China bans all future buildings taller than 500 meters
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January 14th, 2021 at 10:34:49 PM permalink | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 | China has removed itself from the global competition for the world's highest skyscraper
The US has mostly given up the competition aiming only for the tallest residential building in the world. 472 meters Central Park Tower New York City United States 98 stories Topped out in September 2019. |
January 15th, 2021 at 12:24:24 AM permalink | |
Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25013 | The pressure on the first few floors of a 150 story building must be horrendous. I don't see how these buildings are going to last. They say the Empire State Building could last 1000 years. But it was built using technology from 100 years ago. It's way too expensive today to use that technology to build a new building. No way they're going to last that long. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
January 15th, 2021 at 5:28:43 AM permalink | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
AZDuffman Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 135 Posts: 18255 |
I remember as a kid the top 10 listed as some sort of reading a graph exercise. Only 2 of the top 10 were outside the USA, at least one of the 2 was in Toronto. Pittsburgh had the tallest outside NYC or Chicago. How times change. The President is a fink. |
January 15th, 2021 at 7:10:30 AM permalink | |
Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
That last statement limits the timeline to when you saw the graph to 1971-1972. There was a battle in the early 1970s where America's third tier cities tried to build the tallest skyscraper outside of Chicago or NYC. Every year a new record breaker opened to the public. 1971 841 ft (256 m) "Pittsburgh" U.S. Steel Tower 1972 853 ft (260 m) "San Francisco" Transamerica Pyramid 1973 858 ft (262 m) "Los Angeles" Aon Center 1974 886 ft (270 m) "Dallas" Renaissance Tower The battle went on hold for 8 years until 1982 when the JPMorgan Chase Tower in "Houston" opened at over 1000'. Since 2018 the title is held by the 60 floor Comcast Technology Center in Philadelphia at 1,121 ft (342 m). There are 13 buildings in NYC and Chicago taller than the Comcast Center. Even though Los Angeles has become America's second city it's tycoons have never felt the desire to compete with Chicago for tallest skyscraper. Tallest building outside of NYC and Chicago 1121' 2018 Comcast Technology Center "Philadelphia 1099' 2017 Wilshire Grand Center "Los Angeles 1070' 2018 Salesforce Tower "San Francisco 1023' 1992 Bank of America Plaza "Atlanta 1002' 1982 JPMorgan Chase Tower "Houston 947' 1991 Key Tower "Cleveland 937' 1985 Columbia Center "Seattle 921' 1985 Bank of America Plaza "Dallas 900' 2019 99 Hudson Street* "Jersey City - could be considered part of greater NYC 886' 1974 Renaissance Tower "Dallas 871' 1992 Bank of America Corporate Center "Charlotte 868' 2017 Panorama Tower "Miami 844' 2012 Devon Energy Center "Oklahoma City 841' 1971 U.S. Steel Tower "Pittsburgh |
January 15th, 2021 at 12:06:05 PM permalink | |
Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25013 |
We had to prove our superiority with the tallest buildings in the world. It turned into an ego centric pissing contest that we eventually got out of. Look where the tallest buildings are now. In male dominated countries. They are obvious phallic symbols that only impress other male 'mine is bigger than yours' countries. Historically tall buildings indicated who had the power in a city. For a long time churches and mosques were the tallest, that's the point of spires on the buildings. To show visitors who was in charge. This eventually gave way to corporate office buildings being the tallest and the church buildings all but disappeared amid the mighty skyscrapers of the corporate elite. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
January 15th, 2021 at 12:12:57 PM permalink | |
AZDuffman Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 135 Posts: 18255 | I once worked in Andrew Carnegie's building. Frick's is right next door and still named after him. It is just taller enough to stand on the roof and piss on Carnegie's. The President is a fink. |
January 15th, 2021 at 5:00:35 PM permalink | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
In the USA and in much of the world the tallest building are no longer office buildings, but residences. The Panorama tower, the tallest building in Miami, was financed by a program whereby wealthy investors who give Americans jobs can buy citizenship. By Height
By Year (tall buildings are basically high end fads that come and go). For decades the "corporate campus" became a symbol of power.
The cities that have the tallest building (outside NYC and CHI) are not always the most populous cities. Metro areas with a building at least 840' are highlighted.
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January 15th, 2021 at 7:22:37 PM permalink | |
Gandler Member since: Aug 15, 2019 Threads: 27 Posts: 4256 | I don't know the reasoning behind the ban (and I am sure all information public is filtered since its China). But, generally speaking I am against a nationwide ban on height restrictions. This is something that should be regulated at the local level. But, China is more centralized, so they probably have a reason. Also, 500 meters is very tall, like really tall, this will not impact most plans, even in dense city areas.... Very few buildings are over 500 meters in height in the world (like maybe a handful). A quick google search says (at least from their point of view) this is because over 500 meters dramatically increases the cost of fire safety and operating expenses so its simply not worth it (which would have been my guess) unless a drastic need is demonstrated for a variance..... Also, generic skyscrapers competing to be the tallest does nothing for local architecture or culture. China is not hurting for land, it has not need to pack together a bunch of dense and tall building that will be largely unoccupied and cause hazards and massive costs..... |
January 15th, 2021 at 10:39:38 PM permalink | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
There is never a drastic need for a variance for supertall buildings. It is entirely about marketing and pride. Both the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have a rebuttable presumption not to build any antennae over (610 m) above ground level. That applies to buildings as well, but no design higher than 542 meters has ever been submitted. Washington DC since 1899 has prohibited commercial buildings over 40 meters (a small section of Pennsylvania Avenue can be built to 49 meters). This is probably the most severe height restrictions of a major American city. Madison Wisconsin restrict building to no more than 57 meters. World's tallest building 1931–1971 Empire State Building 381 meters 1971–1973 1 World Trade Center 417 meters 1973–1998 Sears Tower Chicago 442 meters 1998–2004 Petronas Towers Kuala Lumpur 451.9 meters The over 500 meter building is a relatively new phenomena (only since 2004) and there are only 10 in the entire world (5 in china and 1 in Taiwan). They were all listed in my initial post.
Jeddah Tower is currently under construction since 1 April 2013 (photo from August 2019) and will be 1000 meters high if it is ever completed. |
January 16th, 2021 at 3:44:01 AM permalink | |
AZDuffman Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 135 Posts: 18255 |
I have worked in tall office buildings and while it is cool to look out over things having to take the elevator does add to the time to do things. If you have to punch out for lunch this adds up. Sort of how the Cardinals bragged that the new stadium saved a minute of walking to the locker rooms, does not sound important until you realize halftime is what now, 13 minutes? As to residences I cannot believe the apartment conversions in my town. No new builds high enough to affect the skyline but people are clearly warming to this life. The President is a fink. |