Shanghai Tower is completed

The Shanghai Tower is completed

The Shanghai Tower is designed by Gensler and constructed in the Pudong District of Shanghai, China. It is the tallest in a group of three supertall buildings, the others being Jin Mao and the Shanghai World Financial Center. Upon its completion in 2014, it becomes the tallest skyscraper in China and the second tallest in the world, surpassed only by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The building rises 632 m (2,073 ft) and has 128 stories.

The tower is mixed-use and includes offices, a hotel, retail, entertainment facilities and observation decks. It is organised as nine cylindrical buildings stacked on top of each other and enclosed by the glass façade's inner layer. Between that and the outer layer, which twists as it rises, nine indoor zones provide public space for visitors. Each of these nine areas has its own atrium – featuring gardens, cafes, restaurants and retail space and providing 360° panoramic views of the city. These "sky gardens" cut the time needed for people to travel on the building's elevators and give visitors places to meet, eat and shop. Both layers of the façade are transparent.

Sustainability features heavily in the tower. Its twisting, asymmetrical design reduces wind loads by almost 25% meaning that fewer construction materials are needed. The building's spiralling parapet collects rainwater to be used for air conditioning and central heating systems. Wind turbines generate on-site power.

The building's form is a metaphor for the spirit and philosophy of China. Referencing the spiral as a symbol of the cosmos in Chinese culture, the tower's form symbolises China's connection with the world, space and time. Additionally, its triangular plan relates to the site's harmonious trio of buildings.*

Reference

Tallest Building in China Breaks Ground, Gensler:
http://www.gensler.com/uploads/documents/pr_081128_Shanghai_Tower_11_24_2008.pdf 
Accessed 24th July 2011.