download from the CTBUH

website at: http://www.ctbuh.org/Portals/0/

Tallest/CTBUH_Tallest2007.pdf

Figure 1. Rose Rotana Tower in Dubai

Imre Solt

AuthorPhilip Oldfield

Research Coordinator

Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat

3360 S. State Street

Chicago

IL 60616

t: +1 773 691 2022f: +1 312 567 5820


Philip Oldfield received his Bachelor of Architecture

degree and Diploma in Architecture from the

University of Nottingham, England, obtaining First

Class honours at undergraduate level and a

Distinction for his Diploma portfolio. Currently he is

studying a PhD in tall buildings entitled Towards

Carbon Neutral, sponsored by Ove Arup Ltd. The

aim of this research is to design a hypothetical,

carbon neutral tall building through the

incorporation of relevant design strategies, material

choices, environmental technologies and energy

generation techniques. The operational and

embodied carbon performance of this design will

then be modelled against a benchmark building ofthe same size, function and location.

Philip is a member of the Tall Buildings Teaching

and Research Group (www.tallbuildingstarg.com)

and has taught high-rise design studio projects at

both the University of Nottingham and Illinois

Institute of Technology, Chicago, where he is

currently on secondment as part of his PhD studies.

In conjunction with this, Philip is also Research

Coordinator for the Council on Tall Buildings and

Urban Habitat.

16 |


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18/36

PLENARY SESSION 2: THE WORLDSTALLEST: Burj Dubai

HE Mohamed Ali Alabbar, Emaar, A Vision for the Worlds Tallest

T 11: INSTANT CITIES: KOREA

hristine Whitman, Whitman Strategy Group, New Songdo City - The Making of a New Green City

PLENARY SESSION 2: THE WORLDS TALLEST: Burj

Adrian Smith,Adrian Smith + Gordan Gill, Designing the Burj D

PLENARY SESSION 2: THE WORLDS TALLEST: Burj

William Baker, Skidmore Owings & Merrill, Engineering the Worlds T

PLENARY SESSION 1: Tall Buildings & Sustainable Cities: Dubai, Chicago, London

Sadhu Johnston, City of Chicago, Chicago: Building a Green City

PLENARY SESSION 1: Tall Buildings & Sustainable Cities: Dubai, Chicago, Lo

Peter Rees, City of London Corpo

Its not what you build , but the place where you build it: Urban Sustainability in Lo


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PLENARY SESSION 2: THE WORLDS TALLEST: Burj Dubai

HE Mohamed Ali Alabbar, Emaar, A Vision for the Worlds Tallest

T10: BURJ DUBAI

Ahmad Abdelrazaq, Samsung Eng. & Constr., Burj Dubai: Construction Planning of the Burj

EXHIBITION BOOTH, Arup CONGRESS DINNER, Grand Hy

CONGRESS LUNCH, Grand Hy

REGISTRATION - CTBUH 8th World C

Baniyas Ballroom

Baniyas Ballroom

CTBUH 8thWorld Congress, Dubai


20/36

The International Skyscraper: Observations

While using tall buildings data, the following paper aims to show trends and shifts relating to building use and new locations accommodating

high-rise buildings. After decades of the American office building being dominate, in the last twelve years we have observed a gradual but major shift

from office use to residential and mixed-use for Tall Buildings, and from North America to Asia. The turn of the millennium has also seen major changes

in the use of buildings in cities having the longest experience with Tall Buildings. Chicago is witnessing a series of office buildings being transformed

into residential or mixed-use buildings, a phenomenon also occurring on a large scale in New York. In midtown Manhattan of New York City we note

the transformation of major hotels into residential projects. The transformation of landmark projects in midtown New York City is making an impact,

but it is not at all comparable to the number of new projects being built in Asia. When conceiving new projects, we should perhaps bear in mind that,

in due time, these will also experience major shifts in uses and we should plan for this in advance.

Introduction

9/10. The day before 9/11, there were 28

towers above 300 meters/984 feet and 2 under

construction of the same height. Today, there

are 34 such completed towers and over 60

such buildings under construction. Despite

predictions by some of the end of the

skyscraper in the wake of September 11 2001,

it is quite the opposite that is occurring at a

pace never before encountered.

Our first Tall Buildings and Super-Tall Buildings

boom, in the early 1930s, produced the

Chrysler and Empire State Buildings. This era

was followed by an economic crisis that put an

end to such projects. The next Super-Tall

Buildings boom was in the early 1970s, which

produced the World Trade Center and theSears Tower. This era was also followed by an

economic crisis, putting an end to such

projects for some time. The current boom of

Tall Buildings and Super-Tall Buildings, starting

with the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur in

1998, the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai and the

Burj Al Arab in Dubai in 1999, seems endless. It

has now been followed by a series of Super-Tall

Buildings in many regions of the world,

including Asia and the Middle-East, particularly

Dubai. We also note emerging Super-Tall cities

like Moscow, London or even Panama City.

Very recently, we have noted a revival of the

Super-Tall Building in the United States.

Besides the high number of projects in

progress, we note a shift in terms of the

locations of these buildings as well as a shift in

terms of the buildings use and principal

structural materials. A brief overview of the

worlds 10 tallest buildings, as seen over a

period of 50 years at 10-year intervals, will

easily bear witness to this trend. A look to the

near future can exterpolate the current

situation.

The worlds 10 tallest buildings observed

over a 50 Year Period, and after.

The seven charts below clearly show the shift

in terms of the locations of Super-Tall Buildings

from North America to Asia as well as a

shift in terms of buildings use office to mixed

and other uses, such as residential and

hospitality. We also note a shift in terms of

principal structural material, from all steel

towers to composite towers. The notable

exception is the Burj Dubai, the worlds next

tallest building, being constructed in

reinforced concrete.

Many recent Super-Tall Building projects, along

with those in progress, are part of a larger

urban ensemble (such as in the case of Burj

Dubai). Previously, Super-Tall Towers (as in the

case of the Empire State Building and the Sears

Towers) have been single-tower projects. As a

result, these projects will have positive/

negative contextual urban qualities. While

these early towers have mainly represented

corporations in the past, newer projects arenow representing larger urban communities,

as in the case of Taipei 101(commercial), Burj

Dubai or the Chicago Spire (residential).

Author

Georges Binder

Managing Director, BUILDINGS & DATA sa

Buildings & Data sa

Avenue de la Fort 4 bte 15

B-1050 Brussels, Belgium

t: +32 2-673 0779

f: +32 2-672 0957


www.buildingsdata.com

BUILDINGS & DATA s.a. is specialised in marketing

and research studies in the architecture and real

estate fields. BUILDINGS & DATA s.a. has its own real

estate documentation compiled over a period of

more than 30 years and started after a visit by

Georges Binder at the World Trade Center in New

York City in 1975. It comprises information,

databases, plans and images about major

architectural and real estate works from around the

world and especially covering the buildings of the

12,000,000-square-meter Brussels office market,

along with high-rise projects of any type from

around the world.

Part of the information is stored in a data base while

documents come from architects, developers,investors, real estate agents and all type of

commercial and specialized publications such as

leasing brochures or architecture books and

magazines. Over 100 square meters are necessary

to house this library. Georges Binder is regularly

invited to collaborate in tall buildings publications.

CTBUH Journal | 2008 Issue I20 | The International Skyscraper: Observations


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Chart 1. Worlds tallest buildings in 1958

Source: G. Binder/Buildings & Data SA, 2008

In 1958, the worlds 10 tallest buildings are mainly office projects located in New York City, and none of these American buildings have been completed

in the last 25 years. Two recent buildings are located in Eastern Europe and they have been built according to urban master plans approved by Stalin.

With the USSR, the skyscraper becomes a political statement. The structure of all buildings is steel.



The worlds 10 tallest buildings in 1968 look much like the ones of 1958 with two major new entries: Pan Am Building and One Chase Manhattan Plaza

the first major buildings built in downtown New York since the 1930s. These two projects are the flagship towers of a series of new corporate towers

being built all over the United States at a time that represents the quintessential skyscraper of the time.

City Country Year Stories Meters Feet Structure Use

01 Empire State Building New York USA 1931 102 381 1250 Steel Office

02 Chrysler Building New York USA 1930 77 319 1046 Steel Office

03 Cities Service Building (now AIG) New York USA 1932 66 290 952 Steel Office

04 Bank of Manhattan (now Trump) New York USA 1930 70 283 927 Steel Office

05 RCA Building (now GE Building) New York USA 1933 70 259 850 Steel Office

06 Woolworth Building New York USA 1913 57 241 792 Steel Office

07 Moscow State University Moscow USSR 1953 36 240 787 Steel Education

08 Palace of Culture and Science Warsaw Poland 1955 42 231 758 Steel Education

09 20 Exchange Place New York USA 1931 57 226 741 Steel Office

10 Metropolitan Life Insurance New York USA 1909 50 213 700 Steel Office




03 Cities Service Building (now AIG) New York USA 1932 66 290 952 Steel Office

04 Bank of Manhattan (now Trump) New York USA 1930 70 283 927 Steel Office

05 RCA Building (now GE Building) New York USA 1933 70 259 850 Steel Office

06 One Chase Manhattan Plaza New York USA 1961 60 248 813 Steel Office

07 Pan Am Building (now MetLife) New York USA 1963 59 246 808 Steel Office

08 Woolworth Building New York USA 1913 57 241 792 Steel Office

09 Moscow State University Moscow USSR 1953 36 240 787 Steel Education

10 Palace of Culture and Science Warsaw Poland 1955 42 231 758 Steel Education

CTBUH Journal | 2008 Issue I The International Skyscraper: Observations | 2


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The worlds 10 tallest buildings in 1978 includes, for the first time since the 1930s, a new series of Super-Tall Buildings. 3 buildings are taller than the

Empire State Building, the worlds tallest for 40 years. Chicago makes its mark and a mixed-use skyscraper appears for the first time on the list: the John

Hancock Center., It still features in 2008 (but not for long) as the worlds highest apartments at over 300meters/1000 feet. Buildings are all located in

North America and all are still made of steel.



The worlds 10 tallest buildings in 1988 include 2 projects in Houston, following a boom in that local economy. Buildings are all located in North

America, as in 1978. For the first time, a building with a composite structure appears in the list.


01 Sears Tower Chicago USA 1974 110 442 1451 Steel Office

02 One World Trade Center New York USA 1971 110 417 1368 Steel Office

03 Two World Trade Center New York USA 1973 110 415 1362 Steel Office


05 Standard Oil (now Aon Center) Chicago USA 1973 83 346 1136 Steel Office

06 John Hancock Center Chicago USA 1970 100 344 1127 Steel Mixed-use


08 First Canadian Place Toronto Canada 1975 72 298 978 Steel Office

09 American International Building New York USA 1932 66 290 952 Steel Office

10 Trump Building New York USA 1930 70 283 927 Steel Office






05 Standard Oil (now Aon Center) Chicago USA 1973 83 346 1136 Steel Office

06 John Hancock Center Chicago USA 1970 100 344 1127 Steel Mixed-use


08 Texas Commerce Tower Houston USA 1982 75 303 993 Mixed Office

09 Allied Bank Plaza Houston USA 1983 71 303 992 Steel Office

10 First Canadian Place Toronto Canada 1975 72 298 978 Steel Office



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The worlds 10 tallest buildings in 1998 include, for the first time, Asian projects. The first project not designed by an American-based architect, Central

Plaza, is completed in 1992 by Dennis Lau of Ng Chun Man & Associates. Asian projects already account for more than 50% of the total.. The 10th tallest

building considerably surpasses the 300 meters/1000 feet bar.. For several decades, the Chrysler Building has been the only Super-Tall project to

include a spire. In 1998, Super-Tall Buildings with a spire a trend launched by the Bank of China in Hong Kong account for 60% of the worlds 10

tallest buildings. For more than a century, structures made of steel dominated the tall buildings industry. Steel structures now account for only 40%.



The worlds 10 tallest buildings in 2008 show the predominance of Asia over North America, which remains on the list thanks to only two buildings .

The trend would have been the same even if including the World Trade Center, which disappeared from the list in 2001. The trend observed in 1998 o

fewer steel structures continues with only two steel structures left on the list.


01 Petronas Towers 1 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia 1998 88 452 1483 Mixed Office

02 Petronas Towers 2 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia 1998 88 452 1483 Mixed Office




06 CITIC Plaza Guangzhou China 1997 80 390 1280 Concrete Office

07 Shung Hing Square Shenzhen China 1996 80 384 1260 Mixed Office


09 Central Plaza Hong Kong China 1992 78 374 1227 Concrete Office

10 Bank of China Tower Hong Kong China 1989 70 367 1205 Mixed Office


01 Taipei 101 Taipei Taiwan 2004 101 509 1670 Mixed Office/Reta

02 Shanghai World Financial Center Shanghai China 2008 101 492 1614 Mixed Mixed-use

03 Petronas Twin Towers 1 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia 1998 88 452 1483 Mixed Office



06 Jin Mao Tower Shanghai China 1999 88 421 1380 Mixed Mixed-use

07 Two International Finance Centre Hong Kong China 2003 88 415 1362 Mixed Office

08 CITIC Plaza Guangzhou China 1997 80 390 1280 Concrete Office

09 Shun Hing Square Shenzhen China 1996 80 384 1260 Mixed Office


CTBUH Journal | 2008 Issue I The International Skyscraper: Observations | 2


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The worlds 10 tallest buildings, expected to be completed by 2011, continues to present a dominating Asian presence. We note an American revival

with a residential tower, scheduled to become the tallest building in the United States. The Middle-East confirms its status as a major Super-Tall Building

player with more projects than the United States. Europe is back again with a project in Moscow. We also note, for the first time in the history of the

skyscraper, that the once dominating office building type now accounts for only 30% of the total The mixed-use building is becoming more popular.

With this rise of the mixed-use building, the trend of building names is no longer associated to corporations. which was already confirmed in 2008 .

Only the Petronas Twin Towers bears a corporate name associated to a particular brand. By 2011, there will be no more steel-only structures and most

of the tallest building in the list of the 10 worlds tallest buildings will be made of a composite structure.

The seven above charts clearly show the shift in terms of locations of Super-Tall Buildings from North America to Asia as well as a shift in term ofbuildings use office to mixed and other uses such as residential and hospitality. We also note a shift in terms of principal structural materials: from all

steel structures to composite structures.

Location and use of the over 150-meter/492-

foot tall buildings

If we look at the evolution of the Tall Building

and we take a closer look at the ones over 150

meters/500 feet (a limit by which any Tall

Building starts to appear big, although this is

purely subjective) we will have confirmation

that the trends shown by the worlds 10 tallest

buildings are also to be seen in some 3000

projects completed and under construction

(Table 1).

If we take a look at the location where we find

buildings of over 150 meters/492 feet tall, we

note that, back in 1995, 2/3 were located in the

Americas (mainly in the United States). This is

down from about 85% in 1980. This group now

represents only 27.7% in 2008 if we also take

into account projects under construction and

only 18.4% if we only look at projects under

construction. The regions most active today

are the Asian ones. Asia/Oceania/Middle-East,

which used to account for less than 10% in

1980 and for 31.3% in 1995, now are 68.8% of

the total, including projects under

construction. If we look at only projects under

construction , we note that the Asian regions

account for 77.5%. The percentage of projects

currently under construction in only the

Middle-East stands at 23% of the total, a figure

that was virtually zero back in 1995.

Table 1. Buildings over 150 meters/492 feet

shown according to location (*)

Table 2. Buildings over 150 meters/492 feet

shown according to building use (*)

Source: Georges Binder/Marshall Gerometta, 10/2007

(*) While every effort has been made to track accurate data

on height figures, when height was missing, estimates

have been drawn for a number of projects taking into

account both the known number of stories and the

buildings use.


01 Burj Dubai Dubai UAE 2009 162 800+ 2625+ Concrete Mixed-use

02 Chicago Spire Chicago USA 2010 150 609 1999 Mixed Mixed-use

03 Abraj Al Bait Makkah S. Arabia 2010 76 595 1952 Concrete Hotel

04 Freedom Tower New York USA 2011 82 541 1776 Mixed Office

05 Taipeti 101 Taipei Taiwan 2004 101 509 1670 Mixed Office/Retail

06 Burj Al Alam Dubai UAE 2010 108 501 1588 Mixed Mixed-use

07 Shanghai World Financial Center Shanghai China 2008 101 492 1614 Mixed Mixed-use

08 International Commerce Centre Hong Kong China 2010 108 484 1588 Mixed Mixed-use



1980 19952008 Plus

Those UnderConstruction


Only

Americas 84.9% 64.5% 27.7% 18.4%

Asia/Oceania 9.9% 31.2% 59.0% 54.5%

Middle-East 0.0% 0.1% 9.8% 23.0%

Europe 4.3% 3.7% 3.3% 3.8%

Africa 0.9% 0.5% 0.2% 0.3%

Total numberof buildings

324 820 2922 7

1980 19952008 Plus



Only

Office 84.7% 78.3% 47.3% 26.8%

Mixed-use 5.2% 6.6% 11% 17.7%

Residential 5.2% 9.6% 35.3% 47.3%

Hotel 4.9% 5.5% 6.4% 8.2%



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In Table 2 we can see that, in 1980 and 1995,

the vast majority of tall buildings (84.7% and

78.3% respectively) were destined for office

use. The current percentage in this category is

only 47.3%. Where buildings under

construction are concerned, the figure drops

to 26.8% of the total. At the same time we can

see that the residential building, previously a

marginal Tall Building type, is now becoming

the most widely built category with 47.3% of

the total currently under construction. We also

note a steady rise of the mixed-use Tall

Building, rising from 5.3% in 1980 to 11.0%

today. With 17.7% currently under

construction, we can expect a bright future for

this building type.

If we compare the two charts above we note

that the Tall Building, mainly a North American

office building a little over 12 years ago, is now

fast becoming an Asian residential building. To

a large extent this is the conclusion we draw

based upon the types of projects that are

being erected.

Selected building types observations

The mixed-use tall building

The mixed-use Tall Building is becoming moreand more popular. The corporate office tower,

once a major urban landmark in many cities, is

now being replaced by mixed-use buildings.

Recently completed and under construction

Super-tall office towers and mixed-use

projects, such as the Petronas Twin Towers,

Taipei 101 or Buj Dubai, include a world-class

shopping mall featuring an array of well-

known international brands. Until the turn of

the millennium, all of the previous worlds

tallest buildings were single-use towers, mainly

devoted to office use. Exceptions are the

World Trade Center and the Empire StateBuilding in New York, both of which featured

limited retail facilities of local interest only. In

addition to these, there are an increasing

numbers of mixed-used buildings being built

every day. This building type now accounts for

just under 20% of the total number of over

150-meter/492-foot buildings under

construction. The interest in this building type

can probably be explained by several factors.

Considering the ever increasing number of

buildings being erected, there may be a lack of

major tenants able to fill these buildings.

Along with this is a world where tourism is an

economy on the rise. Hotels are becoming the

major tenants of the new millennium.

Additionally, mixed-use is evolving in cities

that are no longer building administrative

areas only, but mixed-use districts. Moscow in

Russia is witnessing a revival of high-rise

construction after two generations without it.

The United Kingdom is reviving it after one

generation. We note that the mixed-use Tall

Building is becoming the new urban flagship

tower, as

Documents

Jornal Construção Burj Khalifa