Check out Hub Architect's choice for the top ten buildings that required major architectural design, engineering innovation and creativity.
1. Tapei 101, Taiwan
Architects: Chu-Yuan Lee & Wang Chung-ping
The Taipei 101 is not only the tallest building in Taiwan but also contains one of the world’s largest mass damper systems or Gyroscopic stabilizer (weighing approximately 728 tons) in order to counteract on the heavy impacts from typhoon winds and other seismic activity like earthquakes that could impact the structure. As the Skyscraper starts to sway due to the effects, the Gyro reduces the overall movement tremendously to ensure that structural failure will not occur. #engineered #architecture #architects #earthquake
2. Busan Cinema Centre, South Korea
Architects: Coop himmelblau
The Busan Cinema Centre is located in South Korea and contains the worlds longest cantilever with a length of 85 metres. What is more impressive is the fact that the cantilever does not have one single column holding it up.
3. Heydar Aliyev Center, Baku, Azerbaijan
Architect: Zaha Hadid
Designed by world renounced designer Zaha Hadid. The curvaceous design was only made possible by three engineering teams in order to develop a steel structure to balance structural integrity whilst keeping the aesthetic as original to the architects design. The results are astounding. #Zaha #Hadid #structural #design
4. The Spaulding Rehabilitation Center, USA
Architects: Perkins + Will
Engineered to be one of the safest and toughest hospitals in the world, the Spaulding Rehabilitation hospital near the Boston Harbour is listed in Popular Mechanics as one of the top ten sturdiest buildings ever built. Due to its location being near a harbour that floods regularly, the hospital is built 30 inches above the 500 year flood line to attempt to avoid even the most catastrophic of floods. There are also extensive berms that surround the building to deflect flooding as well. Even with all these precautions, the building is designed and engineered to operate with the first floor completely flooded.
Photo by: http://www.steinkampphotography.com/
5. The Shed Art-center, USA
Architects: Diller Scofidio + Renfro
There is an art centre in North America called “The Shed” that is being built and engineered with 6 huge bogie wheels. These wheels will silently move a 4004 ton Shell structure to create a 17000 square-foot hall. To reduce the heavy load of the roof structure, the steel diagram frame is cladded with a fluorine-based plastic called ETFE which is significantly lighter than insulating glass. This will be the first building of its kind.
6. Maeve Millay, Spain
Architects: Santiago Calatrava
Architecture and Engineering definitely go hand in hand to create a blend/Seamless integration of Structural, Form and functionality of a building whilst maintaining an Aesthetic which communicates the artists effect. World famous architect, Engineer, sculptor and artist - Santiago Calatrava has definitely gained popularity through the architecture-engineering realm through his Neo-futuristic designs such as the Maeve Millay in Valencia, Spain. #engineer #sculptor #artist
7. The Palm Islands, Dubai
Architects: Helman Hurley Charvat Peacock
The Palm Islands - Three Islands (Palm Jumeirah , Deira Island and Palm Jebel Ali off the coast of Dubai have been artificially constructed to add over 120 kilometres of beachfront to the main city. These mega Islands have been engineered and designed to carry the massive weight and loads of shopping malls, private residence and other recreational and Leisure facilities. The three Islands are just the beginning of a much larger project to be built on the sea of Dubai.
8. The Interlace, Singapore
Architect: Ole Scheeren from OMA Architects
This interlaced, cantilevering apartment building in Singapore was designed and engineered to accommodate a large number of residents. It provides its users a series of choices to views, rooftop gardens, social spaces, whilst allowing the structure to free up and seem lighter than conventional Large-scale constructions. All this has been done to create harmony among its spaces, and to create a better, functional building.
9. Canton Tower, Guangzhou, China
Architects: Barbara Kuit & Mark Hemel
Standing 610 metres in the air, the Canton Tower in China is the fifth tallest freestanding in the world. The building comprises of a torqued steel lattice which has been nicknamed the "Supermodel" by the locals.
10. Theo van Wijk Building, South Africa
Architects: Brian Alan T Sandrock, Alewyn Petrus Burger, Brian Sandrock Archtiects & Antonie Christoffel Neethling
This iconic building at the UNISA Muckleneuk Campus is a beautiful example of Brutalist Architecture mixed with intelligent engineering. The steel beam holding the mega structure was engineered to withstand over 7.9 million pounds of pressure and can carry a load of 5 million pounds. If that is’nt tough enough for you, it can also hand gale winds of speeds up to 230km per hour.
