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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.
Gran Torre Santiago has become a staple on the Chilean capital's skyline since the skyscraper was completed. At 62 storeys and 300 metres tall, it's the tallest building in Latin America and the second tallest in the Southern Hemisphere. The Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects-designed tower is the centrepiece of the Costanera Center complex, which contains Latin America's largest shopping mall flanked by office and hotel buildings.
Construction of the office tower began in 2006 but, like many projects, was halted in 2009 as a result of the global financial crisis. Crews resumed work again later that year, finally inaugurating the building in 2013. The glass-clad Gran Torre Santiago tapers slightly towards its latticed crown and observation deck, with indented corners emphasizing the tower's slimness.
The initial rendering for the development was a good predictor of the final product, although the glass looks to be a few shades darker than the illustration had suggested. Nonetheless, Gran Torre Santiago is a commanding presence on the skyline, easily towering over its neighbours and instantly becoming an architectural icon for the country.
