![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Broad basked in the publicity and said that it was gearing up to start in November, subject to government approval. Cue endless superlatives about Chinese ingenuity and hand-wringing over Western decline. Yes, days. The cost was reportedly a steal: $1,500 per square meter, compared to $15,000 for the Burj Tower. And this giant, earthquake-proof structure was to be put up in 90 days. Called 'Sky City', the proposed tower in Changsha (where else?) was designed to house over 30,000 people in a structure with 104 elevators that tops out at 838 meters, taller than Dubai's Burj Tower. That was guaranteed to draw attention, not least for the historical correlation between skyscraper completions and economic crashes. Zhang is a self-taught engineer, not an architect, and it shows.īut the biggest splash was for Broad's announcement last year that it would build the world's tallest tower. Architects have taken note of Broad's innovative approach rather than its aesthetics: the buildings are barely distinguishable from others in China's drab cityscapes. In 2008, Zhang began experimenting with prefab construction that he says makes for buildings that are cheaper to build and consume less concrete and water. Based in Changsha, central China, Broad ('Yuanda') is known for making giant air-con systems its founder and CEO Zhang Yue has built an estimated fortune of $860 million. Modular buildings aren't new, but the technique wasn't seen as applicable to skyscrapers until Broad Sustainable Building entered the picture. The trick, if you can call it that, lies in the prefabrication of steel-and-concrete blocks that can be hoisted into position, just as bricks form a wall. Ignore the pompous music and marvel at the night-becomes-day pace. It's hard not to be impressed by this 2011 video of a 15-storey tower going up in China in just 30 days. ![]()
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