The Desire for Tallest Building Persists

New York Times ^ | July 27, 2005 | ROBIN POGREBIN

[MinorityRepublican]

Given the haunting image of the collapsing twin towers, it's hard for many Americans to fathom the enduring urge to build tall.

Yet now come plans for the nation's tallest skyscraper, a condominium and hotel building designed by Santiago Calatrava for Chicago's Near North lakefront. At 2,000 feet, the building, the Fordham Spire, would beat out the 1,776-foot Freedom Tower planned for ground zero. At about 2,000 feet tall, the Fordham Spire would be the tallest building in the United States when all building elements are counted.

Internationally, both of these designs are dwarfed by the Burj Tower under construction in Dubai, which is expected to reach 2,300 feet. Once completed, the Burj will overtake Taipei 101, a 1,667-foot office tower, as the world's tallest. And the Taipei building is certainly a short-time record holder; only in October did it surpass the 1,483-foot Petronas Towers in Malaysia.

"There are real bragging rights to being the tallest that go back 3,000 years," said Carol Willis, the founder and director of the Skyscraper Museum in Manhattan. "Exceeding or exalting for spiritual reasons or a demonstration of power dates back from Babylon on - wanting to take a place in history, reserve a place in the timeline. Height is a fixation."

For all the talk about jitters deterring potential tenants of a future Freedom Tower, the 9/11 terrorist attack has done little or nothing to diminish a global appetite to touch the sky. "The number of tall buildings being built around the world is at an all-time high," said Ron Klemencic, chairman of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, a professional group.

Chicago already has three of the 15 tallest buildings in the world: the Sears Tower, the John Hancock Center and Aon Center.

[MinorityRepublican]

[E Rocc]

(formerly) Skyscrapers.com.

-Eric

[kublia khan]

I hope that it's 2000 feet taller than the freedom tower. The only thing funny about the Donald is his hair but he's right about the freedom tower it shows little imagination and in my humble opinion does not send the strong message to the Bas***ds that blew up the WTC that needs to be sent.

[MinorityRepublican]

I hope that it's 2000 feet taller than the freedom tower. The only thing funny about the Donald is his hair but he's right about the freedom tower it shows little imagination and in my humble opinion does not send the strong message to the Bas***ds that blew up the WTC that needs to be sent.

It would be nice to do that in New York. But it looks like the next tallest building in America will have to be built in Chicago, Houston, or Miami.

[Brett66]

[CO Gal]

Who'd insure the darn thing and who'd want to work in the top floors??

[MinorityRepublican]

Heh, what's that drill for?

[MinorityRepublican]

Who'd insure the darn thing and who'd want to work in the top floors??

I would. I have the gonads to do this. Most Americans will feel the same way.

[Captainpaintball]

One of the supposed problems with these tall towers is the dificulty of filling the space inside the building. Another problem is if something happened to the tower (i.e. terrorist attack) the casualty rate that would occur.

I have the solution, I think: Build the tower, but build it narrower. And have empty space between certain floors. I'm not an architect, so I am likely talking out of my Fonda here, but a narrow tower (with 1/2 the square footage per floor vs. the average) with "nice looking" empty spaces or structural support spaces randomly (or deliberately) put in between floors would: 1.) reduce the unused space most big buildings deal with. 2.) make the existing floor space more desireable (re: expen$ive) 3.) Make the building look "different" or "cooler" 4.) Strengthen the building and make it more resistant to natural forces.

[Captainpaintball]

Who'd insure the darn thing and who'd want to work in the top floors??

Illegal aliens and H1-B visa recipients! We need to put them somewhere!

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

Don't forget constantly manned anti-aircraft batteries.

[Brett66]

For the worlds largest drill bit. ;)

[MinorityRepublican]

For the worlds largest drill bit. ;)

Gotcha, it makes sense from the picture now, lol. It's past my bedtime.

[tubebender]

I don't do pictures but here is a link to The Bridge to Nowhere by Calatrava. If you Google Sundial bridge you will get lots of hits...

[kublia khan]

open spaces in the building would not make it stronger. All forces that effect a building of that size would have to be born by less bracing which is what each floor provides. Gravitational forces in a upper floor collapse would be able to gain additional momentum due to the lack of impediment thereby increasing the probability of a full structure failure.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

Heck, Make It an Even Mile High!

[MinorityRepublican]

We need some nationalism in this country. Are we gonna let the Arabs build the tallest building in the World in Dubai?

[FreeKeys]

The Desire for Tallest Building Persists

For YOU, maybe; not for me. Thanks anyway...

Cities are OBSOLETE. 
Now, everybody:
SPREAD OUT!

'Smart Growth' is dead. LONG LIVE SPRAWL! (Duh...)

WHY sprawl

13 MYTHS about "sprawl"

[beaver fever]

Did they bother to test it in a wind tunnel?

The turbulance around that thing would propably bring it down.