Shanghai Tower

As many of us know, the Shanghai Finance Center had the goal of becoming the world's tallest building, surpassing the Taipei 101 in height, but after the announcement of the Burj Dubai project, this goal was litterally crippled. This tower, the Shanghai Tower, is perhaps a Chinesse step closer towards achieving ridicilous Burj Dubai heights, even though it is still far from being near as tall. This skyscraper is planned to have a height of no less than impressing 632 meters, and an array of 128 floors. The completion date is partially set to 2012, but the building will first be opened for full functionality in 2014.

Despite it's amazing hieght, this building's most aestethic feature to me, is its elegant curvy shape. This unique shape is surprusingly aerodynamic and thanks to it, the skyscraper reduces its windload with up to 24%.

From the environmental point of view, this skyscraper isn't as sustainable as the Rotating Tower in Dubai, but has some Green elements to it. Some of these are a an outter "skin" on the structure, which minimizes energy consumption. This skin facade also creates thermal buffer zones, in which sunlight heating is made possible. The building's spiral structure also collects rainwater on its curving roofs, which is later used for the skyscraper's heating and aircondition system, thus relieving the nature from more extra energy consumption.

That's about it about this Chinesse monument. If you wish to follow the construction updates for this tower, go to Skyscraper City.

Andy