The National Aquatics Centre in Beijing, China - known as “The Water Cube” - for obvious reasons, is now complete. The Water Cube will feature aquatic events for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. The building’s structural design, which is based on the natural formation of soap bubbles to give a random, organic appearance, used research undertaken by Weaire and Phelan (professors of physics) into how soap bubbles might be arranged in an infinite array.
To bring the design to life, the individual bubbles were incorporated into a plastic film and tailored like a sewing pattern. An entire section is pieced together and then put into place within the structure. There are interior and exterior films, and the film was then inflated in-situ.
Arup is the consultancy company that designed the project.
Photos of the exterior during construction:
Continue reading ‘Watercube in Beijing 2008′
Dubai continues to grow at an astounding pace and these pictures show a planned bridge which will become the biggest, tallest arch bridge in the world when complete.
New York Architect, FXFOWLE’s proposal for the architectural design of a 1-mile long and 673-feet tall bridge in Dubai was selected by the country’s Roads & Transport Authority in a major international design competition. The firms winning bridge design is poised to join five existing Dubai Creek crossings (four bridges and one tunnel), further advancing the infrastructure and transportation initiatives in Dubai. Construction will begin next month.
Continue reading ‘The Sixth Crossing at Dubai Creek’
Brookfield Properties’ Hudson Yards proposal in New York “aims to bring New York into the 21st Century.”
The MTA, in co-operation with the State and City of new York, issued a request for Proposals to regenerate and rejuvenate the active rail yards on Manhattan’s far west side. Brookfield’s plans attempt to integrate Hudson Yards into the city proper whilst creating what they feel will be New York’s next great neighborhood.
The ambitious plans include Galleries, cafés, a soaring gateway, and rolling meadows. Also included is a cultural center with plans for public performances.
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The Burj al Alam (which means “World Tower” in English) would be a 108 storey, 501m skyscraper in the Business Bay area of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Burl al Alam would constitute of 74 floors of office space, a retail area at the base, and a high-end hotel and serviced apartments in the top 27 floors. The plan for the hotel section is to make is the world’s highest set of hotel rooms which would be over 400m high. The crown of the building which would be the final 6-storeys would have a Turkish bath, sky garden, and other club facilities. Expected completion date is 2010.
Continue reading ‘Burj Al Alam Dubai Construction starts’
Construction has started on the Odra Tower in Wroclaw, Poland. The building is scheduled for completion 2009.
Due to translation issues, we are not certain of the exact final specifications. There will be between 31 and 35 floors when complete, and will either be white, grey or black, depending. As we understand it, this is still in some doubt. Other specs include:
START: 2007
COMPLETION: 2009
STATUS: U/C
HEIGHT: 137,4 meter
148 meter spire
FLOORS: 35 + 4 underground floors
TOTAL AREA: 44.805,26m²
GROSS FLOOR AREA: 29.052m²
ARCHITECT: IMB Asymetria Cracow, Dziewoński-Łukaszewicz Wroclaw, International Corp. Niras
INVESTOR: Reinvestment
Continue reading ‘ODRA Tower Construction Wroclaw, Poland’
ALDAR is slightly ahead of schedule and the first phase of it’s central market project and suggesting it will be finished by mid-2008.
Mushrif were awarded the 113 million dirham contract to complete Phase 1 of the project; the underground parking structures of Central Market. ALDAR’s strategy to secure early phase completion dates, using an integrated fast-track construction approach to this highly complex mixed-use development, was critical in choosing Mushrif, a multi-disciplined, civil and heavy engineering contractor.
The development’s massive excavation is now complete along with the majority of its substantial permanent pile foundations. The Souq foundations are complete, with the new construction works progressing upwards to the ground surface. One of the interesting facets of this construction project is the use of A DeltaBase 102, a double-head anchor drill rig for rotary and percussive drilling, featuring a special slewing-rotating mast operating in conjunction with the drill-feed carrier and swivel head via a scissor-action arrangement that enables the drill feed to deploy to the right or left of the machine body. The hydraulics are controlled using the latest load-sensing system.
Continue reading ‘Aldar Central Market Abu Dhabi’
China Central Television’s (CCTV) HQ will be completed to broadcast the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
The project began in March 2003 following a review of the design by a panel of Chinese experts. It is being constructed next to the 3rd Ring Road in Beijing, China, on a 10 ha site in the new Central Business District.
The development is being undertaken by the Chinese Government as part of a plan to redevelop central Beijing with innovative and functional architecture, while preserving historic buildings at the same time.
The new building will involve two ‘L’ shaped high-rise towers linked at the top and the bottom at an angle to form a loop, which has been described as a ‘Z’ criss-cross.
The total construction cost is estimated at €600 million. The CCTV tower will employ 10,000 people following completion in 2008.
Continue reading ‘CCTV Tower Beijing’
