Korea race to build skyscrapers with the world

In order to race with high-rise towers of Dubai, Shanghai, Hong Kong, etc., Korea is no less competitive when its two big cities, Incheon and Seoul, have announced that they will build higher skyscrapers. the tallest building in the world today.

Immediately after the city of Incheon publicized the construction of the 613m Songdo skylight tower, the design experts in the neighboring city of Seoul also unveiled the secret of the Yongsan building plan even 20m higher than Songdo. .

In December 2006, a Seoul official revealed a huge project, building a nearly 975m high, 220-storey building, nearly twice as high as the Sears Tower in Chicago (USA).

Incheon and Seoul have reflected the explosion of the construction of the world's largest high-rise towers since the skyscraper appeared more than a decade ago. Cities that are considered magnets attract skyscrapers including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong and fast-growing but less famous cities in Southeast Asia and the Gulf.

In Korea, big cities compete to build skyscrapers. In addition to Incheon and Seoul, Busan is planning to build two skyscrapers over 100 stories high. In the Middle East, Mecca and Doha, new towers are also built. High-rise towers will also grow in 6 major cities in China such as Guangzhou, Tianjin and Wenzhou. Experts predict that the next wave of skyscrapers may emerge from the rapidly growing Indian economy.

Songdo Incheon Twin Towers, 151 floors high, expected
will be completed in 2013. (Photo: hotel-online)

Daniel Kieckhefer, a representative of Real Estate Data Company based in Darmstadt (Germany), said: 'We have entered an unprecedented skyscraper era. I have heard about Chinese cities building skyscrapers competing with buildings in New York. '

According to Emporis, 42 skyscraper projects are in the planning stage or under construction around the world. At least 33 towers have been completed over the past 80 years and currently the world's tallest building is the 101-story Taipei tower in Taiwan, 508m high, built in 2004.

Among the planned towers, there are only 5 projects in the US, including New York: Freedom Tower, 541m high, planned to be built at the World Trade Center that was a target of terrorism. ; American bank tower and New York Times Tower. The other two towers in Chicago are Trump Tower, Trump International Hotel and Waterview Tower.

Many new high-rise buildings are emerging in crowded cities, where land is very scarce and the emerging middle class is eager to own modern housing and offices. However, experts say, the motivation to build tall buildings has shown that the aspirations of Asian and Gulf countries want to participate in the national rankings and to confirm that the moment is Long wait in history has finally arrived.

In Korea, one reason unexpected rise in high-rise buildings is the desire to keep up with fast-growing neighboring countries like China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

Lee Bok-nam, a researcher at the Korea Institute of Economic and Construction Research, said: 'Koreans have been slightly hurt by the fact that Taiwan has the tallest building in the world and we do not have . If they have 1, we must also have 1 '.

Currently, Dubai is still the busiest construction site when the bustling port city in the United Arab Emirates is emerging as a financial center of the Gulf. The city has poured billions of dollars into high-rise tower cars.

According to Emporis, about 15 high-rise buildings are being planned or under construction here, including Buri Dubai, worth $ 1 billion. This 161-storey tower is expected to be completed next year.

Abdelrazaq, CEO of construction and design company Samsung said: 'High-rise buildings demonstrate the power of technology. People always aspire to the highest point they can and technology determines the height '.

Abdelrazaq said, one of the challenges for high-rise towers is wind. A good lift is also a decisive factor. Taking the elevator to the 89th floor of Taipei Tower takes only 37 seconds. Experts said that in the future, high-rise buildings could use magnets to move by magnets instead of using existing cables, allowing them to move diagonally or inclined.

The 101-storey Taipei Tower has overcome the power of wind and earthquakes by using a unique technology. It is a 600 ton heavy shock absorber balloon suspended by a cable on the top floor of the building. This ball will act like a big pendulum, holding the building steady as it begins to rock.

In Korea, the economic boom and passion for the nation has produced dozens of plans to build tall buildings. Typically, the project of high-rise buildings is the Songdo Incheon Twin Towers, 151-storey high, is expected to be completed in 2013. Seoul is also planning to build Yongsan 151-storey building.

Lee Seung-joo, managing director of Incheon Twin Towers project, said: 'All cities in the world have high-rise towers. It is like a brand and our twin towers will also be the brand of Incheon before the world. '

Kim Sang-dae, a professor of architecture engineering at Seoul University in Seoul, said: 'A high-rise building is a pride. It is like a message to the world that we are on par with you and we are no longer a poor country. '

Anh Ninh