Now let's look at a project that is just running.
In India, the construction of an unusually beautiful skyscraper has begun, which is scheduled for completion in 2014. The Namaste Tower, which will combine a business center, a hotel and a shopping and entertainment complex, will adorn the fifth largest metropolis in the world - the city of Mumbai (known as Bombay until 1995).
Many agree that it will be the most beautiful skyscraper in the world! Let's add it to our portfolio!
Namaste (Skt. नमस्ते, namaste IAST) is an Indian and Nepalese greeting, derived from the words "namah" - bow, "te" - to you. Namaste as a gesture is a combination of two palms in front of you. In a broad sense, it means: “The divine in me welcomes and unites with the divine in you” - that is, respectful worship and glorification of the Almighty, the divine essence of the universe, of which man is a part, recognition of the unity and eternal spirituality of all that exists, according to existing traditions.
As conceived by the architects who developed the design of the building, the majestic skyscraper symbolizes the traditional Indian greeting with palms clasped together. And the ornate patterns that adorn the exterior of the building are borrowed from the tradition of mehndi (henna body painting), which is very common in India, the Arab countries and North Africa.
Designed by Atkins Design Studio for W Hotel, the skyscraper is set to become a local landmark that highlights India's economic and cultural significance.
The project assumes the presence of 62 floors and 300 m2 of space, which will house a huge luxury hotel, as well as offices and retail space.
Another original design feature of Namaste Tower will be the original ornament on the facade. He will repeat the patterns that, according to Indian traditions, cover the hands of the bride and groom during the wedding ceremony. The 64-story tower will be "clad" in a shell of fritted glass panels, on which a pattern will be applied. This will create a sense of transparency and depth in the building while maintaining thermal balance.
It is also proposed to supply the building with solar collectors - given the large surface area and annual solar conditions, they can provide 12% of the energy needed for heating hot water for the hotel. In addition to the W Hotel, the building will house office and retail space, and the top of the skyscraper will be decorated with a Sky restaurant and bar with stunning views of the huge city.
As expected, the royal and presidential suites of the hotel will be among the most luxurious of all existing in the world.
When developing an unusual relief of the future skyscraper, experts relied on the prospects of wind flow.
Go preparatory work in front of the foundation of the future Namaste skyscraper, Mumbai, India.
As usual, the construction of tall buildings is accompanied by the troubles delivered by groundwater.
Often people have certain associations at the mention of the word "skyscraper" - a tall, glazed rectangular building with stunning views of the city. Most of them really are, but there are exceptions to the rule, which you will learn about in our roundup of the 14 most unusual skyscrapers in the world.
1 Genex Tower in Belgrade, Serbia
Located in third place in the Genex Tower, it resembles a huge gate that welcomes tourists from the west. Appearance The complex is formed by concrete twin towers, united by a restaurant on the highest floors. Initially, the Belgrade giant was supposed to become a new symbol of Serbia, but despite this, it became one of the strangest buildings in Eastern Europe and one of the worst examples of brutalist architecture.
2. Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea
The North Korean skyscraper Ryugyong is considered one of the most controversial buildings in the world. The construction of the 105-storey hotel began in 1987, later it was frozen many times and was finally completed only in 2014. The triangular structure of the raw concrete building has been the subject of constant ridicule from professional architects. The skyscraper is regularly criticized - for example, in 2008 Esquire magazine called the hotel "the ugliest building in the history of mankind."
3. Elephant Tower in Bangkok, Thailand
The construction of the 32-story Bangkok tower, reaching 102 meters in height, was completed in 1997. Three concrete buildings, interconnected on the last 8 floors, are shaped like the silhouette of an elephant. This building was ranked 4th in the list of "20 Most Original Skyscrapers in the World".
4. Robot building in Bangkok, Thailand
The robotic building in Bangkok immediately catches the eye of tourists due to the obvious resemblance to its prototype. The reason for the construction of the building of the Bank of Asia was the desire to draw public attention to the problem of computerization of the banking sector. The author of the project, Sumet Jumsay, drew inspiration from his son's toy robot. The architect sees his skyscraper as a protest against the postmodern architecture that swept the world in the early 1980s.
5. Headquarters of China Central Television CCTV in Beijing, China
The 44-story skyscraper that serves as the headquarters of China Central Television was nicknamed "pants" shortly after it opened in 2009. The building is built in an unusual style and is a ring structure of five horizontal and vertical sections that form an irregular lattice on the facade of the building with an empty center.
6. Torre Velasca Tower in Milan, Italy
The mushroom tower is located in the very center of Milan. Torre Velasca definitely contrasts with the surrounding architecture, despite the fact that this tower was designed in the style of Italian medieval castles. Since its construction in 1954, it has evoked a wide range of emotions among citizens - some admire this building, while others criticize it for being too large for these places.
7. Kingdom Tower in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The mosque tower, made in the shape of a keyhole, is located in the Arab city of Riyadh. It is the tallest building in Saudi Arabia and the second tallest mosque in the world. The Kingdom Tower, also known as the Burj Al Mamlaka, has been named "Most Stylish Skyscraper" by the prestigious Emporis Skyscraper Awards. It is interesting to note that the architects created the keyhole at the top of the building due to local laws prohibiting the construction of large objects above a certain height.
8. Lloyd's building in London, UK
Lloyd's building in London
Lloyd's building in London
Lloyd's building in London
The Llloyd's building, located in the English capital, has become a classic of high-tech architectural style. This unusual complex attracts the attention of passers-by with pipes, cables, elevators, stairs and other engineering elements taken out to the outside. All this was done in order to maximize the internal space.
The Hong Kong office complex Lippo, consisting of two towers (48 and 44 floors), was built in 1988. The author of this skyscraper is the American architect Paul Rudolph. He is the original idea of creating large object of two towers, remotely resembling koalas hugging tree trunks.
10. Wooden skyscraper in Arkhangelsk, Russia
The tallest wooden building in the world, a 13-story "skyscraper" in Arkhangelsk, was built by Russian mobster Nikolai Sutyagin. It seems incredible that he built the house alone for 15 years, adding new floors every year. However, after his next imprisonment, the finally completed house turned out to be unnecessary to anyone and was demolished in 2012.
11. Watts Towers in Los Angeles, USA
Reaching over 30 meters in height, the Watts Towers were erected by the Italian immigrant Simon Rodia in 33 years. A simple Italian who knew nothing about construction used piles of scrap metal, plastic, sea shells, empty glass bottles and other garbage to create this masterpiece. Today, the incredible complex is considered one of the symbols of Los Angeles and is listed as a National Historic Monument.
12. Umeda Skyscraper in Osaka, Japan
Nestled in the southern tropics of China, the Vanke Center, designed by American architect Stephen Hall, is considered the world's first "horizontal skyscraper". Built in 2009, the complex is an intricate structure of towers literally lying on its side. The Vanke Center is considered one of the most significant environmentally friendly structures in the history of mankind.The construction of skyscrapers is a kind of competition between architects, and the height of the building plays a very significant role. The largest skyscrapers European continent included in our review. However, it is worth noting that today skyscrapers should not only impress people with their dimensions, but also create a favorable environment for them, which they successfully cope with.
World of travel
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01.05.17 10:35
The construction of the very first skyscraper began 133 years ago - on May 1, 1884 in Chicago. We would hardly call a 10-story building a skyscraper, but for the end of the 19th century it was an event! Today, everyone is spoiled by the engineering and architectural curiosities that tower in the United Arab Emirates, and the Empire State Building in New York or the unusual Shard skyscraper that has recently appeared in London have successfully fit into the city landscapes. We will not remember the famous Burj Khalifa in Dubai or the powerful buildings built by the Donald Trump company, but look at other unusual skyscrapers in the world.
From a giant toy to a high-rise pool: unusual skyscrapers of the planet
Robot giant in Bangkok
What is Bangkok for a tourist who came to Thailand for the first time? Magnificent ancient temples, noisy nightclubs and floating markets with various goodies. Have you heard about the unusual skyscrapers of this Asian city? For example, a structure in the form of a giant robot, located in the South Sathorn district, grew up in the Thai capital in 1986. Its architect, Sumet Jumsay, wanted to move away from the boring Art Nouveau and was inspired by his son's toy. On the other hand, the building was supposed to house the Bank of Asia, so the "robot" symbolized the computerization of the country's financial sector. Interestingly, almost every detail of the giant performs some function. For example, the protruding "bolts" are umbrellas, and the "caterpillars" of the robot are canopies.
"Unfinished" tower "MahaNakhon" of the capital of Thailand
Architect Ole Shiren, who also received a large order from one of the firms in Bangkok, had to be "creative" with might and main! The designer was asked to come up with a building that would dominate the urban landscape and could outdo the same "robot" and other wonderful buildings. Shiren found an original solution, so one of the most unusual skyscrapers on the planet was born - the 310-meter MahaNakhon tower.
Spiral terraces give the impression that the building is either not completed or is about to collapse on passers-by with a "hail" of building blocks. Bangkok's tallest skyscraper houses a 150-room boutique hotel, multi-level shopping center, 200 apartments, there is a panoramic restaurant on the roof, and the evening illumination of the building is fantastic.
St Mary Ax: London Gherkin
For a while, let's digress from the Asian wonders (although for some reason it is in this part of the world that they are very fond of unusual skyscrapers) and move to the capital of Great Britain. Despite the merits of the Shard, another design will make it to our top - the 40-story tower of St. Mary Ax 30. Its shape and the mesh “peel” covering the building cannot be forgotten (it was for this shell of green glass that the skyscraper was nicknamed “Cucumber” or “ Gherkin").
The tower was built in the first half of the 2000s by Norman Foster and cost over $400 million to build. On the upper floors of the "Cucumber" there are several restaurants with amazing views of London, the lower floors can be visited by anyone.
Lippo Center in Hong Kong and trunk-hugging koalas
If St. Mary Ax looks elegant: solid glass, smooth curves (not a single corner, which allows the winds to go around the walls), then the Lippo-centre office complex seems a little clumsy.
And yet this is also the most unusual skyscraper, because when the American architect Paul Rudolph designed two towers, he imagined several koalas clinging to two trees. Take a closer look: there are paws! One tower is slightly lower than the other - 44 floors and 48 floors. The Lippo Building has stood in Hong Kong since 1988.
Kingdom Tower in Riyadh: a huge keyhole
What does this unusual skyscraper remind you of? That's right, a bottle opener, that's what witty tourists call it - "Opener", although according to the architects' idea it is a "keyhole".
The Kingdom Tower (or Burj Al Mamlaka) built in Riyadh has managed to bypass city laws that ban buildings taller than 30 stories. The same law does not limit the height of the tower, so the architects came up with an extraordinary “top” of the structure. There is nothing in the building! A bank, a huge shopping center, a mosque for women, a luxury hotel. At the same time, the Kingdom Tower dominates urban development and remains the tallest building not only in Riyadh, but throughout Saudi Arabia.
Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong: Not Feng Shui!
When the construction of the Bank of China Tower was completed (1990), it set a record for height (was the highest tall building outside the US). A bizarre shape with many sharp corners became the subject of controversy: feng shui experts believed that these corners interfere with the flow of positive energy and adversely affect neighboring houses.
But the discussions subsided, and if you look at the photo of the panorama of Hong Kong from the water, then the building of the Bank Tower compares favorably with the same type of high-rise "brothers". This is especially noticeable at night, when the building becomes part of a spectacular light show.
Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur: "serious" and "fun"
The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur are the tallest twin buildings on the planet (451.9 meters) and very unusual skyscrapers that adorn the capital of Malaysia.
With the outward identity of “twins”, one of the buildings is “serious” (there are offices of a large oil company), the other is much “more fun” with its impressive shopping center, attractions and an observation deck, from which the city “lies at your feet”.
Ryugyong in Pyongyang: an overwhelming landscape
In our top list of unusual skyscrapers in the world, there are not only beautiful buildings, but also rather ridiculous ones, which include the Ryugyong skyscraper, which rises in the midst of the Pyongyang residential area. No wonder the reputable edition of Esquire gave Ryugyong the insulting "title" of "the ugliest building in the history of mankind." And they were not afraid: after all, as you know, criticizing North Korea is fraught! The skyscraper is occupied by the hotel of the same name, which began to be built in 1987. The history of the construction of Ryugyong is long and sad: there were not enough funds, construction was either stopped or resumed and was completed only in 2014. A 105-story triangle with strange architectural elements (from some angles it looks like a missile with a warhead) is made of concrete and overwhelms the landscape of Pyongyang.
Umeda Sky: Futuristic Osaka
Japan is ahead of the rest when it comes to "urban futurism", which is why the ultra-modern Umeda Sky building in Osaka got into our rating of the most unusual skyscrapers. These are also twin towers of a unique design, which are connected by several dangerous-looking bridges.
Almost at the very top of the 40-story Umeda complex is a luxurious observatory from which you can see almost every corner of Osaka. There is also an escalator with glass "webbed" vaults - it is also good to admire the city panorama from these windows (if you do not suffer from dizziness).
Marina Bay Sands: a graceful boat soaring among the clouds
We gave the top line of the top of the world's unusual skyscrapers to the incredible building of Singapore, which immediately became the hallmark of the city-state. This skyscraper "Marina Bay Sands", consisting of three towers, united by the likeness of a boat that seems to soar in the sky. The complex can accommodate 45,000 people (at the same time): these are visitors to the casino, resort, hotel of the same name, museum, theater, shopping center, cute cafes and restaurants.
Another feature of this unusual skyscraper: on the roof (of the same “boat”) there is an infinity high-altitude pool. Swimming in it is combined with admiring the greatest urban panorama of the beautiful city.
Coin (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
Shutterstockskyscraper kings last years became the Arabs, who thus demonstrate their wealth. Therefore, the choice of a coin for the shape of one of the buildings is quite logical. This skyscraper is the headquarters of the Aldar construction company. By the way, this is another trend in the world of skyscrapers: many of them are initially built by order of a particular wealthy company. The design was developed by Qatari architects. The building was completed in 2010 in just seven months and became the first round skyscraper in the world.
Opener (Shanghai, China)
shanghai world financial center
ReutersIn China, they built a building that resembles a bottle opener, as the skyscraper is unofficially called. Inside is the Shanghai World Financial Center. The opening at the top, which is meant to reduce air resistance, was originally supposed to be round, but the Chinese didn't like the idea: they figured it would look like the rising sun on the Japanese flag. As a result, the circle was replaced by a trapezoid.
Flame (Baku, Azerbaijan)
Flame (Baku, Azerbaijan)
ShutterstockA group of skyscrapers in Baku is made in the form of giant torches. It could be both a sail and a fin, but the towers are completely covered with LED screens, the colors of which clearly indicate that the buildings symbolize fire. The complex consists of three towers of different heights and different purposes: a hotel, apartments and offices are located here. The project, obviously, refers to the coat of arms of Baku, where flames are depicted.
Broken Ring (Beijing, China)
ShutterstockDescribing the shape of this skyscraper is not an easy task. In general, this is a broken ring of five horizontal and vertical sections. Most of the ring hangs above the ground. Round in such a ring, of course, is not enough, and the people called the building "panties". The skyscraper was intended for the headquarters of China Central Television (CCTV), but the complex also included a hotel, theater and exhibition space.
Hashtag (Seoul, Korea)
Hashtag (Seoul, Korea)
ShutterstockIn an effort to keep up with the times, a group of Danish architects designed a complex of towers that together resemble the symbol # - octotorp, which is also called a "lattice" or "hash". Therefore, what is entered in social networks through this sign is called a hashtag. So the inhabitants of Seoul nicknamed the towers. Inside, according to the project, there are apartments, although the tower itself should open the entrance to the Yongsang business district and become its symbol.
Hieroglyph (Shanghai, China)
Hieroglyph (Shanghai, China)
ShutterstockSymbols were also used in China: the hieroglyph chosen for this skyscraper means “people”. The building was built specifically for the World Expo in China, which was held in 2010. There are conference halls, sports, water and cultural centers. In the place where the two parts of the building merge together, the hotel begins.
Revolving tower (Dubai, UAE)
ShutterstockA tower resembling a DNA helix will no longer surprise anyone. There are many such projects, we can remember the Evolution tower in Moscow City, Turning Torso in Malmö, Sweden or Cayan Tower in Dubai. But the Arabs did not calm down here either: it seemed to them that a static twisted tower was not enough, and they decided to build a rotating skyscraper. So far, this is only a project, but it already has potential investors. An additional feature of the project is its environmental friendliness. It is assumed that the building will become a power plant with wind turbines and will be able to provide energy for itself and neighboring houses.
The 300-meter "Shard" is the tallest building in the European Union and perhaps the most advanced skyscraper in the world (at least until the opening of the new World Trade Center in New York). An example of what a high-rise building should be like after September 11, 2001: at the bottom - a transport hub, inside - a powerful core that can withstand a collision with an airplane, and a technological filling with smart energy-saving, ventilation and rainwater recycling systems. The high-rise cost $750 million.
Located in the former port area of Rotterdam, the De Rotterdam complex is the largest building in the Netherlands and the favorite brainchild of Rem Koolhaas, who wanted to build an outwardly “cheap” and ideal office building in its facelessness. The 150-meter-high eight-block glass wall houses offices, a hotel, apartments, as well as meeting rooms and a shopping center at the base. The large-scale project lay on the shelf for more than ten years, but during the 2008 crisis, contractor services became seriously cheaper, and it was launched. As a result, the building cost $ 500 million, but six months after the opening, it is mostly empty. Some of the offices are occupied by the city government.
"House on Mosfilmovskaya"
The orange tower "Mercury" in "Moscow City" is considered the most tall skyscraper Europe, but the most spectacular Russian skyscraper is, of course, the “House on Mosfilmovskaya” by Sergei Skuratov. Along with Yuri Grigoryan, Skuratov came up with the idea of selling modern modernist architecture as a luxury and succeeded in this: a two-hundred-meter tower can hardly be called an ordinary residential building. Because of the conflict between Don-Stroy Invest and the capital's mayor's office, they wanted to partially demolish the high-rise building on Mosfilmovskaya, but after Yuri Luzhkov left the project in its original form. Despite an almost five-year delay in construction, last year the building was also included in the list of the world's top skyscrapers according to Emporis.
Shenzhen Exchange
Bordering Hong Kong, industrial Shenzhen seems to be the most main city on the planet: in many years it will be used to judge how megacities looked like in early XXI century. In addition to the cyclopean Foxconn factory, where gadgets are assembled by several hundred thousand workers, in Shenzhen you can find a futuristic airport or an experimental stock exchange building. The 250-meter skyscraper is another project by Rem Koolhaas. Thanks to the unexpected shape, the building received more spaces for communication and recreation.
Last year's Emporis winner is a fifty-story aluminum-clad residential tower in suburban Toronto. The Chinese architects from MAD gave the skyscrapers a curving bionic shape so that each of the residents gets a unique experience within the same building.
Jean Nouvel's skyscraper in Doha is reminiscent of his other project, Barcelona's iridescent Torre Agbar, headquarters of the city's local water service. The architect not only used energy-saving technologies, but also covered the building with a shading grid in the spirit of traditional Islamic architecture, which saves on ventilation. The fifty-story office building cost $125 million.
"Flame Towers"
Where to look for the most spectacular modern architecture in the area former USSR? Not in Moscow - it is worth going to Baku. IN last decade the largest and most spectacular buildings by the world's superstar architects appeared primarily in China or the capitals of the Eastern oil powers. Azerbaijan is no exception: Zaha Hadid builds here, and it is not difficult to find three skyscrapers in the form of two hundred meter flames. Opened last year, the complex consists of offices, a hotel and apartments. And its entire facade is covered with LED screens imitating fire.
Al-Bahar Towers
Two 30-story Al-Bahar towers in Abu Dhabi refute the term "real estate": their parts are moving. To protect the interior from the heat of the day, the engineers placed a blanket of shading golden honeycomb over the façade. However, the architects went further than Jean Nouvel's project in Qatar: computer-controlled outer layer opens and closes depending on the light - from a completely free state in the morning to a deaf shell at noon.
The newest building on this list, opened just a couple of months ago. Thanks to its graceful form, the 250-meter skyscraper on the banks of the Danube took second place in the Emporis competition, losing only to Renzo Piano's Shard. Inside the skyscraper are offices of medical companies, and on the first 15 floors there is a four-star hotel. Next year, a second skyscraper 150 meters high will appear next to DC Tower 1 - the great Frenchman Dominique Perrault conceived the entire complex as two parts of a divided monolith.
CCTV Headquarters
Rem Koolhaas's third and largest exercise in the skyscraper genre: ironically, in 2003, the architect promised to kill high-rise buildings, and he himself became the author of several original projects over the course of a decade. The headquarters of China Central Television is a broken ring 234 meters high, most of which hangs over the surrounding space. The construction lasted eight years and cost $800 million. The architects clearly followed the idea of skeuomorphism: the TV center's working premises are located in the "legs" of the building, while the management is located in the upper premises of the complex, which are placed 75 meters forward above the base.
Sheraton Huzhou Hotel
The Sheraton Hotel in China's Huzhou is almost half the size of the television center in Beijing and as much more expensive: a thirty-story aluminum and concrete recreation and entertainment complex cost $ 1.5 billion. Like the twisted towers in Toronto, the building has a bionic shape. However, this is not so much a whim of architects (with modern development technology, you can build a building of any shape), how ingenious engineering solution that allows you to lighten the design and better withstand earthquakes.
