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We all know that buildings don't always turn out like the renderings. Last-minute changes and real-life materials can all cause discrepancies between the vision and reality of a project. In our weekly Flash Forward Friday feature, we take a look at how different projects stack up.
Together with Shanghai Tower and Jin Mao Tower, the Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC) forms the world's first trio of neighbouring supertall skyscrapers. At 101 floors and 492 metres, the Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates-designed building was the tallest in China when it was completed in 2008. Its distinctive trapezoidal aperture is the most eye-catching feature of the commercial tower, yet it wasn't included in the original design plans.
The first scheme was similar to the final version, though the gaping hole near the top of the tower changed shape. It was originally set to be a circular opening 46 metres in diameter, designed to reduce wind pressure and recall the Chinese mythological portrayal of the sky as a circle. However, the design drew backlash from some Chinese onlookers, including Shanghai mayor Chen Liangyu, for its apparent similarity to the rising sun of the Japanese flag. To minimize the association, the architect proposed a bridge at the bottom of the void to interrupt the circular appearance. An alternative design was finally submitted to developer Mori Building, which did away with the circle in favour of a trapezoid that would be both cheaper and easier to construct.
The final product turned out quite close to the revised design. The tower has earned the nickname 'the bottle opener' for its large upper cavity. The building's gift shop even sells replicas of the tower that double as functional bottle openers. In the years since its completion, the SWFC has earned significant praise from the public and professional groups. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat named the SWFC the 2008 Best Tall Building Overall, cementing its iconic status among the architecture community.
We will return next Friday with another comparison!
