Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Engineering marvel


After watching this video about the latest architectural innovation, I yearn for only one thing:  Dramamine!  

The Da Vinci Tower (also known as Dynamic Architecture Building) is a proposed 313 m (1,027 ft), 68-floor tower in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The tower is expected to be architecturally innovative for several reasons. Uniquely, each floor will be able to rotate independently. This will result in a constantly changing shape of the tower. Each floor will rotate a maximum of one full rotation in 90 minutes. It will also be the world's first prefabricated skyscraper. 90% of the tower will be built in a factory and shipped to the construction site. This will allow the entire building to be built in only 18 months. The only part of the tower that will be built at the construction site will be the core. Part of this prefabrication will be the decrease in cost and number of workers. The total cost will be 23% less than a normal skyscraper of the same size, while only 90 people will work on the construction site. The majority of the workers will be in factories, where it will be much safer. The entire tower will be powered from turbines and solar panels, and five other buildings in the vicinity will also be provided with electricity. The turbines will be located between each of the rotating floors. They will generate 1,200,000 kilowatt-hours of energy from the movement of the floors, and the solar panels will be located on the roof. Construction of the Da Vinci Tower is expected to be completed in 2009. Architect: David Fisher.

So . . . would you like to live in a building that literally twists and turns in the wind? 
 
~~Angie 

5 comments:

Mocha with Linda said...

Okay, that made me woozy just to watch it. I'll pass, thank you.

And not to be critical, but I couldn't help but get amused at them. Extolling the wonder of this grand pursuit, and yet the first thing on the screen says "Since the dusk of humanity man has seeked to exceed the limits..."

Don't they mean DAWN of humanity and SOUGHT?

And they want me to trust their building?! LOL

Kara S. said...

I couldn't see the video but checked out Dynamic Architecture's site. The spinning floors are enough to make a person sick just by watching the illustrations!

Quite a few years ago, we ate dinner at a rotating restaurant in either Quebec or Montreal (can't remember which). Never again! The after effects of eating and rotating were not pleasant. And I don't think that restaurant made a complete rotation during the time we were there - at least two hours.

The only plus I see to living or working in a rotating building is the changing scenery when looking out the windows.

Anonymous said...

I think this is absolutely fascinating! Perhaps for the sake of interest they showed the movement to be faster than it would be in real time. I wonder if each floor has its own controls. And does the man get the remote for this one, too? I definitely would make plans to visit Dubai and experience this building for myself. What a ride!!! Clyde

Kay Day said...

How futuristic! I think it is very cool!
But no way do I want to be in it. When I am higher than 10 or so floors, I feel like the building is moving anyway!

Leslie said...

Totally off topic, but I think others might have this question as well.

I was thinking of attending the ACFW conference in September but like last year was intrigued by the Glen Erye conference because you will have a screenwriter there... which is what I think I really want to do.

I am very confused though. The dates are April 27th (a Sunday) through April 30th(Wed), which is 4 days, but the itineray only lists a 3 day schedule. Which day is the "real" first day - Sun or Mon?

Thank you!