Object just released a list that's as interesting as it is depressing called "15 skyscrapers on hold." There's a few on there you've probably already heard about, such as the Chicago Spire, which may never be restarted again. Its aborted construction has left a hole 76 feet deep and 110 feet wide in the middle of Chicago, and that's not the only building there to be paused.
Also on the chopping block is 58 Leonard Street, a zany skyscraper in New York City that we gave you an early look at. Dubai, the city of seemingly endless construction, also took a hit with a few of its wild and outlandish 'scrapers grinding to a halt. Check out Oobject's list to see what other towers are getting the ax.
850m Tall Tower Proposed For Dubai
It’s been a while since we first revealed the plans in Dubai for a series of megatall buildings including what at the time was labeled the AC Towers.
Since then the design has solidified along with the details about the project with it now being called One Dubai and having a height set at 850 metres, about the same as the Burj Dubai, with 201 storeys. It will be the central landmark of the planned Jumeria Gardens, yet another massive skyline to compete with the likes of Dubai Marina
Dubai Plans 1140 Metre Tall Tower
If you thought the Burj Dubai was about as high as they could ever go, the crazy property developers of that Arab city have come up with something even bigger, a skyscraper over 1 kilometre tall.
Called the Nakheel Habour & Tower it consists of four separate vertical strands arranged around a central void with numerous skybridges at various points connecting them together.
The Burj al-Taqa (Energy Tower) to be build in Dubai will produce 100% of its electricity needs from a 60 metre diameter roof-mounted wind turbine and 15,000 square metres of PV solar panels. Another 17,000 square metres of solar panels will be located on a nearby artificial island visible from the tower. Any excess electricity generated will be used to extract hydrogen from sea water by electrolysis to be used to generate electricity at night through hydrogen fuel cells.
The tower will rise to 322 metres and have 68 storeys. Construction will cost in excess of £200 million.
Earlier this year work was completed on the Bahrain World Trade Center - a pair of skyscapers joined together by three integrated wind turbines. These wind turbines - a world first - will provide 11-15% of the energy needs of the buildings. However the Burj al-Taqa will be the first 100% renewable energy powered skyscraper in the world, and the first to have a huge wind turbine generator installed on its roof.
Burj al-Taqa
The Burj al-Taqa has been designed by German architect Eckhard Gerber from the ground up to be as energy efficient as possible. The whole building will be cylindical to reduce the surface area exposed to the sun, and a protective solar shield will wrap around two-thirds of the exterior of the building from the ground to the roof protecting the side of the building in direct sunlight to keep it out of the rooms.
The windows will be glazed with cutting edge vacuum glazing (so advanced they will only be available on the market after 2008) which will insulate the building against the scorching 50+ degree outside heat. These units will transmit 2/3 less heat than the best products on the market today and will slash the amount of electricity needed to power air conditioning units.
The air-conditioning itself will use air pre-cooled by seawater to keep the temperature of the interior of the tower to just 18 degrees Celcius. At the same time water is cooled which is pumped around the ceilings at each level to help keep the temperature down without the need to blast so much cold air out of air-condition ducts.
Mirrors installed on the roof of Burj al-Taqa will direct a cone of light through the centre of the building bathing every floor of the building in free natural light
