Amazing Architecture

Peace Bridge (located in Calgary, Canada), will be just a small pedestrian bridge across the Bow River. This is not huge supertall investment, but I think that it is worth to see it (available still only on renders but the grand opening is planned on 2010).  Many people call this project too extravagant and taking away the attention from the rest of the city, but I think that every architecture that can defend itself in stand alone fight is good. This bridge will be 6.2 meters wide. Bike lanes will be placed in center of the structure and pedestrian walks on both sides. Red and white on the outside, white on the inside will be filled with LED lights to make the impression even better. It is expected to carry over 5000 people each day.

This original project comes from great architect Santiago Calatrava.

Peace Bridge, calgary. Photo taken from Skyscrapercity forums, copyrights by Santiago Calatrava.

Peace Bridge, calgary. Photo taken from Skyscrapercity forums, copyrights by Santiago Calatrava.

Peace Bridge, calgary. Photo taken from Skyscrapercity forums, copyrights by Santiago Calatrava.

Chicago Spire is a building that according to schedule should stand in Chicago in 2012. This projected by Spanish architect Santiago Celetrava building will be approximately 610 meters high (2000 ft) and will become the highest skyscraper not only in Chicago but in the whole western hemisphere (will be also highest residential building in the world). Yet an underground part of this highrise is done but still it is uncertain that the construction will be done on schedule during developers financial problems and lawsuits from The Bank Of America.

Chicago Spire construction site, August 27 2009. Photo taken from Skyscrapercity forums.

The tower will contain 150 floors, 1193 apartments, every floor will rotate at 2.44 degrees between floor plates, the lobby footprint will be 1,414 sq meters (15,220 sq ft). The building will have the highest elevator run (about 570 meters, 1864 feet) – this elevators will move directly from the ground floor to any floor in the building, there will be 17 of them.

Chicago Spire inside. Image taken from Skyscrapercity forums.

Chicago Spire inside. Image taken from Skyscrapercity forums.

Cost of an apartment in Chicago Spire will start from 750.000 dollars and end at 40.000.000 dollars.

The building looks similar to rotating towers in Dubai and Moscow, but the construction is a little bit different and the outside look of the building is more static leaving observers with only one look of the building. The facade is not so dynamic and it is not changing shapes.

Chicago Spire. Image taken from Skyscrapercity forums.

Chicago Spire. Image taken from Skyscrapercity forums.

There are currently two projects of rotating skyscrapers. The first one is supposed to be built in Dubai and the second one in Moscow. In my opinion the Moscow’s one is more interesting. Lets take a closer look:

Rotating skyscraper. Photo taken from www.dynamicarchitecture.net. Copyrights by David Fisher.

Of course this is only a project but interesting enough to write about it. This can be a start of new wave of moving buildings that will have changing architecture.  The plan predict that this building will have 70 floors and 400 meters high (that is 1312 feet). Potential cost of that building is estimated at 400 million dollars. At first the building construction should start in late 2008 and be finished in 2010, yet, during the financial problems it has not started yet.

Rotating skyscraper. Photo taken from www.dynamicarchitecture.net. Copyrights by David Fisher.

This could be one of the most interesting buildings in the world as long as there will be only few of them. This can really be some kind of architectural revolution that will show us totally new ways of projecting, planning and building skyscrapers.

Rotating skyscraper. Photo taken from www.dynamicarchitecture.net. Copyrights by David Fisher.