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Shanghai Tower 上海中心大厦
Gensler's winning design
General information
Location	Shanghai, China
Coordinates	31°14′08″N 121°30′04″E / 31.2355°N 121.501°E / 31.2355; 121.501Coordinates: 31°14′08″N 121°30′04″E / 31.2355°N 121.501°E / 31.2355; 121.501
Status	Under construction
Groundbreaking	29 November 2008[2]
Estimated completion	2014[1]
Use	Office, hotel, retail, entertainment, observation
Height
Antenna or spire	632 m (2,073 ft)
Roof	565.6 m (1,856 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	128
Floor area	380,000 m2 (4,090,300 sq ft) above grade 170,000 m2 (1,829,900 sq ft) below grade[2]
Cost	US$2.2 billion[1]
Companies involved
Architect(s)	Gensler
Structural engineer	Consentini Associates, Thornton Tomasetti
Developer	Shanghai Tower Construction & Dev. Co., Ltd.
Owner	Shanghai Tower Construction and Development Co., Ltd.
References: Emporis[3] SkyscraperPage[4]

The Shanghai Tower (Chinese: 上海中心大厦; pinyin: Shànghǎi zhōngxīn dàshà) is a super tall skyscraper under construction^[5] in the Pudong District of Shanghai. Upon completion, the building will rise approximately 632 metres (2,073 ft), have 128 stories, and contain an area of 380,000 m² (4,090,000 sq ft).^[3][6][7] It will be the tallest building in China^[8], and the second tallest in the world, surpassed only by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which stands at 828 meters (2,717 feet).

Planning

District

Planning models for the Lujiazui financial district dating back to 1993 show plans for three supertall skyscrapers all next to each other.^[9] Two have already been built; the Jin Mao Building was completed in 1998, and the Shanghai World Financial Center in 2008.

Competition

After numerous designs were submitted by many architectural firms, two design proposals reached the final in early 2008, both 580 m tall.^[10] An innovative design by Gensler was chosen in June 2008,^[11] where the building twists as it rises and is surrounded by an outer glass curtain wall.

Design

The tower will be organized as nine cylindrical buildings stacked atop each other, enclosed by the glass façade's inner layer.^[2] Between that and the outer layer, which twists as it rises, nine indoor gardens at different levels will provide public space for Shanghai residents.^[2][8] Both layers of the façade will be transparent, and retail and event spaces will be provided at the tower's base.^[2] The tower will feature the world's highest non-enclosed observation deck.

Director of Design Marshall Strabala of Gensler told E-Architect.co.uk architectural news website that Shanghai Tower will represent "China's dynamic future." "It will be an impressive building where China looks ahead to both the future of this bustling and ever-changing metropolis, but also to the future of the dynamic Chinese spirit. There will be no other such unique and well-conceived tower in the world," said Strabala.^[12]

Sustainability

The design of the glass façade is described to be able to reduce wind loads on the building by 24%, meaning less construction materials are needed, and the twisting feature will collect rainwater to be used for the tower's air conditioning and heating systems. Wind turbines will generate power for the building. According to E-Architect.co.uk, it will be the first super-tall (300 meters or taller) double-skin building in the world, acting much like a "thermos bottle," says Strabala, to insulate it and save energy.^[12]

The owners of the future Shanghai Tower hope to be awarded certifications from the China Green Building Committee and the U.S. Green Building Council for the building's sustainable design.^[2]

Construction status

Construction site in June 2009

During 2008, the site was prepared for construction,^[13][14] in preparation for the groundbreaking ceremony held on 29 November 2008.^[5] The tower has passed an environmental impact study.^[7] Construction of the tower will use sustainable techniques to make the building environmentally friendly and reduce energy usage.^[8]

The current block assigned for the Shanghai Tower, Z3-2, was for a short time a driving range, before the site was cleared for preparation.^[10]

The building is planned for completion in 2014.^[2]

See also

• List of tallest buildings in Shanghai
• List of tallest buildings and structures in the People's Republic of China
• List of tallest buildings in the world
• List of architects of supertall buildings

References

External links

• Shanghai Tower at Emporis
• Shanghai Tower at SkyscraperPage
• Images of the design proposals at SkyscraperPage Forum

Skyscrapers in Shanghai over 170 metres Completed: Over 300 m Shanghai World Financial Center (492 m, 2008) · Oriental Pearl Tower (468 m, 1995) · Jin Mao Tower (421 m, 1998) · Shimao International Plaza (333 m, 2005) 200-300 m Plaza 66 Tower 1 (288 m, 2001) · Tomorrow Square (285 m, 2003) · Hong Kong New World Tower (278 m, 2002) · Bocom Financial Towers (265 m, 2002) · One Lujiazui (256 m, 2008) · Grand Gateway Shanghai Towers (262 m, 2005) · Bank of Shanghai Headquarters (252 m, 2005) · Maxdo Centre (241 m, 2005) · Cloud Nine (238 m, 2006) · International Ocean Shipping Building (232 m, 2000) · Plaza 66 Tower 2 (228 m, 2006) · Oasis Skyway Garden Hotel (226 m, 2006) · Bank of China Tower (226 m, 2000) · Raffles Square (222 m, 2003) · Jasper Tower (220 m, 2008) · The Regent Shanghai (218 m, 2005) · Shanghai Dong Hai Plaza (217 m, 2004) · World Finance Tower (212 m, 2000) · King Tower (212 m, 1996) · Pudong International Information Port (211 m, 2001) · Sofitel Jin Jiang Oriental Pudong Hotel (207 m, 2002) · Nan Zheng Building (205 m, 1998) · Lippo Plaza (204 m, 1998) · Shanghai Sen Mao International Building (203 m, 1998) · Huaxia Financial Square Towers (202 m, 2003) · Golden Bell Mansion (200 m, 1998) · Radisson Hotel Shanghai New World (200 m) 170-200 m World Plaza Shanghai (199 m, 1998) · Bund Center (198 m, 2002) · Wenxin United Press Building (197 m, 1999) · Lan Sheng Building (196 m, 1997) · China Insurance Building (196 m, 1999) · The Center (196 m, 2004) · CITIC Square (193 m, 2000) · Huaneng Union Tower (188 m, 1997) · CAAC Pudong Tower (188 m, 2001) · Bao'an Tower (188 m, 1997) · Shanghai Futures Building (187 m, 1998) · China Merchants Tower (186 m, 1995) · Shanghai China Merchants Plaza Office Building (186 m, 1998) · Aurora Plaza (185 m, 2003) · Pudong Development Mansion (185 m, 2001) · Ciro's Plaza (181 m, 2002) · Union Square Towers (185 m, 2005) · Pudong Shangri La Hotel Extension (180 m, 2005) · Citigroup Tower (180 m, 2005) · Shanghai Property Information Exchange Center (180 m, 2000) · Harbour Ring Plaza (178 m, 1998) · K. Wah Center (178 m, 2005) · Four Seasons Hotel (172 m, 2002) Under construction: Shanghai Tower (632 m, 2014) · White Magnolia Plaza (320 m, 2011) · Shanghai Wheelock Square (298 m, 2008) · TIPS China Building (289 m, 2009) · Albany Oasis Garden Office Tower (260 m, 2008) · Shanghai IFC North Tower (260 m, 2010) · Huamin King Tower (258 m, 2008) · Shanghai IFC South Tower (250 m, 2009) · X3-2 Office Development (200 m) · Park Place Office Tower (188 m) · Hopson International Tower (180 m, 2008) · China Merchants Bank Headquarters (180 m) · Shanghai Expo Guest Hotel (178 m) Buildings listed in order of height and with year of completion  ·  Building data source: Emporis See also: List of tallest buildings in Shanghai · Category:Buildings and structures in Shanghai · Buildings on the Bund