SHANGHAI TOWER:Research Papers- Architecture, place and Identity-Spring 2014

UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE 2014

This is an in-depth analysis of Gensler’s Shanghai Tower written and compiled by the students of Dr. Firas Al-Douri’s AAE 481 Architecture Place and Identity course at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas during the Spring 2014 semester.

Students discuss the relationship of Shanghai Tower to its immediate context and whether the design team made the right decisions in reference to the contextual edge. Sustainable design and construction become the backbones of the Shanghai Tower as it aims to respect its site and context, work with the climate, minimize the use of new materials, conserve energy, respect the builder and the end user, minimize resource consumption and maximize resource reuse, create a non-toxic environment, and pursue quality in the built environment through holistic design.

In addition students compared Shanghai Tower to precedents that share the same goals and intentions. Each project’s location, concept, program, and functional requirements will be discussed and critically analyzed. This becomes a study and discussion of mixed-use spaces, relationships between tall buildings and their surroundings, the user’s experience, and the determination of what makes a project successful.

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JEFFREY SARMIENTO . YI QUO HOU . XINYI LI . YI WANG TIFFANY HERMAN . BRANDY MCGINNIS . MATT SYLVESTER . JASON VOSSMER

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LILIANA BERESTEANU . ALEX KLENK . ANDREW MARTIN . SEAN MILLER ROGER DEY . BEN SNAPE . KYLE WILD

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JOHN GASSAWAY . ENRIQUE TINOCO . TAYLOR WOLAK . LOGAN ZIEGLER

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PEDRO BORQUEZ . RICHARD OLMEDO . AMANDA TELLERIA BREEANN ABUAN . RONALD CANO . KRISTIN DIFUNTORUM . SHARLETTE TABA

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EMYLANIE CARNATE . KRISTINA FIVECOAT . KEEGAN STROUSE

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DIRECTION OF ARCHITECTURE A R C H I T E C T U R A L R E S P O N S E T O M U LT I D I M E N S I O N A L R E Q U I R E M E N T S 01.01 INTRODUCTION: DESIGN PROJECT STATEMENT / ABSTRACT 01.02 DESIGN PROJECT SITE AND CONTEXT 01.03 THE DIRECTION OF ARCHITECTURE

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02.01 CONTEXTUAL EDGE 02.02 SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AND SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION 02.03 HOLISM IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN 02.04 CRITICAL ANALYSIS

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03.01 CASE STUDY ANALYSIS 1: INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE CENTER 03.02 CASE STUDY ANALYSIS 2: JIN MAO TOWER 03.03 CASE STUDY ANALYSIS 3: PEARL RIVER TOWER 03.04 CASE STUDY ANALYSIS 4: AL HAMRA FIRDOUS TOWER 03.05 CASE STUDY ANALYSIS 5: TAIPEI 101 03.06 CASE STUDY ANALYSIS 6: BURJ KHALIFA

R E G I O N A L T R A N S F O R M AT I O N , T E C H N O L O G Y, A N D E C O - C U LT U R E 04.01 SPECTRUM OF APPROACHES 04.02 COLOR AND TEXTURE 04.03 ECODEVELOPMENT 04.04 TECHNOLOGY 04.05 MATHEMATICS, CONNECTIONS IN ARCHITECURE 04.06 COMPUTATION IN ARCHITECTURE 04.07 CRITIQUE

DIRECTION OF ARCHITECTURE A R C H I T E C T U R A L R E S P O N S E T O M U LT I D I M E N S I O N A L R E Q U I R E M E N T S

GROUP01 JEFFREY SARMIENTO . YI QUO HOU . XINYI LI . YI WANG

GROUP02 TIFFANY HERMAN . BRANDY MCGINNIS . MATT SYLVESTER . JASON VOSSMER

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Direction of Architecture A r c h i t e c t u r A l r e s p o n s e t o M u lt i D i M e n s i o n A l r e q u i r e M e n t s

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Located in the heart of the Lu Jia Zui

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Direction of Architecture A r c h i t e c t u r A l r e s p o n s e t o M u lt i D i M e n s i o n A l r e q u i r e M e n t s Design project site AnD context

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Direction of Architecture A r c h i t e c t u r A l r e s p o n s e t o M u lt i D i M e n s i o n A l r e q u i r e M e n t s Design project site AnD context

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Direction of Architecture A r c h i t e c t u r A l r e s p o n s e t o M u lt i D i M e n s i o n A l r e q u i r e M e n t s deSign ProJect Site and conteXt

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INTRODUCTION: DESIGN PROJECT STATEMENT / ABSTRACT

DESIGN PROJECT SITE AND CONTEXT

THE DIRECTION OF ARCHITECTURE

Aleksandar Sasha Zeljic, A. L. (2010). Shanghai Tower Facade Design Process.

Al-Kodmany, K., Ali, M. M., & Zhang, T. (2013). Factors Leading To Skyscraper Construction Booms: A Critical Comparison of Shanghai and

Dubai. International Jouranl of Architecture Research, 22-42.

Gensler. (n.d.). Design Update Shanghai Tower.

Thomas, D. (2002). Architecture and the Urban Environment.

Xia, J., Poon, D., & Mass, D. C. (2010). Case Study: Shanghai Tower. CTBUH JOurnal, 12-18.

DIRECTION OF ARCHITECTURE A R C H I T E C T U R A L R E S P O N S E T O M U LT I D I M E N S I O N A L R E Q U I R E M E N T S

GROUP03 LILIANA BERESTEANU . ALEX KLENK . ANDREW MARTIN . SEAN MILLER

GROUP04 ROGER DEY . BEN SNAPE . KYLE WILD

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like shanghai (gensler, 2010). in a sense of urban integration, the tower will be related to the existing adjacent buildings, Jin Mao tower and the shanghai world Financial Center, through the design concept. the three skyscrapers will represent the past, present and future. Jin Mao is the

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public space the connectivity of the project in notion of circulation, sphere of activity, and aesthetics may be the proper way to study a building, but in the case of shanghai tower the interconnection with the urban space that constitutes the project context is very unusual because it extends beyond physical interpretations. the building footprint is reduced to create more green spaces, pedestrian paths, and entryways to connect the tower with the surrounding area in a harmonious manner. the landscape designers, sasaki, walker and associate have generated a connection between architecture and nature by designing a park that has substantial shaded pathways that would facilitate pedestrian and also would have public spaces for social interaction. the park will also have areas for rest and privacy which is very important for such an overpopulated

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for the public within pudong district. the

Center has the same concept, but in addition to that the architects considered responsible utilization of natural forces (Chinadaily, 2007). shanghai tower is far more advanced and ambitious than the previous projects, making a reference to the future. the spiraling body of the building symbolizes the dynamic growth of China and also the structural design is made to withstand and respond to the climatic conditions. in this way, shanghai

freely, thus connects the Lujizui commercial district to the center of the city. also, shanghai tower is situated 8 to 10 minutes walking distances from the subway station. the shanghai Metro (Line 2) gives access from pudong to other districts of shanghai.

However, a negative aspect of the project is that it is disconnected from the street life in that not everyone will have the privilege to enjoy the luxury of shanghai tower. the designers are focused on the site, and perhaps a global approach generates a rupture from the existing urban issues. they could have expanded their principals of sustainability, development and the evolution of the city outside the commercial district to have a positive impact on a greater scale.

on a profound level. the building itself turns into the identity of the space, it appears as a center point that changes the perspective of the commercial district that focuses on a new direction of China.the project will substantiate the transition between industrial chaos to a well-organized, sustainable environment. the geographic location of shanghai tower is very convenient because it is close to the transport hub, such as: bus line, subway and tunnel ways. the bus stops are located near the tower, and it creates better mobility

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Architectural protocol responding to neighboring architecture is very important when designing. not only in the way that a building responds aesthetically, but also how it responds to the social and cultural identity of the existing built environment. with the rise of the shanghai tower and the other two large skyscrapers in the notice that these tall structures have not just emphasized but re-worked, the already known globally, iconic skyline of shanghai, China. the tower by gensler, is without a doubt a modern marvel, but how does the building respond to the existing cultural identity in present-day China? is the fact that the tower was designed in san Francisco and built in China lower the quality of the design response to the urban environment? does the tower respond to the cultural past of shanghai while respecting the built environment that surrounds it, or is it an example of the western approach architecture, placed without regard to its surroundings? the rapid urban development in shanghai within the last couple of decades label is given with the regard that may not take into account the local and historical architecture. as seen in Figure 16, the large mega structure overpowers its neighbors by

Figure 16 - http://www.worldofarchi.com/2012/11/shanghai-towernovember-construction.html

great proportions. in the examples provided by thomas, the torre Velasca, in Milan, did not conform to the general height of the historic urban-scape of the city and these practices lead to the deterioration of many old city environments which required government intervention to try and help revive the city. only time will tell the impact that this super-tall structure will have on the surrounding buildings. the tower does little, with the exception of the setback and light pollution considerations, to respond to the buildings at the street level but it does respond to the buildings on the skyline level. the shanghai tower may not respond to the historical architecture of shanghai, but it does respond to the present day China with its technological power, wealth

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and infrastructure that is in place. the tower may be thought to be built with a western representation of global architecture. it is related by adapting the formal characteristics not so much the history or past culture of technology, economy, and status, but with the global shift of economic wealth, the presence in the global market. this is not to say that it is a bad or negative thing, it does however showcase a continued shift in cultural values in cities like shanghai.

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multitude of sightlines and viewing lanes are created, thus further emphasizing the visual impact that the tower has on the skyline. though it may not seem like it, due to the sheer height and scale of the shanghai tower, there are actually a multitude of design elements in the tower that speak to scale of the project. the three most important sense of place the shanghai tower does, without question, create a heavy impact in regards to making a sense of place. with the sheer height of the tower, it would be highly unlikely that it would fail in the creation of a sense of place according to architectural principles. in the article placemaking with tall Buildings, the author spoke of four main elements that are involved in the creation of both place and identity, the two primary factors in regards to creating a sense of place. these four elements are imageability, Human-scale, socio-economic, and Cultural associations. (conceived by Kevin Lynch under Frank Lloyd wright), involves the creation of a strong and public community. in this area the shanghai tower excels simply due to the extreme height

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and cognitive recognition that the tower evokes. the shanghai tower also has a few other factors that help it become even more recognizable, even from extremely far away distances. the shanghai tower is a member of a triumvirate of super-tall structures which sit in the district of shanghai where even the tallest of the surrounding towers hardly reach half the height of the three supertall towers. in being surrounded by these relatively low buildings the vertical protrusion of the shanghai tower is emphasized even further. since it is such a massive element on the shanghai skyline it becomes part of the inherent nature of the design, that the tower becomes a physical and visual landmark within the surrounding city. this fact is emphasized due to the gridded nature of the urban fabric surrounding the tower. through

base or podium, the visual impact of the tower, and the surrounding streetscape. there is a double-fold reason for the much smaller scale of the base. the primary physical reason for its existence is to act as the entrance or gateway for the tower itself. the podium also acts as a structure where people can gather and orient themselves, and are protected from the natural elements such as wind, rain, and especially pollution, as any human-built structure should. the second element of human-scale design addresses the fact that the base mediates the scale of the urban environment, respecting the limits of human cognition and visual acuity. when an observer is viewing the tower from a long distance, they are able to assess the full height and impact of the tower.

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the sheer height of the tower however, also forces the observer to crane their neck and contort their body if they wish to try and experience the impact of the tower as the get closer to it. it is only when the viewer is close enough to the tower that they can see the base entry and the vertical impact of the tower is lessened. it is almost like after being lost in a vertical ocean of glass, the observer is thrown a life raft which then allows them to focus on a part of the structure that is not almost completely overwhelming in its entirety. the third element of human-scale design is that of the surrounding streetscape. around the base of the shanghai tower the designed landscaping and connected streetscape serves to, “connect architecture to with a variety of outdoor spaces designed for contemplation and simple enjoyment of the landscape. the park will accommodate diverse activities, from large celebrations to intimate conversations. park paving patterns garden details, lending a human scale to the landscape” (xia pp 12). By including this greenscape into the design of the tower, gensler is able to not only give back to the community and urban fabric around the shanghai tower, but the landscape also serves to provide a modicum of visual relief to anyone inside the park at the base of the tower.

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the shanghai tower has a socioeconomic impact on the urban fabric of shanghai. gensler chooses to deny the fact that it is introverted in any way but the type and quality of the shops and restaurants contained within the tower do serve to boost the local shanghai economy. due to it becomes by default, a landmark that people will travel from around the globe to see and experience. this in turn, means that these world travelers will tend to spend money in the area of the tower, thus bolstering the economy of the surrounding community, and bringing in a different set are inside the shanghai towers however, the tower is designed to make them stay there.

“the shanghai tower is a city within a city, comprising nine vertical zones, each 12 to 15 stories high.” (gensler pp 12). By the nature of this statement by the architect, it is easily seen how the tower becomes an introverted piece of design, which is full of public spaces and atriums that are further arranged and designed to keep people inside the tower, shopping, eating and spending money. is implied by the parallels that gensler states, that the design borrows from idea of traditional lane houses found in where families live in close-knit dwellings organized around a communal open space.

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in the case of shanghai tower, the neighborhoods are vertical, each with its create a sense of community.� (xia pp 12). when one looks at the overall impact of the design of the tower however, the only visual past exist in minute quantities in the building at the base of the tower. it seems like quite the stretch to say that the architect took a traditional village design and successfully turned a typically sprawling horizontal layout and created a vertical public village from it. another counterpoint to the proposed historical connections the tower has made is that it addresses the current view that is held in Chinese society; expression of economic strength. Current Chinese outlooks place a very heavy emphasis on the value of the tall and super-tall high technology based building typologies. gensler, by providing shanghai with the second tallest structure in the world, could be seen to be acknowledging current Chinese values far more than past and traditional Chinese values and typologies. when addressing the concept of how well the shanghai tower works in conjunction with architectural protocols, there is some debate. it can be argued that the tower, instead of following these protocols in order to preserve and respond to the surrounding shanghai

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skyline, creates a new skyline which the rest of shanghai should be expected to respond to. so, instead of making any attempt at all to respond to the district in which the shanghai tower is being built, the tower will instead force any new architecture to respond to the tower itself. this is not a particularly proper approach to following architectural protocols in any way. while an argument can be made that it would be next to impossible to make a super-tall building respond to architecture less than half its height, even the base of the tower serves to actually wall the entire site off from the surrounding fabric. it is not until the observer is inside of this compound that they are able to experience any of the designed intent of the structure. instead of responding to any part of the city around the tower, the design instead supersedes the

basic tenants of architectural protocol. while the shanghai tower does serve its function as a landmark that creates an extremely solid sense of place, its introverted nature in conjunction with its stubborn refusal to respond to the surrounding city make the shanghai tower a place that succeeds in being a landmark, but fails in the protocols in which many leading architectural designs excel.

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greenness of Design Approach the Vale and Vale described six distinct principles that develop a code to determine the level of commitment to greenness in an architectural design approach (derek, 152). these codes can be seen or were neglected in the design of the shanghai tower. respect for the site in the means that a building should touch the ground lightly was seen in the design of the shanghai tower. the area of the site is 30,370 square meters or 326,900 square feet. one third of the site (approximately 30% of site) is green space with landscaping in order to By designing a smaller front print for the building, more social spaces are opened at the base also known as the podium. in Figure 16, the diagram shows that the podium is comprised of retail, banking, restaurants, and conference/meeting/banquet facilities (gensler). Below grade levels house retail, 1,800 parking space, service rooms and Mep functions (gensler). the proportion of the base to site is important for sustainability, community, and overall perception of the of the podium to offset the tower but used a large glass entry to provide a welcoming transparency to the internal activities, Figure 2. in efforts to conserve land resources, the shanghai tower does not take any fertile

land but rather built on used land. on a site of 326,900 square feet a building with the area of 575,000 square meters is being built which can save land resource for a city with dense population and tense land resources like shanghai (gensler). By weaving the building into the urban fabric of shanghai and drawing community life towards the building, shanghai tower contemporary cities and raises the bar for the next generation of super high rises. another principle of greenness is working with the climate when designing with natural energy sources in mind. the shanghai tower is located in China where the climate is relatively mild; cold and dry in the winter and hot and rainy in the summer.

Figure 2 - http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread. php?t=391698&page=305

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wind energy is harvested at the top of the building. wind turbines located directly beneath the parapet generate onsite power onsite providing electricity and heat energy wind-powered system on top of the building to make use of wind energy also provides the building with 300,000 kilowatt-hours per year of green electricity (gensler). this is one energy sources. the shanghai tower also to ventilate hot air out of the building, Figure 3. another design element that utilizes the climatic conditions is rainwater collection.

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the concept of greenness also refers to minimizing the use of new materials. in the shanghai tower, new materials were sourced from local companies. However, locally sourced materials with high-recycled contents were used when available. it is the second tallest tower in the world and the way sustainable construction considered was by sourcing local materials and construction teams, and by using high-recycled contents within the materials when available.

Conservation of energy is another concept of greenness. to minimize the consumption fossil fuels, shanghai tower uses a variety of sustainable features. the tower makes use of day lighting strategies by being built with transparent inner and outer skins that admit maximum daylight, thereby reducing the need for electric light and highly expensive mechanical systems. along Figure 4 - http://du.gensler.com/vol5/shanghai-tower/

heating and air conditioning systems (gensler), Figure 4. the amount of recycled water that will be used every year is 210,000 cubic meters with 20,000 cubic meters of rainwater to be used annually (gu). this is how a design response to climatic conditions are used to collect natural energy.

used fritting and lamination to reduce solar gains but still provide an optimal level of transparency, Figure 5. to also reduce heating and cooling loads, both the inner and outer curtain walls have a low-e coating (gensler). the fritted glass on the outer wall provides additional sun shading, aided by horizontal insulates the building, reducing energy use for heating and cooling. these methods were

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adopted to reduce the use of fossil fuels.

By using technology based on a complex set of strategies which include day lighting, sun shading, building controls, cogeneration system, building envelope, landscaping, wind turbines, geothermal technology and the use of regional material, respect to the builder and end user are seen in the shanghai tower. the need to have a view to the outside and the careful choice of environmental friendly non-toxic materials were aspects used in the construction and design process. in terms of green construction, key controls took on noise, dust, and overexposure of light. recycling and reusing wastes increased the recycle rate up to 38% (gu). the building design embodies all green principles in the production and

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construction the shanghai tower minimized resource consumption through reduction and conservation. the tower design minimizes faรงade and tapering shape with rounded corners, Figure 6. the rotational shape also reduces lateral wind loads by 24%, Figure 7, which reduced the need for addition material bracing, and reduced construction cost by 60 million dollars (xia), Figure 8. the shanghai tower maximized resource and reuse by avoiding waste. in addition, the use renewable or recycled resources were utilized by collecting storm water for irrigation of sky is split to store water at different heights allowing gravity to maintain water pressure. this reduced the amount of transport energy throughout the building. grey water system was introduced and adopted in the reuse

Figures 6 & 7 - Figures 6 and 7: http://www.gensler.com/uploads/ documents/shanghai_tower_Facade_design_process_11_10_2011.pdf

and recycle of rainwater and conventional water. this method reduced water consumption and reduction by 38%, which in turn reduced the amount of conventional energy and transport energy throughout the building (xia, 17). all of these combined save 22% annual energy costs (xia, 17). due to local building codes in China and a general understanding of designing a multi-use development, 30% of the site is open space. this helped protect the natural environment. also, this is key component to connecting the physiological health of the patron. Most multi-use developments use open space to protect the natural environment, create social hubs within the space and give the user a healthier place to inhabit. to create a healthy non-toxic environment, the vertical neighborhoods were designed with sky gardens to foster a sense of community, Figures 9 and 10. the project creates a healthy and non-toxic environment internally by using a second skin that covers the entire building. the double skin faรงade will act aerodynamically to mediate the air mass movement and high precipitation through its round corners and tapering form (xia, 17). the space between the central structure and the second skin will represent a vertical garden, a space for recreation and socialization, but more importantly it will act as an insulator between outside climate and

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the buildings environment, Figures 11 and 12. in order to pursue quality in creating the built environment, gensler looked towards the urban fabric in which the building was designed on. it is in a dense urban district where neighboring buildings are just a prominent; however, the shanghai tower has the biggest sense of hierarchy due to its height. to keep the quality of already built in this urban environment, the shanghai tower was designed to be the second tallest building the land use before these grand buildings were designed and built was farmland. the restoring the environment degraded by past activities but yet built upon them with a greater emphasis of the built environment.

Figure 8 - http://www.gensler.com/uploads/documents/shanghai_tower_ Facade_design_process_11_10_2011.pdf

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Figures 9 & 10 - http://du.gensler.com/vol5/shanghai-tower/

of architectural design include scale, proportion, and order to construct an aesthetically pleasing building. the shanghai tower uses the scale of its tower in relation to its surroundings and site, the proportion of the height to width and scale within its urban context, the texture of the cladding, and the natural color palette provided by landscaped atriums and outdoor spaces. the shanghai tower uses a series of internal atrium spaces that are protected from the true outdoors by an external layer of cladding. the atria are also separated from system, Figures 9 and 10. Much like mini bio

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Figure 11 - http://www.gensler.com/uploads/documents/shanghai_ tower_Facade_design_process_11_10_2011.pdf

Figure 12 - http://www.gensler.com/uploads/documents/shanghai_ tower_Facade_design_process_11_10_2011.pdf

climates, the atrium spaces naturally regulate

tower uses natural vegetation, although landscaped and maintained, with a rich color palette to evoke calm social gathering and circulation spaces. derek thomas describes

11 and 12. this helps control the humidity and temperature within the atriums and keeps the occupants within the “comfort zone.� gardens help relate the built environment to human psychology. the internal gardens in the shanghai tower play a large role in generating a calming and soothing work environment. natural chromatic schemes help break up the immense scale of the project and allow the human perception to be soothed. derek thomas believes that color quality is integral to sensory intensity and emotional effect (thomas, 128). there is no better color palette than that found in nature. the shanghai

page 126; green evokes a soothing effect if not too strong, and browns are restful and comforting. the atrium landscaping provides both greens and browns from the foliage and bark of the landscaping.

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describes the effects that movement has on human perception of the proportion and scale of a building. thomas says that surrounding buildings is imperative to human scale perception (thomas, 125). the shanghai tower will be experienced from many modes of transportation: automotive, metro-rail, pedestrian, and static. its size and hierarchal presence still maintains a harmonic balance within the urban context. Luckily, the shanghai tower has found its home within a Figure 14 - http://www.gensler.com/uploads/documents/shanghai_ tower_Facade_design_process_11_10_2011.pdf

in addition to the color palette of the vegetation, the shanghai tower uses fritted and glazed glass on its curtain wall cladding. the gensler team wanted to optimize transparency while reconciling solar gains. this mediation in transparency allows the users perception, while inside, to be focused on the internal spaces while still relating them to the external spaces. this also works for the people that experience the building from the outside whether walking or driving. ethereal experience, evoking suspicions and thoughts while still maintaining its luxurious hierarchal reign in the skyline of shanghai. in his textbook, derek thomas

will be the second tallest building in the world upon competition, the two other towers in the surrounding park are also immensely tall, so the shanghai tower just blends in. it will be twice as tall as the other buildings in the surrounding area, with the exception of the adjacent Jin Mao tower and the shanghai world Financial Center, and its height will allow it to be an orienting landmark. the shanghai tower uses a stepped cladding system to reduce light noise in the of light from the sun off the cladding of a building onto buildings, transportation, and landscaping in the surrounding areas. the gensler team approached two methods in selecting a cladding system: smooth and stepped. Light pollution studies revealed

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surrounding areas from a smooth angled surface, Figures 14 and 15. the stepped cladding system is perpendicular to the from the shanghai tower. this conformed to existing neighboring environment while still achieving a pleasing aesthetic complexion. the shanghai tower can sit comfortably within its surroundings knowing that it is respectful to its neighbors with holistic intent.

Figure 15 - http://www.gensler.com/uploads/documents/shanghai_ tower_Facade_design_process_11_10_2011.pdf

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requirements set forth by the usgBC Leed standards, gensler was able to utilize “a total of 43 technologies that are implemented to save energy and resources as a way of

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sustainable Design the shanghai tower itself represents a large step forward in architectural design and when it comes to sustainability in regards to tall, or in this case super tall structures. when gensler set out to begin the design for the shanghai tower, they did so with the intention of the creation of a highly sustainable structure and overall design in mind. this idea very quickly became the driving goal for the every aspect of how the design was created, realized and constructed. in order to satisfy the

and convenient” (gu, 2012). these myriad of strategies range in scale from the massive, such as a VaV HVaC system, to the relatively small scale, such as re-circulated grey-water used to hydrate vegetation contained within the multitude of interior gardens. perhaps one of the primary factors that gensler addressed in the design of the shanghai tower is the resources that are consumed in both the construction and the operation of the tower. this subject, like many other involved in the project covers a massively large variety of strategies that have been applied to the design, which allows the building to have been awarded the Leed gold medal. one of the largest and most the design of the building structure itself was accomplished. the very dynamic curve and undulation in the building façade that gives the building so much noteworthy character is a lot more than just an aesthetically pleasing approach to design; this undulation is a parametric expression of how the structural design of the tower was approached. in

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regards to the structural design, “the building uses a 120° twist theme, which can reduce 25% of wind loads and save a great number of materials” (gu, 2012), Figure 7. this literally creates the footprint for which the rest of the tower, and the applied methods of sustainability is built upon. this relatively gentle curve is derived from mathematical basis through parametric design, from which the rest of the tower is created and built around. it is designed to reduce the amount of wind load placed on the structure by huge volumes, thus saving a great deal of money and materials used. reducing wind loads is a hugely important issue in regards to super tall buildings due to the fact that the higher up one goes into the sky, that faster the wind is, thus requiring a lot more structure in order to combat the increased load. another primary method of consumption reduction and recycling happens at the very top of the tower. the apex of the shanghai tower contains a large amount of infrastructure to both collect, use, recycle and circulate rainwater, Figure 13.

By applying this method of collection and circulation of rainwater in the design of the tower, “the use of recycled water resources is increased up to 25%” (gu, 2012). this water can then be used directly throughout the building in a variety of methods.

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two of the most impacting methods of reusing this water are through the recirculation needs of the HVaC system, as well as cycling the grey-water through the interior gardens and green-spaces. throughout the tower there are also a wide range of water-saving devices and water-saving sanitary wares, such as waterless urinals. the integration and use of these wares “helps the [water] saving rate increase up to 60% compared to the usage of traditional sanitary-wares.” (gu, 2012). through these methods of water recycling and consumption reduction the shanghai tower is able to save a relatively large amount of an increasingly scarce resource. as a method of mitigating the needs of temperature differentiation on the interior of the structure, gensler has included a double hanging glass façade. this double façade serves two primary functions. First, the separation of the two layers of glazing allows a maximum amount of sunlight into the building, increasing of overall health and quality of the interior spaces. secondly, this separation allows the façade itself to assist in the moderation of the internal temperature of the building by reducing the amount of heat gains from sunlight through what is otherwise an all glass façade. this glazed double façade also has its own structural support system, which is only pinned to the primary structure in minute ways, Figure 5. By doing this gensler

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was able to further reduce the amount of stress placed onto the primary structure, which in turn helps to reduce monetary and resource based costs of the project. also included in the design at the top of the tower is a set of integrated wind turbines. these turbines are able to produce enough energy to power the upper half of the tower. “setting up a wind power system on the top of the building to make use of wind energy also provides the building with 300,000 kilowatt-hours per year of green electricity” (gu, 2012). this is a huge deal with regards to the overall impact of the building on resources because it means that over half of the energy that is required to operate the building in a year is produced without exterior methods of power generation. this not only reduces the amount of resources consumed, but it also uses renewable resources, protects the natural environment, is non-toxic and even impacts the pursuit of the creation of sustainable built environments by not relying on massive power generation plants for energy. when it comes to creating a healthy and non-toxic environment, the shanghai tower can easily point to the multitude of interior green-spaces and gardens that are scattered throughout the entirety of its program, Figures 9 and 10. these gardens and greenspaces primarily rely on the re-circulated and

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Figure 5 - http://www.gensler.com/uploads/documents/shanghai_tower_ Facade_design_process_11_10_2011.pdf

collected grey-water found at the apex of the tower itself. By using this water to feed these gardens the shanghai tower is able to be less dependent on the infrastructure of the city of shanghai for its water needs. these interior green-spaces also serve occupants by making the building more humane for its occupants by injecting life into the otherwise glass, steel and concrete environment of the tower. interior air-quality is enhanced within the tower where the landscaping adds moisture to the surrounding air, creating a natural mini bio-climate. the cooler air inhabit and circulate, the hotter air naturally rises and is ventilated out of the building. this is perhaps the most important function of these gardens due to the generally low quality of the exterior air in shanghai, which is notorious for bordering on poisonous.

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the shanghai tower is also planned to have a BiM system installed that will serve to manage the building in its day-today use. this system will serve to not only provide basic technological resources such as the internet or rFid technology, but it will also serve to monitor and asses the overall building health. this in turn will allow the building management team to discover, that arise in day-to-day operations. this is extremely important technology because it it has caused the collapse of half the tower. perhaps overlooked impacts are surrounding urban fabric and how the tower itself integrates into that very fabric. the “shanghai tower does not take any fertile arable land, but rather is built on used land� (gu, 2012). this method alone has a huge impact on the environment because by reusing land that has already been impacted by past buildings, the shanghai tower is not consuming land that could be otherwise used to produce food or planted full of vegetation that could help increase the urban air quality. the tower also makes an attempt to give back to the urban community by using only two-thirds of the site for the building footprint. the remaining

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a sustainable feature that could have

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third of the site is dedicated to green-spaces. overall the shanghai tower, though it erupts from the surrounding cityscape rather suddenly, makes a valiant effort to increase the overall quality of the built environment in shanghai. while little can be done to truly restore shanghai to the quality of the past, the shanghai tower does absolutely everything that it can to minimize current and future impacts on resources. in some cases, such as the exterior and interior gardens, the reuse of land, and many of the integrated methods of resource collection and recycling, the shanghai tower is even able to give back to the surrounding community. all of the above mentioned methods and approaches on implementation all serve tall and super tall buildings should approach sustainable design and construction.

solar power. the tower reaches to the sky and has considerable space from its surrounding built environment. it could have taken advantage of using solar panels on the east, south, and west facades to capture as much solar energy as possible. a photovoltaic glazing or cladding could have been developed for this project as they had to design and fully manufacture the selected material choices anyways. this method could have provided the building with a substantially large amount of green energy.

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the shanghai tower, for its sheer size and scope does not ignore sustainability in its conception but how far the design team goes is up for some debate. we have to remember however, that according to daniel safarik, an editor at the Council on tall inherently sustainable about a skyscraper,” (davison 2013). Massive amounts of energy will be needed to employ all the vertical transportation, mechanical systems, and lighting. a large portion of the building will be utilized at night that the large curtain wall throughout the project. one argument made by the design team is the building has a double façade also made of glass to compensate for the heat gain that would otherwise come from the large glass curtain walls. the main reason for the large amounts of glass is to provide daylight, vistas, and overall quality of the space. this is a double edged sword because the daylight will help reduce overall need for electric lighting in the sensory system that was implemented. while trying to mitigate energy loss through the use of the double façade, the building is also losing valuable square footage to the atrium space between the facades. the

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tower still maintains a large footprint but lower overall usable square footage while still requiring the systems that manage and condition it. the atrium space provided between the facades reach 12 to 15 stories at certain points. the argument is made that the atrium will provide a bioclimatic buffer with trees that will help regulate temperature and de-emphasize need for mechanical systems. However, the amount of trees that are shown in primary renderings, (Figure provide the desired impact. the issue of the double glazed façade is a complex one as the general architectural community is divided on Currently solar and wind analysis attempts to which gensler did and used in mediating the desired design aesthetics, occupant usage, and the sustainable functions. other be had at almost any point in the building due to overall transparency. in the case of the shanghai tower the double glazing will daylighting and reduced mechanical loads, however in the long run these type of systems have proved costly in repair and maintenance due to the inherent complex nature in buildings of this magnitude. in a similar related note the glass façade

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associated with sustainability claims, sets a poor example for other buildings that might strive for similar design principle without the required engineering cost to make a glass façade sustainable as this project aims to do. “in line with the usgBC Leed gold a total of 43 technologies are implemented to save energy and resources as a way of convenience” (gu 2012). the technologies, as mentioned earlier in the paper, include utilizing the climate as a means to provide for its energy needs. the building is set in a high wind zone and will put the turbines installed on the upper tower, to good use. thomas states that, “Harnessing the potential offered by the climate can assert a dramatic

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effect on design and when fully exploited for the comfort of the occupants of a building, can make a profound difference to its energy demand� (thomas 155, 2002). not to mention, the rain collection system that will feed into and help power mechanical systems and water landscaping. the building does not use many of the passive strategies that have been outlined in the readings of thomas, however the maximization of use of technology is utilized to close the gap and to reduce energy consumption. in conclusion, the structure is sensitive to its energy use and needs by utilizing the technology that available at its present time.

http://english.cntv.cn/20110426/107581_4.shtml

the cultural experience as mentioned previously this type of

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to this structure until another is built that is bigger and better. the shanghai tower will be to China what the Burj Khalifa is to dubai, which is a monument to the rapid growth and emerging technological superpowers that both countries are rising to. the structure will respond well to the cultural experience that this particular district of shanghai values. we believe that the project will enhance the cultural experience of the people that can afford or have the access to enjoy a building such as this. the luxury shops and boutique hotel amenities of the structure will not appeal to everyone, it does however provide a diversity that is not present in most buildings today. the expense that was put into taking away valuable real estate to only utilize 2/3 of atrium speaks to the attempt by the design team to create an experience. the purpose of sky gardens and atria themselves, is that they are said to foster community and interaction within the building. the design team stressed that the concept came from the idea of traditional courtyards and neighborhoods. the atriums will no doubt allow for a certain level of interaction between inhabitants that work inside or can afford to shop the luxury boutiques, but will lack the social diversity and individuality that made traditional courtyards and neighborhoods successful

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and able to withstand time. the shanghai tower is a completely different building typology than the one they are attempting to imitate. the attempt to relate to traditional small scale houses and communities is out of context in the tower. so in regards to the cultural experience, the shanghai tower makes a reference to the traditional culture of China but responding to an entirely different culture that has emerged in this region, that of a global one. the term city within a city is an appropriate term for the project in that it ignores the cultural experience

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setting back the building and giving 1/3 of the site back to the people that will step in the right direction. the podium activates the building frontage through a series of retail and restaurants. utilizing a 360 degree glass façade, the activities outside and in are connected to each other which is an inviting feature to patrons, and is economically important to the high end shops and boutiques inside. thomas remarks that the contextual edge should “enhance the social interaction along the perimeters of urban space by giving attention to the design of inviting building frontagesâ€? (thomas 135). the shanghai tower project does this well through designed landscaping, open transparency. gensler was also conscious to conduct proper process work to optimize aesthetic taper, rotation, size, and structure. impact on the site and its surroundings. it is hard to analyze the impact the tower will have on the edge because the project is not complete, so we have no way of evaluating if the design strategies will draw towards it, or ever fully activate the sidewalk around the perimeter. Figure 2 however,

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potential future as access to the building can be seen provided at multiple locations on the ground level of the podium. in conclusion, shanghai tower has a multidimensional connection to the existing context which is expressed through the metaphorical and physical relation to the existing buildings. the landscape designers have created a connection between architecture and nature by designing a park that has substantial shaded pathways that locations. the location of shanghai tower is close to the transport hubs and it provides easy access within the city. the argument can be made however, did shanghai need a building such as this? China, in recent decades, has been plagued by failures associated with the scale and speed of

http://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2014/feb/13/shanghai-towerclimb-in-pictures

response to the urban issues is verticality, then the majority of its citizens may be left to stand in the shadow of the super-tall structures.

http://vincentloy.wordpress.com/2012/02/22/

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SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AND SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

HOLISM IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Abel, Chris. Architecture and Identity: Response to Cultural and Technological Change. Routledge (2nd Edition). New York, NY. 2000.

Al-Kodmany, Kheir. Placemaking with Tall Buildings. Chicago: Macmillan Publishers. 2011.

Al-Kodmany, Kheir. & Ali, Mir M. The Future of the City: Tall Buildings and Urban Design. Southampton, UK: WIT Press. 2013.

Broto, Eduard. High Density: Environments for the Future. Barcelona, Spain: Links Books. 2010.

Chen, Zhongli & Shi, Lei. Shanghai Tower’s Versatile Energy Management System. CTBUH 9th World Congress Shanghai 2012 Proceedings.

2012 Davison, N. Is the Shanghai Tower the world’s first eco-friendly skyscraper? Chinadialouge. 14.10.2013. Retrieved from

<https://www.chinadialogue.net> 4-25-2014.

Ding, Jiemin; Li, Jiupeng & He, Zhijun & Hu, Yin. Design of Flexible Hanging Curtain Wall Support Structures. CTBUH 9th World Congress

Shanghai 2012 Proceedings. 2012

Gensler. (2010). Shanghai Tower. Gensler Design Update, 15. Gensler. 27 April 2014. <http://du.gensler.com/vol5/shanghai-tower/> Gong, Jian & Zhou, Hong. Key Technologies in the Structure of Shanghai Tower. 2012 Gu, Jian Ping. Shanghai Tower: Re-Thinking the Vertical City. 2012 Rosenfield, Karissa. “Gensler Tops Out on World’s Second Tallest Skyscraper: Shanghai Tower” 08 Aug 2013. ArchDaily. Accessed 24 Apr 2014.

<http://www.archdaily.com/?p=413793>

Shanghai Population 2013. (2013, December 4). World Population Statistics. Retrieved April 22, 2014, from <http://www.worldpopulationstatistics.com/shanghai-population-2013/> Shanghai tops out world’s third-tallest building. (2007, September 15). Shanghai tops out world’s third-tallest building. Retrieved April 22, 2014,

from http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-09/15/content_6108904.htm

Thomas, Derek. “Architecture and the Urban Environment: A Vision for the New Age”. New York: Architectural Press, 2002.

Xia, Jun & Peng, Michael. The Parametric Design of Shanghai Tower’s Form and Facade. 2012 Zeljic, Aleksandar S. Shanghai Tower Facade Design Process. 27 April 2014. <http://www.gensler.com/uploads/documents/Shanghai_Tower_Facade_Design_Process_11_10_2011.pdf>

P R E C E D E N T A N A LY S I S

GROUP05 JOHN GASSAWAY . ENRIQUE TINOCO . TAYLOR WOLAK . LOGAN ZIEGLER

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INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE CENTER

Kohn Pederson Fox and Associates and Arup teamed up to develop the International Commerce Center to serve as a part of the Union Square redevelopment master plan in Hong Kong. Office, retail, and recreation all coalesce within the 110-story building to contribute its part to the new urban district tin which various forms of society will come together. (Image 1). At the ground level, the pedestrian realm and reception spaces converge into a transportation hub that serves the area and other points between the site and airport.

The square plan is supported by a massive central core column that supports steel outrigger trusses that span outward to eight perimeter columns (The Museum of Modern Art, 2003). While this has been determined a more costly structural solution, but the concept is justified due to maximizing floor space and views to the surroundings thus yielding a higher value on leasable space for the developer.

The faceted exterior forms are optimized for structural performance as well as reduction of materials (Kohn Pederson Fox and Associates). As the angled forms return to the ground, they open outwards and extend their reaches into the plaza at the pedestrian level. This design feature

Figure 1. International Commerce Centre, KPF. ICC Tower at the forefront of the Union Square development. http://homylicious.com/wpcontent/uploads/2011/06/futuristic-buildings.jpg

allows the building to interact more personally at a pedestrian scale as well as creating a language that helps link ICC Tower to the other buildings located in the square situated en masse to the North (Images 2 & 3).

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The square plan is supported by a massive central core column that supports steel outrigger trusses that span outward to eight perimeter columns (The Museum of Modern Art, 2003). While this has been determined a more costly structural solution, but the concept is justified due to maximizing floor space and views to the surroundings thus yielding a higher value on leasable space for the developer.

The faceted exterior forms are optimized for structural performance as well as reduction of materials (Kohn Pederson Fox and Associates). As the angled forms return to the ground, they open outwards and extend their reaches into the plaza at the pedestrian level. This design feature allows the building to interact more personally at a pedestrian scale as well as creating a language that helps link ICC Tower to the other buildings located in the square situated en masse to the North (Images 2 & 3).

Abel (2000) claims that the root of ecodevelopment lies within the locality of a given project. By utilizing existing resources in the area, Abel makes the point that maximizing those resources will yield a direct benefit to the local population who will eventually inhabit the project.

Abel suggests breaking the norm of conventional practice by using appropriate

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technology. By doing so, design will

inevitably go against the grain of current policy and practice. It is important to note that the author advises against smallscale solutions to the next generation of design. Abel’s assessment is correct in suggesting that small buildings that act statically on their own will not result in the greater good for society. Paving the way for the next generation of design is a group effort and must involve the contribution of all designers to conform to best practice.

When policy and practice reflect this goal, a brighter future for projects to behave dynamically within an overarching system is more apt to happen. Zeinab El Razaz (2010) reinforces Abel’s idea towards how applied technologies play an ever-increasing role in architecture. El Razaz (2010) purports that kinetic architecture is imperative and designers should begin to harvest the natural forces of a project and implement them into building technologies.

“Dynamic movement [is] incorporating technologies into buildings in which transformative mechanized structures change with climate, need or purpose” (El Razaz, 344).

Figure 2. International Commerce Centre, KPF.

In the case of ICC Tower and its Diagram of pedestrian and transit access. http:// Union Square counterparts, this project www.archdaily.com/250681/internationalcertainly adheres some of the philosophies commerce-centre-kpf/ mentioned above. Firstly, this tower and its

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neighboring counterparts serve as one of many beacons throughout Hong Kong, in which the project, as others are, is a symbol

Figure 3. International Commerce Centre, KPF. Sweeping overhead structure connecting pedestrian level to interior lobby. http://www.archdaily. com/250681/international-commerce-centre-kpf/

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of China’s presence in the global market place. This represents a next generation cultural, societal, and political shift for the Chinese. While the ICC Tower does not utilize regionally responsive design in conjunction with vernacular materials in the manner that Abel suggests, there are still a slew of sustainable strategies that align with both Abel and El Razaz.

ICC Tower is an energy smart building in which environmental control is monitored by artificial intelligence. The system can detect fluctuations in occupancies to automatically adjust thermal controls as well as adapting to seasonal/climatic variances to ensure that peak cooling/heating is kept to a minimum. Intelligent programming systems are even built directly into the users’ everyday experiences. Regular tower goers hold smart cards, which designate them to elevators in which also, determine who is in the elevator and their destination.

This system was designed to reduce wait times and maximize travel efficiency, which drastically reduces unnecessary starting, and stopping of the various cabs that often occur in buildings of this magnitude. This system does its part in reducing wasted energy. The last appropriate technology adapted to this building is an intricate water conservation strategy. Collecting all water and condensate runoff from the numerous

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chillers in the building are reclaimed for cooling tower uses and grey water applications in bathrooms.

ICC Tower provides many notable features for new development in a quickly growing urban setting. Sustainability, economy, and global image all converge on various levels to help inform and support design strategies for such a large project.

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set aside for developments that would serve as a catalyst for China’s long-term goals on an international scale (Museum of Modern Art). It is apparent that China was in desperate need to establish itself, so with the completion of the Jin Mao Tower (fourth tallest skyscraper in the world, c1999) China would definitely find itself on the map as a new economic power (Figure 3).

JIN MAO TOWER

Jin Mao Tower was conceived and constructed during the early to mid 1990’s.

Skidmore Owings and Merrill were at the forefront of design and engineering responsibilities for the 88-story skyscraper.

Located in Shanghai along the Yangtze River, Jin Mao is exposed to devastating 125 miles per hour typhoon winds which attributed to an intensive investigation of structural design 20 years ago (The Museum of Modern Art, 2003).

Derek Thomas (2002) discusses how buildings create place and identity and ought to be regionally responsible to sociopolitical factors as well as environmental concerns. This project that began in the early 90’s coincided with the onslaught of China’s progressive development to a seat in the world market. Jin Mao Tower is located on a plot of land that was specifically

Figure 3. Jin Mao Tower, SOM (Adrian Smith). Jin Mao rises above the rest of Shanghai.http://www. topchinatravel.com/pic/city/shanghai/Shanghai-JinMao-Tower-6.jpg

In the same regard to the time at which this building was built, it is equally apparent that environmental concerns were tossed out the window. While the political implication of the Jin Mao Tower

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served its purpose in moving China into the 21st Century as well as the technological revolution, sustainability was not readily adapted to this building and energy performance is low, for it would not be until just a few years later when ecodevelopments and sustainability concepts would surge their way into the design of buildings of such a large scale. One acute analysis of this situation lies in the building’s foundation.

Located on a faulty site with weak soils, the structural engineering needed to get extremely creative with foundation support in tangent with the aforementioned typhoon winds (Museum of Modern Art, 2003). A simple economic observation of the amount of time, money, and resources to even make this building come to fruition sheds light on the complete impracticality of this building. Even though the engineering feat was coordinated and the building still stands today, an argument can be made that the building’s efforts were likely best served elsewhere, perhaps in a place with a stronger soil bed in which case the construction would be much more economically sustainable and more cost effective.

In terms of Thomas’ (2002) idea of place making and identity, SOM attempted to do so in a hybrid way. The concept of the building borrows its form from a pagoda,

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an ancient building type that was the first to achieve sophisticated verticality and is a common traditional Asian theme (The Museum of Modern Art, 2003) (Figure 4).

With its tiered and stepped back massing, the form serves as a hybrid building with its remnants to the past archetypal architecture merged with next generation materials and construction methodologies (Figure 5).

Figure 4. From East to West. Traditional form of an Asian Pagoda. http://www.mapiano.com/pagoda2. jpg

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Pagodas traditionally served Buddhist religious functions; therefore, it is suiting that a religious form would be embodied in a country’s quest to becoming an economic superpower.

However, it is apparent that the cohesion in the design concept falls short, and that the design concept is truly only skin deep.

Some may argue that that the embodiment of capitalist greed inside the pagoda form doesn’t necessarily align with Buddhist ideals of peace and harmony, but that is a debate to be left to moral reasoning. In terms of interior exterior relationships, there is a stark clash with the metallic silvers and grays that compose the exterior orthogonal language and the curvilinear gilded atrium on the interior (Figure 6). When observing either Image 3 or 4 it is not innately apparent that the two shots are of the same building thus creating two conflicting design motifs.

Doing so certainly combats Thomas’ (2002) of a cohesive language.

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Figure 5. Jin Mao Tower, SOM (Adrian Smith). Pagoda reference on exterior. http://media-cache-ak0. pinimg.com/236x/94/77/b4/9477b4d57d78b6668 c2326c906722b7a.jpg

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PEARL RIVER TOWER

Pearl River Tower is a 71 story, 309.7 meter (1016 feet) clean technology skyscraper located in Guangzhou, China within the Tianhe district. The project was part of a broad urban redevelopment program, accompanied by other new buildings in the area (Goncalves & Umakoshi, 2010).

International firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) designed and engineered the project for the Guangdong Tobacco Company, a subsidy of the China National Tobacco Corporation. Construction of Pearl River Tower began in September 2006 and was completed in March 2011, totaling four-and-a-half years. The completed Pearl River Tower totals 212,165 square meters (2.2 million square feet) of office space.

Approximately 60 percent of the floor area accommodates Guangdong Tobacco and the remaining 40 percent will be leased to tenants (Goncalves & Umakoshi, 2010).

The design of the tower strived to redefine what is possible in sustainable design with super tall buildings, creating (at the time of completion) the most energy efficient skyscraper in the world.

Location Guangzhou, China is affected by some of the worst air pollution on the planet

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with China as one of the top emitters of greenhouse gasses in the world. To raise attention to the severity of this problem, the World Bank has reported that air pollution is the cause for more than 400,000 deaths, each year in China. In context of the Pearl River Tower project timeline, China had set a goal to reduce their carbon emissions by 10% by the year 2010 with Guangzhou specifically identified as a priority (Goncalves & Umakoshi, 2010). This initiative is one of the establishing influences of the Pearl River Towerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design approach.

Figure 6. Jin Mao Tower, SOM (Adrian Smith).

Gilded hotel atrium. http://img845.imageshack.us/ img845/2707/d11ax1000.jpg

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Figure 7. Pearl River Tower, SOM. Photograph of overall tower. Retrieved 2014 from http://upload. wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/ PearlRiverTower_Jan.jpg/240px-PearlRiverTower_ Jan.jpg

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Design Philosophy

One of the largest companies in Guangzhou, Guangdong Tobacco Company (GTC) hired SOM in 2005 to design their headquarters, the Pearl River Tower. The design brief from GTC called for a “high performance” tower capable of significantly reducing the “typical” amount of energy consumption from a building of similar size and type (Goncalves & Umakoshi, 2010).

The initial design concept by SOM was to achieve a super-tall building with a net-zero annual energy impact on the city – becoming the most energy efficient skyscraper in the world (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008). It would later not achieve net-zero status due to economic and regulatory influences, but would still achieve the trademark the most energy efficient super tall building in the world. To achieve this level of sustainability, the design concept embraced an all-inclusive philosophy in which passive and active strategies were weaved together to reduce the energy demand on the cities notoriously undependable grid (Goncalves & Umakoshi, 2010). The design considers the interaction of all components of the building, such as structure, site, systems, energy sources and materials holistically as the key to high performance.

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Figure 8. Guangzhou, China. Photograph demonstrating extreme pollution. Retrieved 2014 from http://resources2.news.com.au/ images/2011/01/16/1225988/948030-guangzhou. jpg

Design Strategy

Four interdependent steps were included in the original approach to achieve net-zero energy: • • • •

Reduction Absorption Reclamation Generation

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Reduction

SOM’s first step toward achieving net-zero energy consumption was utilizing as many opportunities as possible to reduce energy consumption. Reduction strategies were focused on the largest energy consuming systems in the building, namely the HVAC and lighting system (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008). This was combated with building-wide “chilled” radiant ceilings and a de-coupled under floor ventilation system that significantly reduces energy consumption for HVAC (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008). Low energy, high efficiency lighting that utilizes radiant panel geometry to increase light distribution is utilized throughout along with an internally ventilated active double façade on the North and South and high-performance triple-glazing on the East and West that incorporate automated mechanized blinds and light sensors to increase daylight harvesting with glare control (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008).

Absorption Absorption strategies were employed to harvest the natural and passive energy that exist on site. The most notable strategies are the wide application of specifically placed photovoltaic and vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT’s). Photovoltaics are integrated into the south, east, and west

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facades to generate energy from the sun (Goncalves & Umakoshi, 2010). Building integrated VAWT’s provide near constant energy generation and were an influencer on the form of the building, which is specifically designed to enhance turbine performance (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008).

Reclamation

The third strategy employed in the design of Pearl River Tower was to leave as little as possible to waste and reuse as much energy as possible in the building. The largest reclamation strategy in Pearl River Tower is the use of re-circulated air used for pre-heating and cooling of outside fresh air (Goncalves & Umakoshi, 2010). It may also be used in conjunction with absorption chillers.

Generation

The original Pearl River Tower concept included the incorporation of onsite energy generation with “micro-turbines.”

The turbines are about the size of a large domestic refrigerator, are quiet, vibration free and can produce clean energy operating on various fuels such as natural gas, biogas, or methane (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008). The plan called for 50 turbines to be chained together in the basement producing 3 megawatts of energy (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008). The micro-turbines would give the

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Pearl River Tower energy independence from the grid and allow the owners to sell excess generated energy during offpeak hours back to the grid, offering a financial incentive and allowing the project to achieve net-zero energy use. However, the local utility company would not allow the micro-turbines to be grid connected, eliminating the ability to sell back excess power (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008).Without the financial incentive of selling energy back, the client could not justify the financial payback of the turbines (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008). Infrastructure was provided in the basement for a future retrofit.

Figure 9. Micro-Turbine Units. Retrieved 2014 from http://ctbuh.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=%2bpedN 46s7Es%3d&tabid=486&language=en-US/

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TECHNOLOGY AND SYSTEMS

Pearl River Tower incorporated a number of specific advanced technologies and systems within each design strategy step contributing to the building’s super energy efficiency.

Internally Ventilated High Performance Active Double Façade

Skyscrapers commonly use highly glazed facades, which typically offer limited thermal control and performance. An increasingly popular strategy is the double façade, which employs a second layer of glass. Pearl River Tower employs a double façade with integrated venting, solar shading, and energy generation with photovoltaic.

This approach benefits occupants with increased thermal comfort and air quality while reducing the cooling load by minimize heat gain and allowing better daylight harvesting, reducing the electric lighting energy use and heat load. Additional benefits include the ability to preserve views for occupants and maintain transparency for aesthetics while more closely controlling infiltration of air and water and reducing the outdoor noise transmission and solar heat gain in summer or heat loss in winter.

The Pearl River Tower is enclosed with an internally ventilated double wall system on the North and South facades, the two

Figure 10. Pearl River Tower, SOM. Diagrams illustrating the double façade system. Retrieved 2014 from http://ctbuh.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticke t=%2bpedN46s7Es%3d&tabid=486&language= en-US/

largest facades receiving the most critical solar radiation. The enclosure consists of

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a primary layer of exterior double glazed insulated glazing units that feature a lowemissivity (low-E) coating combined with an integral spandrel panel (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008). On the interior side, a single glazed operable unit is utilized with silver perforated venetian blinds within the glass cavity (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008).

The integrated blinds are controlled by the buildings automation system that uses a solar tracking device to automatically adjust the blinds for optimal shading and glare control (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008).

The perforated blinds also allow people to see through them even in a fully closed position.

The air cavity plays a vital role in the buildings performance by trapping heat within the air cavity and acting like a natural chimney. At the bottom of the air cavity, at each floor, is a gap that draws in cooler air from the occupied spaces to flush out the hot air captured in the cavity.

This captured air is re-circulated in the building for pre-heating or pre-cooling use depending on the time of year (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008). This system greatly mitigates the solar load that the perimeter of the building, allowing for improved programming flexibility since the perimeter typically requires high amounts of cooling for occupant use.

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The Pearl River Tower system uses an alternative system that consists of radiant cooling ceiling panels and under floor ventilation air delivery system (Goncalves & Umakoshi, 2010). The system was chosen because it offered significant energy savings, increased thermal comfort over traditional all air systems, reduced capital cost, less maintenance and required less mechanical equipment creating more leasable space and fewer materials (Goncalves & Umakoshi, 2010).

Figure 13. Pearl River Tower, SOM. Photograph of radiant ceiling panel system. Retrieved 2014 from http://ctbuh.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=%2bpedN 46s7Es%3d&tabid=486&language=en-US

Figure 11. Pearl River Tower, SOM. Photograph of double façade with integrated blinds from interior.

Retrieved 2014 from http://www.som.com/projects/ pearl_river_tower__mep

Radiant “Chilled” Ceiling Panels & Decoupled Below Floor Ventilation

Space and air temperature as well as the mean radiant temperature influence thermal comfort. What is perceived as comfortable is also influenced by airflow rate, humidity, time of year, and the activity and clothing of occupants (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008). The typical solution to thermal comfort in buildings is dominated by circulating cold air through the building.

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Figure 12. Pearl River Tower, SOM. Diagrams illustrating the radiant chilled ceiling panel system.

Retrieved 2014 from http://ctbuh.org/LinkClick.aspx ?fileticket=%2bpedN46s7Es%3d&tabid=486&lang uage=en-US/

A building’s typical cooling load consists of both radiation gains from the sun through the glazing and conduction driven by the difference between indoor and outdoor air temperature. The Pearl River Tower system addresses each heat transfer mode with separate methods.

Radiant cooling addresses the radiant loads and the convective loads are addressed by a combination of the displacement ventilation and the radiant system (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008).

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This system is works by circulating chilled water through the radiant ceiling panels, which absorb radiant heat from the room. The displacement ventilation provides fresh air to the spaces from the ground, which requires less fan energy.

The chilled ceiling panels cool the warm air displaced by the ventilation system. This system as a whole is much more efficient than a typical all-air system because water is far more efficient as a heat transfer medium than air. This allows for considerably energy required to move massive amounts of air and cool air to a much lower temperature than is required with a radiant system (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008).

Additional benefits of the radiant cooled ceiling system and displacement ventilation system are wide spread. With the ventilation system decoupled from the air conditioning system, considerably better air quality can be achieved by not re-circulating old indoor air that has collected pollutants and debris. The overall system also requires significantly less equipment, and therefore less space must be dedicated toward the HVAC systems allowing the Pearl River Tower to reduce the floor-to-floor height from 4.2 meters to 3.9 meters without compromising floor-to-ceiling height (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008). This equated to saving about five stories worth of the construction and

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materials, decreasing the embodied energy in the project (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008).

The particular system also eliminated fan rooms on every floor, optimizing the floor plan, increasing the leasable space and therefore revenue potential of the building (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008). The energy savings attributed to the radiant ceiling is considered the most sustainable aspect of the Pearl River Tower design (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008).

Figure 14. Pearl River Tower, SOM. Photograph of vertical axis wind turbine in opening on building.

Retrieved 2014 from http://www.som.com/projects/ pearl_river_tower

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Building Integrated Wind Turbines

Wind energy is the fastest-growing renewable energy source in the world for its advantages as a clean fuel source that is constantly renewable (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008). The Pearl River Tower utilized the form of the building itself in to leverage and increase the performance of integrated wind turbines (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008).

The type of wind turbines used is vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT’s). They were chosen for their ability to work well in winds from any direction. The VAWT’s are incorporated at four openings, one on each mechanical room floor. The facades were shaped through scale wind tunnel testing and software simulations to decrease drag on the building and to increase wind velocity at the openings (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008).

The increased wind velocity significantly increases the performance of the 4 VAWT’s due to the power potential being a cube function of wind velocity (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008).

Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)

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(Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008). This strategy lowers the overall cost of the system by eliminating the cost of the conventional parts they are replacing, compared to having both conventional parts and a separate PV system (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008).

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amount of embodied energy in the project by reducing materials. The positioning of the BIPV’s was determined through advanced studies using software to determine the areas of highest solar radiation on the surface of the facades. This study optimized the location of the PV to the power of the sun resulting in an asymmetrical pattern of panels on the building. The PV’s not only provide electricity for the

Figure 17. Pearl River Tower, SOM. Diagrams illustrating photovoltaic integration with spandrel panel.

Retrieved 2014 from http://ctbuh.org/LinkClick.aspx? fileticket=%2bpedN46s7Es%3d&tabid=486&langua ge=en-US/

Pearl River Tower utilized BIPV’s at the spandrel panels of the building envelope (Goncalves & Umakoshi, 2010). This avoided the cost of a conventional spandrel and a separate PV system, also lowering the

Figure 18. Pearl River Tower, SOM. Diagram illustrating solar radiation analysis performed to optimize photovoltaic placement. Retrieved 2014 from http://ctbuh.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=%2bp edN46s7Es%3d&tabid=486&language=en-US/

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building but also providing shading to the parts of the building impacted by the highest levels of solar radiation further mitigating heat gain (Goncalves & Umakoshi, 2010).

CONCLUSIONS

The all-inclusive approach taken by SOM in the design of the Pearl River Tower has led to a significant reduction in energy required to operate the building. The total energy consumption reduction compared to a building of the same geometry and size with typical systems is estimated at 58 percent reduction mainly attributed to reductions associated with the mechanical systems of the building (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008). In addition to an extreme reduction in energy savings, it is expected that the building will foster improved work productivity and occupant health (Frechette & Gilchrist, 2008).

Lessons and Considerations

Despite the noble attempt at achieve a net-zero energy super tall building, some strategies were unachievable. The largest design change being the omission of the micro-turbine onsite energy plant. The inclusion of this design feature would have provided cleaner energy at higher efficiency rates on site and minimized the dependence and burden on the city grid while also providing free hot water to the tower using the

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waste heat (Goncalves & Umakoshi, 2010).

The omission of the micro-turbines which may have allowed the project to reach net-zero energy was primarily influenced by financial forces. This demonstrates the hold finances can have on the performance of buildings.

However, the design strategies of Pearl River Tower also demonstrate how the use advanced sustainable strategies and technologies can not only save money by reducing operating cost but by reducing capital cost by eliminating redundant systems and reducing materials. This project also demonstrates that net-zero energy is not out of grasp for skyscrapers if the design is approached with performance at the forefront and a willing client is backing the project.

The Pearl River Tower is an outstanding design precedent for the use of advanced technologies and all-inclusive design strategies to significantly reduce the energy consumption of a skyscraper.

However, information available within the public domain does not offer any insight to the buildings attempt to address issues of urban design and pedestrians. The area of the site is not well integrated with the public transportation network and required access mainly by car (Goncalves & Umakoshi, 2010).

No specific studies have been published on the issue of solar access and daylight availability in the surroundings (Goncalves &

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Umakoshi, 2010).

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Tower is the lack of information regarding the access of pedestrians to the office tower on the ground floor and the creation of productive urban spaces (Goncalves & Umakoshi, 2010). Most images available neglect the ground level. The Pearl River Tower does however become a landmark object in the urban landscape representative of clean energy and low emissions which help further the Chinese initiative to reduce emissions and ultimately energy use.

AL HAMRA FIRDOUS TOWER

Figure 19. Pearl River Tower, SOM. Image illustrating the use of integrated photovoltaic as shading devices at the top of the tower. http://ctbuh.org/LinkClick.asp x?fileticket=%2bpedN46s7Es%3d&tabid=486&langu age=en-US

The shade produced by the Pearl River Tower over another building my actually be beneficial in the hot climate, however overshadowing on public spaces may be undesirable. Possibly one of the most notable omissions in the design of the Pearl River

In 2011, the completion of the Al Hamra Firdous Tower by American firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill became a realization and redefined the Kuwait City skyline. Standing at about 1,352 ft, the Al Hamra Firdous Tower is the tallest building in Kuwait. The office/ mixuse building is most notably recognized by its ability to become both a functional and expressive asymmetrical form via its flare walls seen in Figure 20. According to SOM, the concept was derived from the robes worn by Kuwaitis, or a dishdasha. This, and the goal of maximizing views towards the Arabian Gulf while minimizing harsh solar gains from the south became the design guidelines by which this form emerged. Al Hamra holds offices, a health club, and a high-end mall, making it an incredible office building.

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Al Hamra’s formal concept was derived from use of parametric design and 3d modeling in response to sun and wind. In order to create such shape that minimized exposure to the south, a piece of each floor plate was carved out at about 25% increments as the form was built up (Figure 21). The form take the shape of a parabolic curve which could only be accomplished by computer aided design and modern building techniques. Another functional aspect of the form that was helped via technology was the response to local wind patterns, more so being considered a “super tall skyscraper”. Using computational fluid dynamic studies, the form was able to mitigate vortex shedding, thus lowering wind loads (Sarkisian 2012).

Lastly, the structure at the base also became a feature in which computer software was used to obtain an efficient structure that functioned and served as architecture.

The lobby programming is embraced by the enormous lamellae structure, which transfers loads to the foundation. The web-like structure that looks much like the Transbay Tower also by OMA allows for the minimizing of materials (Sarkisian 2012).

Although less columns and materials were used, the structure is many times stronger, and all with the aid of computer analysis (Figure 22).

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Figure 20. Al Hamra Firdous Tower, SOM. A new skyline is created for Kuwait City. http://www.archdaily. com/196714/al-hamra-firdous-tower-som/

The incredible thing about SOM’s design is that all it did to create this design was respond to the context. The location and program in this case created the form. In turn,

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the form was not merely an aesthetic, but derived for its functions. This adheres to the concept that climate is the most important seasonal constant in our landscape (Thomas, 2002). Everything from the treatment on the structure, to the materials of the southfacing wall and the type of glass used for the north curtain wall are all geared to respond to the desert climate that Kuwait City provides. And although SOM did use software and programs to figure out the tricky components, much of the building’s success is simply going back to basics when it comes to sustainable functions. For example, this includes the use of passive cooling techniques such as cool towers and careful orientation (Bozdogan & Akcan, 2012). By creating most of the opaqueness via a 5’ deep limestone wall on the south, heat gains were reduced significantly. The parametric shape hooks curve partly over in order to further help cooling by providing shade, the exterior and lower plazas (Figure 23).

Furthermore, there is a special care to the use of materials that SOM chose for this project. An example of this is the insulated glazing units with low e coatings, which reflect the beautiful sky while not obstructing the view towards the gulf.

As Kuwait City is prone to salty gulf air, a resilient material was needed to protect the

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Figure 23. Al Hamra Firdous Tower, SOM. The sensual curves create shade for the south façade. http://www. archdaily.com/196714/al-hamra-firdous-tower-som/

Figure 21. Al Hamra Firdous Tower, SOM. Form created by “chiseling” a quarter of the floor plate. http:// www.archdaily.com/196714/al-hamra-firdous-towersom/

base concrete structure (Figure 24). A limestone was used to clad the structure as well as the shear walls from both salty air and the violent sandstorms (Gonchar, 2012). Such material choice extends the term of sustainability to mean more that just ecologically friendly, moreover to have a durable, long-lasting building.

It is no mystery that OMA is a firm well versed in the tall building typology. The Al Hamra Firdous is testament of that. The form

Figure 22. Al Hamra Firdous Tower, SOM. Base lamellae structure and analysis. http://www.archdaily. com/196714/al-hamra-firdous-tower-so

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marries function in all aspects. It responds to the culture in its concept. It responds to its natural desert context (in spite its scale) with its materials and orientation. And it does not ignore its opportunity to make great architecture via its structure and use of technology. It is a project that will become a landmark for the growing Kuwait City and the spark for a built up skyline as the one in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai. The next step for this typology (already occurring with others in the series) is to reach a net-zero energy building that is able to ably both passive and active systems in such a way that a beautiful form may be derived. With buildings breaking records in height such as the Burj Khalifa and innovating the skyscraper via form and design process, it can be concluded that the skylines of the Middle East and East will keep flourishing as the capitalistic influences of the West become more grounded. However, as developers and designers strive to outtop the skyscraper that was built before it, it can be said that Al Hamra Firdous Tower will remain an iconic figure the Kuwait City’s skyline, and a precedent for more sensible tall buildings to come.

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Figure 23. Al Hamra Firdous Tower, SOM. The sensual curves create shade for the south façade. http:// www.archdaily.com/196714/al-hamra-firdous-towersom/

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TAIPEI 101

Located in Taipei, Taiwan, and designed by C.Y. Lee and partners, Taipei 101 is a skyscraper steeped in cultural heritage and germinated into a modern evolution. The iconic landmark immediately shows the traditional aesthetics of the Taiwanese region in shape and then expands the boundaries of technology in structure and material. The tower is the tallest LEED Platinum building in the world.

After construction completed in 2004 the building held the title of worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tallest until the Burj Khalifa in Dubai surpassed the mark in 2010.

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With no shortage of technological advances, Taipei 101 is one of the most stable skyscrapers ever built. Technological advances such as: tuned mass damper, superstructure comprised of high strength steel and columns filled with 10,000psi concrete, all contribute to the life safety and long term viability of the project.

Figure 26. Taipei 101, Plate Damper. C Y Lee. Retrieved 2014, from http:housevariety.blogspot. com

Figure 24. Al Hamra Firdous Tower, SOM. Limestone covered concrete structure at base. http://www.archdaily.com/196714/al-hamra-firdous-tower-som/

Figure 25. Taipei 101, Photograph. C Y Lee. Retrieved 2014, from http:housevariety.blogspot. com

These innovations and advancements have been accompanied by symbolic meaning. The obvious aesthetic relationship to the traditional pagoda also reflects the number of floors. Eight floors in each section represent the renewal of time through the traditional work week in Taiwan (7+1) and having 101 floors is considered to be symbolic of perfection.

Ruyi hang at each vertical section of the

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building representing coins and prosperity.

Most of these symbols are direct in nature without abstract analysis. In comparison, the Shanghai Tower project uses a more abstract connection to the landscape and traditions of the culture. Through a slice in the massing of the building to the curved shape of the foundation to represent the bend in the nearby Huangpu River, the Shanghai Tower has little direct physical connection to traditional method. Where the focus in the Taipei 101 is in merging a more traditional, iconic façade into stability in structure and sustainability, the Shanghai Tower makes more abstract cultural connections. Both projects allow for green space at the podium level to foster social interaction. The Shanghai Tower brings this space in to the sky with sky courtyards.

There have been considerations made

by Shanghai Tower designers to connect adjacent towers and create a viable sense of place using tall buildings. However this new “place” ignores the rich history and open farming communities of the past. Taipei 101 also ignores the relatively constant height and contextual fabric of adjacencies, but stands alone as an icon.

With the emerging number of skyscrapers in Shanghai the same claim cannot be made.

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Sustainability was considered when designing both projects. The emphasis on reducing construction waste and material usage through construction practices showed an initial commitment on the part of the Shanghai Tower’s team members.

Figure 27. Taipei Tower Design Theory Diagrams.

C Y Lee. Retrieved 2014, from http:housevariety. blogspot.com

Figure 30. Taipei Tower Design Floor Plan. C Y Lee. Retrieved 2014, from http:housevariety.blogspot. com

Figure 28. Taipei Tower Design Theory Diagrams.

C Y Lee. Retrieved 2014, from http:housevariety. blogspot.com

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as low flow

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Taipei 101 is more compartmentalized and does not create these interactions and connections to the Taiwanese city fabric.

The Taipei 101 uses a more internal, traditional method of the skyscraper typology whereas the Shanghai Tower invests in a more indirect contemporary abstraction of the skyscraper model. By using technology to achieve innovative sustainable design, both projects gain strength through the current goals and aspirations of their respective environments using a different design approach.

BURJ KHALIFA

Wind tunnel testing using computational analysis helped refine the shape of the curved tower and reduced wind loads by 24%. Respectively, the Taipei 101 designers addressed similar issues but utilized mostly post construction upgrades to obtain a LEED Platinum Certification.

Both buildings have double pane glass to reduce energy use and adopt water saving

Figure 29. Taipei Tower Design Theory Diagrams.

C Y Lee. Retrieved 2014, from http:housevariety. blogspot.com

features such toilets and sink fixtures.

The open sky courtyards made possible by a double skin in the Shanghai Tower allow for natural ventilation and visual connections to the city.

Located in Dubai, UAE, and designed

by Adrian Smith and Skidmore Owingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Merrill, Burj Khalifa is a skyscraper focused on structural stability and iconic pageantry.

The modern evolution of the Skyscraper typology has culminated in this spectacular evolution of height through innovation.

It is currently the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tallest building achieving record height through exhaustive structural analysis using computational technology.

Similarly to the Shanghai Tower, Burj Khalifa invokes the wonder of height and innovation. This innovation produces several sustainable attributes that are touted by the designers and engineers but are

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Figure 31. Burj Khalifa photograph. Adrian Smith. Retrieved 2014, from www.go-green.ae

suspect in their application. These attributes such as: condensation recovery, minimal mass, high efficiency lighting, reduction in heat island effect and site wide grey water recovery all make contributions but do not off-set the massive consumption of resources. Recently, Burj Khalifa management has made an effort to use the building to produce solar energy with the use of photovoltaics to mitigate some of the total energy use.

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Figure 36. Burj Khalifa Site Plan. Adrian Smith.

Retrieved 2014, from http:housevariety.blogspot. com

Figure 37. Burj Khalifa Floor Plans and elevation drawings. Adrian Smith. Retrieved 2014, from www. worldfloorplans.com

The Shanghai Tower has attempted to create public space in the sky using elevated courtyards that contribute to social interaction and natural ventilation. The Burj Khalifa has exterior terraces that make a similar contribution but do not achieve the size and scope of the Shanghai Tower courtyards. Both projects make a cultural and social statement by placing green, public space at the podium and ground level. However, the Burj Khalifa seems isolated from the surrounding context due to the exclusivity created by high monetary rates and social status.

The similarities in both design intent and development motives make the Burj Khalifa and Shanghai Tower iconic destinations geared toward the elite in society. This motive ignores the integration between socio-economic acceptances and historical influences from regional architecture.

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Figure 38. Petrona Towers Elevation, Cesar Pelli & Ass. The identical twin towers soar 1,483 ft into the sky.http://www.etawau.com/Geography/ WestMalaysia/KualaLumpur/KLCC/PetronasTowers/ PetronasTowersDrawing.jpg

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PETRONA TOWERS

The year 1998, for the first time, marked when the record of the world’s tallest building moved to another country from the US (Al-Kodmany, 2013). The Petrona Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was completed rising to a height of 1,483 ft and 88 floors (Firgure 38). And although it has been surpassed nowadays by skyreaching structures in places like Abu Dhabi and the aforementioned Al Hamra Tower in Kuwait, the Petrona Towers remains the tallest project in Malaysia, and a precedent to skyscrapers to come.

The twin towers was designed by American firm Cesar Pelli & Associates for the Kuala Lumpur City Center (a larger development project which at the time was among the largest in the world). It boasts a concert hall, shopping center, large, open office spaces and is surrounded by acres of public parks and plazas. This was testament to the rapidly expanding capitalism and the rise of land values across Asia (Zukowky & Thorne, 2000). This trend continues today in places like Shanghai and many parts of the Middle East that have become more globalized cities. In that same manner, Malaysia was determined to be a world player as its regional economic change took place. In spite of the “uneconomic”

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qualities that many skyscrapers may have such as the unusable space take up by the top 4 stories, the Petronas Towers was built in a way that could bring economic growth and attention to Kuala Lumpur, making it profitable at a macro-scale (Bunnell 2002).

The Petrona Twin Towers was to become the symbol for the vision for Kuala Lumpur’s future. Pelli’s design approach to achieve this iconic goal was to marry the Islamic culture and history of Malaysia and the technology and vision of the future that would make the twin tower skyscraper an icon. The references to the Islamic culture, according to Zukowsky and Thorne, is found in the floor plans geometric use of the square and circle which symbolize principle of harmony ( page 82, 2000). The squares organized in a radial manner and the repetition of geometries seems to call the contemporary idea of a skyscraper into a Islamic arabesque style (Figure 39). The emphasis on the distinctly Islamic traditions of Malaysia presented the opportunity to go beyond the surface justification of traditional motifs, and use such geometries to structurally accomplish the programmatic goal of open office spaces and the building’s spatial organization.

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Figure 39. Floor Plan Diagram, Unknown. Plan diagram showing geometrical relationships and derivations. http://aspiretoinspiredesign.blogspot. com/2010/10/petronas-towers.html

Although this project does very well in becoming an icon for Malaysia, it has a great missed opportunity: sustainability. It does however, make an attempt to keep cost and resource acquisition as economical as possible. Local materials such as Malaysian wood, Terengganu granite, marble and glass were used as much as possible. The stainless steel and curtain wall glass was handled by an American firm, but fabricated

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in Malaysia (Abada, 2004). Because of these practices, more than 60% of materials used were local. This has a great benefit in reducing cost and energy consumption due to the fact that there is minimum transportation needed. Also reducing cost is the treatment/response to the warm, humid air. Through the use of exhaust air to precool the warmer air, energy consumption for HVAC was reduced by 50% (Abada 2004). The building also uses stainless steel shades along the curtain walls to diffuse the bright tropical sun into the interior offices as seen in Figure 40. Unfortunately, it seems like a very uncreative and superficial way to adapt the skyscraper typology to the tropical climate of Malaysia. Although it may have not been the programs objective to become a fully sustainable building, the opportunity to create an architecturally sensible response to this issue (i.e. using the formal geometries to create a responsive orientation).

In conclusion, the Petronas Towers serve as an architectural symbol for economic growth, power, and strive to be considered considerable player among the global community. It is the adaptation of the American skyscraper in a growing Eastern country and a keystone to what that country aims to accomplish. It is also a manifestation of the Western influence in the East, and

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the growth of capitalism. Such is the case, that many other building are being erected, such as the Shanghai Tower, to show power and capability. In a time in which steel and glass are the stone and labor of a medieval era, countries look to these precedents to out-do the former by building the biggest â&#x20AC;&#x153;steel castleâ&#x20AC;? they may conjure.

Figure 40. Photograph, Faceted Curtain-Wall.

Goldber, J. Steel louvres sking the curtain wall faces to create light diffusion and shade. Petronas Office Towers.

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Abada, G. (2004). Petronas Office Towers. Aga Khan Awards. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. AIA. Al-Kodmany, K. (2011, September 14). Placemaking with tall buildings. Urban Design International, 16(4), 252-269.

Al-Kodmany, K. (2013). The Future of the City:Tall Buildings and Urban Design. Southhampton, MA: WIT Press.

Bellini, O. (2008). New Frontiers in Architecture: Dubai Between Vision and Reality (pp. 166-118). Vercelli, Italy: White StarPublishers.

Bozdogan S., & Akcan E. (2012) Turkey: Modern Architectures in History. London. Reaktion Books Ltd. Bunnell, T. (2002). Views from above and below: The Petronas Twin Towers and/in contesting visions of development in contemporary Malaysia.

Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography, 20(1), 1-23.

Cheung, Y., & Chau, K. (Eds.). (2005). Tall Buildings from engineering to Sustainability. N.p.: World Scientific.ÂŹ El Razaz, Z. (2010). Journal of Building Appraisal: Sustainable Vision of Kinetic Architecture (341-356). London. Macmillian Publishers, Ltd. Frechette, R., & Gilchrist, R. (2008, March). Towards zero energy: a case study of the pearl river tower, guangzhou, china.

Paper presented at the Council on Tall Building and Urban Habitat 8th World Congress, Dubai. Paper retrieved from http://ctbuh.org/Link

Click.aspx?fileticket=%2bpedN46s7Es%3d&tabid=486&language=en-US/ Goncalves, J. C., & Umakoshi, E. (2010). The environmental performance of tall buildings. Washington, DC: Earthscan.

Gonchar, J. (2012) Sculpting the skyline: Architects, engineers, and contractors tackle a challenging geometry to build a super tall tower with

a striking silhouette in a desert. Architectural Record, 15(3), 60-64.

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (2014). International Commerce Centre. Shanghai.

Sarkisian, M. (2010). Designing Tall Buildings: Structure as Architecture. Neew York, NY: Routledge.

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Short, M. (2012). Planning for Tall Buildings (pp. 5-23). New York, NY: Routledge.

Spirito, G. (2008). New Urban Giants. Vercelli, Italy: White Star Publishing.

Terranova, A. (2003). Skyscrapers. Vercelli, Italy: White Star Publishing.

The Art institute of Chicago. (2000). Skyscrapers The New Millennium (pp. 56-83). New York, NY: Prestel.

The Museum of Modern Art. (2003). Tall Buildings (p. 138). New York, NY: Author.

Wells, M. (2005). Skyscrapers Structure and Design (pp. 170-175). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Zukowsky, J. & Thorne, M. (2000). Skyscrapers: The New Millennium. Munich, Germany: Prestel Verlag.

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GROUP06 PEDRO BORQUEZ . RICHARD OLMEDO . AMANDA TELLERIA

GROUP07 BREEANN ABUAN . RONALD CANO . KRISTIN DIFUNTORUM . SHARLETTE TABA

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Shanghai Tower responded to the changing urban context in a global approach dominated by western architecture.

The Shanghai Tower is a skyscraper, an adapted western archetype. In comparison, vernacular Chinese architecture consists of the traditional Chinese house which revolves around the concept of “Ii”, the Chinese word for respect, which plays hand-in-hand with hierarchical spaces differentiating elder status in men and women. In addition, Chinese architecture integrates the philosophy of yin-yang, opposites that are interdependent, and the five elements: earth, wind, fire, metal, and wood (Cai 2011). The Shanghai Tower did not instill a strong cultural tie architecturally; it lacks reference to Chinese archetypes, forms, and details (Fig 4.1.1b).

It is arguable, however, that the Shanghai Tower could slightly shift into the cross-cultural approach due to its “environmentally-responsive form [and] inspiration from Shanghai’s traditions of parks and neighborhoods” (Gensler 2010) (Figure 4.1.1a.). Climate-responsive design does relate the building to its place and the garden atria at each zone of the building does reflect traditional Chinese neighborhood planning, but the overall

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architecture is not strong in the traditional or cultural sense of Chinese architecture.

The architecture does not speak for itself, if not stated by Gensler; the particular cultural reference could easily be missed by an observer.

The model of Shanghai Tower could be adapted to any place since it lacks evident motifs or references to traditional Chinese Architecture. The Shanghai Tower is a skyscraper of the new generation, in that it is beyond the early Modern architecture in responding to climate.

Gensler implemented a hybrid approach in creating regional architecture.

The tower is adapted from Western architecture, but it does not stand true to the International Style because the tower is concerned with its place in context.

The intention of the design is to cater to the social needs and to stimulate “better regional development” in conjunction with a climatically responsive building (Gu 2012).

The height of the tower was determined in reference to the two major neighboring towers and the tower’s connection to a regional traffic system, the Jin Mao Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center, (Figure 4.1.1c.)

(Gu 2012). The tower uses the analogy of high-dense, vertical communities that reflect the traditional layout of Chinese

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neighborhoods composed of “traditional lane houses found in Shanghai” (Xia et al.

2010).

Figure 4.1.1a: Section showing interior garden

What Gensler did was turn the traditional layout of lane houses around a communal space into a vertical composition and used complementary sky gardens for communal gathering at every level. The design is much like the idea of stacking one neighborhood on top of another. These design aspects demonstrate Gensler’s

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attempt at creating regional architecture through contextual analysis and historical regional planning references.

In addition to social and regional development, Gensler developed a climateresponsive design. At first glance the tower seems to be a twisting form at such a monumental height for iconic tenability, but the design reciprocates climatic conditions of Shanghai. Since Shanghai Tower is located in a coastal region, it is vulnerable to severe damage in the case of a typhoon. In order to suppress serious damage, from the highest levels, the shape of the tower begins to taper down to the base to withstand typhoon-level wind loads (Xia et al 2010).

This hybrid approach to regionalism is determined through Shanghai Tower’s adopted Western form, the skyscraper, and in regards to its contextual responsive design. It is arguable that the design could have secured better regional ties, since its reference to traditional neighborhood planning is isolated within a tower, which could limit regional development instead of connect future development.

COLOR AND TEXTURE Derek Thomas discusses how the built environment uses emotional effect color,

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texture, and art display on the occupants.

He

Figure 4.1.1b: neighborhood

Traditional

Chinese

house

states that certain colors produce different psychological effects; therefore, certain colors should be taken into consideration in regards to the design. Although color is subjective to every individual, the absolute goal for using color in the urban environment should be the enhancement or revitalization of the aesthetic of the building or place (Thomas 2002). For example, the displays of colorful lighting on the Strip in Las Vegas attract millions to the area, making it a highly popular tourist destination. The lighting display promotes visual stimulation and creates a mood for nightlife at all hours. Another visual stimulation that is used to help revitalize a social space for a cultural event is the use of colorful paintings or banners. This is often used on historic buildings, which typically used monochromatic materials,

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to help revive a public setting. These types of art forms demonstrate opportunities in promoting visual and emotional stimulation on the public.

The use of color on the Shanghai Tower is very minimal on the exterior. The exterior facade is composed completely of transparent glass that rotates in orientation.

The tapered texture of the transparent glass establishes a smooth surface and portrays as an elegant body of mass that is not only for aesthetic purposes, but also to help reduce wind loads on the building (www. inhabitat.com). During the day, the exterior may not reflect the use of color, due to its high use of transparent glass, but at night the building comes alive through the use of electric lighting. Different usage of color and texture is also brought into the interior that brings an entirely different environment into the building.

Color is brought into the tower to help enhance the “cultural charm” of the building (Gu 2012). The passageways in the underground level will house a gallery of artwork such as paintings, photographs, sculptures, and decorative artwork. Bringing this type of art display into the building is a smart direction towards promoting life for the building. At night, the type of illumination varies depending on the use: a normal display for everyday use; a more

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visually intense display for social gatherings; and a display of special colors, patterns, and characters for more specific cultural events (Gu 2012). The lighting show helps to promote visual stimulation to the building, drawing crowds to the area, creating nightlife around the vicinity.

The use of architectural lighting has brought life and identity to the building through psychological stimuli. The use of bright lighting at night creates a welcoming effect on the people of Shanghai. This simple gesture of lighting transforms the building from a monochromatic glass building during the day into a colorful illuminated building at night. The impact of such lighting on the exterior of the building gives Shanghai opportunities of introducing nightlife.

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Ecodevelopment, as a theory, attempts to harmonize the economic factors and utilize natural assets in a sustainable manner to create a localized eco-system that promotes both the use of local human and natural resources. To create a balance between the human and the natural, appropriate technologies must be utilized in a fashion that revitalizes the concept of self-sustained by engaging the

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Figure 4.1.1c: Shanghai height comparison with neighboring towers.

local population with cultural techniques and local materials.

The new paradigm of design, heavily emphasizes sustainability given the predicaments the world faces. Whether it be political, economic or ecological turmoil, the built environment has the potential beyond itself to remedy some of its past downfalls. Embracing the need to change the strategies used in the past is the first step in moving towards a future that will

not only be healthier but perhaps one that unites everyone under the common belief.

The belief that we live in a finite world with finite resources that must be managed in a responsible manner for the benefit of not one person today but for all people for all time.

The Shanghai Tower exemplifies principles embedded in the global sustainable model for a better future. The ability to provide a better quality of life,

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acknowledge that we are living with limits, promote a healthy society, raise a viable economy, protect individual cultures by reinforcing it to meet new times, base future developments on sound science and the preservation of the natural environment.

These ideas that define where future developments should take us are essential to a sustainable future and part of core principles when conceptualizing Shanghai’s crown jewel.

Due to the size of the project, it is difficult to create a self-sustained relationship between the building and its inhabitants as seen in many examples in developing regions where appropriate technology is married with the users and culture.

What the Shanghai Tower does achieve is creating a bioclimatic tower

Figure 4.2.1a: View of the transparent glass.

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Figures 4.2.1b-c: Tapered texture of glass.

that works with the outside environment to accomplish certain needs, for example, gathering and using the rainwater for the building’s heating and air conditioning system; but also shields itself from the outside to create a healthier environment than the heavily polluted air conditions found outside.

Harnessing knowledge and technology, the Shanghai Tower soars above many when it comes to sustainable approaches in buildings. But perhaps the most revolutionary aspect of this project is not the use of new methods and

technologies but building of a concept. The vertical city concept is not a new idea, and many have put faces of this vision through sketches and renderings but Gensler and the People’s Republic of China are bringing that vision to life. The idea of changing the way that people live their lives while creating a seamless transition with the existing fabric of the city is what the future will look like.

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The Shanghai Tower is being recognized as one of the most sustainable

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multi-use skyscrapers in the world, appropriately located in China, with an elegant form and innovative facade, the skyscraper features multiple sustainable technologies that are central to its ecodevelopment. The tower being located in the highly polluted city of Shanghai, China provides a clean and social environment by implementing ‘skygardens’, wind turbines, multiple green spaces, and water collection and many more sustainable design approaches, symbolizing a dynamic emergence of modern China. The tower has the highest level of performance and offers unprecedented community access.

The main goals of the project are to reduce typhoon-level wind loads, promote multiple green spaces, and create a healthy environment that contains public spaces for human interaction. The advanced technology used in the tower lives up to the idea of the ‘vertical city’. Wind tunnels were tested to simulate the region’s typhoon wind forces; simulations were performed form of the structure providing a basic understanding of the form that needed to take shape to resist the wind loads. The result is a 120° rotation that is optimal to withstand the typhoon wind forces. The shape of the structure also passes an earthquake with a Richter scale of 7.5. The city of Shanghai has building codes that are strict on the impact

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of sunlight reflecting off glass facades

Figure 4.2.1d. Display of the light show.

to reduce light pollution. Gensler used Ecotect software to create a simulation to determine which form, staggered or smooth glass surfaces, produced the least amount of sunlight reflectance. This process helped to determine the most suitable positioning of the glass panels for the skin of the building, providing an appropriate

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approach to Shanghai’s issue of high sunlight reflectivity.

Along with the form, the tower has two skins, an exterior and interior curtain wall.

The curtain walls provide create a buffer for interior and exterior temperatures, conserving energy by modulating temperatures within the atrium and providing ventilation.

For example, the curtain walls and atrium spaces help to warm up the cool outside air during the winter and depletes the heat during the summer from the building’s interior.

The tower is divided into five zones, each pertaining to a certain function: office space, shopping, dining, hospitality, and entertainment. Each zone contains a designated ‘skygarden’, a double story landscaped atrium, meant for public use and interaction, based on Shanghai’s traditional open courtyard. These garden areas are intended to improve air quality, a perfect strategy for the highly polluted Shanghai.

These atrium spaces provide a feeling of exterior spaces in an interior environment, promoting a sense of community and ecodevelopment within a vertical city.

Shanghai has a subtropical maritime monsoon climate that is generally mild and moist. With a variation of seasons and weather, Shanghai receives large amounts of rain and wind, especially during the

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monsoon season. During the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Plum Rain Seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; typhoons bring heavy rain. To adapt to this climate, the Shanghai tower incorporates wind turbines at the top of the tower, to produce its own energy and helping to reduce energy consumption.

Adding the technology of the wind turbines creates an advantage for the tower and the city, which makes the tower selfreliant and does not add to the thick air pollution of Shanghai. Another technology that is appropriate to the climate is the water resource management. The tower contains funnel-shaped parapet channels that collects rainwater and directs the water to large collection tanks for grey water applications.

As discussed previously, the Shanghai Tower contains multiple zones designated for certain functions, by providing a structure that consists of multi-use allows for less invasion of green space. By building vertically, less of the site is invaded. Gensler emphasized on the importance of green spaces,

Many of the technology approaches for the Shanghai Tower were appropriate.

The choice of technology addressed the issue of high air pollution in Shanghai and the need of self-reliance. The use of wind turbines and water channels takes advantage of the climate and utilizes the

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Figure 4.5.1a: The horizontal profile with the inner cylindrical core and outer equilateral triangle.

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conditions of the weather as a solution to renewable energy.

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IN

Burry & Burry discuss six mathematical principles that are used in generating a building’s forms and surfaces: mathematical surfaces and seriality; chaos, complexity, and emergence; packing and tiling; optimization; topology; and datascapes and multidimensionality. Of these six, two are the most influential in the design of Shanghai Tower’s forms and surfaces: topology and optimization. These two principles are primarily used in defining the facades in response to the surrounding climate. The topology of the smooth, flowing surfaces enables winds to glide by and reduce lateral loads, while optimization of material use ensures sustainability and efficiency. By limiting the use of mathematical principles to two concepts, the designers are able to focus on a design that is simple and sophisticated, yet entirely appropriate for the region of Shanghai.

First of all, the external form of Shanghai Tower is influenced by basic geometry. According to Zeljic, the designers looked at three key components: the building’s horizontal profile, vertical

Figure 4.6.1a: Section showing relationship of spaces

profile, and rate of twist in order to create a language of geometry that informs not only its iconic appeal, but also its response to the climate (Zeljic 2010). The horizontal profile is dictated by the curvature of the cylindrical core and the enclosing equilateral triangle.

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By altering the horizontal profile, the vertical profile changes in effect as well, this was important in considering functional floor area from the base to the top (Figure 4.5.1a).

The final act of twisting the form allowed for greater flexibility in spatial quality. Essential to the overall success in the performance of the building design are the vertical ratio, gross floor area, and the building form, which are all determined by these three key components.

The first mathematical principle most influential in the design is topology.

Given the external form, one of the main determinants in its decision is the abundance of northwestern and southeastern winds (Zeljic 2010). Here, the efficient, continuous surfaces prove to be functional and not just aesthetic. The topology of the external surfaces, generated by computational tools, allows for the total reduction of lateral loads by 24% and, consequently, the total reduced construction costs of about $58 million (Xia et al. 2010). The use of topology is also seen in the twisting of the tower.

As mentioned, this allows for the flexibility of providing larger, public spaces at the bottom and smaller, private spaces at the top while opening up opportunities in views.

Although topology is presented in this project through the surfaces, it is also

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contradictory. As presented by Burry & Burry, typology is only truly conceived as a surface that is unpredictable and “non-orientable,” as in the case of the Klein Bottle or the Mobius Strip in which the surface is truly continuous—the inside is the outside and vice versa (Burry 2010). Within the Shangha Tower, the surfaces somewhat follow those rules; there is a sense of continuity, but only in the direction circulating the facade. The consistent twist and the terminus at the

Figure 4.6.2a: An analysis done through BIM.

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peak of the tower contradicts this unpredictability. When discussing this critique, the sense of continuity is lost.

The topology of Shanghai Tower’s forms and surfaces enabled not only sustainability and aesthetics, but also the second most influential mathematical principle: optimization. From the unique curvature of the facades to the atria that open up and enclose gathering spaces, a degree of optimization is required in order

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to make this system perform efficiently.

One aspect of optimization is in the Tower’s unique atrium spaces that require mass circulation of air for heating and cooling.

The atrium itself essentially acts as a buffer between the exterior temperature, outside the equilateral triangle of the horizontal profile, and the interior temperature, inside the cylindrical core (Xia 2012). To support this, air-conditioning equipment is strategically placed in various locations, ensuring optimization in reducing heating and cooling costs for every zone, affecting each individual floor.

Another aspect of optimization is in the facade’s use of materials. According to Xia et al., Shanghai Tower’s second skin (the equilateral triangle in the horizontal profile) comprises of less glass than that of a rectangular facade with the same area, which results in a significant reduction in material costs (Xia et al. 2010).

The process of optimizing the facade’s form and surfaces affects the performance, constructability, safety, maintenance, economy, and ultimately the design of the Tower (Xia 2010). To further optimize the use of glass, studies are made to achieve an optimum number of 138 panel divisions along each exterior wall profile, with the consideration of panel connections and mullion measurements

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(Xia et al. 2012). The curvature of the horizontal profile, as discussed earlier, is also optimized in appearance and function in the atrium spaces (Xia et al. 2012).

In discussing the use of glass for the facade, its appropriateness is evident when considering Shanghai’s climate of abundant sunshine and rain. The designers chose to stagger the glass panels perpendicular to the ground, which resulted in a great reduction in glare on the surrounding buildings. Furthermore, the slick surface of glass allows for the plentiful rain to easily run off. The use of glass in the facade’s forms and surfaces is optimized to meet aesthetic, functional, and sustainable criteria which has been proven to be a successful attempt.

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Computation is defined as a mathematical pattern that uses current computer technology to extract information.

In architecture, however, it is an emerging tool that is now gaining popularity. It was introduced to a world of architecture that has never seen it before, thus allowing a new way to think of designing spaces; it is something that could not be achieved any other way. The beginning steps of this current technology are only starting to emerge in buildings such as the Shanghai

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Tower. Similarly to the design intent of the building, the tools used to design the building mirror it; they both find a way to serve as precedence for a new chapter in architectural history, urban development, as well as technology.

The curtain wall envelope that surrounds the entire structure allows technology and various levels of spaces to interact. Since each cylinder acts as its own “neighborhood” within the building and is then covered with the exterior envelope of the building, it creates an atrium that could be seen on all floors of the cylinder. (Figure 4.6.1a) Similar to Thomas’ ideals, it allows the private user, barrier controls, and the public sector to be intertwined (Thomas 2002). All these spaces are occurring in an area that is multiplied from the ground up which create a denser, although roomier space to be occupied. The private user could look out their window on the neighboring atrium while having a sense of privacy within their own barrier, allowing for a psychological connection of being a part of a neighborhood.

The curtain wall is a product of the mathematical aspects of the design which was driven by the record wind speeds in this area. It ultimately shaped the form of the building, turning the building at 120 degrees to minimize the wind force. The

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curtain wall creates a space that encloses the building to create an interior, yet exterior feel. The rounded edges of the building, the specific degree at which the building interacts with the wind, and the tapering effect of the building are all factors in the way the designers dealt with the challenges that could only be achieved by computation.

In this sense, the building is heavily reliant on technology to create the spaces earned.

Some major systems that are used in the overall process are: Building Information Modeling (BIM), Revit, Grasshopper, and Excel; Revit was used hand-in-hand with Grasshopper as well as Excel to transfer information for further analysis.

The BIM was nearly essential to the outcome of this project. It is a system where multiple information and modeling analyses could be effectively compiled to allow information to be easily accessed.

(Figure 4.6.2a) It allows the historic lines between three teams—contractors, clients, and architects—to blur, creating new working relationships. The three groups are historically known for having a major part in the process of erecting a building, but BIM allows this to happen in a way that minimizes communication conflicts. It simulates every process from the design stage to the construction stage (Ge, 2012). Not only does it show a model similarly in Revit

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or AutoCAD, but can record parameters to all itself to think independently. It can figure out what spaces are available for temporary placement of parts, instead of the construction team manually doing it for themselves. These little details of the system make it so valuable to the team. Since the tower is overwhelming in size, every single minute could add up thus causing the budget to skyrocket according to Xia et. al. (Xia 2012). This system ultimately allows time and money to be saved.

Computational tools also play a huge role in evaluating the facades by taking all the environmental, economical, and social issues into account. The cylinders of the building serve as different communities.

As the vertical length of the building to rises, the circumference of each cylinder decreases. This allows more mass to be found at the bottom of the structure and the communities to become more intimate.

They create a human scale that is not only viewed from the exterior, but also in the interior as well. From the outside, there is a sense of how the space is used when trees and building segments are seen. These different segments of the curtain wall, in comparison to the sun and wind loads, was primarily due to the computational tool of wind tunnel testing (Xia et. al. 2010) (Figure 4.6.2b) This tool ultimately determined how

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much material could be saved.

Technology is something that many think of as a tool that diminishes design creativity. However, this is a project that accomplishes the exact opposite of those ideals. With the use of systems that actually introduce new ways of thinking, the Shanghai Tower will forever be a precedent to how designers and systems can create a progressive impact on not only environmental issues, but urban issues as well.

As mentioned previously, the concepts found in Burry & Burry are solely seen through optimization as well as topology. The models of the building take into account the different angles of the sun and became similar to what topology has to offer. Optimization is used wisely in conjunction with the BIM system. Specifically, it calculated the amount of surface area to volume ratio that would follow the guidelines of Thomas’ while saving money on the materials needed for the facade.

Through the combined use of the various computational tools and mathematical principles, Shanghai Tower proves to be an architectural model for sustainability, efficiency, and innovation.

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Presently, Shanghai Tower is the climactic representation of the socio-cultural and financial role China has become at the global scale. Recognizing that any move they’d make would be in the eye of the global community, the architects at Gensler designed a high-rise that is both innovative and in respect of the place and identity being established by Shanghai. Using Chris Abel’s analysis of Architecture and Identity as a foundation for critiquing the Shanghai Tower, several factors will be covered to prove as to why this building is a model for future skyscrapers (Abel 2000). These factors include: the adequacy and novelty of the design, the “Vertical City” concept, the multi-dimensional approach, place and identity, and precedent. It is this group’s view that the Shanghai Tower is indeed the physical manifestation of the future of design in high-density urban environments.

The adequacy and novelty of Gensler’s design of Shanghai Tower can be broken down into three main topics, environmental and climatic factors, socio-economic factors, and cultural and regional identity.

Concerning the prerequisites of ecodevelopment, one of the first concerns with the design of the Shanghai Tower was its location and climate. The designers

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faced environmental obstacles such as harsh typhoon seasons and unfavorable soil conditions, yet these limitations would later influence the design in such a way that would produce a jewel of a building, one that is responsive to these conditions. The design of the second skin of the building would be responsive to the harsh winds of Shanghai due to the spiraling nature of the façade that was tuned for the exact conditions of the site. They were able to achieve this due to the strong push not just from the direct client, but essentially from the country of China to create a building that would solidify the skyline of Shanghai and establish it as a rising economic power.

Gensler has introduced the design concept of the Shanghai Tower as the “Vertical City”, essentially having everything you’d need within the created space. This idea itself is not necessarily new, but in the manner they implement and are currently creating it is. This idea of the vertical city is akin to some of the high-rise views shared by several of the architects mentioned in “Architecture and Identity” (Abel 2000).

Specifically, Ken Yeang and his model for the Bioclimatic City (Abel 2000) is reflective to many of the design moves Gensler has made in the creation of Shanghai Tower.

Most noticeable is the integration of the hanging gardens at all nine areas in

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Figure 4.6.2b: The relationship between the angles and wind impact.

Shanghai Tower, essentially creating lungs for the building. These areas are further enhanced by pulling from the established tradition in Shanghai of parks and open spaces that benefit the community by placing amenities, shops and so forth for all to use. These spaces are responsive to the environment and open public that would inhabit them.

In “Architecture and Identity” (Abel 2000), Chris Abel discusses the importance of Charles Correa’s approach to urban design as multidimensional because it covers multiple facets of peoples integration to the city. From typical housing models to the incorporation of high-rises, all building types have their due, but what is essential to

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this is that the infrastructure must be able to handle the city’s population growth, or else any sole design is futile at the urban level.

The Shanghai Tower, while it is a standalone high-rise, it begins to fulfill some of factors included in Correa’s multidimensional analysis of the city. The biggest factor is that running underground of the building is a subway system that connects the tower to the rest of the city. However, other approaches that are reflective of Correa’s multidimensional principles are present in the towers immediate context, the financial district itself is a relatively new planned community, having been constructed in the past two decades; the infrastructure is able to handle the wide variety of population that it surrounds. As well the last major factor concerning Correa’s analysis is within the context of the tower itself and in the way people interact with each other through the building. While being separated in a relatively typical manner, shopping at the bottom, stacks of offices at the core, and luxury businesses at the top, the manner in which all people are allowed to interact within the tower is most favorably seen in the hanging gardens, which allow public spaces in the sky for all to enjoy.

The matters of place and identity are crucial when determining if any building will thrive in its context. The Shanghai

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Tower is reflective of many factors that allow it to be the icon for the city’s skyline. The genesis of the design was simple, establish a vertical city within an existing city, however, the design was to be forward thinking while still calling back to its location. The multidimensionality of the design began with the initial concept of continuous hanging gardens in the sky, the public had to have access to these spaces. This is because the already thriving parks and communities of Shanghai became a design factor that they wanted to implement in the vertical city. This concept of hanging gardens would later influence how it would actually be constructed, which would in turn establish the aesthetic of the building.

Essentially, pulling from basic principles of the city and its inhabitants, design decision upon design decision could be made that ultimately established the final design.

The essence of eco-development, regional architecture, and use of appropriate technology go hand in hand, and ultimately they all overlap in the designer’s decision to pull influence from the context of the site.

The Shanghai Tower by no means is a literal translation of design ideas representative in Shanghai, but rather pulls established concepts to create a “Prime Object” (Abel 2000) of a building that will influence highrise design in the future. Perhaps the best

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example of what the building represents is evident in the aesthetic of the three high rise towers in the financial district of Shanghai, that of past, present and the future of Shanghai representative by the Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, and Shanghai Tower respectively.

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Figure 4.1.1a Source: Shanghai Rising, Gensler Design Update, Gensler, 22 Dec. 2010; Web; 30 Apr. 2014.

Figure 4.1.1b Source: “China”; Countries & Their Cultures; Everyculture.com, 2014; Web; 30 Apr. 2014.

Figure 4.1.1c Source: Gensler. Shanghai Rising, Gensler Design Update, 22 Dec. 2010; Web; 30 Apr. 2014.

Figure 4.2.1a Source: Architecture, Carousel Showcase, Interviews, Sustainable Building.; “Gensler’s Chris Chan on the Sustainable Shanghai Tower, Asia’s Tallest Skyscraper”; Inhabitat; http://inhabitat.com/interview-genslers-chris-chan-on-the-sustainable-shanghai-tower-asias-tallest-skyscraper/, 15 Dec. 2011; Web; 29 April 2014.

Figures 4.2.1b-c Source: Every Top 10.; “Highest Skyscrapers in the World”; http://everytop10list.com/lists/highestskyscrapers.php, 25 Dec. 2013; Web; 29 April 2014.

Figure 4.2.1d.

Source: Youtube; “Shanghai Tower Architectural Lighting Concept”; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zNO5WdX378, 10 May 2012; Web; 29 April 2014 Figure 4.5.1a.

Source: Gensler. “Shanghai Tower Facade Design Process”;Gensler.com, 2010; Web; 30 April 2014 Figure 4.6.1a.

Source: Gensler. “Shanghai Tower Beginning to Take Shape”;unbiasedwritter.com, 26 April 2012; Web; 30 April 2014.

Figure 4.6.2a.

Source: Gensler. “BIM: From Concept to Construction: Sustainable Shanghai Tower, Asia’s Tallest Skyscraper”; meldrenachapin.com, 5 April 2012; Web; 30 April 2014.

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Figure 4.6.2b.

Source: Gensler. “Shanghai Tower Facade Design Process”;Gensler.com, 2010; Web; 30 April 2014

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“China’s Spiraling Shanghai Tower Breaks Ground.” Inhabitat. n.p. n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.

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Thomas, D. (2002). Architecture and the urban environment: a vision for the new age. Oxford: Architectural Press.

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