A visit to the Skyscraper Museum – China prophecy: Shanghai
Skyscrapers are the modern building for many reason. They are safe because of the steel structure. Further, they are very productive, for a small passel of land, many units of space can be sold and occupied. The fact that in side they are divided in rectangular units, this
type of building is very versatile. It can be used for offices and than can be transformed in a condominiums rental. All those aspects make skyscrapers very standard. However, city planners and commissioners seek to find ways to identify their buildings to modernity and to their city more than other buildings around the world. Shanghai shows this appetite for becoming the modern city of Asia. They plan to build higher and more impressive buildings than cities that are seen as competitor for the “modern award”.
Here again the design of the building is synonym of power. It symbolizes the place and the ideal of the builders. A great example for this is the change of deign for the Shanghai World Financial Center from a circular hole (at the top) to a rectangular hole. The reason being that the commissioners thought the circle would be interpreted as a reference to Japan’s power.
There is no doubt that in designing the modern city, planners have to acknowledge the symbolism of buildings. To build high is not enough. You have to built an original building that inspires power, freedom and grandiosity all at once. The Shanghai Tower will illustrate this once it is finished. It is of the highest building in the worlds with a design that respects any standard of modernity. A spiral shape to inspire progress and a transparent facade made of glass, the material of choice for modern structures. The building will be used for multiple purposes. It will contain offices, indoor gardens, residential structures, observatory deck etc… This poly-valence underlines the desire to show the world how Chinese modernity brings together all the layers of society in a common space.