Shanghai Tower-Towards Setting A New Bench Mark For Skyscrapers

Twisting, tapering, triangular form

Sky scrapers used to be just about being taller and powerful.  A symbolism of power and influence. But today, it is no longer about just being grandiose mega structures. Most of today’s tallest structures are found in Asia and the Middle East. And the tug of war between these two regions pertaining to skyscrapers is so immense that the ranks of the sky scrapers are short lived. So the interest is now being seen shifted from just about sheer size to a more three dimensional approach; sustainability and net zero energy buildings. Gensler’s Shanghai Tower being built in the Pudong district of Shanghai, China, is one such ground breaking project. 

When the Shanghai Tower opens in early 2015 it would be the second tallest skyscraper in the world, after Burj Khalifa in Dubai.  The 2,073ft tall tower has nine cylinders with attenuating diameters stacked on each other enveloped by an inner facade. And a twisting triangular facade wraps the whole structure giving it the distinctive twisting, tapering, triangular form. This is not just an inspired conceptual design.  It was designed with performance uttermost in mind, through a meticulous study of how wind forces act on the tower. Strive to reduce the wind load on the structure, gave the tower its unique and iconic shape. The taper and rotation of the tower reduces the lateral wind load on the structure by 24 percent and subsequently reduces the structural cost by $63 million. 

Section of the Shanghai Tower with a double facade

Shanghai Tower will be the world’s first double facade building of its size. The facades are built with aluminium extrusions with a resistance to thermal wear and tear, and insulated glass with a spectrally selective low emission coating. The outer facade wraps the two storey mechanical floors which defines the geometry of the building. These floors divide the structure into nine zones, each with a multi functional vertical sky garden at the base. The void atria in each of the nine zones act as thermal buffer zones during the relatively mild winters and hot summers of Shanghai, reducing the cooling and heating load on the HVAC system of the building.  The first few feet of each zone will be heated and cooled with perimeter fan coil units during the weather extremes. And the rest of the void will ventilated with natural updraft and regulated top exhausts. Shading measures like fritted glass surface for exterior and interior curtain walls and several others were employed to diminish the glare and heat build up in the interior.

The mechanical floors at the zone transitions house the electrical transformers, ventilation systems and water systems. Each vertical zone is served from the mechanical floors above and below it. This significantly reduces the energy utilized for transportation. Water treatment plants with in the building, recycling grey water and storm water for irrigation and toilet flushing reduces the pumping energy alongside a decrement in source water consumption. 

The sky garden

The design strategies used in the tower is estimated to reduce the annual energy costs by a significant 21 percent. A natural gas fired co-generation system generates electricity and heat energy for low zone areas and the high pressure steam generated by this plant is garnered the by the HVAC system of the tower to feed the heating and domestic water heating system. And chilled plants are located at the base and higher mechanical floors for cooling purposes. The Outdoor air is pre- conditioned, filtered and measured before being pumped into the occupied zones by the HVAC system of the building. 

These sustainable design features of the tower is targeted to get it an LEED gold rating and a China Three-Star standard. The Shanghai tower is said to set a bench mark for the future skyscraper projects. And for the time being it would be a bright shining star celebrity in the skyscraper world until another ground breaking project bigger than this surpasses it.

South Beach, Singapore - The new luxurious green complex

I have to say, that I am enthralled by  the work of Foster & partners. Their holistic approach towards sustainable architecture is sublime; an absolute work of art. They are setting a benchmark for the green architects and pushing the bar for green buildings higher. They have proven that embracing a sustainable approach to architecture does not limit your creativity or hinder the  aesthetic value of it.

Foster & partners have taken on a project in Singapore, which is one of the most anticipated building projects in Singapore at the moment. The construction of this project, of 150,000 square meters, called the “South Beach” is well underway.  It is an eco complex for commercial, residential, retail purposes as well as for two high end hotels and a green link to the Esplanade MRT station of Singapore. It is going to be another gem added to the spectacular skyline of Singapore, designed to suit Singapore’s ideal of a “city in a garden” with its flora and sky gardens. It is also said to have the potential to achieve the Green Mark Platinum rating.

South Beach Singapore’s green features include a canopy resembling a concatenation of ribbon-forms filtering the direct sun light reaching the public realm at the ground level. The design of this canopy reflects the changes of use beneath it. The canopy is elevated at east and west of it span where they form vertical louvers and provide a favourable ambience for the development of plantation, which transform the towers that arise from within this canopy, into vertically linked green spaces. The orientation of the building and the slanted facades catch the prevailing winds and direct the air flow downwards to reduce the ambient temperatures of the lower level spaces.  And the facades are also fitted with photovoltaic cells to take advantage of the tropical climate of the city. The first floor of the complex is planned with internal streets augmenting the street vibrancy and the pedestrian flow.  Furthermore, a rainwater harvesting system for irrigation, geothermal heating system, chilled beams and ice storage system for cooling are used to reinforce the sustainability of the complex.

 

The opening of the complex is scheduled for 2015. It was supposed to be completed by 2012, but owing to the economical downturn, the construction was halted until the building costs eased. Well, I am very much looking forward to the completion of it to realize a firsthand experience of a green building with a platinum rating.