Shanghai World Financial Center

Nothing short of genius.......

Country: China

Height: 492 m (1,614 ft)

Floors: 101

         Shanghai World Financial Center is a super tall skyscraper in Pudong New Area, Shanghai. It is a mixed use skyscraper which consists of offices, hotels, conference rooms, observation decks, and shopping malls on the ground floors. On 14 September 2007 the skyscraper was topped out at 492.0 meters (1,614.2 feet) and became the second tallest building in the world; as well as the tallest structure on mainland China, including Hong Kong.

           The ground floor of Shanghai World Financial Center is a shopping mall and an elevator lobby with gyrating kaleidoscopes on the ceiling. On the upper floors are offices, conference rooms, hotel rooms, and observation decks. The building's most distinctive architectural feature is the aperture at the building peak, which has a trapezoidal shape resembling a bottle opener. It was originally a circular shape but was changed after the government of China objected, stating that the circular hole resembled the rising sun on the Japanese flag.

          The Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC) is a supertall skyscraper located in the Pudong district of Shanghai, China. It was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and developed by the Mori Building Company. It is a mixed-use skyscraper, consisting of offices, hotels, conference rooms, observation decks, and ground-floor shopping malls. Park Hyatt Shanghai is the hotel component, containing 174 rooms and suites. Occupying the 79th to the 93rd floors, it is the second-highest hotel in the world, surpassing the Grand Hyatt Shanghai on the 53rd to 87th floors of the neighboring Jin Mao Tower.

               On 14 September 2007, the skyscraper was topped out at 492.0 meters (1,614.2 ft), making it, at the time, the second-tallest building in the world and the tallest structure in Mainland China. It also had the highest occupied floor and the highest height to roof, two categories used to determine the title of "world’s tallest building". The SWFC opened on 28 August 2008, with its observation deck opening on 30 August. This observation deck, the world's tallest at the time of its completion, offers views from 474 m (1,555 ft) above ground level.

               The SWFC has been lauded for its design, and in 2008 it was named by architects as the year's best completed skyscraper. The SWFC will be exceeded in height by the adjacent Shanghai Tower, which is due for completion.


Constuction

 The tower's foundation stone was laid on 27 August 1997. In the late 1990s, the Pierre de Smet Building Corporation suffered a funding shortage caused by the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98, which halted the project after the foundations were completed. On 13 February 2003, the Mori Group increased the building's height to 492 m (1,614 ft) and 101 stories, from the initial plans for a 460-metre (1,509 ft), 94-story building. The new building used the foundations of the original design, and construction work was resumed on 16 November 2003.

               A fire broke out in the incomplete SWFC on 14 August 2007. The fire was first noticed on the 40th floor, around 16:30 (GMT +8), and soon the smoke was clearly seen outside the building. By 17:45, the fire had been extinguished. The damage was reported to be slight and nobody was injured in the accident. The cause of the fire is still unknown, but according to some sources the preliminary investigation suggested workers' electric weldings caused the fire.

               The building reached its total height of 492 m (1,614 ft) on 14 September 2007 after the installation of the final steel girder.The final cladding panels were installed in mid-June 2008, and elevator installation was finished in mid-July. The Shanghai World Financial Center was completed on 17 July 2008, and was officially opened on 28 August. On 30 August 2008, the tower's observation floors were opened to the public.

Interior

          The most distinctive feature in the design of the building is a trapezoid aperture at the peak. The original design specified a circular aperture, 46 m (151 ft) in diameter, to reduce the stresses of wind pressure, as well as serve as a subtext for the design, since "Chinese mythology represents the earth with a square and the sky with a circle". It also resembled a Chinese moon gate due to its circular form in Chinese architecture. However, this initial design began facing protests from some Chinese, including the mayor of Shanghai, Chen Liangyu, who considered it too similar to the rising sun design of the Japanese flag. Pedersen then suggested that a bridge be placed at the bottom of the aperture to make it less circular. On 18 October 2005, KPF submitted an alternative design to Mori Building and a trapezoidal hole replaced the circle at the top of the tower, which in addition to changing the controversial design, would also be cheaper and easier to implement according to the architects. In the eyes of some, the building resembles a giant bottle opener, as does the Kingdom Centre in Riyadh. In fact, metal replicas of the building that function as actual bottle openers are sold in the observation deck gift shop.

          There are three observation decks in Shanghai World Financial Center. The height of the lowest observation deck  is 423 m (1,388 ft), on the 94th floor, the second is 439 m (1,440 ft) high, on the 97th floor, named "Observatory Bridge" and the highest is 474 m (1,555 ft) high, on the 100th floor.[19] Admission fees range from RMB100 (US$15.40) for the 94th floor only, to RMB150 (US$23.10) for all three observation decks.

Awards

          Shanghai World Financial Center was named by architects as the best skyscraper completed in 2008 receiving both the Best Tall Building Overall and Asia & Australasia awards from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). CTBUH's Carol Willis, head of New York's Skyscraper Museum, states: "The simplicity of its form as well as its size dramatizes the idea of the skyscraper." Architect Tim Johnson noted its innovative structural design: "Steel trusses gird against the forces of wind and earthquake and made the building lighter, made it use less steel, and contributed to its sustainability." Johnson described the SWFC's structure as "nothing short of genius."

Queen Victoria Building

Best Historic Place Ever........

        The Queen Victoria Building is both a magnificent historical landmark and a shopping paradise. Affectionately referred to as the QVB, it has been described as the “most beautiful shopping centre in the world” by Pierre Cardin. It is a hub of activity and attracts hundreds of locals and tourists every day.

Exterior 

History Of The QVB

            The Queen Victoria Building was built on the site of the George Street Markets, Sydney’s produce markets in the 1800s. Architect George McRae submitted four separate designs for the building to the Sydney City Council, each with their own style. The styles were Renaissance, Gothic, Romanesque Revival and Queen Anne. Ultimately, the Romanesque Revival style was chosen. Construction began in 1893.

          Sydney was in the midst of a recession in 1893 and many people were out of work. The building project provided many job opportunities, especially for construction workers and artists and gave some much needed relief for many families.

Construction was completed in 1898 and the building was named after Queen Victoria, the reigning monarch at the time. It originally featured coffee shops, showrooms, a business environment for various tradesmen and a concert hall. The concert hall has since become a library.

              Several alterations were made over the following years. For example, the original concept of a glass-roofed shopping street was lost when much of the building was converted into office space. Sadly, as time went on the building slowly deteriorated and in 1959, it was threatened with demolition.

Thankfully, the building was rescued and underwent extensive restorations and refurbishment. It was reopened in 1984 and although it is now home to over 200 modern shops, it still retains its turn-the-century charm.

The Architecture

              The architecture of the Queen Victoria Building is stunning both inside and out and offers a unique contrast to the surrounding modern structures. Even if you do not wish to shop, it is worth the time to have a look around.

From the outside you will notice the large central dome. It is 20 metres in diameter and is made up of an inner glass dome and an exterior copper-sheathed dome, topped by a domed cupola. Other smaller domes also feature prominently along the roof.

               At the main entrance is a statue of Queen Victoria by Irish sculptor, John Hughes. The statue once stood outside the Irish Houses of Parliament in Leinster House, Dublin but in 1947 it was given to the people of Sydney by the Government of the Republic of Ireland. It was placed here in 1987.

              The Royal Wishing Well stands nearby. It features a bronze sculpture of Islay, Queen Victoria’s favourite dog. A recorded message by radio personality, John Laws encourages passers-by to make a donation in the well, with all proceeds going to deaf and blind children.

Inside the Queen Victoria Building you will find beautiful wood panelling, sweeping staircases and stunning stained-glass windows, including a window featuring the original crest of arms of the city of Sydney. While you are there, make sure you look down at the tiles on the mosaic floor. Many are the originals.

             The upper levels of the building overlook the ground floor, creating a beautiful open space full of charming shops and cafes. If you have time, try one of the cafes on the upper levels and relax as you people-watch in exquisite surroundings.

Interior

Interior displays

            Two mechanical clocks, each one featuring dioramas and moving figures from moments in history, can be seen from the adjacent railed walkways. The Royal Clock activates on the hour and displays six scenes of English royalty (accompanied by a trumpet voluntary written by Jeremiah Clarke). The Great Australian Clock, designed and made by Chris Cook, weighs four tonnes and stands ten metres tall. It includes 33 scenes from Australian history, seen from both Aboriginal and European perspectives. An Aboriginal hunter circles the exterior of the clock continuously, representing the never-ending passage of time.

           The building also contains many memorials and historic displays. Of these, two large glass cases, removed in 2009-2010, stood out. The first display case contained an Imperial Chinese Bridal Carriage made entirely of jade and weighing over two tonnes, the only example found outside China. The second was a lifesize figure of Queen Victoria in a replica of her Coronation regalia, and surrounded by replicas of the British Crown Jewels. Her enthroned figure rotated slowly throughout the day, fixing the onlooker with her serene and youthful gaze.

          On the top level near the dome is displayed a sealed letter which is to be opened in 2085 by the future Lord Mayor of Sydney and read aloud to the People of Sydney. It is written by Queen Elizabeth II in 1986 and no one except her knows what is written

Designers

               George McRae was born in Edinburgh in 1858. He arrived in Sydney in 1884 and was appointed Assistant Architect in the City Architect’s office. He became City Architect and City Building Surveyor in 1889, a position he held until 1897 when he was appointed Principal Assistant Architect to Vernon in the Government Architect’s Branch. He succeeded Vernon as Government Architect in 1912 and held the office until his death in 1923.

Works undertaken by McRae during his term as Government Architect included the Education Dept Building 1912; Parcels Post Office 1913; Taronga Zoo lower entrance, top entrance, and Indian elephant house; additions to the Colonial Treasury Building in Bridge Street, and Cessnock Court House.

             From 1912 until 1937 the Government Architect’s Branch was housed in the “Tin Shed”, a temporary building on the site of the first Government House and demolished in 1970.