Research
03 April 2023
Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2022: World Surpasses 2,000 Buildings of 200 Meters or Greater Height
CTBUH Staff
This report shows that 147 buildings of 200 meters’ height or greater were completed in 2022, a 25 percent increase from 2021, when 118 such...
22 August 2022
The World’s Highest Pools: A Deep Dive
S. Isaac Work & Shawn Ursini, Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
Tall building design has diversified and adapted to accommodate increased demand for distinctive amenities at a range of heights. Swimming pools are a classic feature...
22 August 2022
Structural Design of Iconic Tower, Egypt: Culmination of a Concrete Optimization Process
Tarek Hassan, Yehia El-Ezaby & Charles Malek, rector Dar Al Handasah Consultants (Shair and Partners)
This paper presents an overview of a process of optimizing concrete mixture for tall buildings, culminating in the design of the Iconic Tower, the key...
15 August 2022
Measuring the Economic Premium for Height
Grant Mosey & Brian Deal, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
In this study, the authors examine the sale and rent prices for units in the 10 tallest for-sale and for-rent residential buildings in Chicago. Statistical...
15 March 2022
Towards an Urban Troposphere
Jeffrey A. Kenoff & Peter Gross, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
Over the past 30 years, the tall building has seen unprecedented global support. With advanced innovation and many regions around the world discovering increasing growth...
01 March 2021
Spatial Regeneration for Preservation of Historic UrbanFeatures and Improvement of Living Condition
NaHuang, YongjieCa, MingyuZhuang, et al., Tongji University
Being the origin of Shanghai City, the Old Town presents a high-density spatial texture, a characteristic of local living conditions in the Shanghai context. However,...
01 March 2021
Analysis of Factors Influencing Street Vitality in High-Density Residential Areas Based on Multi-source Data:
Meilun Yuan & Yong Chen, Tongji University
Currently, big data and open data, together with traditional measured data, have come to constitute a new data environment, expanding new technical paths for quantitative...
30 January 2020
Tall Buildings’ Lower Public Spaces: Impact on Health and Behavior
Yu Ye, Zhendong Wang, Nannan Dong & Xihui Zhou, Tongji University
Tall buildings unquestionably need to improve their impact on the urban habitat. A human-focused approach to measuring the social impact of tall buildings’ ground conditions,...
14 March 2019
Tall Buildings as Urban Habitats: A Quantitative Approach for Measuring Social Impacts of Tall Buildings
Xihui Zhou & Yu Ye & Zhendong Wang, Tongji University
After decades of high-speed development, designing tall buildings as critical components of urban habitat, rather than simply standing aloof from their environments, has become an...
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12 December 2018
Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2018
CTBUH Research
The astronomical growth in tall building construction observed over the past decade continued in 2018, though the total number of completed buildings of 200 meters’...
01 September 2018
Developments of Structural Systems Toward Mile-High Towers
Kyoung Sun Moon, Yale University School of Architecture
Tall buildings which began from about 40 m tall office towers in the late 19th century have evolved into mixed-use megatall towers over 800 m....
01 July 2018
The Preliminary Research on the Relationship between Carbon Emissions and Typical Floor Design
Dong Zhixin, Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd.; Chen Yi, Tongji University
The greenhouse effect caused by human activities is becoming increasingly serious. The building industry, which is directly related with carbon emissions, has the responsibility and...
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05 February 2018
2017: Skyscraper History’s Tallest, Highest- Volume, and Most Geographically Diverse Year
This 2017 Tall Building Year in Review / Tall Buildings in Numbers data analysis report shows that more buildings of 200 meters’ height or greater...
02 June 2017
Indoor Environmental Quality Improving and Energy Saving Potential of Phase-Change Material Integrated Facades
Qian Jin, Tongji University
The conflict between indoor environmental quality and energy consumption has become an unneglectable problem for highrise office buildings, where occupants’ productivity is highly affected by...
02 June 2017
An Analytical Approach to Measuring the Degree of Urbanity of Urban Building Complexes
Shuchen Xu, Yu Ye & Leiqing Xu, Tongji University
The importance of designing urban building complexes so that they obtain ‘urban’ power, rather than become isolated from the surrounding urban context, has been well...
01 March 2017
Raffles City in Hangzhou China - The Engineering of a ‘Vertical City’ of Vibrant Waves
Aaron J. Wang, CapitaLand Limited
This mixed-use Raffles City (RCH) development is located near the Qiantang River in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, located southwest of Shanghai, China. The...
01 March 2017
Foundation Differential Settlement Included Time-dependent Elevation Control for Supertall Structures
Xin Zhao, Tongji University; Shehong Liu, Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd.
Due to the time-dependent properties of materials, structures, and loads, accurate time-dependent effects analysis and precise construction controls are very significant for rational analysis and...
01 March 2017
Impact of Air-side Economizer Control Considering Air Quality Index on Variable Air Volume System Performance
Sang-Hyeon Cho, Joon-Young Park & Jae-Weon Jeong, Hanyang Univeristy
The objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of a modified air-side economizer in improving indoor air quality (IAQ). An air-side economizer, which...
01 February 2017
From Unseen to Iconic: Contextual Designs For China’s Large-Scale Mixed-Use Complexes
Quanhong Li, CallisonRTKL
As the high-rise phenomenon moves from first- to second- and third-tier cities in China, high-density vertical urban developments are shaping the future identities of these...
01 February 2017
Fusing History and Height in Modern China
Albert Chan, Shui On Group
Albert Chan is the Director of Development Planning and Design at Shui On Land, based in Shanghai. Shui On Land is the developer of several...
17 October 2016
City Hubs
Keith Griffiths, Aedas
Our lives are adapting to a convenient, vibrant, and connected live-work dynamic, and our cities must change and respond to those new requirements. Much of...
17 October 2016
Tall Buildings and Polycentricity
Greg Yager, Carolien Gehrels & Maren Striker, Arcadis / CallisonRTKL
Dwindling land reserves, water and food shortages, climate change, diminishing air quality, environmental degradation – these are all among the intractable challenges we face in...
17 October 2016
Grounded Development an Essential Protocol for Tallness
Francisco Gonzalez-Pulido, JAHN
Tallness is superficial, unless it is literally and physically rooted to the dynamics of context and culture. Tallness has become relevant as our instrument to...
17 October 2016
The Space Between: Urban Spaces Surrounding Tall Buildings
James Parakh, City of Toronto Planning Division
This paper is intended to introduce the upcoming CTBUH technical guide titled “The Space Between,” which investigates the importance of publicly accessible spaces surrounding tall...
17 October 2016
Alternatives to Supertall Super-Density: Human-Scaled Neighborhoods Within the Megacity
Albert Chan, Shui On Group
The explosive urban growth of China has defied almost every prior notion of human scale. Considering the fact that the nation has more than 150...
17 October 2016
The Vertical Renewal of the Megacity
Enfang Liu, Jianing Pan, Dapeng Sun & Youlong You, Shanghai Institute of Architectural Design and Research
This paper elaborates the positive effect and unique advantages of supertall high-rise buildings along with their inherent problems throughout the urbanization of Shanghai, a megacity,...
17 October 2016
How Big is Too Big? The Implications of Building Tall
May Wei, CallisonRTKL
Advances in technology and engineering have made it feasible to build truly awe-inspiring structures. But as the push to densify increases the pressure to build...
17 October 2016
Mixed Use Tall Buildings – The Challenges and Benefits of Vertical Urbanization
Samuel So, Colin Dowall & Michael George, JLL
China is the global epicenter of mankind’s mass urbanization and the exploding growth of global cities. China is the unrivaled leader in the development of...
17 October 2016
Mega Size Mixed-Use Projects: Redefining Vertical Urbanism
Dennis Poon & Larry B. Giannechini, Thornton Tomasetti
As the draw to urban centers increases drastically with financial growth and global influence, emerging markets seek to develop salient markers of success and hope....
17 October 2016
Humanizing the Giants
Swinal Samant, National University of Singapore
The rise in sustainable skyscrapers and large-scale mixed-use buildings has seen the proliferation of atria and sky-courts worldwide due to their ability to simultaneously contribute...
17 October 2016
Coupling of Urban-Value & Mega High-Rise: Ping An Finance Center
Fang Xie & Xia Ai, CCDI Group
If the city is seen as a giant business, what is driving its market value? The height of the building is clearly one of the...
17 October 2016
Green Work Space in High-Rise Building Through Openness and Connection
Zhaoming Wang & Xia Ai, CCDI Group
Five years ago, CCDI put forward the concept of outdoor green work space in the high-rise building. These buildings vertically grew and interconnected with structural...
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17 October 2016
Megacities: Setting the Scene
Daniel Safarik, Shawn Ursini & Antony Wood; Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The rise of the megacity presents unprecedented opportunities to understand the human urbanization phenomenon, and to observe the effects of multicore, polycentric cities growing together...
17 October 2016
Shifting Urban Gravity, from “Central” To “Core” Business Districts
Tim Balckburn, Swire Properties
In the age of the multi-million inhabitant city, the traditional concept of a single Central Business District (CBD) is becoming increasingly unrealistic. As we are...
01 June 2016
High-Rise Urban Form and Environmental Performance - An Overview on Integrated Approaches to Urban Design
Feng Yang, Tongji University
High-rise as a building typology is gaining popularity in Asian mega-cities, due to its advantages in increasing volumetric density with limited land resources. Numerous factors...
01 June 2016
Pedestrian Distribution in High-Rise Commercial Complexes
Leiqing Xu, Tongji University; Zhengwei Xia, Changzhou Institute of Technology
One of the key problems in the design of high-rise commercial complex is how to guide reasonable pedestrian distribution in commercial space. In this study,...
01 June 2016
Exploring Synergistic Effect in Metro Station Areas: A Case Study of Shanghai, China
Yu Zhuang & Lingzhu Zhang, Tongji University
In the process of exploring sustainable development, major cities in China are expanding metro systems as a strategy to reduce the negative environmental and social...
01 June 2016
Research on the Effect of High-Rise Commercial Building Construction on Land Value of Shanghai in the 1920s
Le Sun, Tongji University
When the tall office building first appeared in the street of Chicago in the end of Nineteenth Century, this building type has become a commodity...
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04 February 2016
The Other Side of Tall Buildings: The Urban Habitat
Daniel Safarik, CTBUH
A growing number of tall buildings recognized by the CTBUH, through its international awards programs and research, are noteworthy not so much because of their...
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19 January 2016
Interactive Study on Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2015
Jason Gabel, Marty Carver & Marshall Gerometta, CTBUH
CTBUH has determined that 106 buildings of 200 meters’ height or greater were completed around the world in 2015 – setting a new record for...
01 December 2015
Numerical Simulation of Temperature Gradients for the Mass Concrete Foundation Slab of Shanghai Tower
Jian Gong & Xiaoping Wu, Shanghai Construction Group; Weijiu Cui & Yong Yuan, Tongji University
Crack control remains a primary concern for mass concrete structures, where the majority of cracking is caused by temperature changes during the hydration process. One-time...
26 October 2015
Integrated and Intelligent Buildings: An Imperative to People, the Planet and the Bottom Line
Kelly Romano, Mead Rusert & Hayden Reeve, United Technologies Corporation
With the impact of urbanization, larger cities, operating pressures and the rise of megatall skyscrapers, today’s new and existing buildings are increasingly being engineered as...
26 October 2015
Shanghai Tower: Building a Green, Vertical City in the Heart of Shanghai
Jianping Gu, Shanghai Tower Construction & Development Co., Ltd.
The Shanghai Tower establishes a new paradigm for tall buildings and vertical urbanism. Innovation and new technology play a strong role in the superlative aesthetic,...
26 October 2015
Developing Tall Buildings and Urban Spaces, in Japan and Elsewhere
Hiroo Mori, Mori Building Co., Ltd.
Skyscrapers and their surrounding developments are critical factors in determining a city’s global competitive advantage relative to other cities. These building projects are in fact...
26 October 2015
Base Instincts
Tom Ford & Russell Gilchrist, Gensler
Recent development has included significant advancement in the development of tall buildings. While the design achievement and skyline contributions have been significant, there has been...
26 October 2015
Context, Climate, Culture – Investigating Place in Tall Building Design
Robert Goodwin, Perkins + Will
Should a tower in Moscow look like one in Dubai? Once one entered a city and marveled at the unique magic of its architecture –...
26 October 2015
Global Cyclical Resurgence and Clustering of Office Skyscrapers
Sofia Dermisi, University of Washington
Skyscraper development has been linked with financial extremes; this paper explores this relationship by analyzing global construction trends for office skyscrapers with a height of...
26 October 2015
It’s Not About the Skyline, It’s About the Base Condition
Terri Boake, University of Waterloo
The rapid densification of cities is a fairly recent phenomenon and seems in many cases to be progressing without regard to important already established urban...
26 October 2015
New Developments on Stainless Steel Façades with Regard to Reflectance, Corrosion and Aesthetics
Joern Teipel, Outokumpu
Stainless steel is a key material in modern skyscraper architecture, exploiting the material’s sustainability, functionality and aesthetics. After an outline on some general features of...
22 October 2015
Tall Buildings as Extensions Of Urban Infrastructure and Vitality
Peng Du, CTBUH; Zhendong Wang, Tongji University; Elie Gamburg, KPF
This paper reviews the 2014 Network 3D High-Rise Design Studio, which was undertaken by the College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP), Tongji University, with...
01 September 2015
The New Structural Design Process of Supertall Buildings in China
Bao Lianjin, Chen Jianxing, Qian Peng, et al., ECADI
By the end of 2014, the number of completed and under-construction supertall buildings above 250 meters in China reached 90 and 129, respectively. China has...
24 August 2015
World’s Highest Observation Decks
CTBUH Research
Perhaps no element of a tall building is more closely related to the pure pleasure of standing high in the sky and taking in the...
01 June 2015
Urban Density and the Porous High-Rise: The Integration of the Tall Building in the City
James von Klemperer, Kohn Pedersen Fox
As the skyscraper matures as a building type, its role in actively connecting to, and reinforcing, major threads of urban fabric becomes increasingly more important....
01 June 2015
Research on Vertical Space System of Mixed-Use Complex
Zhendong Wang and Yinpu Wang, Tongji University
As the predominant mode of vertical urban development in China, mixed-use complexes provide the optimal case for the research of sustainable and vertical urbanism. This...
01 March 2015
Structural Health Monitoring of Shanghai Tower Considering Time-dependent Effects
Qilin Zhang, Bin Yang, Tao Liu & Han Li, Tongji University; and Jia Lv, East China Architectural Design & Research Institute Co.
This paper presents the structural health monitoring (SHM) of Shanghai Tower. In order to provide useful information for safety evaluation and regular maintenance under construction...
31 December 2014
Interactive Study on Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2014
Daniel Safarik, Antony Wood, Marty Carver & Marshall Gerometta, CTBUH
An All-Time Record 97 Buildings of 200 Meters or Higher Completed in 2014 and 2014 showed further shifts towards Asia, and also surprising developments in...
06 November 2014
Dream Deferred: Unfinished Tall Buildings
CTBUH Research
Without big dreams, there would be no tall buildings. Conceiving, financing, designing, and constructing a skyscraper is no simple feat, even under the best of...
16 September 2014
Building Services as A Force for Achieving Sustainable Vertical Urbanism in China
Malcolm Laverick, AECOM
The introduction of vertical urbanism, with its necessary increase in population density per square kilometer of ground surface area, has a significant impact upon the...
16 September 2014
“C.I.T.I.E.S.” of the Future: Sinar Mas Center as Exemplar
Toon Ming Chua, Sinar Mas Group - APP China; Eric Schall, SOM
In a rapidly transforming environment, vertical urbanism seems to be the direction most developed and developing nations are pursuing as a result of the demands...
16 September 2014
Shanghai Tower: Building a Green, Vertical City in the Heart of Shanghai
Jianping Gu, Shanghai Tower Construction & Development Co., Ltd.
The Shanghai Tower establishes a new paradigm for tall buildings and vertical urbanism. This paper provides an overview of the strong role that innovation and...
16 September 2014
Urban Density and the Porous High-Rise: The Integration of the Tall Building in the City
James von Klemperer, Kohn Pedersen Fox
As the skyscraper matures as a building type, its role in actively connecting to, and reinforcing, major threads of urban fabric becomes increasingly more important....
16 September 2014
A New Level of Integration of Design and Construction Solutions
Dr. Hongyu Li & Frankie Nip, AECOM
The Dazongli mixed use development in the center of Shanghai city encounters an array of challenges which result from existing buildings on site and city...
16 September 2014
The Evolution of Building Evacuation Design in China
Fang Li, James Antell & Martin Reiss, RJA Group
As a result of the events of September 11th and other natural and man-made disasters, building owners, designers and fire officials have become increasingly aware...
16 September 2014
Sustainable Vertical Urban Agglomeration
Enfang Liu, Jianing Pan, Dapeng Sun & Ying Liu, ISA Architecture
This paper, with the project case designed by Institute of Shanghai Architectural Design & Research (Co. Ltd.), from the agglomerate character of the development of...
16 September 2014
Learning from Hong Kong: Why High Density TODs Spell the Future for Asia’s Most Populous Cities
Bryant H.Y. Lu, Andy K.M. Leung & Anthony M.C. Cheung, Ronald Lu & Partners
The paper utilizes examples in Hong Kong and Shanghai to demonstrate why high- density Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs) spell the future for Asia’s most populous cities....
16 September 2014
Shanghai International Financial Center: Future City Vision
Sergio Valentini & Francisco Gonzalez-Pulido, JAHN
JAHN’s Archi-Neering –integrated design approach- is broadly displayed in the future Shanghai International Financial center, in Pudong, which consist of 3 towers physically connected by...
16 September 2014
Research on a Vertical Space System of the Mixed-use Complex
Zhendong Wang, Yinpu Wang & Qiang Hu, Tongji University
As the key method and important way to realize the vertical urban development in China, the mixed-use complex becomes the real case for the research...
16 September 2014
The Core Concept Behind the Bund Finance Center
Yang Wu & Lynn K. Lin, Bund Finance Center
Only architecture infused with culture can give a city its soul. We underpin sustainable concepts with a respect for history and culture to avoid ending...
16 September 2014
Property Management: Moving Towards Sustainable Vertical Urbanism
Xiaobo Chen, Shanghai Tower Construction & Development Co., Ltd
As the highest tower in Shanghai, and at the forefront of a new generation of supertall towers nationwide, Shanghai Tower will anchor the city’s Lujiazui...
16 September 2014
Construction Technology and Management Innovation
Zhenfeng Gao & Duanxue Shi, Shanghai Construction Group Co., Ltd.
This project adopts a double glass curtain wall system. A vertical atrium is formed between internal and external curtain walls which cause the external curtain...
16 September 2014
Making the World’s Greenest Tall Building
Jihong Han & Hongwu Fan, Shanghai Research Institute of Building Sciences
Shanghai Tower is poised to become the world’s tallest green building after receiving the Chinese 3-star green building design label and the U.S. LEED-CS Gold...
16 September 2014
Curtain-Wall System Design
Zhijun He, Jiemin Ding & Jiupeng Li, Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd.
A unique flexible suspended curtain wall support structure (CWSS) was ultimately developed to suit the exterior curtain wall system of Shanghai Tower. Because of the...
16 September 2014
The Making of a Vertical Intelligent Community Through Information Systems
Qi Hu, Jiankun Information and Technology Co., Ltd.
Shanghai Tower is devoted to creating a vertical intelligent community. From the detailed demands of the stakeholders, the owner’s team clarified the direction of intelligent...
16 September 2014
The Construction Supervision Process
Yadong Li, Haochuan Lang, Jing Sun & Xiangdong Xu, Shanghai Jianke Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd.
This chapter summarizes innovative management methods in the construction supervision process of Shanghai Tower, outlining the implementation process and application results. It includes key steps...
16 September 2014
Introduction of MEP Technologies
Zhenghong Liu, Shanghai Tower Construction & Development Co., Ltd.
This chapter explains that, in addition to Shanghai Tower’s peculiar height and unique architectural style, the project also targets a Green 3-Star and a LEED...
16 September 2014
Application of Performance-Based Fire Safety Design
Youdi Shen, Shanghai Tower Construction & Development Co., Ltd.
It is well known that fire problems in super high-rise buildings are common issues throughout the world. Fire technology covers fire prevention, fire suppression, and...
16 September 2014
The Payoff for Investing in the Human Experience
Benedict Tranel & Xiaomei Lee, Gensler
In this chapter, Shanghai Tower is introduced along side The Tower at PNC Plaza, to posit that economic propositions for double-façade design solutions must go...
16 September 2014
A Review of the Structural Performance Monitoring Project
Song Weining, Shanghai Tower Construction & Development Co., Ltd.
Through a comprehensive discussion of the systematic application of structural performance monitoring in construction, operation and maintenance of the Shanghai Tower, the author illustrates that...
16 September 2014
The Parametric Design of Shanghai Tower’s Form and Façade
Jun Xia & Michael Peng, Gensler
The Shanghai Tower was only made possible by using innovative design ideas, integrated technology, and advanced tools. This paper is centered around the project as...
16 September 2014
Practical Application of BIM Technology
Bin Zhao, Shanghai Tower Construction & Development Co., Ltd.
Using Shanghai Tower as an example, this chapter introduces the effective applications of BIM technology in project design and construction along with the positive results...
16 September 2014
Unique Structural Design Aspects
Yi Zhu, Dennis Poon, Qing (Steve) Zuo & Paul Fu, Thornton Tomasetti Inc.
This chapter discusses the unique structural solutions for the 632m tall Shanghai Tower. An innovative “Core-Outrigger-Mega Frame” lateral system is adopted to meet China’s conservative...
14 September 2014
Towards Sustainable Vertical Urbanism
Daniel Safarik, CTBUH
The survival of humanity on this planet relies on a radical repositioning of our cities. In the face of unprecedented global population growth, urbanization, pollution...
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31 December 2013
Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2013
Daniel Safarik, Antony Wood, Marty Carver & Marshall Gerometta, CTBUH
By all appearances, the small increase in the total number of tall-building completions from 2012 into 2013 is indicative of a return to the prevalent...
01 November 2013
Designing Tall Buildings to Promote Physical Activity in China
Kristen Day & Mariela Alfonzo, Polytechnic Institute of New York University; Zhan Guo, New York University; Lin Lin, East China Normal University
This study asks the question: how do the design of tall buildings and tall building districts impact walking and bicycling in Chinese cities? Little is...
01 March 2013
Shaking Table Model Test of Shanghai Tower
Xilin Lu, Yuanjun Mao, Wensheng Lu & Liping Kang, Tongji University
Shaking table test is an important and useful method to help structural engineers get better knowledge about the seismic performance of the buildings with complex...
13 January 2013
Shanghai World Finance Center, China
At the time of completion in 2008, the Shanghai World Finance Center was the tallest skyscraper in China, with the tallest observation deck in the...
23 September 2012
The Tallest 15 Cities in China
CTBUH Research
With over 1.3 billion citizens and a rapidly urbanizing population, China is developing tall buildings more than any other country globally. Currently it has 239...
21 September 2012
30 Years in China: An Architect/Developer’s Perspective
John Portman, John Portman & Associates
The Portman Companies were one of the first foreign entities to establish business relations in China, and have since become recognized for quality building design...
21 September 2012
Shanghai Tower: Re-Thinking the Vertical City
Jian Ping Gu, Shanghai Tower Construction & Development
The construction of the Shanghai Tower breaks through conventional design methods and explores the possibilities of future supertall architectural approaches. These approaches bring the project...
19 September 2012
Comparative Study of the Urban Complex in Shanghai and Hong Kong
Zhendong Wang & Jianduan Chen, Tongji University
The paper analyzes the financial value, space value and urban value of the urban building complex in Shanghai and Hong Kong through three levels: direct...
19 September 2012
From Jin Mao to Kingdom: Search for an Asian Supertall Vernacular
Adrian Smith, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
The paper traces the evolution of Mr. Smith’s career as a designer of supertall buildings, the Jin Mao Tower (1999) to Kingdom Tower, to be...
19 September 2012
20 Years of High-Rise Fire Safety: From Jin Mao to Kingdom Tower
James H. Antell, RJA; Peter A. Weismantle, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
This paper will discuss the evolution of fire safety concepts in the recent generation of high rise buildings starting with “early” 1990’s designs in China...
19 September 2012
Case Study: Shanghai IFC
Edward Chan & Wing Leung, AECOM
Shanghai ifc, a landmark mixed-use development located in the heart of Lujiazui, Shanghai includes a 250-meter multi-function tower (South Tower), a 260-meter office tower (North...
19 September 2012
Shanghai Tower’s Versatile Energy Management System
Zhongli Chen & Lei Shi, ISA Architecture
This paper will discuss the idea of controlling and managing the central air conditioning system of skyscrapers during the entire building life cycle. Taking the...
19 September 2012
Spatially Suspending and Twisting Curtain walls' Design Essential
Bao Li Gao Meng Gen, Shuguo Zhao, Yongjun Li & Hang Liu, Shenyang Yuanda Aluminium Industry Engineering Co.,Ltd.
The Shanghai Tower exterior curtain wall has a complex twisting form with a multi-level flexible suspended support system. The curtain wall design is unique and...
19 September 2012
BIM Applications in the Shanghai Tower Construction
Qing Ge, Shanghai Tower Construction & Development
The construction of supertall mixed-use projects is a complex and integrated activity which has been a big challenge to construction management due to its wide...
19 September 2012
Key Technologioes in the Structure of Shanghai Tower
Jian Gong, Shanghai Construction Group Co. Ltd; Hong Zhou, Shanghai No.1 Construction Co. Ltd
As the tallest building in China and the second tallest building in the world, Shanghai Tower is a high-rise building with complicated structures which are...
19 September 2012
High-Rise Construction Risk Control Technology and Management
Yadong Li, Yu Huang, Haochuan Lang & Wenxin Zhai, Shanghai Jianke Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd
According to the characteristics of the Shanghai Tower, this paper will study construction risks in the construction process by means of WBS and RBS methods...
19 September 2012
Advanced Supertall Building Design in Hot-Summer and Cold- Winter Climates
Jianqiang Li, ISA Architecture
Climate adaptive design is a prerequisite for designing sustainable tall buildings. With rapid globalization and urbanization, different kinds of techniques and technologies developed abroad are...
19 September 2012
Mitsubishi Elevator Equipment in Shanghai Tower
Ikuo Nakazawa, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Inazawa Works
Shanghai Tower has a height of more than 600 meters above the ground and consists of five zones of skirt building zone, office zone, hotel...
19 September 2012
Supertall Building Pile-Raft Foundation Designs on Soft Soil
Chao Si & Wenhui Jiang, Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd; Yong Cui & Jianlong He, Tongji University
The design improvements and optimizations of super high-rise building pile-raft foundations on soft soil have been made as below: considerations of the impact in the...
19 September 2012
The Parametric Design of Shanghai Tower's Form and Façade
Jun Xia & Michael Peng, Gensler
The most sustainable super-tall tower in the world was only made possible by using innovative design ideas, integrated technology, and advanced tools. This paper is...
19 September 2012
Structural Design Challenges of Shanghai Tower
Yi Zhu, Dennis Poon, Steve Zuo & Guoyong Fu, Thornton Tomasetti
This paper discusses the structural challenges and solutions of the 632m tall Shanghai Tower. A unique “Core-Outrigger-Mega Frame” lateral system is used to meet China...
19 September 2012
Debating Tall: Is China's Property Bubble Ready to Burst?
KK Fung, JLL; Tianlun Jian, Economist
Soaring prices led many analysts to predict that a bubble was forming in China's housing industry prompted government measures to dampen the market. This quarter's...
01 September 2012
Shaking Table Test and Seismic Performance Evaluation of Shanghai Tower
Tian Chunyu, Xiao Congzhen, Zhang Hong, & Cao Jinzhe, China Academy of Building Research
Shanghai Tower is a super high-rise building of 632 m height with ‘mega frame-core- outrigger truss’ structure system. Due to the complexity and irregularity of...
01 August 2012
Context to China’s Legacy of Tall Building Development
Junjie Zhang, ECADI
Modern supertall buildings have become one of the vital symbols of economic development and the urbanization progress in mainland China, as well as one of...
01 June 2012
A New Leader for Telecom Towers
CTBUH Research
With the recent completion of two megatall telecommunication/observation towers it is perhaps time to review these structures and also explain why they are distinguished from...
27 January 2012
Debating Tall: A Supertall Future in the US?
Adrian Smith, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture; Paul Beitler, Beitler Real Estate Services LLC
In 1990, only 11 buildings in the world could be counted as a “supertall” (defined as a building over 300 meters tall), and all but...
18 January 2012
The Tallest 20 in 2020: Entering the Era of the Megatall
Nathaniel Hollister & Antony Wood, CTBUH
Within this decade we will likely witness not only the world’s first kilometer-tall building, but also the completion of a significant number of buildings over...
10 October 2011
Elasto-Plastic Time-History Analysis of the Shanghai Tower Under Rare Earthquakes
Hao Qin, Xianzhong Zhao, Yiyi Chen & Ben Wang, Tongji University
The Shanghai Tower, designed to be 124 stories of 636m height and currently under construction, will be the tallest building in China. The structure of...
01 February 2011
World’s Tallest Steel Shear Walled Building
Mark Sarkisian & Neville Mathias, SOM; Dasui Wang, ECADI; Sam Lee, Guangzhou Scientific Computing Consultants
Because of its iconic slender form, a key design challenge was to develop an efficient lateral system capable of resisting wind and seismic lateral load;...
31 December 2010
Tallest Buildings Completed in 2010
CTBUH Research
In a year dominated by news coverage of the new “World’s Tallest Building” – Burj Khalifa, Dubai – one may be surprised to learn that,...
17 April 2010
Case Study: Shanghai Tower
Jun Xia, Gensler; Dennis Poon, Thornton Tomasetti; Douglas C. Mass, Cosentini Associates
As the third tower in the trio of supertall buildings at the heart of Shanghai’s new Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone, Shanghai Tower embodies a...
01 February 2010
Structural Design of Reinforced Concrete Tall Buildings
Ali Sherif S. Rizk, Dar Al-Handasah Consultants
During the last 12 years the Structural Engineering Department at Dar Al-Handasah has designed 45 mixed-use tall buildings in different Arab countries. The designed towers...
31 December 2009
Tallest Buildings Completed in 2009
CTBUH Research
Trump International Hotel & Tower named tallest building completed in 2009; Successful year for the American high-rise. Over half of all buildings 200m or taller...
31 December 2008
Tallest Buildings Completed in 2008
CTBUH Research
Against the backdrop of global economic crisis, 2008 witnessed the most successful year of skyscraper construction to date, with more skyscrapers constructed globally within a...
17 April 2008
Case Study: Shanghai World Financial Center
Paul Katz, KPF; Leslie E. Robertson, Leslie E. Robertson Associates
From the onset of the Shanghai World Financial Center project, its developers targeted a cutting-edge, mixed use mega-complex that would serve a multitude of tenant...
03 March 2008
Shanghai World Financial Center: Without Compromise……
Paul Katz, KPF; Leslie Robertson & SawTeen See, Leslie E. Robertson Associates
Shanghai World Financial Center is located in the Lujiazui district of Pudong, the Shanghai World Financial Center combines creative architecture and structural engineering to create...
31 December 2006
Tallest Buildings Completed in 2006
Nina Tower 1 in Hong Kong, at 319 meters high, leads the list of the ten tallest buildings completed in 2006. The Sports City Tower/Aspire...
01 May 2006
Jin Mao Tower’s Influence on China’s New Innovative Tall Buildings
Mark Sarkisian, Neville Mathias, Eric Long & Aaron Mazeika, SOM
The 56 story, 232 m tall Jinao Tower in Nanjing, China, is a next-generation tower which maximizes performance, efficiency, and occupant experience. Its faceted form...
10 October 2004
Seismic Model Test of a Hybrid High-rise Building in Shanghai
Wensheng Lu, Zuhua Liu & Xilin Lu, Tongji University; Dasui Wang, Shanghai Xiandai Architectural Design Group
This paper examines a micro-concrete structural model of Shanghai Shimao International Square with scale of 1/33 was constructed, to validate the calculation results, find out...
26 February 2001
The Tallest Concrete Building in Shanghai, China – Plaza 66
Richard L. Tomasetti, Dennis Poon & Ling-en Hsaio, Thornton Tomasetti
Plaza 66 is the latest addition to the skyline of Shanghai, China; with a height of 281.5 meters, it’s the tallest concrete building in the...
01 July 1998
Design and Construction of the Jin Mao Tower's Mat Foundation
Mark Sarkisian, Stan Korista & Ahmad Abdelrazaq, SOM
Looking from the Yangtze River toward the new Shanghai skyline, you cannot help noticing the ever changing color of the ultra-tall Jin Mao Tower with...
01 January 1995
Jin Mao Tower's Unique Structural System
Mark Sarkisian, Stan Korista & Ahmad Abdelrazaq, SOM
The composite structural system for the Jin Mao Tower was designed to resist typhoon winds and earthquake forces and accommodate poor soil conditions while providing...
03 April 2023
Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2022: World Surpasses 2,000 Buildings of 200 Meters or Greater Height
CTBUH Staff
This report shows that 147 buildings of 200 meters’ height or greater were completed in 2022, a 25 percent increase from 2021, when 118 such...
22 August 2022
The World’s Highest Pools: A Deep Dive
S. Isaac Work & Shawn Ursini, Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
Tall building design has diversified and adapted to accommodate increased demand for distinctive amenities at a range of heights. Swimming pools are a classic feature...
22 August 2022
Structural Design of Iconic Tower, Egypt: Culmination of a Concrete Optimization Process
Tarek Hassan, Yehia El-Ezaby & Charles Malek, rector Dar Al Handasah Consultants (Shair and Partners)
This paper presents an overview of a process of optimizing concrete mixture for tall buildings, culminating in the design of the Iconic Tower, the key...
15 August 2022
Measuring the Economic Premium for Height
Grant Mosey & Brian Deal, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
In this study, the authors examine the sale and rent prices for units in the 10 tallest for-sale and for-rent residential buildings in Chicago. Statistical...
15 March 2022
Towards an Urban Troposphere
Jeffrey A. Kenoff & Peter Gross, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
Over the past 30 years, the tall building has seen unprecedented global support. With advanced innovation and many regions around the world discovering increasing growth...
01 March 2021
Spatial Regeneration for Preservation of Historic UrbanFeatures and Improvement of Living Condition
NaHuang, YongjieCa, MingyuZhuang, et al., Tongji University
Being the origin of Shanghai City, the Old Town presents a high-density spatial texture, a characteristic of local living conditions in the Shanghai context. However,...
01 March 2021
Analysis of Factors Influencing Street Vitality in High-Density Residential Areas Based on Multi-source Data:
Meilun Yuan & Yong Chen, Tongji University
Currently, big data and open data, together with traditional measured data, have come to constitute a new data environment, expanding new technical paths for quantitative...
30 January 2020
Tall Buildings’ Lower Public Spaces: Impact on Health and Behavior
Yu Ye, Zhendong Wang, Nannan Dong & Xihui Zhou, Tongji University
Tall buildings unquestionably need to improve their impact on the urban habitat. A human-focused approach to measuring the social impact of tall buildings’ ground conditions,...
14 March 2019
Tall Buildings as Urban Habitats: A Quantitative Approach for Measuring Social Impacts of Tall Buildings
Xihui Zhou & Yu Ye & Zhendong Wang, Tongji University
After decades of high-speed development, designing tall buildings as critical components of urban habitat, rather than simply standing aloof from their environments, has become an...
12 December 2018
Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2018
CTBUH Research
The astronomical growth in tall building construction observed over the past decade continued in 2018, though the total number of completed buildings of 200 meters’...
01 September 2018
Developments of Structural Systems Toward Mile-High Towers
Kyoung Sun Moon, Yale University School of Architecture
Tall buildings which began from about 40 m tall office towers in the late 19th century have evolved into mixed-use megatall towers over 800 m....
01 July 2018
The Preliminary Research on the Relationship between Carbon Emissions and Typical Floor Design
Dong Zhixin, Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd.; Chen Yi, Tongji University
The greenhouse effect caused by human activities is becoming increasingly serious. The building industry, which is directly related with carbon emissions, has the responsibility and...
05 February 2018
2017: Skyscraper History’s Tallest, Highest- Volume, and Most Geographically Diverse Year
This 2017 Tall Building Year in Review / Tall Buildings in Numbers data analysis report shows that more buildings of 200 meters’ height or greater...
02 June 2017
Indoor Environmental Quality Improving and Energy Saving Potential of Phase-Change Material Integrated Facades
Qian Jin, Tongji University
The conflict between indoor environmental quality and energy consumption has become an unneglectable problem for highrise office buildings, where occupants’ productivity is highly affected by...
02 June 2017
An Analytical Approach to Measuring the Degree of Urbanity of Urban Building Complexes
Shuchen Xu, Yu Ye & Leiqing Xu, Tongji University
The importance of designing urban building complexes so that they obtain ‘urban’ power, rather than become isolated from the surrounding urban context, has been well...
01 March 2017
Raffles City in Hangzhou China - The Engineering of a ‘Vertical City’ of Vibrant Waves
Aaron J. Wang, CapitaLand Limited
This mixed-use Raffles City (RCH) development is located near the Qiantang River in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, located southwest of Shanghai, China. The...
01 March 2017
Foundation Differential Settlement Included Time-dependent Elevation Control for Supertall Structures
Xin Zhao, Tongji University; Shehong Liu, Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd.
Due to the time-dependent properties of materials, structures, and loads, accurate time-dependent effects analysis and precise construction controls are very significant for rational analysis and...
01 March 2017
Impact of Air-side Economizer Control Considering Air Quality Index on Variable Air Volume System Performance
Sang-Hyeon Cho, Joon-Young Park & Jae-Weon Jeong, Hanyang Univeristy
The objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of a modified air-side economizer in improving indoor air quality (IAQ). An air-side economizer, which...
01 February 2017
From Unseen to Iconic: Contextual Designs For China’s Large-Scale Mixed-Use Complexes
Quanhong Li, CallisonRTKL
As the high-rise phenomenon moves from first- to second- and third-tier cities in China, high-density vertical urban developments are shaping the future identities of these...
01 February 2017
Fusing History and Height in Modern China
Albert Chan, Shui On Group
Albert Chan is the Director of Development Planning and Design at Shui On Land, based in Shanghai. Shui On Land is the developer of several...
17 October 2016
City Hubs
Keith Griffiths, Aedas
Our lives are adapting to a convenient, vibrant, and connected live-work dynamic, and our cities must change and respond to those new requirements. Much of...
17 October 2016
Tall Buildings and Polycentricity
Greg Yager, Carolien Gehrels & Maren Striker, Arcadis / CallisonRTKL
Dwindling land reserves, water and food shortages, climate change, diminishing air quality, environmental degradation – these are all among the intractable challenges we face in...
17 October 2016
Grounded Development an Essential Protocol for Tallness
Francisco Gonzalez-Pulido, JAHN
Tallness is superficial, unless it is literally and physically rooted to the dynamics of context and culture. Tallness has become relevant as our instrument to...
17 October 2016
The Space Between: Urban Spaces Surrounding Tall Buildings
James Parakh, City of Toronto Planning Division
This paper is intended to introduce the upcoming CTBUH technical guide titled “The Space Between,” which investigates the importance of publicly accessible spaces surrounding tall...
17 October 2016
Alternatives to Supertall Super-Density: Human-Scaled Neighborhoods Within the Megacity
Albert Chan, Shui On Group
The explosive urban growth of China has defied almost every prior notion of human scale. Considering the fact that the nation has more than 150...
17 October 2016
The Vertical Renewal of the Megacity
Enfang Liu, Jianing Pan, Dapeng Sun & Youlong You, Shanghai Institute of Architectural Design and Research
This paper elaborates the positive effect and unique advantages of supertall high-rise buildings along with their inherent problems throughout the urbanization of Shanghai, a megacity,...
17 October 2016
How Big is Too Big? The Implications of Building Tall
May Wei, CallisonRTKL
Advances in technology and engineering have made it feasible to build truly awe-inspiring structures. But as the push to densify increases the pressure to build...
17 October 2016
Mixed Use Tall Buildings – The Challenges and Benefits of Vertical Urbanization
Samuel So, Colin Dowall & Michael George, JLL
China is the global epicenter of mankind’s mass urbanization and the exploding growth of global cities. China is the unrivaled leader in the development of...
17 October 2016
Mega Size Mixed-Use Projects: Redefining Vertical Urbanism
Dennis Poon & Larry B. Giannechini, Thornton Tomasetti
As the draw to urban centers increases drastically with financial growth and global influence, emerging markets seek to develop salient markers of success and hope....
17 October 2016
Humanizing the Giants
Swinal Samant, National University of Singapore
The rise in sustainable skyscrapers and large-scale mixed-use buildings has seen the proliferation of atria and sky-courts worldwide due to their ability to simultaneously contribute...
17 October 2016
Coupling of Urban-Value & Mega High-Rise: Ping An Finance Center
Fang Xie & Xia Ai, CCDI Group
If the city is seen as a giant business, what is driving its market value? The height of the building is clearly one of the...
17 October 2016
Green Work Space in High-Rise Building Through Openness and Connection
Zhaoming Wang & Xia Ai, CCDI Group
Five years ago, CCDI put forward the concept of outdoor green work space in the high-rise building. These buildings vertically grew and interconnected with structural...
17 October 2016
Megacities: Setting the Scene
Daniel Safarik, Shawn Ursini & Antony Wood; Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The rise of the megacity presents unprecedented opportunities to understand the human urbanization phenomenon, and to observe the effects of multicore, polycentric cities growing together...
17 October 2016
Shifting Urban Gravity, from “Central” To “Core” Business Districts
Tim Balckburn, Swire Properties
In the age of the multi-million inhabitant city, the traditional concept of a single Central Business District (CBD) is becoming increasingly unrealistic. As we are...
01 June 2016
High-Rise Urban Form and Environmental Performance - An Overview on Integrated Approaches to Urban Design
Feng Yang, Tongji University
High-rise as a building typology is gaining popularity in Asian mega-cities, due to its advantages in increasing volumetric density with limited land resources. Numerous factors...
01 June 2016
Pedestrian Distribution in High-Rise Commercial Complexes
Leiqing Xu, Tongji University; Zhengwei Xia, Changzhou Institute of Technology
One of the key problems in the design of high-rise commercial complex is how to guide reasonable pedestrian distribution in commercial space. In this study,...
01 June 2016
Exploring Synergistic Effect in Metro Station Areas: A Case Study of Shanghai, China
Yu Zhuang & Lingzhu Zhang, Tongji University
In the process of exploring sustainable development, major cities in China are expanding metro systems as a strategy to reduce the negative environmental and social...
01 June 2016
Research on the Effect of High-Rise Commercial Building Construction on Land Value of Shanghai in the 1920s
Le Sun, Tongji University
When the tall office building first appeared in the street of Chicago in the end of Nineteenth Century, this building type has become a commodity...
04 February 2016
The Other Side of Tall Buildings: The Urban Habitat
Daniel Safarik, CTBUH
A growing number of tall buildings recognized by the CTBUH, through its international awards programs and research, are noteworthy not so much because of their...
19 January 2016
Interactive Study on Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2015
Jason Gabel, Marty Carver & Marshall Gerometta, CTBUH
CTBUH has determined that 106 buildings of 200 meters’ height or greater were completed around the world in 2015 – setting a new record for...
01 December 2015
Numerical Simulation of Temperature Gradients for the Mass Concrete Foundation Slab of Shanghai Tower
Jian Gong & Xiaoping Wu, Shanghai Construction Group; Weijiu Cui & Yong Yuan, Tongji University
Crack control remains a primary concern for mass concrete structures, where the majority of cracking is caused by temperature changes during the hydration process. One-time...
26 October 2015
Integrated and Intelligent Buildings: An Imperative to People, the Planet and the Bottom Line
Kelly Romano, Mead Rusert & Hayden Reeve, United Technologies Corporation
With the impact of urbanization, larger cities, operating pressures and the rise of megatall skyscrapers, today’s new and existing buildings are increasingly being engineered as...
26 October 2015
Shanghai Tower: Building a Green, Vertical City in the Heart of Shanghai
Jianping Gu, Shanghai Tower Construction & Development Co., Ltd.
The Shanghai Tower establishes a new paradigm for tall buildings and vertical urbanism. Innovation and new technology play a strong role in the superlative aesthetic,...
26 October 2015
Developing Tall Buildings and Urban Spaces, in Japan and Elsewhere
Hiroo Mori, Mori Building Co., Ltd.
Skyscrapers and their surrounding developments are critical factors in determining a city’s global competitive advantage relative to other cities. These building projects are in fact...
26 October 2015
Base Instincts
Tom Ford & Russell Gilchrist, Gensler
Recent development has included significant advancement in the development of tall buildings. While the design achievement and skyline contributions have been significant, there has been...
26 October 2015
Context, Climate, Culture – Investigating Place in Tall Building Design
Robert Goodwin, Perkins + Will
Should a tower in Moscow look like one in Dubai? Once one entered a city and marveled at the unique magic of its architecture –...
26 October 2015
Global Cyclical Resurgence and Clustering of Office Skyscrapers
Sofia Dermisi, University of Washington
Skyscraper development has been linked with financial extremes; this paper explores this relationship by analyzing global construction trends for office skyscrapers with a height of...
26 October 2015
It’s Not About the Skyline, It’s About the Base Condition
Terri Boake, University of Waterloo
The rapid densification of cities is a fairly recent phenomenon and seems in many cases to be progressing without regard to important already established urban...
26 October 2015
New Developments on Stainless Steel Façades with Regard to Reflectance, Corrosion and Aesthetics
Joern Teipel, Outokumpu
Stainless steel is a key material in modern skyscraper architecture, exploiting the material’s sustainability, functionality and aesthetics. After an outline on some general features of...
22 October 2015
Tall Buildings as Extensions Of Urban Infrastructure and Vitality
Peng Du, CTBUH; Zhendong Wang, Tongji University; Elie Gamburg, KPF
This paper reviews the 2014 Network 3D High-Rise Design Studio, which was undertaken by the College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP), Tongji University, with...
01 September 2015
The New Structural Design Process of Supertall Buildings in China
Bao Lianjin, Chen Jianxing, Qian Peng, et al., ECADI
By the end of 2014, the number of completed and under-construction supertall buildings above 250 meters in China reached 90 and 129, respectively. China has...
24 August 2015
World’s Highest Observation Decks
CTBUH Research
Perhaps no element of a tall building is more closely related to the pure pleasure of standing high in the sky and taking in the...
01 June 2015
Urban Density and the Porous High-Rise: The Integration of the Tall Building in the City
James von Klemperer, Kohn Pedersen Fox
As the skyscraper matures as a building type, its role in actively connecting to, and reinforcing, major threads of urban fabric becomes increasingly more important....
01 June 2015
Research on Vertical Space System of Mixed-Use Complex
Zhendong Wang and Yinpu Wang, Tongji University
As the predominant mode of vertical urban development in China, mixed-use complexes provide the optimal case for the research of sustainable and vertical urbanism. This...
01 March 2015
Structural Health Monitoring of Shanghai Tower Considering Time-dependent Effects
Qilin Zhang, Bin Yang, Tao Liu & Han Li, Tongji University; and Jia Lv, East China Architectural Design & Research Institute Co.
This paper presents the structural health monitoring (SHM) of Shanghai Tower. In order to provide useful information for safety evaluation and regular maintenance under construction...
31 December 2014
Interactive Study on Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2014
Daniel Safarik, Antony Wood, Marty Carver & Marshall Gerometta, CTBUH
An All-Time Record 97 Buildings of 200 Meters or Higher Completed in 2014 and 2014 showed further shifts towards Asia, and also surprising developments in...
06 November 2014
Dream Deferred: Unfinished Tall Buildings
CTBUH Research
Without big dreams, there would be no tall buildings. Conceiving, financing, designing, and constructing a skyscraper is no simple feat, even under the best of...
16 September 2014
Building Services as A Force for Achieving Sustainable Vertical Urbanism in China
Malcolm Laverick, AECOM
The introduction of vertical urbanism, with its necessary increase in population density per square kilometer of ground surface area, has a significant impact upon the...
16 September 2014
“C.I.T.I.E.S.” of the Future: Sinar Mas Center as Exemplar
Toon Ming Chua, Sinar Mas Group - APP China; Eric Schall, SOM
In a rapidly transforming environment, vertical urbanism seems to be the direction most developed and developing nations are pursuing as a result of the demands...
16 September 2014
Shanghai Tower: Building a Green, Vertical City in the Heart of Shanghai
Jianping Gu, Shanghai Tower Construction & Development Co., Ltd.
The Shanghai Tower establishes a new paradigm for tall buildings and vertical urbanism. This paper provides an overview of the strong role that innovation and...
16 September 2014
Urban Density and the Porous High-Rise: The Integration of the Tall Building in the City
James von Klemperer, Kohn Pedersen Fox
As the skyscraper matures as a building type, its role in actively connecting to, and reinforcing, major threads of urban fabric becomes increasingly more important....
16 September 2014
A New Level of Integration of Design and Construction Solutions
Dr. Hongyu Li & Frankie Nip, AECOM
The Dazongli mixed use development in the center of Shanghai city encounters an array of challenges which result from existing buildings on site and city...
16 September 2014
The Evolution of Building Evacuation Design in China
Fang Li, James Antell & Martin Reiss, RJA Group
As a result of the events of September 11th and other natural and man-made disasters, building owners, designers and fire officials have become increasingly aware...
16 September 2014
Sustainable Vertical Urban Agglomeration
Enfang Liu, Jianing Pan, Dapeng Sun & Ying Liu, ISA Architecture
This paper, with the project case designed by Institute of Shanghai Architectural Design & Research (Co. Ltd.), from the agglomerate character of the development of...
16 September 2014
Learning from Hong Kong: Why High Density TODs Spell the Future for Asia’s Most Populous Cities
Bryant H.Y. Lu, Andy K.M. Leung & Anthony M.C. Cheung, Ronald Lu & Partners
The paper utilizes examples in Hong Kong and Shanghai to demonstrate why high- density Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs) spell the future for Asia’s most populous cities....
16 September 2014
Shanghai International Financial Center: Future City Vision
Sergio Valentini & Francisco Gonzalez-Pulido, JAHN
JAHN’s Archi-Neering –integrated design approach- is broadly displayed in the future Shanghai International Financial center, in Pudong, which consist of 3 towers physically connected by...
16 September 2014
Research on a Vertical Space System of the Mixed-use Complex
Zhendong Wang, Yinpu Wang & Qiang Hu, Tongji University
As the key method and important way to realize the vertical urban development in China, the mixed-use complex becomes the real case for the research...
16 September 2014
The Core Concept Behind the Bund Finance Center
Yang Wu & Lynn K. Lin, Bund Finance Center
Only architecture infused with culture can give a city its soul. We underpin sustainable concepts with a respect for history and culture to avoid ending...
16 September 2014
Property Management: Moving Towards Sustainable Vertical Urbanism
Xiaobo Chen, Shanghai Tower Construction & Development Co., Ltd
As the highest tower in Shanghai, and at the forefront of a new generation of supertall towers nationwide, Shanghai Tower will anchor the city’s Lujiazui...
16 September 2014
Construction Technology and Management Innovation
Zhenfeng Gao & Duanxue Shi, Shanghai Construction Group Co., Ltd.
This project adopts a double glass curtain wall system. A vertical atrium is formed between internal and external curtain walls which cause the external curtain...
16 September 2014
Making the World’s Greenest Tall Building
Jihong Han & Hongwu Fan, Shanghai Research Institute of Building Sciences
Shanghai Tower is poised to become the world’s tallest green building after receiving the Chinese 3-star green building design label and the U.S. LEED-CS Gold...
16 September 2014
Curtain-Wall System Design
Zhijun He, Jiemin Ding & Jiupeng Li, Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd.
A unique flexible suspended curtain wall support structure (CWSS) was ultimately developed to suit the exterior curtain wall system of Shanghai Tower. Because of the...
16 September 2014
The Making of a Vertical Intelligent Community Through Information Systems
Qi Hu, Jiankun Information and Technology Co., Ltd.
Shanghai Tower is devoted to creating a vertical intelligent community. From the detailed demands of the stakeholders, the owner’s team clarified the direction of intelligent...
16 September 2014
The Construction Supervision Process
Yadong Li, Haochuan Lang, Jing Sun & Xiangdong Xu, Shanghai Jianke Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd.
This chapter summarizes innovative management methods in the construction supervision process of Shanghai Tower, outlining the implementation process and application results. It includes key steps...
16 September 2014
Introduction of MEP Technologies
Zhenghong Liu, Shanghai Tower Construction & Development Co., Ltd.
This chapter explains that, in addition to Shanghai Tower’s peculiar height and unique architectural style, the project also targets a Green 3-Star and a LEED...
16 September 2014
Application of Performance-Based Fire Safety Design
Youdi Shen, Shanghai Tower Construction & Development Co., Ltd.
It is well known that fire problems in super high-rise buildings are common issues throughout the world. Fire technology covers fire prevention, fire suppression, and...
16 September 2014
The Payoff for Investing in the Human Experience
Benedict Tranel & Xiaomei Lee, Gensler
In this chapter, Shanghai Tower is introduced along side The Tower at PNC Plaza, to posit that economic propositions for double-façade design solutions must go...
16 September 2014
A Review of the Structural Performance Monitoring Project
Song Weining, Shanghai Tower Construction & Development Co., Ltd.
Through a comprehensive discussion of the systematic application of structural performance monitoring in construction, operation and maintenance of the Shanghai Tower, the author illustrates that...
16 September 2014
The Parametric Design of Shanghai Tower’s Form and Façade
Jun Xia & Michael Peng, Gensler
The Shanghai Tower was only made possible by using innovative design ideas, integrated technology, and advanced tools. This paper is centered around the project as...
16 September 2014
Practical Application of BIM Technology
Bin Zhao, Shanghai Tower Construction & Development Co., Ltd.
Using Shanghai Tower as an example, this chapter introduces the effective applications of BIM technology in project design and construction along with the positive results...
16 September 2014
Unique Structural Design Aspects
Yi Zhu, Dennis Poon, Qing (Steve) Zuo & Paul Fu, Thornton Tomasetti Inc.
This chapter discusses the unique structural solutions for the 632m tall Shanghai Tower. An innovative “Core-Outrigger-Mega Frame” lateral system is adopted to meet China’s conservative...
14 September 2014
Towards Sustainable Vertical Urbanism
Daniel Safarik, CTBUH
The survival of humanity on this planet relies on a radical repositioning of our cities. In the face of unprecedented global population growth, urbanization, pollution...
31 December 2013
Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2013
Daniel Safarik, Antony Wood, Marty Carver & Marshall Gerometta, CTBUH
By all appearances, the small increase in the total number of tall-building completions from 2012 into 2013 is indicative of a return to the prevalent...
01 November 2013
Designing Tall Buildings to Promote Physical Activity in China
Kristen Day & Mariela Alfonzo, Polytechnic Institute of New York University; Zhan Guo, New York University; Lin Lin, East China Normal University
This study asks the question: how do the design of tall buildings and tall building districts impact walking and bicycling in Chinese cities? Little is...
01 March 2013
Shaking Table Model Test of Shanghai Tower
Xilin Lu, Yuanjun Mao, Wensheng Lu & Liping Kang, Tongji University
Shaking table test is an important and useful method to help structural engineers get better knowledge about the seismic performance of the buildings with complex...
13 January 2013
Shanghai World Finance Center, China
At the time of completion in 2008, the Shanghai World Finance Center was the tallest skyscraper in China, with the tallest observation deck in the...
23 September 2012
The Tallest 15 Cities in China
CTBUH Research
With over 1.3 billion citizens and a rapidly urbanizing population, China is developing tall buildings more than any other country globally. Currently it has 239...
21 September 2012
30 Years in China: An Architect/Developer’s Perspective
John Portman, John Portman & Associates
The Portman Companies were one of the first foreign entities to establish business relations in China, and have since become recognized for quality building design...
21 September 2012
Shanghai Tower: Re-Thinking the Vertical City
Jian Ping Gu, Shanghai Tower Construction & Development
The construction of the Shanghai Tower breaks through conventional design methods and explores the possibilities of future supertall architectural approaches. These approaches bring the project...
19 September 2012
Comparative Study of the Urban Complex in Shanghai and Hong Kong
Zhendong Wang & Jianduan Chen, Tongji University
The paper analyzes the financial value, space value and urban value of the urban building complex in Shanghai and Hong Kong through three levels: direct...
19 September 2012
From Jin Mao to Kingdom: Search for an Asian Supertall Vernacular
Adrian Smith, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
The paper traces the evolution of Mr. Smith’s career as a designer of supertall buildings, the Jin Mao Tower (1999) to Kingdom Tower, to be...
19 September 2012
20 Years of High-Rise Fire Safety: From Jin Mao to Kingdom Tower
James H. Antell, RJA; Peter A. Weismantle, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
This paper will discuss the evolution of fire safety concepts in the recent generation of high rise buildings starting with “early” 1990’s designs in China...
19 September 2012
Case Study: Shanghai IFC
Edward Chan & Wing Leung, AECOM
Shanghai ifc, a landmark mixed-use development located in the heart of Lujiazui, Shanghai includes a 250-meter multi-function tower (South Tower), a 260-meter office tower (North...
19 September 2012
Shanghai Tower’s Versatile Energy Management System
Zhongli Chen & Lei Shi, ISA Architecture
This paper will discuss the idea of controlling and managing the central air conditioning system of skyscrapers during the entire building life cycle. Taking the...
19 September 2012
Spatially Suspending and Twisting Curtain walls' Design Essential
Bao Li Gao Meng Gen, Shuguo Zhao, Yongjun Li & Hang Liu, Shenyang Yuanda Aluminium Industry Engineering Co.,Ltd.
The Shanghai Tower exterior curtain wall has a complex twisting form with a multi-level flexible suspended support system. The curtain wall design is unique and...
19 September 2012
BIM Applications in the Shanghai Tower Construction
Qing Ge, Shanghai Tower Construction & Development
The construction of supertall mixed-use projects is a complex and integrated activity which has been a big challenge to construction management due to its wide...
19 September 2012
Key Technologioes in the Structure of Shanghai Tower
Jian Gong, Shanghai Construction Group Co. Ltd; Hong Zhou, Shanghai No.1 Construction Co. Ltd
As the tallest building in China and the second tallest building in the world, Shanghai Tower is a high-rise building with complicated structures which are...
19 September 2012
High-Rise Construction Risk Control Technology and Management
Yadong Li, Yu Huang, Haochuan Lang & Wenxin Zhai, Shanghai Jianke Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd
According to the characteristics of the Shanghai Tower, this paper will study construction risks in the construction process by means of WBS and RBS methods...
19 September 2012
Advanced Supertall Building Design in Hot-Summer and Cold- Winter Climates
Jianqiang Li, ISA Architecture
Climate adaptive design is a prerequisite for designing sustainable tall buildings. With rapid globalization and urbanization, different kinds of techniques and technologies developed abroad are...
19 September 2012
Mitsubishi Elevator Equipment in Shanghai Tower
Ikuo Nakazawa, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Inazawa Works
Shanghai Tower has a height of more than 600 meters above the ground and consists of five zones of skirt building zone, office zone, hotel...
19 September 2012
Supertall Building Pile-Raft Foundation Designs on Soft Soil
Chao Si & Wenhui Jiang, Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd; Yong Cui & Jianlong He, Tongji University
The design improvements and optimizations of super high-rise building pile-raft foundations on soft soil have been made as below: considerations of the impact in the...
19 September 2012
The Parametric Design of Shanghai Tower's Form and Façade
Jun Xia & Michael Peng, Gensler
The most sustainable super-tall tower in the world was only made possible by using innovative design ideas, integrated technology, and advanced tools. This paper is...
19 September 2012
Structural Design Challenges of Shanghai Tower
Yi Zhu, Dennis Poon, Steve Zuo & Guoyong Fu, Thornton Tomasetti
This paper discusses the structural challenges and solutions of the 632m tall Shanghai Tower. A unique “Core-Outrigger-Mega Frame” lateral system is used to meet China...
19 September 2012
Debating Tall: Is China's Property Bubble Ready to Burst?
KK Fung, JLL; Tianlun Jian, Economist
Soaring prices led many analysts to predict that a bubble was forming in China's housing industry prompted government measures to dampen the market. This quarter's...
01 September 2012
Shaking Table Test and Seismic Performance Evaluation of Shanghai Tower
Tian Chunyu, Xiao Congzhen, Zhang Hong, & Cao Jinzhe, China Academy of Building Research
Shanghai Tower is a super high-rise building of 632 m height with ‘mega frame-core- outrigger truss’ structure system. Due to the complexity and irregularity of...
01 August 2012
Context to China’s Legacy of Tall Building Development
Junjie Zhang, ECADI
Modern supertall buildings have become one of the vital symbols of economic development and the urbanization progress in mainland China, as well as one of...
01 June 2012
A New Leader for Telecom Towers
CTBUH Research
With the recent completion of two megatall telecommunication/observation towers it is perhaps time to review these structures and also explain why they are distinguished from...
27 January 2012
Debating Tall: A Supertall Future in the US?
Adrian Smith, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture; Paul Beitler, Beitler Real Estate Services LLC
In 1990, only 11 buildings in the world could be counted as a “supertall” (defined as a building over 300 meters tall), and all but...
18 January 2012
The Tallest 20 in 2020: Entering the Era of the Megatall
Nathaniel Hollister & Antony Wood, CTBUH
Within this decade we will likely witness not only the world’s first kilometer-tall building, but also the completion of a significant number of buildings over...
10 October 2011
Elasto-Plastic Time-History Analysis of the Shanghai Tower Under Rare Earthquakes
Hao Qin, Xianzhong Zhao, Yiyi Chen & Ben Wang, Tongji University
The Shanghai Tower, designed to be 124 stories of 636m height and currently under construction, will be the tallest building in China. The structure of...
01 February 2011
World’s Tallest Steel Shear Walled Building
Mark Sarkisian & Neville Mathias, SOM; Dasui Wang, ECADI; Sam Lee, Guangzhou Scientific Computing Consultants
Because of its iconic slender form, a key design challenge was to develop an efficient lateral system capable of resisting wind and seismic lateral load;...
31 December 2010
Tallest Buildings Completed in 2010
CTBUH Research
In a year dominated by news coverage of the new “World’s Tallest Building” – Burj Khalifa, Dubai – one may be surprised to learn that,...
17 April 2010
Case Study: Shanghai Tower
Jun Xia, Gensler; Dennis Poon, Thornton Tomasetti; Douglas C. Mass, Cosentini Associates
As the third tower in the trio of supertall buildings at the heart of Shanghai’s new Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone, Shanghai Tower embodies a...
01 February 2010
Structural Design of Reinforced Concrete Tall Buildings
Ali Sherif S. Rizk, Dar Al-Handasah Consultants
During the last 12 years the Structural Engineering Department at Dar Al-Handasah has designed 45 mixed-use tall buildings in different Arab countries. The designed towers...
31 December 2009
Tallest Buildings Completed in 2009
CTBUH Research
Trump International Hotel & Tower named tallest building completed in 2009; Successful year for the American high-rise. Over half of all buildings 200m or taller...
31 December 2008
Tallest Buildings Completed in 2008
CTBUH Research
Against the backdrop of global economic crisis, 2008 witnessed the most successful year of skyscraper construction to date, with more skyscrapers constructed globally within a...
17 April 2008
Case Study: Shanghai World Financial Center
Paul Katz, KPF; Leslie E. Robertson, Leslie E. Robertson Associates
From the onset of the Shanghai World Financial Center project, its developers targeted a cutting-edge, mixed use mega-complex that would serve a multitude of tenant...
03 March 2008
Shanghai World Financial Center: Without Compromise……
Paul Katz, KPF; Leslie Robertson & SawTeen See, Leslie E. Robertson Associates
Shanghai World Financial Center is located in the Lujiazui district of Pudong, the Shanghai World Financial Center combines creative architecture and structural engineering to create...
31 December 2006
Tallest Buildings Completed in 2006
Nina Tower 1 in Hong Kong, at 319 meters high, leads the list of the ten tallest buildings completed in 2006. The Sports City Tower/Aspire...
01 May 2006
Jin Mao Tower’s Influence on China’s New Innovative Tall Buildings
Mark Sarkisian, Neville Mathias, Eric Long & Aaron Mazeika, SOM
The 56 story, 232 m tall Jinao Tower in Nanjing, China, is a next-generation tower which maximizes performance, efficiency, and occupant experience. Its faceted form...
10 October 2004
Seismic Model Test of a Hybrid High-rise Building in Shanghai
Wensheng Lu, Zuhua Liu & Xilin Lu, Tongji University; Dasui Wang, Shanghai Xiandai Architectural Design Group
This paper examines a micro-concrete structural model of Shanghai Shimao International Square with scale of 1/33 was constructed, to validate the calculation results, find out...
26 February 2001
The Tallest Concrete Building in Shanghai, China – Plaza 66
Richard L. Tomasetti, Dennis Poon & Ling-en Hsaio, Thornton Tomasetti
Plaza 66 is the latest addition to the skyline of Shanghai, China; with a height of 281.5 meters, it’s the tallest concrete building in the...
01 July 1998
Design and Construction of the Jin Mao Tower's Mat Foundation
Mark Sarkisian, Stan Korista & Ahmad Abdelrazaq, SOM
Looking from the Yangtze River toward the new Shanghai skyline, you cannot help noticing the ever changing color of the ultra-tall Jin Mao Tower with...
01 January 1995
Jin Mao Tower's Unique Structural System
Mark Sarkisian, Stan Korista & Ahmad Abdelrazaq, SOM
The composite structural system for the Jin Mao Tower was designed to resist typhoon winds and earthquake forces and accommodate poor soil conditions while providing...
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