CTBUH Global News

Taller Buildings will Revitalize the Adelaide’s City Center

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:51:00 GMT

February 3, Adelaide, Australia

Planning Minister John Rau is in the final stages of drafting a city development blueprint expected to significantly alter existing height, density and design guidelines set by Adelaide City Council. Mr. Rau has said that the current regimen is "hopelessly inadequate for the task" of delivering a vibrant city center...more

NYC Approves Landmark Brooklyn Skyscraper District

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:48:00 GMT

February 2, New York

New York's City Council voted in favor of the Borough Hall Skyscraper Historic District, which encompasses 21 skyscrapers and office buildings that were built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries near the building that was once known as Brooklyn City Hall...more

Israel's Tallest Skyscraper to be Built in Tel Aviv Suburb

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:46:00 GMT

February 2, Tel Aviv

A Tel Aviv-area planning committee approved a plan to build what will become Israel's tallest skyscraper. The 70-story high-rise, approved by the Tel Aviv District Planning and Construction Committee, will be built in the Tel Aviv suburb of Givatayim and rise to reach a height of 241 meters...more

High-rise Housing Going Modular

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:43:00 GMT

February 1

It's an idea that has the potential to revolutionize the construction industry: use prefabricated modules to build more than 6,000 housing units. If Forest City Ratner is able to turn the idea into a reality, the firm will build a 32-story residential tower in Brooklyn, New York...more

Trader-turned-developer has Big Idea for Streeterville Site

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:41:00 GMT

February 1, Chicago

Chicago futures trader Donald Wilson Jr. is making the case to build a 50-story building along North Water Street immediately north of the Sheraton hotel. It would include apartments on the higher floors and a hotel on the lower levels. Sources said Wilson has an agreement with the Loews chain to operate the hotel...more

Dubai's Princess Tower Soon to Become Tallest Residential Tower

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:04:00 GMT

February 1, Dubai

The dome and mast of Dubai's landmark Princess Tower have been completed, bringing it one step closer to becoming the world's tallest residential tower with a final height of 414 meters. The project is in its final stages of development and is expected to be handed over in the second quarter of this year...more

Dilapidated Fort Mill Tower Up for Review again

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:02:00 GMT

February 1, Fort Mill, USA

York County will soon know whether the owners of the dilapidated 21-story building on the former Heritage USA site should fix it up or tear it down. In 2007, the county wanted to demolish the unfinished high-rise, but MorningStar came forward with a plan to renovate it into a spiritually focused retirement community...more

Shanghai Raises High-rise Safety

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:56:00 GMT

February 1, Shanghai

The city of Shanghai rolled out new rules to ensure the safety of its skyscrapers after a series of accidents in which glass panels on the exterior walls of high-rises shattered unexpectedly. The new rules banned multi-story hospitals, schools, nurseries, and buildings in city centers from using glass curtain walls...more

Flight Concerns stop 550-meter Doha Tower Development

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:55:00 GMT

January 31, Doha

Work on the Doha Convention Centre and Tower has been halted following fears that it could disrupt flights at the new international airport in Doha, Qatar. Once completed, the 551-meter 112-story Doha Convention Centre and Tower project would become one of the tallest mixed-use towers in the world...more

New York: Tower Rises, And So Does Its Price Tag

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:53:00 GMT

January 31, New York

The price tag for One World Trade Center, the signature skyscraper under construction at Ground Zero in New York, has risen to more than US$3.8 billion, making it by far the world's most expensive new office tower, according to people familiar with the matter...more

Trump Toronto Opens Today, But Will It Triumph?

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:51:00 GMT

January 31, Toronto

Toronto may not have the waterfront complete with a Ferris wheel like Chicago, but the Toronto Trump Tower looks to brings the sister cities a little closer. The Trump, which opens today, will boast 261 rooms as well as condo suites for those who want a more permanent home-away-from-home in the city...more

No Sprinklers at Site of Latest Chicago High-rise Fire

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:49:00 GMT

January 30, Chicago

Park Towers, at 5415 N. Sheridan Rd., is one of over a thousand pre-1975 high-rises which fall under grandfathered provisions of the city’s controversial fire code. National fire officials have blasted Chicago’s code as inadequate, because it does not mandate sprinkler systems for older residential high-rises...more

Super Thin Skyscraper in the Polish Capital

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:56:00 GMT

January 30, Warsaw

Developer Włodarzewska is planning the construction of a new high-rise building in central Warsaw which will sit on a tiny plot located in the country’s capital. The tower will be less than 10 meters wide but its final height is yet to be determined – 85- and 120-meter variants are both being considered...more

Foster + Partners Completes “fusion” Scheme in Vancouver

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:55:00 GMT

January 29, Vancouver

Foster + Partners has completed its Jameson House project in Vancouver, Canada, which involved the restoration of a heritage building and a new 35-story mixed-use tower. The development comprises 11 stories of offices and shops, topped by 23 stories of apartments...more

African Union Opens New Headquarters in Addis Ababa

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:53:00 GMT

January 29, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Standing on what was once Ethiopia's oldest maximum security prison, the almost 100-meter 20-story building, which dominates the skyline of Addis Ababa, was a gift from the Chinese Government, estimated at a cost of $200 million to the African Union...more

Owner Neglected Seattle’s Landmark Smith Tower

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:50:00 GMT

January 28, Seattle

The Smith Tower's windows apparently haven't been washed in more than three years and water damage is evident in the stairwells and some vacant offices. These revelations about the sorry state of Seattle's first skyscraper - and many more - are contained in a report by the building's receiver...more

Wolfsburg: the World's Most Amazing Car Showroom

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:46:00 GMT

January 28, Wolfsburg, Germany

These two 20-story buildings, which were the inspiration for a huge garage in the latest Mission Impossible film, are located at the Volkswagen theme park, the Autostadt, which translates as “car city.” Each day about 600 cars are picked up from the two 200-foot tall silos by their new owners...more

New Medical Tourism Hub Being Built in Abu Dhabi

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:45:00 GMT

January 27, Abu Dhabi

When Rosewood Hotels and Resorts opens its new high-rise in Abu Dhabi at the end of this year, it will have a valuable next-door neighbor: the Cleveland Clinic. Both the Ohio-based medical center and the hotel group are newcomers to the United Arab Emirates, a new hub for the medical world...more

Montreal’s Place Ville Marie Celebrates 50 years

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:44:00 GMT

January 27, Montreal

It’s hard to imagine Montreal without the distinctive tower that is Place Ville Marie in the heart of downtown or the light beacon on the tower that circles the city at night. This year, the tower that dominates Montreal’s landscape is celebrating its 50th anniversary...more

How to Suspend a 13-story Tower over a Century-old Four-story Structure

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:38:00 GMT

January 27, Toronto

How to suspend a 13-story office building over top of a four-story historic masonry building on a tight site was the puzzle facing the engineering team for Allied Properties REIT’s Queen Richmond Centre West development poised for construction in downtown Toronto...more

Three Large Buildings Collapse in Rio de Janeiro

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:34:00 GMT

January 27, Rio de Janeiro

Three buildings suddenly collapsed in downtown Rio de Janeiro. The buildings, which were 20, 10, and 4 stories high, were office space during the day and were almost empty at the time of the disaster. Officials speculated that illegal construction work damaged the structure of the 20-story building and caused it to crumble...more

Ahmedabad: City on the Rise, Book Flats in “Skyscrapers”

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:30:00 GMT

January 26, Ahmedabad, Pakistan

The city is witnessing residential and commercial complexes as high as 70 meters with 22 stories. Under the township policy and the special development regulation, the state government is granting permission for high-rise buildings...more

Kennedy Family Eyeing Three-tower Development on Chicago River's Wolf Point

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:30:00 GMT

January 26, Chicago

The Kennedy family is crafting plans to build on its Wolf Point property along the Chicago River. People familiar with the proposal said the Kennedys envision a three-tower complex for residential and office use on the four-acre site. Their chosen architect is Cesar Pelli, who designed the Petronas Towers in Malaysia...more

Dubai: Families Flee Blazing Tower Block

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:27:00 GMT

January 26, Dubai

Over 125 families living on 25 floors of Al Bakr Tower 4 located opposite Al Taawun Mall in Sharjah watched in despair their flats go up in flames in the wee hours of Wednesday, destroying their belongings and for some, earnings of their entire lives...more

Los Angeles: Back from the Dead

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:24:00 GMT

January 25, Los Angeles

One of Los Angeles’ most unsightly holes in the ground is finally ready to be filled. The General Service Administration has revealed plans to move forward with its long-awaited federal building downtown, announcing that the bid is out for a design-build contract for a new federal courthouse...more

London: Pinnacle Skyscraper Delayed Again

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:23:00 GMT

January 25, London

For the second time, work on the Bishopsgate Tower, aka the Pinnacle or the Helter-Skelter, has been halted because of financial concerns. The developer, Arab Investments, has for the time being failed to pre-let enough of the tower to guarantee a half-billion pound package from HSBC...more

Outcry over High-rise Brothel in Auckland

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:20:00 GMT

January 25, Auckland, New Zealand

A number of Aucklanders may feel aggrieved by plans to construct a high-rise brothel on the site of the historic Aurora Tavern. Plans have been submitted to Auckland Council by property developers and brothel owners John and Michael Chow to build a 15-story complex at 75 Victoria St...more

One Kilometer-high Building Planned for Azerbaijan

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:28:00 GMT

January 25, Azerbaijan

An Azerbaijani developer has announced plans to build the world's highest building on an artificial island in the Caspian. The Azerbaijan Tower will be 1,050 meters high with 189 floors. The complex, called Khazar Islands, plans to include 41 islands about 25 kilometers south of the capital Baku...more

New Designs for Luxury Tower in Manila

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:25:00 GMT

January 25, Manila

The Trump Tower Manila is owned and developed by Philippines-based Century Properties who are marketing the project as “a symbol of power, achievement and modern grandeur.” If seen through to realization, this 250-meter building will be one of the tallest buildings in the Philippines...more

Richmond’s Iconic Bank Building to Become Apartments

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:23:00 GMT

January 25, Richmond, USA

One of Richmond's first skyscrapers is being converted into apartments. Richmond’s First National Bank building is undergoing a US$30 million renovation to turn it into 154 apartments on the upper 18 floors and commercial space on the ground level. The apartment building is expected to open later this year...more

Tokyo Sees High Quake Probability, Scientists Warn

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:21:00 GMT

January 25, Tokyo

Tokyo faces the possibility of being hit by a massive earthquake within the next four years. The University of Tokyo's Earthquake Research Institute predicts there is a 70% probability that the capital's metropolitan area will experience a magnitude-7 quake within four years and a 98% probability within the next 30 years...more

Liverpool: Tallest Tower in the North of England

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:19:00 GMT

January 24, Liverpool, UK

New plans have emerged to build the tallest building in the north of England. Designed by Maurice Shapero, the 67-story, 199-meter-tall skyscraper is proposed for the so-called King Edward site close to Liverpool’s historic waterfront at the junction of the Strand and Leeds Street...more

Largest Manhattan Solar Array Completed

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:17:00 GMT

January 24, New York

Deutsche Bank has announced the completion and operation of its 122.4kW solar photovoltaic system installed atop its Americas headquarters at 60 Wall Street, New York. The array is expected to decrease carbon emissions by 100 metric tons per year...more

Making Waves in Croydon

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:15:00 GMT

January 23, Croydon, UK

Plans for a high-rise scheme – composed of a 55-story tower rising above a 13-story podium – at One Lansdowne Road in Croydon have been approved by the London Borough of Croydon, following a council vote...more

Mecca Clock Tower Features Composite Panels

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:53:00 GMT

January 23, Mecca

The huge clock tower at the center of the Abraj-Al Arab development in Mecca was constructed using composite materials from the company Gurit. The top 200 meters of the tower is clad with over 40,000 square meters of fiber reinforced plastic composite panels...more

Three World Trade Center could be Capped at Seven Stories

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:47:00 GMT

January 23, New York

Developer Larry Silverstein has threatened to cap the planned 80-story office tower known as Three World Trade Center at a paltry seven stories if he can’t secure at least one major office tenant to commit to the building — and he’s nowhere close to finding one...more

Jakarta on the Rise

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:43:00 GMT

January 22, Jakarta

An ambitious plan to build the world’s fifth-tallest building in Jakarta’s business district is the latest testament to the city’s growth skywards. Developers are eager to meet the soaring demand for space in the capital of Southeast Asia’s largest economy...more

Imagineering in Towering Proportions

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:40:00 GMT

January 20, London

A UK architect is proposing a radical solution to London's looming problem of crowding. Teatum+Teatum has developed a plan for a 1,500-meter-tall tower that would house 100,000 people. The round giant would be a self-contained community with parks, schools and restaurants, and loom over the city...more

Developer Breaks Ground on 450-Unit Chicago High-rise

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:39:00 GMT

January 20, Chicago

The Habitat Company has started building a 43-story, 450-unit luxury high-rise in Chicago located at 360 W. Hubbard Street in the city’s River North neighborhood. The tower, which is seeking LEED Silver certification, will include 29,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenity space...more

Kampala: 200-Meter Tower in Africa

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:37:00 GMT

January 19, Kampala, Uganda

Capita Symonds has unveiled plans for a new development in the Ugandan capital Kampala. The company has designed the proposed Kampala Tower, a 222-meter-high commercial building and public square that will be a new landmark for the city. At 60 stories, it would be one of the tallest towers in Africa... more

City Hall Seeks Developer for Elephant & Castle 360 Skyscraper

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:35:00 GMT

January 19, London

A competition to select a developer to revive a stalled project to build a 44-story tower is about to be launched by the Homes and Communities Agency and the Greater London Authority. If built, the 360 tower could form part of a cluster of skyscrapers at Elephant & Castle together with Strata SE1...more

Hanoi: PetroVN Divests from Tallest Tower Project

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:33:00 GMT

January 19, Hanoi

The National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) has divested from the construction of Vietnam’s tallest skyscraper, PVN Tower in Hanoi, following the government’s directive in withdrawing state capitals from non-core sectors. The project would be handed over to a new investor under the management of Hanoi government...more

Scotiabank Considers Selling Toronto Tower

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:33:00 GMT

January 19, Toronto

Scotiabank's landmark red skyscraper in the heart of Toronto's financial district could fetch $1 billion or more if real estate trusts, pension funds, and others get the chance to bid for Canada's second-tallest building, a commercial real estate expert said after the bank revealed the granite tower may be for sale...more

Ads on Chicago Skyscrapers are a Sad Sign of the Times

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:30:00 GMT

January 19, Chicago

With its curving green glass wall echoing a bend in the Chicago River, 333 W. Wacker Drive is one of Chicago's most beloved skyscrapers, a renowned example of architecture that simultaneously draws inspiration from its surroundings & upgrades them. The building has recently been fitted with a company sign at the top...more

Southampton: 26-story Apartment Tower at Ocean Village Given Go Ahead

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:28:00 GMT

January 18, Southampton, UK

A soaring apartment tower, set to become Southampton's tallest building, has been given the go ahead to revive an abandoned flagship waterfront development. Councilors have approved plans for a scheme that will see three apartment towers, new shops and restaurants built at Ocean Village bringing 200 jobs to the city...more

Anadarko Plans New Tower to Accommodate Growth

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:26:00 GMT

January 18, Houston

Anadarko Petroleum Corp. is close to breaking ground on a second office tower at its headquarters campus in The Woodlands. The office development will be just west of its 30-story headquarters building at Lake Robbins. Preliminary designs call for a 31-story building ready in early in 2014...more

Future Holyland Towers to be Smaller than Planned

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:25:00 GMT

January 18, Jerusalem

The Holyland apartments have drawn criticism for their garish design visible from nearly every location in the capital. The District Planning and Building Committee approved an alternative plan for the area, the tallest new buildings will be 18 stories high, unlike the 33-story high-rise that already towers over the ridge...more

51-story Shoreditch Tower Block Construction Stalled

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:23:00 GMT

January 18, London

Construction of a 51-story skyscraper in Shoreditch has been stalled, after a deal fell through to let a third of its office space to a law firm. The development caused controversy when the original 2008 plans involved the destruction of the Light Bar, housed in a 19th-century electricity substation in Shoreditch High Street...more

New York: Tenants Gain Advantage in Office Tower Market

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:21:00 GMT

January 18, New York

In New York’s most exclusive office towers, the pendulum of power has swung from landlords, who last year basked in rising rents and competition for prime buildings, to tenants, who are now being offered incentives like prebuilt offices to fill empty spaces. And the leverage held by tenants is likely to continue through this year...more

High-rise Building in Kuala Lumpur Catches Fire

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:19:00 GMT

January 18, Kuala Lumpur

Fire razed the two top floors of the under construction 348 Sentral building in Kuala Lumpur on January 18. The fire started on the 30th floor of the 33-floor building, which was expected to be completed at the end of 2012...more