Construction technologies and the secrets of the rotation of the Shanghai Tower. Foundation features. Photos of different stages. The parameters of the tallest building in Asia. Reminder to tourists. Shanghai tower observation deck

The Shanghai Tower is the newest skyscraper in the Chinese metropolis. This is not only the tallest building in Shanghai, but also the tallest tower in all of China, and indeed the third tallest building in the world. For many years, the 632-meter tower has become the dominant of the main Shanghai view -.

During a trip to China, I went up to the observation deck in this tower to look at Shanghai from a height of 550 meters. However, the weather in the city is not a simple matter, and once again I experienced the peculiarities of Shanghai smog...

1. In terms of height, the Shanghai Tower (632m) is second only to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai (830m), and the Tokyo Skytree in Japan (634m - there is only a two-meter gap here!) building in the world.

2. The skyscraper was completed in 2015, and gradually opened throughout 2016. It is adjacent to two other ultra-tall buildings in Shanghai: Jinmao (left) and the World Financial Center, popularly known as the "opener" (middle).

3. These three skyscrapers, as well as the Oriental Pearl TV tower, make up the main view of Shanghai, its calling card. In the evening, all these buildings are illuminated by bright lights, and are reflected in the waters of the Huangpu River - I would not be surprised if this is the most photographed frame in all of China.

4. My history with the Shanghai Tower began back in 2013 when I first visited China. Then, having arrived at the end of the trip to Shanghai, I saw a huge skyscraper, still under construction, standing next to two already impressive skyscrapers.

5. The unfinished tower looked very imposing, and a little ominous, especially in the late afternoon. The jagged silhouette of the structure looked like something out of Star Wars, some kind of powerful fortress of some kind of space villain.

If you remember, next year a video made a lot of noise, where two Russian-speaking roofers penetrate the tower under construction, and on foot climb to the very top, and then into the boom of a construction crane. Here is the video (be careful, I got a little dizzy from watching!):

6. Then, when I arrived in Shanghai at the beginning of 2016, the tower was already completed, but unfortunately, the authorities did not manage to open it before my arrival. And I never managed to photograph it properly: the peak was hidden among thick clouds.

7. I saw how the workers were bringing the last details of the building before the opening, but unfortunately they were not allowed inside then. The tower officially opened later in 2016.

And now, a couple of years later, I finally got the chance to go upstairs, on the observation deck (after all, where is such a noble skyscraper without an observation deck ?!)

8. My hotel and office were in a nearby opener (...Spoiler alert: the commute to work wasn't as short as I expected.) Turns out the opener and the Shanghai Tower are connected by a futuristic underpass. When I saw him, at first I was afraid that someone would come and kick me out of this beautiful space. But then it turned out that this is just an ordinary passage through which people from a nearby metro station get to the main skyscraper of the city.

9. Although it was possible to pass through such a transition, in order to buy tickets to the observation point, you need to go outside to a specially equipped ticket office. The base ticket price for adults is 180 yuan (that's about $26). In addition, you can buy a ticket to the 25th floor (more on that later)

10. Almost all the observation decks of the main skyscrapers of the world make the visitor first go down the escalator. Near the entrance to the observation deck, the mascots of the event are sitting, two bears of a very intelligent appearance.

11. The canon of the genre: before going upstairs, the visitor must pass through the framework of a metal detector, and then he enters a mini-museum of the construction of this and other skyscrapers in the world. Here the tourist can learn various facts about the Shanghai Tower through various multimedia installations.

12. Other tower-brothers are also presented. For example, .

But about Tokyo Skytree, they decided to keep silent. Well, in the end, what is a two-meter difference? ..

14. But in one of the corners with talisman bears, St. Basil's Cathedral is painted, which is identified abroad with all of Russia. I don't quite understand what he's up to...

15. I go to the elevator...

16. And then I find out that this is not just an elevator, but the fastest elevator in the world, which runs at a speed of up to 20 meters / second. Near its doors there is even a letter from the Guinness Book of Records. Here is the luck!

17. Of course, inside the cabin there is a screen showing the speed. Unfortunately, I was not able to record the maximum speed of this elevator. Stupidly didn't make it.

18. And here I am at the top. This is the 118th floor, 546 meters above the ground. There aren't many people on the lookout right now...

19. And those who are, stand at the side, and try to see and photograph something.

20. It turns out they are not very good, since the view from the window is now like this:

21. The entire landscape is hidden by the famous Shanghai smog. You can barely see through it
the outlines of the nearest buildings, but in general nothing is visible. You can consider that I was unlucky with air quality, although in my experience, about 30% of the days in Shanghai are like that.

22. Next to the panoramic windows there is a mocking display showing what the picture could have been like if I arrived on another day. In fact, it's hard for me to imagine such a clear sky over Shanghai.

23. The only thing that shows through this gray veil is the neighboring skyscrapers. Here is Jinmao (built in 1998, height - 421 meters):

24. Next to it is the World Financial Center (2008, 494 meters):

25. Few visitors line up along the windows, trying to find a normal shot. No wonder they spent money on a ticket here. There must be at least one good photo!

26. Basically this photo is a shot of the "opener" outside the window. She hasn't fully merged with the mist yet.

27. One of the most popular attractions of tall skyscrapers is the "transparent floor" attraction. Since there is nowhere to do this in the Shanghai Tower, the designers inserted special touch monitors in one place into the floor, which begin to crack if you stand on them.

28. Soon pieces of the building fall off and the visitor is invited to stand on a glass surface at a height of 450+ meters and experience what it would be like to float above the ground at the same height. However, the picture quality leaves much to be desired.

29. Visitors to the tower look with curiosity at the fake floor with holes.

30. You can climb the stairs to the 119th floor.

31. Here the height is 552 meters. I remind you that the height of the observation deck in Burj Khalifa is 555m, only three meters higher. The network writes that the Shanghai Tower also has an observation tower on the 121st floor, and its height is 561 meters, that is. But at the time of my visit, they were not allowed in - it seems that it has not yet been opened since the completion of the tower.

32. There is a souvenir shop on the lookout. Here you can buy all sorts of uninteresting trinkets made in the image and likeness of the tower.

33. Who needs a pillow with a colorful view of the whole Pudong? .. Inexpensive! (Although possibly expensive, I haven't looked at it.)

34. If you bought a postcard in a souvenir, then you can send it right here - there is a mailbox on the observation deck. Just do not forget the stamp (you can also buy it in the souvenir shop).

35. Since this is still China, here. In the lobby of the observation room there is a charger for phones, and in general for everything electrical.

36. And here I saw a collection - I used to come across such only in Japan!

37. For some reason, an artificial tree was built here, which visitors decorate with hearts. The trunk and branches are made of papier-mâché, while the leaves are all plastic. The tree stands on a green "lawn" of photo wallpaper.

38. But next to it is a bench with real greenery. They can, when they want.

39. You can sit here and wait for the air to clear a bit (I actually left and came back the other evening).

40. When the smog is not as thick, there is a good view around the bend of the Huangpu River, including the old buildings of the early 20th century on the far bank. In the evening twilight, the colorful lights of Shanghai are lit.

41. Two neighboring skyscrapers are also clearly visible, and below the city streets turn into rivers of warm light.

42. On the far shore are numerous gaudy skyscrapers of Chinese architecture. Here it is for you, Sim City...

43. For an additional fee, the visitor can go up to the 125th floor. There is no view from there (there are no windows in this room), but there is something else interesting here.

44. A huge multi-ton load is suspended here, which stabilizes the Shanghai Tower from fluctuations in the wind and in the event of an earthquake. This cargo is made in the form of curving petals, and it is not very visible from the 125th floor. But this is the highest place where you can climb with ordinary tickets (you have to pay extra at the box office from the very beginning.)

45. They say there are private tours (they cost over $100) that take tourists to the 126th floor to see this thing in all its glory. I was not there, so I show you a photo from the network:

This is such an interesting skyscraper. Don't miss it when you're in Shanghai - you can visit it.

Modern China is growing and developing at a rapid pace. This is especially true of the city of Shanghai, in connection with which it is often called the Paris of the East. Over the past few decades, it has acquired the status of a major financial and economic center not only in China, but throughout the world. In one of its business districts, like mushrooms after the rain, dozens of modern skyscrapers with offices and banks have grown, each of which can be safely called a real architectural masterpiece. Be that as it may, one building that has become a local symbol stands out against their background - the Shanghai Television Tower, known as the "Oriental Pearl". Among all other similar buildings in Asia, it has the highest height.

general description

The construction of the facility, which was designed by Chinese engineer Jia Huangchen, lasted four years. The Shanghai Tower is located in the heart of the business district, on the east bank of Huangpu and is surrounded by bridges. Their silhouettes are somewhat reminiscent of gigantic reptiles. The building was commissioned in 1995. Its highest point is at around 468 meters, and the estimated weight is 120 thousand tons.

Be that as it may, it is not so much the dimensions of the building that amaze the imagination, but its architectural design, which is not repeated anywhere else on the planet. The exterior of the skyscraper blends traditional Chinese concepts with modern technology. At its base are reinforced concrete cylinders, the diameter of which is nine meters. Eleven huge spheres, which are meant as pearls, seem to be strung on the tower. The three largest balls among them have a functional purpose.

Structure

The lowest floor of the skyscraper is dedicated to the historical. Its amazing interior and wax figures located inside very clearly and vividly reflect the life of local people. Genre episodes from real life are recreated using emeralds, agates, pearls, jade and jasper on a huge screen made of natural stone.

In each of the areas, which are one of the main structural elements, there are galleries and shops. At the lowest among them, there is the "Space City" - an entertainment center, whose visitors have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world and appreciate what advanced technological successes modern China has achieved. The middle part of the building is allocated for a business hotel complex, which includes conference rooms and 25 rooms. Above the second sphere is the Oriental Pearl Restaurant, which is the highest location of its kind in Asia. Another feature of it is that it rotates around its own axis (one revolution per hour). The third sphere is set at a height of 267 meters. It is mainly used as an observation deck. Along with this, there is a concert hall, a club and shops.

Functional purpose

The cost of the entrance ticket, which gives the right to visit all observation decks on the tower, is 200 yuan.

When visiting the building, it is forbidden to carry with you not only piercing and cutting objects, but also water and lighters.

Initially, the Shanghai Tower was supposed to be done in pale green. Later, the designers rejected this idea due to the fact that the city itself is bright and dynamic. In other words, the building would look dull and would be lost in its background.

Depending on the time of day, the color of the building can change from light pink to mother-of-pearl, and at night its backlight turns on.

All six elevators are accompanied by flight attendants.

When riding an elevator, you can just look at the ceiling. There is a monitor broadcasting a video about the rise to a height.

In 2015, it will give way to the first Chinese and second world position to the Pingan International Financial Center under construction in the city of Shenzhen, and after 2016 it will become the 4th in the world, taking into account also India Tower in Mumbai.

Original taken from masterok in Skyscrapers of Shanghai: Shanghai Tower

I have already told you about the two skyscrapers in this picture. Here is the Shanghai World Financial Center, and here is Jin Mao. But now we'll talk about this twisted highest of the three.

The construction of the 121-story Shanghai Tower in China, which began in 2008, was completed earlier this year, and finishing work is now underway.

Here's how the construction went:

The Shanghai Tower is an ultra-tall building this moment the highest in the Chinese city of Shanghai, in the Pudong area. After the tower is completed, this building should become the tallest building in China, surpassing in height even such buildings as the Jin Mao Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center. According to the project, the height of the building will be about 650 meters, and the total area will be 380,000 m². The construction of the tower should be completed in 2014. When completed, the tower building will be the third tallest building in the world, behind only the Burj Khalifa in the UAE, whose height is 828 meters, and the Tree of Heaven in Tokyo, which is 634 meters high. In August 2013, the tower building was completed to roof level.

According to Fang Qingqiang, chief engineer of the project, the Shanghai Tower will house offices, shops, a five-star hotel, exhibition and conference halls, as well as recreation and entertainment areas.

With the completion of the construction of the main structures of the building, work began to attract businessmen to the development of this complex, said Gu Jianping, president of the Shanghai Tower developer company. The new building will help meet the strong demand for comfortable and luxurious office space, he said, while Shanghai is actively developing into an international financial center and free trade zone.

A skyscraper designed by the large American company Gensler. The spiral-curved tower, even at its unfinished 580-meter form, is already actually the tallest building in China, surpassing the previous record holder, the 492-meter high-rise of the World Trade Center located next door.

However, even after commissioning next year, the Shanghai Tower will not long take the lead in the race of Chinese skyscrapers: in 2016, it is planned to complete the construction of the 660-meter Pingan International Financial Center in Shenzhen. In addition, the construction of the Sky City Tower in Changsha, 838 meters high, has recently begun, but a few days later, due to lack of necessary permits, it was frozen.

In recent years, skyscraper construction on an unprecedented scale has unfolded throughout China. The Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and the Urban Environment predicts that by 2020, China will have six of the ten tallest buildings in the world.

When completed in 2014, the spiral megastructure, along with the neighboring Jin Mao Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center Tower, will complete the grand ensemble of three skyscrapers.

Shanghai Tower nominated for LEED Gold certification. The Shanghai Tower is built from nine cylinders stacked one on top of the other. The inner volume forms the building itself, while the outer façade creates a shell that rises up, rotating 120 degrees and giving the Shanghai Tower a curved appearance. The space between the two layers of the façade is created by nine sky garden atriums.

Just like in many other towers, the atrium of the Shanghai Tower traditionally houses restaurants, cafes and shops surrounded by lush landscaping in tandem with a large number of entrances to the tower and subway stations under the building. The interior of the Shanghai Tower and the transparent exterior skins create a visual connection between the interior of the tower and the urban fabric of Shanghai.

The tower will have the fastest elevators in the world, specially designed for it by Mitsubishi using innovative technologies. The double-height elevator cabins will carry the building's occupants and visitors skyward at 40 mph (17.88 m/s). The façade's cone, texture, and asymmetry work together to reduce the building's wind load by 24 percent. This will save building materials in the amount of $58 million USD.

The transparent inner and outer shells of the building bring the maximum amount of natural light into the premises, thereby saving on electrical energy.

The outer shell of the tower insulates the building, reducing energy consumption for heating and cooling. The tower's spiral parapet collects rainwater, which is used to heat the tower and the air conditioning system. Wind turbines located directly under the parapet generate power on site for the upper floors of the building.

Architects: Gensler

Owner, Developer . Contractor: Shanghai Tower Building & Development Co., Ltd.

Local Design Institute: Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tongji University

Civil Engineer: Thornton Tomasetti

Mep Engineer: Cosentini Associates

Landscape architect: SWA

Plot area: 30,370 square meters. Building area: 380,000 square meters above ground level; 141,000 square meters below ground level

Floors of the building: 121 floors

Height: 632 meters

Area: 0.0 sq.m.

Release year: 2014

Photos: Courtesy Gensler

1. TV tower Pearl of the East

2. Jin Mao Tower (Jinmao Dasha) - translated from Chinese "Golden Prosperity".

3. Skyscraper World Financial Center (Shanghai World Financial Center), popularly nicknamed "The Opener"

4. Shanghai Tower - Shanghai Tower - Shanghai Tower.

You can look at Shanghai (weather permitting) from a bird's eye view from the observation decks in these skyscrapers, one above the other. Directions to everyone - Tunnel under the river, taxi or subway - to Lujiazui subway station 陆家嘴, Line No. 2 (Green)

• Let's take a closer look at the observation decks in skyscrapers 1,2,3,4:

1. TV tower Pearl of the East东方明珠 or fuller name - 东方明珠广播电视塔

It has three viewing platforms: 90, 263 and 350 meters. Although the height of the tower itself (with a spire) is more significant - 468 meters. (For comparison - the Ostankino TV tower with a height of 540 m)
The Oriental Pearl TV Tower in Shanghai was, when built, the third tallest in the world and the first in Asia. But things change over time...

Visits in the evening, as more spectacular, are more expensive. There is a Buffet - Chinese buffet (Revolving restaurant (not cheap) for a fee)

Downstairs, in the TV tower, there is a very interesting Museum of Historical Development of Shanghai. Be sure to go (INCLUDED in the price of a ticket to visit ANY of the observation decks of the tower Pearl of the East.

Tickets for any observation deck of the TV tower), restaurant and museum are sold at the same box office (票房门票- box office).

The lighting of the TV tower is controlled by a computer: it changes depending on the weather and time of day!

There are many stalls with souvenirs, but they are more expensive even than those at the exit.

Very often in Jin Mao, the number "8" or a multiple of "8" is used. This is no coincidence. The number "8" in China is benevolent, associated with prosperity and wealth. Even in the address the number of "house" and then from the eights -88.

Tower height - 420.5 m

Observation deck on the 88th floor (the elevator lifts it in 45 seconds)

On the 87th floor - the huge windows "The Ninth Cloud" of the five-star Grand Hyatt Hotel

Order (instead of a ticket) a cocktail, coffee and admire the view of Shanghai. It is interesting to look into the giant well-abyss of the floors of this hotel:

86th floor - Restaurant "ClubJingMao" with Shanghai cuisine. Attention! Food is better than Canton cuisine (at the restaurant on the 55th floor) Expect about $40 per person.

55th floor - Delicious Cantonese Restaurant (Kantonese). Attention! The restaurant is quite expensive for China (also about $ 40 per person), there is also a bar on the same floor - "CloudBar". You can save.

Of course, these restaurants are attractive with a view from the windows. But the tables near the windows are very popular. So a couple of days before your visit, take care of booking a table near the window.

The suite - the Grand Hyatt Shanghai hotel - was the world's tallest hotel for a very short time: until another, higher skyscraper was built nearby - "Opener" with its hotel - Park Hyatt (about them later)

This one is five-star. Occupies floors 54 to 87 in the Jin Mao skyscraper.

The hotel lobby is on the 54th floor, and you can choose a room on any of the 33 floors located above. Prices for a double room start from 2500 yuan.

Address: Jinmao Tower, ShijiDadao, 88

(trans. Shiji Dadao 世纪大道)

The name of the street is translated as "Prospect of the Century"

The Jin Mao skyscraper was the tallest building in Shanghai until the Shanghai World Financial Center skyscraper was built next to it.

3. Skyscraper World Financial Center (Shanghai World Financial Center)

Height - 492 m-101 floor.

How the customers wanted the building to be as high as possible. At their request, the height during construction was increased by 32 meters (at first it was planned to be 460 m). They also asked to add a spire for higher growth, but then the architect and developer categorically said “no! It will be redundant"

With the shape of the hole (at the top to reduce air resistance) there were problems of a different kind. It was supposed to be round with a diameter of 46 m. ​​But the Chinese, with the mayor of the city at the head, suspected that it looked like the sun on the flag of Japan. And it was built by a Japanese company, although the designer was an American “Ah, cunning!” The Chinese probably thought, “They are dragging their flag! Don't be like this!" And categorically opposed the round. To which they were answered something like this: “God be with you!” And they replaced the hole with a trapezoidal one. “It is easier for us, the builders, and, by the way, it will cost you less. Yes, and at the heart of your Chinese - calmer.

Finally, in 2008 the skyscraper was built.

The highest observation deck - on the 100th floor - almost at the very top - 472 meters from where the panorama of Shanghai is simply amazing. The second is on the 97th floor. With a ticket, enter the venue once

Suite - Park Hyatt Hotel Occupies floors from 79 to 93 for rooms. The price for a double room starts from 3600 yuan.

If you are not afraid of height (and prices too) - admire the view of Shanghai in luxury for at least the whole day. High-class comfort and various "interesting things" such as self-cleaning mirrors in the bathroom with a built-in TV screen are created here.

Address: ShijiDadao, 100 (Shiji Dadao Lane 世纪大道).

Now you can look down on Jin Mao. What do we do)

4. The highest skyscraper gives 2014. Shanghai Tower - Shanghai Tower - Shanghai Tower. An idea is a symbol of a rational future.

Height - 632 m

There: a shopping center, nine high-rise gardens, observation decks, business centers, restaurants and cafes.

It is planned that high-rise gardens located in this building will prevent excessive heating - cooling of the building, improve air quality, and special devices will collect rainwater, which will then be used for wind turbines, air conditioning and heating the air inside the building. It will be a whole city...

Reference: So far, the tallest skyscraper in the world - Burj Khalifa (Burj Khalifa) - was built in Dubai in 2010 (United Arab Emirates). The height with the spire is 829.8 m, the number of floors is 163.

The United Arab Emirates do not want to give the palm to anyone. They say they want to build even higher. How will this "race" of skyscrapers end?

Well, if there is a desire to go further, choose a route, it is entertaining and interesting.

- the most technologically advanced skyscraper on the planet, it is the third free-standing structure in the world. The skyscraper is located in China, in the city of Shanghai. With a population of over 24 million, the metropolis of Shanghai, one of the most densely populated places in the world, is a world-class city.

Common data:

• Square: 380,000 m²
• investment size:$1.5 billion
  
• Bureau of Architecture:
• Year of commissioning: 2015
• Height: 632 meters
• Construction: 2008-2015
• Floors: 128

About the object:

In the mid-nineties, construction began on the Pudong area on the agricultural land of the East Bank of the river. 20 years ago, what is now Pudong was a quiet agricultural area. Now it has become an international business center. Now there are new high-rise buildings everywhere.

In November 2008, work began on one of the most stunning skyscrapers. The amazing Shanghai Tower, 632 meters high, will be the second largest building in the world, the highest both in China and among buildings erected in seismically active zones. This is the most modern building of its kind on the planet. 128 floors, 9 indoor gardens, will work to live and shop for 16 thousand people. A real heavenly city.

Difficulties in construction

Building in this area is extremely difficult. Super-tall buildings in Shanghai are an amazing phenomenon, you have to take into account the load created by the wind and seismic effects.

It would seem that for Dennis Poon and his fellow engineers this is an impossible task. Difficulties began at the very beginning of the construction of this massive building. In Shanghai, the danger is not only earthquakes and typhoons. The metropolis goes into soft soil, the earth under the city sags like a huge air mattress. The level of shallow groundwater is shifting under the weight of modern buildings.

In the construction of the Shanghai Tower, the main difficulty was laying the foundation that would support the skyscraper. How to realize the project of a building weighing 850,000 tons on the soft soil characteristic of this area?!

Hard rock is at a depth of 200 meters, while Shanghai is located on a soft layer consisting of clay sand and earth. Soil unsuitable for construction can absorb a building like the Shanghai Tower weighing 850,000 tons.

Foundation of the Shanghai Tower

Engineers have only one attempt, there is no room for error when building a structure of this height, in building a tower of such a large scale, it is most important to lay the foundation correctly in order to avoid problems in the future. Then nothing can be fixed.

During the construction of towers, the surface of the earth often presents unpleasant surprises. To create a skyscraper 11 times higher than the world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, Shanghai designers were inspired by the ideas of 19th century engineers.

The engineers could not allow the tower to sink. If the building begins to sag unevenly, it will begin to lean and collapse. In 2008, a two-year foundation project began, first driving hundreds of supporting piles into the soil, then pouring the foundation.

During the construction, a world record was registered, the concrete site was poured for 60 hours, 2 thousand workers and 450 concrete trucks were needed. 61 thousand cubic meters of cement mortar were poured into the foundation, this is another world record. The amount of solution is comparable to the Hoover Dam, created many years ago in America.

But that's not all the difficulties faced by the creators of this ultra-modern skyscraper.

Super-tall building needs tremendous support, 128 storey building, the 2nd tallest building in the world is not an ordinary house.

In the Middle Ages, the maximum height of buildings was limited by the thickness of their walls, since their weight was borne by the ceilings between floors. Tall buildings could only be built by very rich and influential people. Architects erected temples with thin walls and stained-glass windows, and external supporting elements were used to strengthen the buildings -. The buildings turned out to be wide, their creation was expensive. But soon everything changed.

With the invention of metal structures, it became possible to distribute the load on them, and not on load-bearing walls, which marked the beginning of modern high-rise buildings. When building the Shanghai Tower, the engineers used the same principle.

The 128-story building of the Shanghai Tower consists of steel, not iron structures. The advantages of steel structures are their lightness and high strength. The walls are made of glass. Each glass is covered by several floors like a giant curtain, this is possible thanks to the metal structures that hold them.

Between the walls and the interior space, which includes apartments, offices and hotel rooms, the architects left a space - an atrium.

elevators

The Shanghai Tower has the fastest elevators. Their speed is 18 meters per second. A total of 106 elevators, both conventional and two-story. One of them has the longest shaft in the world - 578.5 meters. Thousands of tourists also use elevators to climb to the observation deck on the top floor. When the installation of the elevators is completed, it will be possible to climb from the first to the last floor in 35 seconds.

Skyscraper protection from typhoons

But the Shanghai Tower, from which you can enjoy the beauties of the metropolis, will be strongly affected by the wind. Shanghai is located in the typhoon zone, protecting the tallest building in China from powerful hurricanes has become the main task of engineers.

On the 100th floor, the wind blows with a force of 4 kPa, the pressure is very high.

To avoid the swaying of the building, the skyscraper model was placed in an aerodynamic tube and tested for vibrations. The Shanghai Tower resembles a pyramid, and it was decided to make the building a little twisted after such a check. Thanks to it, the wind load on the building is reduced by 25%.

The spiral tower is a good example of striking design and good engineering. The architects added spiral arcs to the façade. Spiral arches were conceived as a decorative element, but after testing in a wind tunnel, a pleasant discovery awaited the architects.

The recesses help to reduce the formation of vortices around the tower, and this shape improves the aerodynamics of the building. The center of gravity is lower, this increases the stability of structures.

seismically active zone

The Shanghai tower is threatened by another destructive natural phenomenon, the city is located in a zone of seismic activity. The 2nd tallest building in the world must withstand not only hurricane gusts of wind up to 200 km/h, but also earthquakes.

In neighboring Japan, for many years no one could understand why all the tasks, except for the traditional pagodas, are destroyed during earthquakes. In the course of modern research, the secret has been uncovered. Firstly, the pagoda is a very flexible structure, many movable articulated joints ensure its stability.

Usually there are 5 tiers in the pagoda, each of them sways separately from the others, during an earthquake the center of gravity of the pagoda does not shift, unlike a fixed building. Wooden beams that support the ceiling between the tiers are fastened together with hinged joints, so that they are movable.

The Shanghai Tower is built in a similar way, it is divided into 9 vertical zones arranged around a central part consisting of laminated steel and concrete.

Huge columns and beams located along the perimeter are also attached to the central part of the building, they help it withstand natural disasters. Each floor is protected from unforeseen tremors.

In addition, to prevent swaying in the wind, another method was used - a resonant vibration damper. By abandoning 5 floors and hanging a damper weighing more than 1000 tons, engineers reduced the cost of construction and facilitated the construction process.

It took 15 years to create the project and test it. It took 7 years to build the tower from the foundation to the 128th floor.

Based on past inventions, adapting and improving them, developing their own advanced technologies, engineers, architects and workers were able to cope with soft soil, hurricane winds and earthquakes, and realized the greatest building.