In 2007, when investors bought Dallas' Cityplace Tower, they planned to turn a big chunk of the office skyscraper into luxury residential units. Boy, are they glad those plans never got off the ground. Since then, the residential market has gone in the tank. And Cityplace has landed enough big office tenants to fill more than 80 percent of the high-rise just north of downtown Dallas. "A lot of times you are better off with the deals you don't do," said Robert Ratelle, managing general partner...more.

Adding to what is well on its way towards becoming the leading skyscraper cluster in Europe is this new planning proposal by BUJ Architects, a 39 floor boutique hotel, 127 metres in height. With only a small triangular footprint on the site, the architect opted for an extruded wedge that intersects with a higher rectangular section creating a building that roughly follows a curving frontage along Marsh Wall. The tower will be clad in opaque, transparent and translucent with each face of the building having a different façade treatment...more.

German architect Ole Scheeren of Office for Metropolitan Architecture has designed a skyscraper for Bangkok in Thailand. A band of shifted, box-like elements breaks up the surface and creates terraces and balconies. There will also be a public plaza, retail space, 200 homes, a hotel, bar and restaurant. Building is due for completion in 2010...more.

If built, Jean Nouvel’s spindly tower at 53 West 53rd Street would be the second tallest building in the city, roughly 200 feet above the Chrysler Building and as many below the Empire State Building. It was this skyline altering impact and the quality of its underlying design that most interested the members of the City Planning Commission at a public hearing on the project. But the considerable community opposition to the project remained very much rooted in fears of shadows cast and congestion worsened...more.

An 18-storey, 35,165-square-meter commercial office development for the site formerly occupied by Richard Seifert’s 1960s Royex House. Judges’ comments ‘The project does much to improve the urban realm by creating, improving and connecting public spaces in an area of the city notoriously difficult to resolve. Granite, concrete and flowing water features add visual interest to the street."...more.

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat was saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Alan Davenport. Dr. Davenport will be remembered, not only as a pioneer in the application of boundary layer wind tunnels, but as a long-time friend and supporter of CTBUH, serving as a member of the CTBUH Steering Group (1984-1993)...more.

City of Dreams, an integrated entertainment resort, is set to become the “must experience” destination in Macau. Developed by Melco Crown Entertainment Limited, with Leigh & Orange as the Executive Architect, City of Dreams held its official grand opening ceremony in June 2009. It combines electrifying entertainment, stylish nightclubs, an amazing array of accommodation, regional and international dining, designer-brand shopping, as well as a spacious and contemporary gaming experience...more.

Green roofs are a growing trend in the U.S. But PNC Financial Services Group is taking the lead on green walls, with the largest Green Living Wall in North America scheduled to be constructed on the south side of the bank's Pittsburgh headquarters. When completed the 2,380-square-foot wall, outfitted with 602 panels of soil, will look much like a painting constructed out of regional plants. The wall will also provide shade to surrounding sidewalks, absorb sound, and cool the surface of the south wall by 70 to 80 degrees...more.

Hanoi authorities reviewed an ambitious plan for Hanoi’s development to 2030, with a ‘vision’ to 2050. The plan calls for the city’s evolution as ‘the first sustainable capital city.’ It is the work of PPJ, a consortium made up of the US design and architecture firm Perkins Eastman and Posco Engineering & Construction and Jina from South Korea. The Vietnam Institute for Architecture, Urban and Rural Planning (VIAP) also contributed. However, the draft plan is drawing fire from Vietnamese experts...more.

Zaha Hadid has received two major commissions for large-scale projects to be built in Cairo, Egypt. First came word of a new speculative development southeast of the city center. The Stone Towers is a 5.5-million-square-foot office and retail complex set in 42 landscaped acres, including a five-star hotel and sunken gardens. Then Hadid was declared winner of an invited competition for an “Expo City” on the site of Cairo’s longtime fair grounds, combining shopping, hospitality, and convention facilities...more.

One of the world's leading architecture firms, Kohn Pederson Fox, could have it's biggest shake-up in years. The London branch of KPF has not only designed a number of choice skyscrapers in the United Kingdom in the past decade such as the Pinnacle and Heron Tower, but also won an increasing number of contracts abroad. The moves to demerge the firm at the point the property market is bottoming out and investors starting to raise funds for new development again mark an ideal point for the businesses to split just in time for the next economic cycle...more.

Rising above the skyline of San Jose in Costa Rica, this mixed use tower will be a new landmark, providing crucial amenities for the city, sheltered from the tropical local climate. The concept is driven by a progressive environmental strategy that is expected to establish new benchmarks for the region. The program of the 25 story tower includes mixed commercial and retail spaces together with a business centre, offices, conference rooms, hotel floors and Casino...more.

Along with Rem Koolhaas, founder of OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture), Ole Scheeren is the architect of Asia’s most ambitious and scariest skyscraper, Beijing’s enormous CCTV (China Central Television) Building. That avant-garde monumental arch loomed over the Olympics and dominates the city’s increasingly prickly skyline. This building is the perfect expression of a sensibility that powerfully combines western questioning and eastern bravado...more.

Structural engineer William Baker (CTBUH Trustee), a partner at the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, received the Fritz Leonhardt Prize in recognition of his engineering accomplishments which include many of the tallest skyscrapers of our time. The Chamber of Engineers noted "Mr. Baker's numerous pioneering contributions in building and structural engineering have earned him international recognition and a reputation among experts"...more.

Demolition is underway on one of the most difficult to develop sites in the London borough of Tower Hamlets, marking its redevelopment from obsolete council estate to modern housing. The plans by architect Baily Garner call for a tall building of 22 storeys on the corner of the site acting as a gateway building. Two other towers of 16 and 13 storeys are also planned to rise above a lower-rise block and act as a barrier from the heavy passing traffic...more.

A huge cultural shift will be required before Aussie families embrace high rises in outer suburban areas, according to leading demographer Bernard Salt. Mr Salt said he was unaware of any cities in Australia with high-rise residential buildings away from the coastline in otherwise traditional suburbia. Gold Coast City Council plans to allow multi-storey dwellings, potentially up to 15 storeys, in the east Coomera area in order to cram in more people as the population grows...more.

Foster + Partners has been given a second chance to masterplan the $2.7 billion West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong. The British architect, together with Rem Koolhaas and local designer Rocco Yim Sen-kee, will take part in public forums on the overall look, ambience, facilities, programmes and activities. In 2006 Foster’s plans for an enormous glass canopy covering a 2.4km stretch of reclaimed land had not been greeted with enthusiasm by potential developers...more.

In an interview with GreenSource editor Jane Kolleeny, structural engineer, architect, and academic Werner Sobek (CTBUH Member and 2006 Fazlur Rahman Khan Medalist) defines green architecture and what it takes to become an international leader in sustainable practices and technology, specifically in lightweight structures...more.

The tallest building in the United States now bears the name of a Bermuda-domiciled company after Chicago's Sears Tower was renamed the Willis Tower. In getting its name on the building Willis Group Holdings Ltd., with its largest operations in London and New York, is putting one over its insurance broker rival Aon Corp., whose headquarters is about a mile away. Willis's naming rights for the iconic skyscraper will run for 15 years, as part of its lease...more.

Proposals have been put forward for yet another super tall skyscraper to grace China's seemingly endless skyline. To be located in the city of Guangzhou opposite the West Tower of the Zhuiang Xincheng project, it will if built stand at 522 metres , be named the East Tower and is the work of architects Dennis Lau and Ng Chun Man. Standing on a five storey podium base the tower rises in a square box like shape but changes form creating a triangular shape...more.

After Hurricane Wilma raked Miami in 2005, developer Alan Ojeda's new apartment high-rise, One Broadway, built with laminated windows designed to endure ''small missiles'' like roof gravel, had escaped unscathed. Ojeda is putting the finishing touches on another new building, 1450 Brickell. His company bills it as the most wind-resistant glass-sided office tower in the nation and claims it withstood pressure tests in the lab equating to a 327-mph gust...more.

The International Federation for High Rise Structures and Technische Universität München announce the 9th International Conference for Highrise Towers and Tall Buildings 2010, that will be held at the Technische Universität München from April 14-16, 2010, a unique opportunity for Engineers and researchers to share new ideas, experiences, and knowledge within the field of Highrise Towers and Tall Buildings. Papers on any topic relevant to the Conference themes are welcome...more.

Mediterranean Investments Holding plc has signed a shareholders agreement with the Economic Development Real Estate Company of Libya for the development of a 40-storey high-rise iconic building in the heart of Tripoli’s financial and business district. Medina Tower will be constructed over 12,500sqm of land neighbouring other high-rise developments and facing the open Mediterranean Sea...more.

An eye-catching project is taking shape in Baku. It features three curving towers ranging from 31 to 39 stories, rising from a podium with an extensive roof garden. The towers will be shield-shaped in cross section. One tower will house luxury apartments, another a hotel and the third, offices. The design by HOK is inspired by Azerbaijan’s tradition of fire worship...more.

Called the Guangzhou international finance centre (GIFC), it is 432m high and the second tallest building in China.  The tower consists of 69 storeys of offices and a 33-storey Four Seasons hotel at the top of the building. This features an atrium at its centre which helps get natural light down into the hotel.  Architect Wilkinson Eyre’s tower is the tallest to be built by a British architect, yet is the first high-rise realized by the practice, which won the job in a competition in 2004...more.

UNstudio's design for the mixed-use Raffles City Development is located near the Giangtan river in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province, China. The project incorporates retail, offices, housing and hotel facilities and marks the site of a cultural landscape within the Quianjiang new town area.  After four years of planning and construction, it will reach a height of 60 stories, presenting views both to and from the Giantang River and West Lake areas...more.

A proposed 57-story skyscraper will rise even higher than the tallest building in Brooklyn, the Clarett Group’s 51-story “Brooklyner” on Lawrence Street in Downtown.  Builders of the 596-foot high-rise, which will include 861 rental apartments, claim they were not intending to start a skyscraper race in Downtown, where the 514-foot Clarett tower is just 24 inches taller than the Williamsburgh Savings Bank...more.

Six projects including four high-rise buildings of between 50 and 80 floors to be located at the Corniche, King Abdul Aziz Road and Al-Amana Street, have been given final permits by the Jeddah mayoralty to begin construction work.  Mayoralty head of “groundbreaking projects” Fawwaz Bakhatma said that initial approval has been given to a total of 15 projects, allowing investors to complete planning designs and then approach the government with their plans...more.

The Sears Tower, one of the world's iconic skyscrapers and the tallest building in the U.S., was renamed the Willis Tower  in a downtown ceremony, marking a new chapter in the history of the giant edifice that has dominated the Chicago skyline for nearly four decades. The 110-story skyscraper may officially have a new name for the first time since its 1973 opening, but many Chicago residents said they weren't buying it...more.

New York architecture and design practice Axis Mundi have designed a conceptual alternative to French architect Jean Nouvel’s design for a 73-storey tower next to the Museum of Modern Art in New York.  Axis Mundi’s design is an attempt to rethink the New York skyscraper for the post-boom era, expressing the diversity of uses within instead of “one-note architecture that makes a singular visual image and little else”...more.

Construction has commenced on a new luxury hotel designed to help “green” the Sogutozu district of Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. Designed by RMJM on behalf of developer Őzkar Construction Co., the 24 storey hotel will also be a sculptural landmark for the city.  Located on a 14,000 sq m site, the 400 room J. W. Marriott Hotel devotes the first four floors to spacious ballrooms...more.

An Abu Dhabi developer is putting an eye-catching spin on its 160-meter-tall flagship building by giving it a startling 18° list with a slight twist. Swathed in a structural-steel diagrid, Capital Gate’s wavy profile, currently two-thirds up, makes the Tower of Pisa, tilting only 5° from its vertical axis, seem positively upright. Getting the newer leaning tower to take on its deceptively leisurely lean is creating geometrical puzzles for its contractors...more.

Proposals to redevelop Los Angeles famous Century Plaza Hotel by its owner, Michael Rosenfeld have sparked massive rows over whether the hotel should be given preservation status on grounds of it being of historical importance.  The 19 storey, 726 roomed, crescent shaped hotel which is 40 years old was designed by Minoru Yamasaki famed for designing New York's World Trade Centre towers and forms part of the famous Century City complex...more.

Another landmark tower is expected to be complete in 2009 in downtown Chicago, and the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) has toured the building  in conjunction with its 2009 Summer Tours program.  On the tour, CTBUH was led around the construction site by folks from Studio Gang and the builder, getting an up-close look at the technical aspects of the design...more.

Driving around Williamsburg it is easy to forget about the recession. No other neighborhood in the city has been more visibly transformed by new residential construction than Williamsburg, where countless glass-and-steel structures have gone up on blocks long defined by abandoned factories, trash-strewn lots, modest row houses, and residents of the nebulously creative postgraduate variety...more.

The Los Angeles City Council approved plans for a new 43-story mixed-use building downtown, on South Figueroa Street just south of Staples Center.  The high-rise will include 273 residential units stacked atop an eight-level podium, restaurants and a spa. The project, approved 10 to 0, was supported by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Councilwoman Jan Perry, who represents that portion of downtown...more.

A city's history can be read in its buildings. In Rome, these are the Colosseum and the ancient Forum; in Berlin, the Reichstag and the remains of the wall that split East from West; and in New York it is the avenues of impressive skyscrapers.  And what about Tel Aviv? It too can increasingly be characterized by its tall buildings, from the pioneering Shalom Tower that was built on the ruins of the Herzliya Gymnasium, through the iconic Azrieli Towers...more.

The International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR) 2009, in collaboration with Ikatan Arsitek Indonesia (Indonesian Institute of Architects Jakarta Chapter), has announced the winners of the 'Gotong Royong City' competition, which asked for individuals to submit ideas on envisioning the future of Jakarta, Indonesia. The first place winner is 'Jakarta Bersih!'. Jakarta struggles with issues of overpopulation, pollution...more.

Groundwork is underway on what could be the world's first city dedicated purely to sport and the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle for all its residents and visitors.  Named Tunis Sports City the project will be located in Tunisia and will in fact be a city within a city, the master plan comes from the drawing boards of Spanish based architectural firm Diseno Earle.  The project will be built in several phases the first of which will be named Cedar village...more.

Architect Robert Ferry unveiled a stunning design for a sustainable spire in Dubai that requires zero energy and produces zero waste and zero emissions. The Almeisan Tower is a concept created for Za’abeel Park that generates all of its own energy using concentrating solar power technology. The tower itself is actually a solar power tower (much like Solar One in California) that uses heliostats positioned at the top of the tower to direct sunlight onto a central receiver...more.

Wilkinson Eyre are continuing their architectural domination of Aldgate with this planned redevelopment of Beagle House that will see the squat sixties office building evolve into something more glassy and modern.  It features a 79.45 metre tall building with 19 floors above ground level planned to stand on an existing unremarkable 11 floor design by Richard Seifert that includes an extension on the western part of the site...more.

Imagine an entire city block that operates off the grid. That’s what competitors were asked to do in Re:Vision Dallas, an international design competition that seeks to transform a neglected urban block in downtown Dallas into a self-sustaining community. The competition, which drew hundreds of entries from 26 countries, resulted in three winners, from which one will be chosen for construction at the end of 2009...more.

Several local and foreign investors have shown an interest in infrastructure projects and are also keen on constructing high-rise buildings in the Jaffna peninsula. These are for mixed development projects where housing and offices would be combined.  The BOI is finalizing plans to launch an extensive investment promotion drive in USA and Canada specially targeting the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora...more.

The Burj Dubai has been delayed by a further three months and will not open until December 2009.  The contractors said the delay was due to work that still needed to be carried out on the outside and inside of the building, set to become the tallest building in the world.  A person close to the Burj Dubai's developer, Emaar Properties, confirmed the tower will not be completed until December 2009.  Emaar Chairman Mohamed Ali Alabbar told reporters in June 2008...more.

La Defense is the main skyscraper district in Paris and the constant stream of proposals no matter what the economic weather means this is a title it's unlikely to lose.  Adding to this development pipeline are these new plans by LOG Architectes for a 126 metre tall 38 floor building called Tour Fiducial as part of a planned redevelopment of some of the low-rise fringe areas of the existing complex...more.

Tornado Tower has been awarded the 2009 prodigious accolade for Best Tall Building in the Middle East and Africa. Bestowed on it by the Awards Committee of the Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), the world's leading authority on the design, construction and development of tall buildings, it is one of four tall buildings in the world to receive this recognition...more
.

De Rotterdam, a complex of three interconnected mixed-use towers designed by OMA, will go under construction in December 2009, the developers MAB and OVG announced.  The project is located in the old harbour district of Wilhelminapier, next to the iconic Erasmus bridge. The three stacked towers reach 150 metres high, producing a gross floor area of approximately 160,000m2, making De Rotterdam the largest building in the Netherlands...more.

RMJM architects have developed a new luxury 'green' hotel in the Sogutozu district for the city of Ankara.Located on a 14,000m² site, the hotel brings a new standard in sustainable design to Turkey – vertical stone fins protect the east and west façades from the heat of the sun and advanced curtain wall technologies further reduce solar gain...more
.

Heron has signed a deal with the luxury Four Seasons Hotel that involves a complete redesign of the approved Heron Plaza that will see a new 149 metre tall 43 floor building built, instead of a 98 metre tall one. The architects, KPF, designed it to tessellate architecturally with Heron Plaza creating a strong relationship between the two. The scheme will include a new public square near Bishopsgate...more

Ken Yeang’s visions for ecoskyscrapers—massive towers whose systems and appearance are interwoven with plant life—have become a touchstone in contemporary discussions of sustainable architecture. For Yeang, the idea is not new. He has been exploring ways buildings can borrow from and reflect natural ecosystems for nearly 30 years. Though he has built extensively, the 15-story Solaris office building in Singapore is set to push his more audacious visions closer to reality...more

Perez Guerras Arquitectos have designed the 200 metre tall 47-storey building called Residencial In Tempo, in construction again after the project was put on hold for several months. It's a design which is effectively two skyscrapers sharing a ground level concrete podium that are joined together at the top with an inverted cone spanning the space between the two legs of the building looking like an escaped spindle with a needle-thin spire stuck on the top...more

Steeped in centuries old architectural gems, Istanbul has historically been considered the ornate centerpiece of Turkey. Today, Istanbul has become a focus for investors and talented international architects alike, both hoping to take advantage of the inevitable emergence of this ancient city into a full-fledged global metropolis. One such design is Park Associati’s Regnum Tower, with its bioclimatic architecture, beautiful sculptural design, and the rigor to which it was planned to meet the highest standards of sustainability...more

Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners with Legorreta + Legoretta have won a competition to design a new headquarters for BBVA Bancomer in Mexico City. The new headquarters will be a 56 floor (six underground), concrete and steel tower designed to LEED Gold standards and will be an architectural landmark in the unique location which marks the point of meeting between the historical area of Paseo de la Reforma and Chapultepec Park...more

The Tornado Tower is a spectacular modern and unique design that is characterized by a rotating facade, which generates power from high altitude winds. The exterior of the tower is outfitted with curved fins that harness the wind to generate clean energy to power the arts center and the surrounding city as well. Pairing function and aesthetic, the roof of the tower boasts an undulating sea of pearls that meld into clouds, from which unparalleled views of the city are possible...more

To truly appreciate how glass can be used structurally, make your way to 233 South Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago. More precisely, make your way 1,353 feet above South Wacker, to the 103rd floor of the Sears Tower. Once there, take a few steps over to the west wall, where the facade has been cut away. Then take one more step, over the edge. You’ll find yourself on a floor of glass, suspended over the sidewalk a quarter-mile below...more

As cutting costs remains the overwhelming pre-occupation for construction industries throughout the globe, maximising space by building tall offers an attractive solution. Secondary aggregate can allow the innovative and sustainable design of tall buildings to go hand in hand with cost efficiency. A 2009 study conducted by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) shows that more tall buildings were completed in 2008 than ever before...more

In New York City, improving water efficiency while responding to the ever-increasing demand is a critical issue. As a result, developers must reevaluate designs to ensure both water quality and maximum efficiency. Designed by architect Rafael Pelli, The Visionaire luxury high-rise condominium in lower Manhattan’s Battery Park City epitomizes this sustainable focus in an urban setting...more

Tower Hamlets council has decided the scale and mass of the proposed 700ft Columbus Tower would be totally unsuitable. It would have a ‘negative’ impact on the nearby West India Dock conservation area and on the amount of light reaching neighbouring properties. Yet the authority agreed a virtually identical proposal four years ago, which shortly runs out of ‘consent’ time...more

The empty lot at Harrison and Fremont streets is nothing much to look at, a football-field-long slope of dirt and weeds that greets drivers exiting the Bay Bridge into San Francisco. But a quartet of local designers see something else: a site that could become a sculpted realm of green folds spiked by artistic birdhouses - an evolving semi-natural terrain up to the moment when the 41-story tower slated for the site someday is ready to begin construction...more

How old does a building have to be before we appreciate its value? And when does its cultural importance trump practical considerations? Those are the questions that instantly come to mind over the likely destruction of Kisho Kurokawa’s historic Nakagin Capsule Tower. A rare built example of Japanese Metabolism, the 1972 Capsule Tower is in a decrepit state...more

Intent on producing one of the greenest buildings in Latin America, SPACE Architects + Planners have unveiled their Efizia Tower design for the Santa Fe district of Mexico City. The 33 story tower will be made from 30 percent recycled materials, including aluminum, reinforced concrete, and glass, and will boast numerous eco-friendly features. Efiza Tower  is under the LEED certification process, having already obtained the gold standard at its pre-certification stage...more

The owners of 11 Times Square broke ground for the 40-story skyscraper back in May 2007 when the real estate market was the tightest it had been in years. The owners projected the state-of-the-art tower would command an average rent of $110 a square foot. Two years later, the vacancy rate has swelled to 10.5%, and the owners of the speculative, still tenant-less building, scheduled to open in early 2010, are willing to deal at $80 a square foot...more

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) announced the winners of its annual “Best Tall Building” awards for 2009, recognizing one outstanding tall building from each of four geographical regions: Americas, Asia & Australia, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. This year’s winners are:...more

Like most places outside Paris, Lyon has few skyscrapers but this could change with it getting the tallest building ever constructed for the area. Tour Incity is a 200 metre tall corporatist block with 36 floors that's planned to go up in the centre of Lyon and beating the title holder by 35 metres. Offering 40,000 square metres of space inside, the building has roughly rectangular floor-plates aimed at making it as efficient as possible in terms of the amount of offices it can accommodate...more

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) has named Steven Holl Architects’ Linked Hybrid complex in Beijing the recipient of the “Best Tall Building” in Asia and Australia award. Annually, the CTBUH recognizes one outstanding tall building from each of four geographical regions: Americas, Asia and Australia, Europe, and Middle East and Africa...more

After 78 years, Manhattan's signature office building had lost its sheen as one of the city's most desirable places to work. To get it back, the owners did what an increasing number of property owners have done — they went green, shelling out $120 million on a variety of environmental improvements, a move that would have been considered a huge gamble a few years ago...more

Bamboo has long been used as an assembly material in China, particularly Hong Kong, because of its versatility. One of the most interesting applications of the wood is its structural function for scaffolding. An extremely eco-friendly and cost-effective resource, it continues to be used for this purpose because it is durable enough to support the weight of builders, their equipment and materials, but is lightweight itself...more

C. F. Møller Architects, in collaboration with Kristin Jarmund Arkitekter, has won a major competition to design a spectacular landmark project in the city of Oslo. The project, which has been dubbed “Crystal Clear”, consists of three towers, which grow organically from the ground to form a sculptural cluster, and are composed of stacked, prismatic volumes...more

The Chicago Model City exhibition opened 2 July, 2009 at the Chicago Architecture Foundation. Filling the atrium of the Santa Fe Building, the exhibition is free and open daily through 20 November, 2009. A highlight of the citywide Burnham 1909 Plan of Chicago centennial celebration, Chicago Model City includes a very large, up-to-date, detailed model of Chicago and the 3D digital computer model that was used to create the exhibition...more

SOM has landed the commission to take forward the $80 billion (£49 billion) masterplan for King Abdullah Economic City in Saudi Arabia – one of the biggest projects in the Middle East. The firm saw off three other anonymous practices to land the contract with developer Emaar, The Economic City. The scheme is expected to include a healthcare district, numerous residential zones, an industrial park and a knowledge and media city...more

A group of real-estate developers see a cure for what ails companies in the far flung healthcare industry. It’s a planned 60-story skyscraper in Manhattan called the World Product Centre. The office building is designed around a concept that is somewhat unusual: all of the buildings tenants will be healthcare suppliers or distributors. The idea is to create a centralized marketplace where companies can interact under one roof...more

In the exhibit ART + SCIENCE = ARCHITECTURE, opening at the Museum of Science and Industry on July 1, 2009, guests will see more than 15 amazing architectural LEGO creations. Some more than 10-feet high, they depict such renowned buildings such as Chicago’s Sears Tower, China’s Jin Mao Tower, the St. Louis Gateway Arch, Seattle’s Space Needle, the Burj Dubai Tower and the planned Chicago Spire...more

Dutch town Almere plans to grow with 60,000 houses, 100,000 work places and related facilities. By this Almere will become the fifth largest city of the Netherlands in an effort to relief and to offer new qualities to the urbanised west of the Netherlands. MVRDV was commissioned to collaborate with the city to design a concept structure vision to accommodate this growth...more

The Austonian officially became the tallest building in Austin on Monday, 29 June, 2009, when workers completed the top floor, surpassing the Austin 360 condominiums and changing the downtown skyline...more

Before arriving in Dubai, most people do a cursory Google Image search to get a sense of what the city will look like. More often than not, they mostly see artist's renderings of buildings that may never get as far as breaking ground; a visual feast of some of the craziest, most ambitious ideas for buildings in the world. The question is: will this tradition continue, even at a slower pace, or have the region's property developers developed a permanent taste for economic feasibility?...more

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is calling it the biggest commercial real estate financing package created since the Recession kicked in.  Five banks have put together a $1.3 billion loan for The Durst Organization, the developer of the 55-story, 945-foot tall Bank of America Tower.  Terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed. The deal took nine months to complete.  The loan will allow Durst to complete construction of the Midtown skyscraper...more

At the height of the property boom, developers in Dubai competed to outdo each other with increasingly grand designs. But no rivalry was as interesting as the race to build buildings that rotate, giving home owners 360-degree views of the world.  For an industry obsessed with views, it was the ultimate prize that would translate into large premiums and healthy profits...more
.

South Padre is being taken to new heights, literally, with the new Kirana oceanfront condominiums, which will bring a new class of luxury - and will become the tallest building on the Island.  These residences rewrite the rules of style, form and function. Kirana offers a refined collection of beautifully appointed 3, 4 and 5 bedroom luxury condominium residences and penthouse units...more

Several Ahmedabad-based developers are looking forward to building apartment buildings as tall as skyscrapers on the stretch of the Sabarmati riverfront being developed by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). The civic body intends to auction some of the riverfront land for construction of residential property...more
.

Two state-of-the-art property development projects ― Seoul International Finance Center (SIFC) and Parc1 ― under construction right across the street from each other in Yeouido have been continually compared to one another.  Both ― designed to be super tall, eco-friendly modern mixed-use complexes ― have positioned themselves to secure top corporate tenants and become city landmarks...more

A competition has been held to design a new tower to be located in the Croatian city of Zagreb that will be the future headquarters of Croatian oil investment company Crodux.  Attracting a fair amount of interest, the competition which was run for Croatian architects only was held by the Zagreb Architects Society with the winning entry coming from the offices of Zagreb based architects Entasis...more

The longstanding sibling rivalry between the two biggest members of the United Arab Emirates, always complex, has taken a remarkable turn.  For years, as its neighbor on the Persian Gulf, Dubai, engaged in a frenzy of construction and deal-making, Abu Dhabi -- the capital of the UAE and owner of its deepest petroleum reserves -- was mostly content to keep its ambition in check. Its caution underscored old stereotypes about its role as the wary, wealthy older brother...more

A nearly-completed 13-storey Shanghai apartment building toppled over, killing a worker and raising concerns in China's largest city over construction standards.  Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng ordered a full investigation into the cause of the incident, which occurred in the southwestern part of the city.  A 28-year-old migrant worker, surnamed Xiao, who entered the building to collect his tools, was killed after trying to jump out of a window as the building fell...more

John Portman & Associates, Inc. (PORTMAN) unveiled preliminary design for a new 40-story hotel in Nashville at a press conference held by the Metropolitan Development and Housing Authority of Nashville (MDHA) and Phelps Portman Nashville, LLC, a development team comprised of Phelps Development and Portman Holdings.  John Portman & Associates will be part of the Phelps Portman Nashville team, serving as the architect...more

The publication of the fourth and final volume of Peter Sulzer’s catalogue raisonné of the work of Jean Prouvé (1901–84) concludes a quarter-century effort to bring order to the remarkable output of a man who, though neither architect nor engineer, is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential figures in modern architecture. Jean Prouvé: Œuvre complète/Complete Works, Volume 4: 1954–1984 covers the period of Prouvé’s life...more

A huge proposed redevelopment in North St. Louis, in the works for years behind closed doors, is going public as the developer starts meeting with residents and public officials. Conceived by McEagle Properties, the NorthSide would encompass much of one city ward and parts of four others in the blighted, historically black area. The company, which has already spent $46 million and purchased 900 properties, plans for the development to encompass 500 acres...more

The world's tallest student residence, Sky Plaza in Leeds, has been officially completed and now stands 103 metres tall.  Designed by Carey Jones Architects for student housing specialist, the UNITE Group, the completed part of the project is the tower section of a two-phase scheme standing on Clay Pit Lane near Leeds Metropolitan University...more

Tower Hamlets planning committee made one of its most surprising decisions when it rejected a renewed planning application to continue planning approval of the Columbus Tower next to Canary Wharf.  With only a few very minor changes to the scheme designed by DMWR Architects, the proposal is almost identical to the one that Tower Hamlets had approved in 2005. This time around however the planning committee voted 6-2 against greenlighting the 237m tall skyscraper...more

In a bid to perk up the interest in the proposed iconic building to be set up at Wadala in Central Mumbai from domestic as well as overseas developers, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has relaxed norms relating to eligibility criteria of the bidders.  The  Rs 4,000-crore, 531-metre tall  building is expected to be the seventh tallest building in the world...more

Sears Tower is to be the next of the American power-towers to set an environmental example by 'going green'. It was previously announced that the Empire State Building would be undergoing a $500 million renovation in an effort to improve the building's sustainability and reduce energy consumption. Now it has been announced that Sears Tower (soon to be re-named Willis Tower after a tenancy deal with the firm), will undergo a similar $350 million transformation...more

Saudi business mogul Prince al-Waleed bin Talal's Kingdom Holding company announced that it had signed an agreement for the construction of the world's highest skyscraper.  According to the company's statement, the skyscraper will be 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) high and will be built in the city of Jeddah off the Red Sea. Dubai's Emaar Properties real estate company will be in charge of developing the project...more

'Shanghai 2035', developed by Japanese firm a- asterik is a concept design for the future of Shanghai City.  in 2009, the population of Shanghai increased to 24.5 million. The city today has a rare situation that can not be seen in any other countries. Their population is raised by the pace of 3 million every year causing an aging society and a divide between the rich and the poor, yet building construction is growing at a rapid rate...more

Although this is a new tower, it’s sensitive to its neighbours. Standing in the heart of Vancouver’s heritage quarter, the scheme also involves two 1920s structures - restoring the A-listed Ceperley Rounsfell Building, and retaining the facade of the B-listed Royal Financial Building.  When complete in  2010, Jameson House will be another mix of offices, shops and restaurant over 36 floor...more.
.

The FDNY stripped a captain and a deputy chief of their commands Wednesday and disciplined five others for mistakes leading to the deaths of two firefighters at the Deutsche Bank building.  Deputy Chief Richard Fuerch and Capt. Peter Bosco were permanently stripped of their commands at the lower Manhattan fire divisions that were responsible for mandatory inspections at the toxic tower...more.

The government in Dhaka has decided to construct multi-storey structures adjacent to the Begunbari-Hatirjheel canal to accommodate the people affected by Hatirjheel project.  State Minister for Housing Abdul Mannan Khan made the decision public after a meeting with concerned officials.  He also hoped to complete the Tk 1480.98 crore project titled "Integrated development of Hatirjheel area including Begunbari khal" within 2010 as scheduled...more.

Dallas transformed itself during the 1980s from a sleepy western town to a dynamic modern city with one of the most recognizable skylines in the country. Dallas is currently doing this again with the new Arts District, Calatrava Bridges, Trinity River Project, and the Woodall Rodgers Park. Free from the burden of history and free from the heavy expectations of a specific movement/style, architects working in Dallas are borrowing from anything of inspiration...more.

Europe's tallest modular building—a $34 million UK project—is under construction. Designed by O'Connell East Architects of Manchester, the 24 story student dormitory for the University of Manchester is made up of 805 modules and will be built in 27 weeks.  In this interview Jenny Hayes, RIBA from O'Connell East Architects speaks about their modular system as a solution for multi-story accelerated building...more.

The European Union has rarely been a welcome neighbor since it arrived in Brussels.  Its headquarters, 10 minutes west of downtown, is officially known as the Berlaymont building. But for many natives who do not much care for its fortresslike looks, it is the Berlaymonster, a cross-shaped hulk covered with glass panels to let in the little sunlight that brightens the city’s gloomy skies...more.

Two new exhibits have arrived at the Philadelphia Museum of Art: One that explores skyscrapers, another that examines spectacle. Each one takes a broad view of a narrow subject, offering visitors an impressive number of artists and perspectives.  In "Skyscrapers: Prints, Drawings, and Photographs of the Early Twentieth Century," more than 50 works examine the rise of the American skyscraper...more.

Vertical development has been touted as the ‘perfect solution’ for a growing list of Indian cities struggling to meet the housing needs of their teeming millions and irate urban developers clamouring for affordable land in a lop sided demand-supply scenario.  With approximately 70% of the country’s population expected to be residing in urban areas by the year 2020 and space efficiency now treated on par with construction and energy efficiency...more.