In China, there are 239 structures taller than 200m being currently built. What is interesting about that number is that by the end of 2011, there was a mere 61 buildings taller than 300m in the world. In five years though, more than 60 of those will be found in China.
The horizon is soon to look very different in Changsha as the world’s tallest building will be added to its skyline. Sky City will stand at 838m (2,749ft) high and boast over 200 floors.
What makes this unique however, is that construction is yet to begin. The world’s current tallest building, Burj Khalifa, can be found in Dubai and took over five years to finish, but the engineers and architects at Broad Sustainable Building (BSB) strongly believe they can beat the current record. Despite criticisms laid at BSB that in their company’s history they haven’t completed a structure taller than 30 storeys, the builders at this unit of the air conditioning maker Broad Group, are not concerned. “The current schedule will go on as planned with the completion of five storeys a day.” BSB senior vice-president Juliet Jang told Construction Week Online. Sky City’s design was worked on by engineers who also participated in the construction of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. The towering skyscraper will achieve the goal by putting together BSB’s 95 percent prefabricated modular technology at a construction pace that is unprecedented. A Chicago based designer, Adrian Smith, who conceived the Burj Khalifa is currently working on the Kingdom Tower in Saudi Arabia and last month claimed at a meeting of the Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat in Shanghai that hasty urbanization in China would further encourage major expansion in tall structures. Mr Smith had this to say to his audience. “There are 179,000 people moving into urban areas every week. Do they go into a horizontal or a vertical city? It’s a question of economics,” BSB is currently in charge of over 20 modular buildings in China and has proven that the construction method is sound, instilling faith in a wider audience when in January they finished a 30-story hotel in less than 15 days. Once local authorities have confirmed their approval of the project, foundation work will begin at the end of the month. China’s economy continues to grow at unparalleled rates despite a recent sluggish phase which has led to some skyscraper plans being indefinitely put on hold. Despite this, there is still significant enthusiasm for constructing skyscrapers in China. This serves largely as a symbol, as it demonstrates that your company or even your city has truly reached that next echelon. The hometown of Chairman Mao Zedong – Changsha’s most famous claim – Sky City will soon be known for owning the world’s tallest building. Sky City is estimated to cost four billion yuan (£400m), will be able to hold 31,400 people and will be made using over 220,000 tons of steel. The building will be compiled of both residential areas and various other kinds – such as offices, schools, hospitals, shops and restaurants. However, the residential section will make up the majority of the structure, accounting for over 83 percent. Despite all this, Sky City will only consume one fifth of the energy required by a standard building. This is due to its unique building methods which involve quadruple glazing and 15cm-thick exterior walls for thermal insulation. It is expected to be taller than the Shanghai Tower upon completion, which is to be completed in 2014 and was believed to be China’s tallest skyscraper. In China, there are 239 structures taller than 200m being currently built. What is interesting about that number is that by the end of 2011, there was a mere 61 buildings taller than 300m in the world. In five years though, more than 60 of those will be found in China.
