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2016 started off with the official completion of the Shanghai Tower, recognized as the second tallest building in the world. Topping out at 632 metres and 128 storeys, the twisting structure has quickly become a jewel in Shanghai's crowded skyline. But already, there are other buildings in the nation vying to be the highest tower in China. One of these is the Wuhan Greenland Center, a skyscraping glass edifice expected to rise 125 floors and 636 metres above the streets of Central China's most populous city.
The building is the brainchild of China's largest real estate developer, Greenland Group. The prolific company has expanded their international footprint in recent years by building in several overseas markets, including Toronto, Los Angeles, and Sydney, but their largest projects continue to rise in China.
The Wuhan Greenland Center will contain 200,000 square metres of office space, 50,000 square metres of luxury apartments, and a five-star hotel. Designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture with structural engineering by Thornton Tomasetti, the building's tapered form and domed top help improve wind resistance. Glass curtain wall panels provide the sleek and modern surface to the tower. An observatory near the crown will give visitors a breathtaking view of Wuhan.
A number of sustainable features will be incorporated into the tower. Periodic openings in the volume provide wind pressure venting and a place to house window washing and exhaust systems. Energy from the exhaust systems will be captured and used to pre-heat or pre-cool air which enters the building. Any waste water produced from sinks, showers, and laundry will be reused in the building's evaporative cooling system.
The tower was originally proposed at a height of 606 metres, which would have placed it third in the ranking of China's tallest buildings. Construction photos from the site by Gaoloumi user whhb123 show the massive size of the concrete core with the tower floors taking shape around it. Glass installation has also begun, giving the public the first real glimpse of what the finished complex will look like in 2017.
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