It is announced that Nakheel Tower when completed, will measure about 1400 metres high! This height greatly surpasses the already-tall Burj Dubai, exceeding the impressive 1-kilometre mark. (look at the comparison diagram) Upon completion, Nakheel Tower will become the new icon of Dubai, while claiming the title of the tallest building in the world. Personally I think it looks like a rocket, ready to launch off into space…
By engineering considerations and physical contrains, is it even possible to construct a building that high? Would the bottom layers get crushed under the pressure from the top? Would strong winds cause the building to sway and eventually topple? These are examples of major problems faced by tall buildings, which civil engineers have to tackle. A very strong and tough material has to be further developed in order to withstand both the internal and external forces.
In Saudi Arabia, the proposed Mile-High Tower will attain 1600 metres, the tallest building ever constructed. However due to economic crisis, the project is currently put on hold. The height of this tower was planned to be more than 2-kilometres initially, but it was reduced after a soil testing in the area. As you can see, the weather is going to be extremely harsh at the upper levels.
We know that Tokyo is the densest city in the world. With increasing incoming immigrants, Tokyo is currently facing a serious lack of space. To alleviate this problem, a ultra-massive pyramid, 12 times higher than the Great Pyramid of Giza, is proposed as a self-contained city by itself. Shimizu Mega-City Pyramid will house residential and office facilities, and will operate like a single city. Imagine the whole Singapore being compressed into a giant pyramid structure. Everyone will live and commute within the structure and there is no need to leave the building at all. A new and interesting concept indeed.
This means Shimizu Mega-City Pyramid will have its own garden, own sports complex, own shopping district, own police station, own post office, etc… and of course its own transport system! This is where it gets interesting. Movement within the city-structure will be via accelerating walkways, inclined elevators and PRT (Personalized Rapid Transit). The PRT will serve like a personal ‘car’, which can bring residents to and fro their homes, offices and other facilities.
Shimizu Mega-City Pyramid will be whopping 2000 metres high! Almost 10 times as high as Singapore’s tallest buildings! Imagine how big the base would be!
Just as this might seem like the peak of the extremes, another more audacious structure is proposed to solve Tokyo’s major problem. Believe it or not!
X-Seed 4000 is the tallest building ever planned. As the name suggests, it is going to be an incredible 4000 metres tall, even higher than the 3776-metre Mount Fuji! The shape of this megacity resembles Mount Fuji too, and will be built on the sea. It will look more like a mountain than a building. X-Seed 4000 might never be built at all, but if the construction does start, it will be around the 22nd or 23rd century. We will never live to see it.
Well, do you think such extreme structures can become a reality in the future?
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