New World's Tallest Building

[STL FANATIC]

I can't decide if I think the US should just not be lazy and switch to metric, or if I should just be hey, we're unique and darn proud...

[the_cynic]

As a skyscraper fan, I've been looking forward to the completion of this building for some time, it looks a lot nicer than it did in its renderings  (kudos to Asia for their skyscraper styles).

I'm glad to see that there's another fan of architecture or therefore in this matter......skyscrapers within this forum!

Someone posted that building comparing to the CN Tower... 95% of that building is underwater, I wouldn't consider that as being free standing (the water is an excellent support).

What building is 95% under water? I don't quite know what your talking about.

The World Trade Centre in New York will top this one when built, however there is a building twice as tall as the CN Tower being built in Austrailia  (a kilometre high... incredible)

I'm afraid to say it but that Australian skyscraper that you're referring to is no longer. Are you referring to the Grollo Tower that was proposed to be built in Melbourne and then cancelled later on?

[the_cynic]

Try this building on for size!

The Ryugyong Hotel is a towering, 105-story, 330 m (1,083 ft) empty concrete shell in Pyongyang, North Korea. If the building ever was completed it would be considered the world's largest hotel, and one of the tallest buildings in the world. Today however, the building remains uninhabited and unfinished.

The North Koreans began constructing the pyramid-shaped Ryugyong Hotel in 1987, reportedly aiming for 105 stories to beat out a structure the South Koreans were building in Singapore. The building was to contain 3,000 rooms and 7 revolving restaurants. The estimated cost of building it ran upwards of $750 million, which is 2% of North Korea's GDP. It's generally assumed construction came to a halt in 1991 because North Korea was suffering from famine, acute electricity shortages, and lack of necessary funding. The basic structure is complete, but no windows, fixtures or fittings have been installed. The concrete used in building the Ryugyong Hotel is considered of unsuitable quality and therefore is unsafe - it cannot therefore be completed as currently built. With annual tourism numbering less than a hundred, some question the logic of building such a massive hotel. Pyongyang's few existing hotels remain to this day, virtually empty. The 360,000 m² (3.9 million ft²) concrete structure continues to dominate Pyongyang's skyline.

[habsfannova]

I read about that. It's supposed to be haunting up close....

[the_cynic]

Well if it's been sitting there for 13 years you can imagine that there's some damage to the building just from natural causes themselves. It kind of reminds me of the "Tower of Terror" ride at the MGM Studios in Orlando. This would have to be one of the oddest building story's in history. And to sit there alone, vacant with nothing around it even close to it's size for 13 years now. I can guarantee you it would be a trip just to walk through that thing. You'd almost expect to see wild animals running around like it was on the set of the "12 Monkey's" movie.

[JQK]

Metric sucks, and i am a typical American, and that is my response. Our way is better, so shut up!!!

[Guest Guest]

Metric sucks, and i am a typical American, and that is my response. Our way is better, so shut up!!!

Good for you Quincy! Now add something of value to the conversation. We were back on topic and then you have to go spirtin' off with that crap.

[habsfannova]

Yeah, the construction was halted mainly do to power difficulties. Plus, prison labour was used in a lot of it, and you get what you pay for.

My favourite skyscraper would have to be the Renissance Center in Detroit. Although the one in Shanghai is looking mighty beautiful.

[DEAD!]

FYI: 1 foot = 30.5cm

I read about the proposed tower in Melbourne a few years ago. Didn't know much about it then. Now I know why....

I heard the WTC was going to be only 50 stories high, the rest is come steel shell.

A couple of nights ago on the CBC there was a story on something NASA is developing. Something called the Space Elevator. It would literally stretch into outer space. The material would be elongated strands of Carbon. The shuttles will be given their thrust at the top.

[Joshawaggie]

I believe we (Americans) would be usin metric by now fully, but I think didn't Regan vote to not switch to it in the early '80's?

[CC97]

The tall building i was referring to is being built in the Australian Outback, and is 1000m tall (something like 3400 feet). It has no official name yet, but it is a 'Solar Tower'

The Petronius Compliant Tower is all under water except for the top part of it...

[Roger Clemente]

The tall building i was referring to is being built in the Australian Outback, and is 1000m tall (something like 3400 feet). It has no official name yet, but it is a 'Solar Tower'

A lot of people nicknamed it "Isengard".

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

[winters in buffalo]

For all you metric foes:

The Metric Conversion Act of 1975

Sec. 205b. Declaration of policy

It is therefore the declared policy of the United States--

(1) to designate the metric system of measurement as the preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerce;

(2) to require that each Federal agency, by a date certain and to the extent economically feasible by the end of the fiscal year 1992, use the metric system of measurement in its procurements, grants, and other business-related activities, except to the extent that such use is impractical or is likely to cause significant inefficiencies or loss of markets to United States firms, such as when foreign competitors are producing competing products in non- metric units;

(3) to seek out ways to increase understanding of the metric system of measurement through educational information and guidance and in Government publications; and

(4) to permit the continued use of traditional systems of weights and measures in non-business activities.

[jkrdevil]

Wasn't that repealed after widespread protest??

[NJTank]

Yeah I belive it was becuase they stopped doing it in the mid 80s

[winters in buffalo]

Wasn't that repealed after widespread protest??

As far as I know, it's still official - although, it was modified twice and has been virtually ignored.

I didn't look into to any further, as the info I found in the link above is in line with what I already perceievd to be true.

[GMac]

Wasn't that repealed after widespread protest??

I think it was a lack of common sense... USA math scores are usually terrible and im guessing simplifying the units would help and hell of a lot...hell the neighbourhood drug dealer uses the metric system out and he's got it figured in side and out... 1000 grams in a Kilo... lol.. but seriously i remember one time we were discussing the imperial versus metric system in school... canada has picked up a meld of the 2 systems... i can tell you im 5'8" 182 lbs (of twisted steel and sex appeal) but to tell you in metric i would have to pull out a calculator.... but celcius and kilometers are here to stay and so much easier to figure out... 100 boiling, 0 freezing, -40 same as US -40, -54 (like it was here 2 weeks ago) way tooo ****ing cold... the only reason i know there are 5280 feet in a mile is because of the stupid thing my teacher said "johnny lives one mile from school, he woke up looked at his clock and said "its 5-to-8, Oh"...

but yeah... skyscrapers are cool... just glad i dont have to wash the windows on them....

[Stampman]

Although not a building, the CN Tower still tops them all at 553.33m (1815 ft)

No offense--but what does that mean that it's not a building--they built it.

(maybe we should call it a built)

[winters in buffalo]

I've always thought metric was far easier to use, but having worked on a few construction & remodelling projects, I wondered something... how easy is it to build using metric? I know that in the US, building materials are based on measurements of 4's, and it's very easy to work with to keep things squared up.

[CC97]

Although not a building, the CN Tower still tops them all at 553.33m (1815 ft)

No offense--but what does that mean that it's not a building--they built it.

(maybe we should call it a built)

It's a Free-Standing Observation/Communications Tower, like the Space Needle, and Eiffel Tower... a building is something like the Sears Tower, the Empire State Building, or the Petronas.