The Worst Building in the World

I had my doubts about how bad this building could possibly have been when I heard about it. I mean we all know that architecture is very subjective and not everyone is going to agree about the aesthetic qualities of any building but when I saw an image of the Ryugyong Hotel in North Korea, I had to admit that this was the one exception to the rule. It's truly awful!

The one-hundred-and-five-story, world's 22nd largest skyscraper broke ground as far back as 1987 by Baikdoosan Architects but construction was stopped in 1992 when it was rumored that the state ran out of money to continue. Now, more than twenty years later after North Korea poured more than two percent of its gross domestic product into this eyesore, construction has resumed though I can't understand why. The Ryugyong Hotel dwarfs and stands out so much from its surroundings, it looks like it was just dropped there from outer space with no care for site integration. Also, the government themselves think it is so bad that they airbrush it out of official photos of the city skyline, pretending that it isn't there.

Even by Communist standards, the 3,000-room hotel is hideously ugly, a series of three gray 328-foot long concrete wings shaped into a steep pyramid. With 75 degree sides that rise to an apex of 1,083 feet, the Hotel of Doom (also known as the Phantom Hotel and the Phantom Pyramid) isn't the just the worst designed building in the world -- it's the worst-built building, too. - www.esquire.com/the-side/DESIGN/hotel-of-doom-012808

I think like most people do, that the Ryugyong Hotel is horrid but again we really can't judge the entire process of its design and construction as it is within a communist country we do not understand or have much access to. This building clearly would not have even gotten approved anywhere in Europe or the United States nor would so much money have been poured down the drain on a project the government and community clearly seem to despise.

Images obtained from: http://www.esquire.com/the-side/DESIGN/hotel-of-doom-012808

Cheese Grater Gets Built in Dubai

New York based reiser + umemoto has decided to really push the design envelope with their very unorthodox building, 0-14 which has just been topped out in Dubai. The skin of the building is of self-consolidating concrete cast over the perforated reinforced steel. Though this is one of the few buildings that is actually environmentally innovative, aesthetically, this is one design that seems like it would have been better off remaining on paper.

Structurally, the seemingly termite eaten facade acts as an exoskeleton allows the exterior of the building to practically column free, acts as a double-skin facade and uses the stack effect to channel the stifling hot air of Dubai up out of the cavities and at the same time cooling the walls and windows.

Dubai as we all know is the one place where you can find the most outrageous designs that have no consideration for the environment but though I think the facade is not in the least bit "easy on the eyes" I am pleased that this one does try to be aware that when you build vertically in places like Dubai, the higher you go, the more you begin to create micro climates within the building itself. This is a huge strain on HVAC equipment adjusting to the different temperatures. The perforated skin will allow more light and air into the building and at the same time provide some shading form direct sunlight.





Images and article details obtained from: www.archiblog.com
and from Lynn Becker's "Dubai Swiss cheese grater becomes a reality."

Trouble For Gehry's Beekman Tower

I posted an article on the 18th of last month on Gehry's Beekman tower and how he had utilized his "Digital Project" software to ensure that the design would come in under budget. Unfortunately, it seems that even his magic software can't save the tower from effects of the economic meltdown in the country right now.

For the past week, rumors have continued to circulate that construction at the tower in the upper part of the Financial District is to be halted. The 76-story luxury rental building (with stores and a school in its base) had its signature steel facade delivered to the site at the beginning of the month with a lot of apparent activity seen around the area. So hearing that construction will be halted has taken everyone by surprise.

According to a spokesperson for developer Forest City Ratner, "Given the current economy, we are conducting a study to assess costs, risks and overall timing. Work is continuing on the building including on the school and we should have some conclusive answers shortly." Some of these assessments include having the building topout below its 36th floor and not the 40th.

Developers should really stop the horrid habit of chopping off projects halfway and leaving projects that they feel are products of a recession but are really monuments to their inefficiency. Didn't realize how much it would cost or have a contingency plan for if costs exceed the budget, which always happens anyway.




Image obtained from www.curbed.com

WTC Twin Towers II

So the controversy seems to still be raging on about the replacement of the World Trade Center towers destroyed in the September 11 attacks. Many, especially the families of those lost in the collapse of the buildings, despise the design of the Freedom Tower, and development of the surrounding area and would rather see the original towers rebuilt.

I happened to catch a David Schuster interview of Ken Gardner, the structural engineer for the WTC Towers II, yesterday and I agree with the fundamentals of his argument. According to Gardner, the towers were singled out due to their iconic status and what they symbolize to the United States: belief in humanity, need for individual dignity and beliefs in the cooperation of men. So to rebuild the towers exactly the same, except with increased structural strength, evacuation design and a few others, would be the best "thumb in the eye" to Bin Laden. The building was sufficient for its program when it stood so why not rebuild it as it was?

The unofficial proposals, by architect Herbert Belton, for the new and improved Twin Towers as it were retains the original facade, which mimic the upward flow of columns but will have larger windows at 40 inches wide. Each tower will be 500 meters (1515 ft) tall at roof level, nearly 100 metres (330 ft) taller than the originals giving a floor count of 125 floors and a gross floor area of 26,247,000 square feet making more of a symbolic statement.

What is a little confusing to me is the fact that the foundations for the freedom tower have already been started and steel bracings have already topped at least 30 feet. Now the structural design of the original Twin Towers and the freedom tower are nowhere near similar so it is highly improbable that if the proposal to rebuild the original towers were somehow approved, they could be built on the current foundations in place now. So then, what really is being proposed here? That the Freedom Tower foundations be dynamited and rebuilding started all over again?

I think that though it would be nice to see the towers rebuilt, it is a little too late now so all supports of this proposal should give up and just let go. Also, we should not be too hasty to merely wish to reassert the symbol of the towers as we would risk losing the human reality that was also destroyed. The shattering of communities and the destruction of real, human beings with names and families, and not of millions of tons of concrete and steel. To not rebuild the Twin Towers, basically continuing with the Freedom Tower, will always remind us of what was once there and the human lives that were lost. Herbert Belton and Ken Gardner's proposals to rebuild the Towers introduces the risk of us forgetting this.

Foster + Partners Unveils Design For New Paris Community

Hermitage Plaza will create a new community to the east of La Défense, in Courbevoie, that extends down to the river Seine with cafés, shops and a sunny public plaza at its heart. Revealed by Foster+Partners at MIPIM in Cannes, the project incorporates two 969 ft buildings – the tallest mixed-use towers in Western Europe – which will establish a distinctive symbol for this new urban destination on the Paris skyline.

The result of a close collaboration with EPAD, the City of Courbevoie, Atelier de Paysage Urbain and Département de Hauts-de-Seine, the project is intended to inject life into the area east of La Défense by creating a sustainable, high-density community. Due to start on site in 2010 and complete by the end of 2014, the two towers accommodate a hotel, spa, panoramic apartments, offices and serviced apartments, as well as shops at the base.

Forming two interlocking triangles on plan, the buildings face one another at ground level. Open and permeable to encourage people to walk through the site, the towers enclose a public piazza which establishes the social focus. As they rise, the towers transform, turning outward to address views across Paris. The glazed façade panels catch the light, the sun animating different facets of the buildings as it changes direction throughout the day. The angle of the panels promotes self-shading and vents can be opened to draw fresh air inside, contributing to an environmental strategy that targets a BREEAM (Biomedical Research Experience ) ‘excellent’ rating. The diagrid structure is not only highly efficient - doing more with less - but it emphasises the elegant proportions of the towers.

A crystal-shaped podium building contains office space, with two detached satellite buildings housing a gallery and auditorium that further extend the public realm. The piazza – created by burying the existing busy road beneath a landscaped deck – slopes gently downward to the water’s edge, which is lined with new cafés and restaurants. Locking into the existing Courbevoie and EPAD masterplans, the project will reinforce the regeneration of the riverfront.

Norman Foster said:
“Hermitage Plaza will create a 24-hour community that will regenerate the riverfront and inject new life into a predominantly commercial part of the city. A light catching addition to the Paris skyline, the development will also provide a public piazza that leads down to the river’s edge to create a new destination for the city.”

Once again, Foster does not disappoint. Hermitage Plaza underscores the artistic yet design innovative and practical work which has become synonymous with Foster + Partners. This project seeks to not only be an icon but also a community anchor fostering neighborhood interaction, which is something the area really needs. I am however interested to find out what the cost estimate is right now for this project as it really doesn't look cheap.

Info and images obtained from Foster+Partners.com

Skyscrapers For Seniors

The Clare, developed and operated by the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago Service Corp and designed by Ralph Johnson, a principal at the Chicago office of Perkins+Will, is a 54 story building that seeks to cater to the baby boomers and retired urban dwellers and give them a new home in which to grow old.

The building located on 55 E. Pearson St nestles into the cityscape as its overall building mass was designed to be as slim as possible with an entire floor plate just under 12,000 square feet to fit in with the least amount of site disturbance and provide residents with a community fostered environment. Though the building is practically self-sufficient, many outside amenities are within walking distance.

The Clare has been designed differently from most new senior mid to highrise communities as the attempt was to create "stacked suburban homes" with environments as similar to suburban communities the residents just left. Hence they don't feel like they are in a "senior home" but more like they are just simply at "home." The design also combines individual apartments and common spaces such as workout rooms and dining areas. While most of its 334 apartments are for independent, able-bodied seniors, the rest offer assisted living and skilled nursing similar to hospital care.

The design of the interior seeks to take advantage of the views and allows residents to have unique views from almost each unit. One of the most impressive features occurs at the building’s northeast corner, where you discover that the vertical slot cut into the curving exterior is not just for looks. It opens the corridors of the independent living units to natural light and lake views, helping residents orient themselves.

Equally impressive are "high-ceilinged," light-filled communal spaces, notably a hotel-like, three-story atrium that extends from the 17th to the 19th floors, and a 53rd floor gathering space with spectacular lake views. Anything that cuts down on the sameness of endlessly repeating floors is welcome and both Johnson and the Franciscan Sisters are very pleased with the outcome though there aren't enough residents in the building just yet to be able to accurately judge the its success.

For the city that brought us the highrise, this is indeed a welcome addition and I am always in support of new senior living designs that make for places to "enjoy life and grow old" rather than places to "go be depressed and finally die!"

Still, I think that Ralph Johnson could have managed the orientation of the building a little better as the western facade practically blocks views to the John Hancock for those who live in River North and has drawn criticism from many neighbors and Chicago residents in general. Other than this, I think that the building was designed well and for those that feel that it is too monolithic, I would say that it does at least try to not be a site intervention, and be too different from its surroundings. Also, until we are sure just how well seniors interact within highrise dwellings, we shouldn't try to create any overly flamboyant forms for senior living.




Images obtained from featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com and graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/03/29

Gehry's Software Maintains Budget On New Projects

It seems that Frank Gehry has developed an interesting software called, "Digital Project" which he describes as a powerful tool for architects to help keep construction costs down. Though the software is really just getting public attention, it is not entirely new. Gehry first developed digital project in the early 90's and further refined it in 1997 when designing and specifying the titanium panels for the celebrated Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao.

With the crumbling economy now, the spotlight is on Gehry and Digital project as he uses it for his latest design, The new Beekman Tower, a $680 million, 904 unit and 76 storey building in New York set to topout mid 2010 and be a significant contribution to New York city's skyline. With the building’s distinctly bumpy silhouette, “the idea I was trying to achieve was a fabric, so it would catch the light,” Mr. Gehry said. Using the software, fabricators have been able to produced a facade for this tower with various textures at a price that Mr. Gehry says does not exceed what a developer would pay to build a conventional boxy building of similar dimensions.

The main point of this program is to model every component of the building in 3D, and allow engineers and contractors to resolve cost issues and work out how final duct placement will work with the building form before construction commences. According to Gehry, this has helped to avoid expensive work change orders, almost removing the need for architects to include an additional cost for "contingencies" which always come from construction errors helping keep projects within initial budget. Still, many other architects have reacted differently to the program. While acknowledging that the Gehry software is impressive, Carl Galioto of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, a firm that has designed many skyscrapers, says that it is very hard to learn and three or four times as expensive as a conventional modeling program which on average costs about $5,000.

This may be a good tool to have right now if Mr Gehry would be kind enough to simplify it a bit so that those of us who did not write the program might be able to use it. Still, I don't think that even his "Digital Project" can ensure that Gehry can develop a design that is guaranteed to be weather resistant which is a problem some of his latest projects have had.




Image obtained from: www.archinect.com and www.nytimes.com respectively
For more information, check: www.nytimes.com/2008/05/31/arts/design/31beek.html

Chiofaro Seeks To Invigorate Boston Waterfront

Developer Don Chiofaro is proposing a three-tower structure on the site of the Harbor Garage, which he owns. It's a key location in Boston, between the New England Aquarium on one side and the center of the new Greenway on the other.

William Pedersen of Kohn Pedersen Fox in New York, is the chief designer and in the current version of his conceptual design, there are two occupied towers. One holds 200-300 hotel rooms, topped by maybe 120 condos. The other tower contains 850,000 square feet of office space while it is still unclear what the program of the third tower is to be. "It's pure architecture, pure sculpture," says Chiofaro. "I want to make the buildings feel like a gateway from the harbor to the Greenway," reinforcing the sentiment in the city that Chiofaro really just wants the third tower to ensure that he owns the tallest building in Boston.

Responsible for the lower floors of the entire complex are Boston based architects Elkus Manfredi. The lower floors will house a shopping arcade, another 70,000 square feet with underground parking for 1,200 to 1,400 cars, meaning that the Harbor Garage is to be demolished.

Although Chiofaro reiterated several times that this mixed use project will revitalize the now dead Greenway by means of the shops and hotel, the plans have been received with very little enthusiasm of which I too share. As it is, the "greenway" has little green about it and another highrise casting yet another shadow is going to jeopardize what green is left. Also, the wind tunnel effect created will make connecting corridors very uncomfortable.
I am usually always in support of new building plans and ideas to help the stagnated economy but in this case, it looks like Chiofaro just wants to create a building that will earn him back some or all of his money lost when he overpaid for the harbor garage.


Image obtained from: www.boston.com.

The "Absolute Towers" of Canada

Yes, that is actually what they are called and are a five tower development on the north-east corner of the crossroads of Hurontario Street and Burnhamthope Road, a gateway to the Mississauga town center in Canada. After the success of the first tower, developers announced that a fifth and final tower over 50 stories will be added to complete the project. The total area of the site is about 255,000 square feet while the total square footage of the Absolute Towers 1 and 2 are about 135,000 and 120,000 square feet respectively.

Both towers, designed by M.A.D Architects Studio have been designed with very organic convolutions that seek to not only break with the form of traditional highrises, but also relate to each other. Ma Yansong, one of the principles said of the designs, "they talk to each other and harmonize with each other. There is a synergy between them, an aura which transcends each of the individual buildings."

Also of ultimate importance in the design is the effort made to ensure that all occupants within the building have a a view. The entire 56-story building rotates by different degrees at different levels, which corresponds with scenarios at different heights. A continuous balcony surrounds the building giving adequate sunlight and ventilation.

I would say that this is a very unique design but it does really remind me of Zaha's design for the Farrer Road residential complex in Singapore. I'm all for inspiration but not when it bears a strong resemblance to its predecessor.



Image obtained from: www.arcspace.com
For more info, check: www.archinnovations.com/featured-projects/mixed-use/mad-the-absolute-towers-in-mississauga

Recession Defying Plans For London Towers

The Swiss based practice of Herzog & de Meuron, responsible for the Beijing national stadium and the new Portsmouth Stadium on Horsea Island, is proposing three towers of 320, 640 and 800ft respectively, to be the tallest residential projects in the country. The towers located next to the Renzo Piano "Shard" is part of the redevelopment plan for the London Bridge station area.

The towers are to have 380 apartments, , along with a hotel, retail and cinema space. The tallest tower, which would be 65 storeys, would include 121 flats along with the hotel, the other tower will have a total of 115 flats contained within 51 storeys while the shortest, at 31 storeys, will boast 144 flats. The sheer scale of the project is already dividing opinion among the select few who have seen it which is is to be expected. The reservation felt by many in the U.K is that these buildings do not quite have a place next to more traditional British designed structures as they break with the consistency of "character and Scale." Some sentiment is that the proposals have not incorporated enough parkland into the design as this might help to lessen their perceived impact on the site especially on the street level from a pedestrian point of view.

It is not only surprising that these projects are being planned with what the economy is like in the U.K but also that there has been such fervor in responses about this project when the complete designs and cost estimates have not been unveiled yet and will not be till mid February. Still, it is commendable of Herzog & de Meuron to be planning such a large scale project in light of the economic crunch and I know that i am the first to always condemn a building design that clashes with its surroundings but these days, any project is a good project mainly because I don't think there is anymore room or money for frivolous designs. But I will withhold further comment till there are more details on the project in its entirety.

Image obtained from buildingdesignonline.com
For more information, check: www.bdonline.co.uk

World's Tallest Building. Another One?

Actually, two more! Hot on the heels of the Burg Dubai is a proposal, revealed 4 days ago, for a 3,280 ft high tower again in Dubai. Local city developer Nakheel, the company responsible for the famous man-made islands off the coast of Dubai reported that the tower will be the center piece of the new inner city harbor, new Dubai, that is to become the emirate's new capital. Though specifics of the building and estimated budget were not given, Nakheel executive Christopher O'Donnell stated that this would be a multi-billion pound undertaking that is projected to topout in late 2018.

The Nakheel tower, as it has now come to be known, will stretch for about 200 floors, need over 150 lifts and be built of 700,000 pounds of concrete but specific solutions for many challenges have not been outlined in the proposal. Some of these are the fact that due to the height of the tower, it will experience more than 5 different micro climate conditions throughout its floors. As the temperature at the top could be as much as 10 degrees cooler than the ground floor.

As impressive or ambitious as this might be, the Nakheel tower will eventually be over taken by the "Mile-High" Tower, already commissioned by Saudi prince Al-Walid Bin Talal, one of the richest men on earth I might add. The tower gets its name from its height. That's right! It will be exactly 1 mile high, approximately 5,280 feet, have an estimated budget of $20 Billion and is to be located in the Northern Obhur district of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

The tower has been designed to contain it all, from residences, office and commercial spaces and a few 5 star hotels but as to be expected, the technical challenges are enormous! For example, much of the lifting will have to be carried out by specialized helicopters which will also be used as commuter transportation for the builders. Also, like the Nakheel tower, there will be a number of micro-climates within the building which will need to be addressed as well as the fact that the temperature in the area drops from about 120 degrees during the day to below freezing at night. But the most important of all is the building's resistance to strong prevalent winds to stop it from swaying. To address this last concern, Betchel engineering, responsible for the tower construction, is specifying a giant computer-operated damper with wind detecting sensors to control resonant motion and building drift.

Well, I really don't have much to say except that this is ridiculous! Just to compete and say "mine is bigger than yours?" How silly! I'm sure there are many poor children in Saudi Arabia, Dubai and all over the world that could have benefited better from all the billions that will be spent on these two buildings. I am a big fan of seeing great strides taken in building technology and ground breaking designs setting precedents for us to follow but this one is way too extravagant.

Images obtained from www.dailynews.com

Burg Dubai: World's Tallest Building!

I think we have all gotten used to the extravagance with which buildings are erected in Dubai and the Burg Dubai (which simply means Dubai Tower in Arabic) with its initial $4 billion budget embodies that perfectly. Though still under construction, with its topout set for September of 2009, the tower is already the tallest structure in the world standing (as of Sept 26th of this year) at 2,320 ft or 707m. To give you an idea of how tall it is, the Petronas Towers are 1,482 ft; spire and all. Though the final height is still being kept a secrete, from the planned 162 floors, the completed height is being projected at about 2,297 ft.

The tower's architect Adrian Smith, formerly of SOM, explains that he derived his design from patterning systems found in much of Islamic architecture, with the triple lobed footprint of the building based on an abstracted version of the flower hymenocallis and gives a Y-shaped floorplan which helps maximize views. The Burg Dubai, which is part of the 0.8 sq mi development called "Downtown Dubai," is located along Sheikh Zayed road at Doha Street and like most highrises is composed of a central core but this will eventually emerge from the rooftop to be tapered and sculpted into a spire. As the tower rises back from its base, staggered setbacks at each element occur in an upward spiralling pattern thereby decreasing the tower's cross-section.

The structural materials used are primarily reinforced concrete and steel which created challenges on how to pump more than 110,000 tonnes of concrete vertically as the building progressed and also have the mix withstand the Gulf temperatures which can reach 122 degrees during the day. The South Korean construction company, Samsung Engineering and Construction (the same responsible for the Petronas Towers and the Taipei 101) combated these problems by pouring the concrete at night and adding ice thereby cooling the mixture and allowing it cure evenly and prevent possible cracks.

I have spoken with many of my peers about the Burg Dubai, some love it and some hate it with a passion but I think it is an amazing feat of architectural technology. Now, I don't think any country needs a tower that high until we come to the point where we have used up all our land resources and can only go upwards. I am never a fan of buildings that are tall just for the sake of being tall because they never relate to their surroundings. But you cannot evaluate buildings in Dubai with the same standards one would use elsewhere. Dubai sets its own standards in design and we can only marvel at the outcome every time. The only issue I have with this tower is the fact that at its tallest levels, it currently sways with a maximum displacement of all of 4 ft. I don't know what they have done to address how occupants would feel or maybe one requirement to leasing any top level space, which by the way are already going for $4,500 per sq ft, is being impervious to sea sickness.

Images obtained from www.madarchitect.org/super-structures

Post 9/11 Building Codes part II

After much evaluation, the General Service Administration (GSA) has redefined its position on specific issues under consideration by the International Code Council.

The GSA has redrawn its proposal to reduce the requirements for fireproofing steel members in highrise buildings over 42 stories. Reports from the NIST has shown that the primary reason for the collapse of the World trade Center towers was the fact that the fireproofing on the steel members was blown off in the explosion caused by the jet fuel. This caused the members to be exposed to extreme heat which weakened their strength.

Still, the GSA viewed the more stringent requirements as unneccessary, and way too expensive. After much criticism from numerous fronts including a scalding letter from Senator Hillary Clinton, the GSA has softened its stance on this issue and is now supporting the International Code Council's position.

Also, there seems to have been a compromize regarding the proposed third egress stairwell required in all towers overs 420 feet. This compromize will be a third elevator capable of functioning even in the event of power failure in the building and the widening of the two required stairwells which will facilitate occupancy evacuation.

I would like to start off by appologising to my readers for not having any new posts for so long. I had a project that took up way too much of my time the past few weeks. Anyway, I am happy that the GSA has finally been made to see past their greed and realize that occupant safety is a higher priority than lining their pockets and would like to thank senator Clinton for helping lean on them.


Image obtained from www.nytimes.com
For more info, go to www.csemag.com/article/CA6593763.html

Post 9/11 Building Codes too Stringent?

The General Services Administration (GSA), a federal agency which serves as the government's property manager within the United States has joined some of the nation's biggest landlords in trying to repeal stronger safety requirements for new skyscrapers, that were added to the UBC and IBC last year arguing that they would be too expensive to implement.

The new provisions are based on a report by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which issue safety standard recommendations after building catastrophes, and now requires all non-residential buildings over 420 feet or about 40 stories to have more robust fireproofing and a third stairwell for emergency egress. Also, the new codes would require all buildings taller than 75 feet to have "glow in the dark" markings on stairwells as a back-up in case the power goes out. The fireproofing in itself must be capable of withstanding an impact of 1,000 pounds per square foot and could cost real estate developers $13million for a 42 story building as well as $600,000 a year in lost rent due to decreased rentable floor space.

David Frable, a GSA fire safety engineer argued that, "It does not take a NIST report or a rocket scientist to figure out that requiring extra stairs will increase general occupant evacuation times but the question that needs to be answered is at what economic cost to society?" Frable and many others from the GSA have written petitions to the International Code Council to rescind the changes this week at the Minneapolis Code Council meeting.

As the debate rages on, one consideration that might be made is to replace the third stairwell with specially designed elevators that can reliably operate during a fire or any event of power outage. The GSA are hoping that this will help recover lost building space and money to what they describe as "an emotional reaction to the 2001 attacks that has led to unrealistic and unnecessary new building standards."

Well, I am not surprised that the GSA, who are really developers are more interested in overall profit above the occupant's safety. I know that the Sept 11 attacks were isolated cases and there is a very slim chance that another plane could come crashing into another highrise but as long as there is that likelihood of occurrence, everything should be done to prepare for it. I do understand the concern about reduced square footage within the building but safety is a higher priority. That is what architecture is about! Not just pretty building to fatten a landlord's purse but a place of refuge and safety for the tenants.

This new standard is no different from designing for earthquakes which definitely requires more money for something that might never happen but still we ensure that the building is ready to withstand the strongest tremors specific to the site. That being said, the General Services Administrations should stop worrying about the money being taken from their already bulging pockets and get with the program.


Images obtained from The New York Times.
For more information check www.nytimes.com/2008/09/08/washington/08codes

S.O.M's Al Hamara Tower nears completion

The project which broke ground in 2004 has reached 600 of its proposed 1,352 feet and is calculated to be on track for its 2009 topout and 2010 opening. The tower is to be a significant landmark in the skyline of Kuwait city and upon completion will become one of the top 25 tallest buildings in the world.

I had seen this monstrosity on youtube but had no idea SOM was responsible for the design. Yes, as someone in the architectural field I must admit that it is quite an extraordinary building and underscores just how far we've come in terms of building technology but I must ask; does Kuwait really need this 950 million dollar tower which, if the construction process has been any similar to projects of identical typology, must have already gone over budget by now?

75,900 sq feet of its entire 1,067,220 sq feet is to be retail space with an integrated theater complex to boost commercial output and become a gravitational niche but what percentage of Kuwait's population would be able to shop here?

I know the original plan was to define Kuwait city's skyline, but this tower stands so far out of its surroundings, it seems to be more of a "site intervention" than a component of the entire site.

I think SOM has put together a great building design but have ignored some urban and economical issues. Does anyone share this view point?

Images provided by flickr.com