In this industry one of the most exciting areas is the conception of new designs. In the modern industry environment, development rates for new construction and design technologies have increased tenfold, offering new opportunities for industry associates to be creative and more importantly, the ability to bring these innovative and unique ideas off the page and into reality.
Perhaps one of the most incredible achievements in recent times is the conceptualisation of the modern city. What was once seen only on the cover of Isaac Asimov novels are now flying through architectural firms around the world, bringing what once seemed like science fiction concepts, to life.
Asian countries are arguably the leaders in speedy industrial developments, with entire major cites growing from the ground up in just 10 to 15 years. Not only are they fast, but they are sturdy, as clearly demonstrated in Japan during the devastating earthquakes at the beginning of this year. While older buildings crumbled to the ground, the modern high rises simply swayed, filling those who didn’t understand the mechanics of these buildings with fear, but resulting in very little damage to these major modern buildings.
The very simple answer to the question of how these cities, although facing other issues of high density and high pollution, have some of world’s most incredible buildings, is the time frame in which they have been built. While most major cities are dotted with century old buildings and atrocities of waste from the 1980s, the older buildings far outnumber the new. Taking China into consideration where entire cities can go up in a phenomenally short period of time, modern building processes now bring a creative freedom to urban planning that can create a ‘look’ for an entire city, rather than just individual buildings.
A prime example of this process is the proposed ‘Haikou Towers’ in Haiku, the CBD region of Hainan’s capital in China. German architecture firm Henn Architekten have been awarded the right to design the CBD area through their 1st prize competition winning design which includes the development ten futuristic, ‘Asimov-esque’ skyscrapers. Chinese science fiction lovers are clapping their hands with delight at the sight of recently released renderings which envision a complete shift to the future for the tropical island city.
The skyscrapers will range from 150 to 450 metres in height, sizing determinant of the need that each will facilitate. The building area for the entire micro-city will be approximately 1.5 million sqm.
The buildings will be located in two rows, divided by a central highway. And will increase in size along either side of the highest 450 metre towers in the centre,. The towers are separated horizontally by communal landscaped parks and water features. Due to the glass façade of the buildings, which will allow natural light to be channelled through roof top lighting and exterior windows, ‘folded’ glass curtain units will be utilised in order to decrease solar gain. In addition to this, the top section of the buildings will be covered with photovoltaic cells in order to cater to energy production in a simple and effective manner.
In terms of design, while each building varies, they will all be reliant on a number of structural trusses, which will allow the towers to maintain their circular, open plan shape, with some incorporating stunning full-length atriums spanning from lobby to roof, which will bring natural light right throughout these skyscrapers.
‘Haiku Towers’ looks set to be a benchmark city of the future. What is even more incredible is that this city has a completion time frame of just four years. By 2015 an entire city will be born in central Hainan, it speaks volumes for the productivity of Chinese industry at the moment, as well as the design possibilities that are apparent when constructing on city-size scales.
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