Abu Dhabi's 'Illogical' Crossing Slowly Takes Shape

The flowing profiles of Abu Dhabi island’s iconic third bridge to the mainland are slowly emerging as engineers struggle with the “almost unbuildable” structure.

Like illuminated ribbons, twin decks of the 845-meter-long Sheikh Zayed crossing will sweep through waves of supporting structural boxes and curve in two planes to create one of the world’s most radical highway bridges. Though dramatic, the bridge is “structurally illogical,” says Mike King, project manager with structural designer/supervisor High-Point Rendel, London. Design took four times longer than the allocated nine months.

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Dubai's Rotating City

As if man made islands, underwater hotels, and the largest building, hotel, and amusement park weren't enough, now Dubai has approved construction on a rotating city by High Rise Real Estate. Everything in the city -- villas, apartments, restaurants, hotels, and wedding halls -- will all be able to rotate independantly. Tired of catching your neighbor granny doing yoga naked? Turn your house 45 degrees to the left and find someone more attractive to spy on.

The first 10 floors of the high rise apartment buildings will be fixed and contain 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom apartments, along with a number of retails shops on the ground floor. Floors 11 through 14 will be rotating penthouses. The top floor is a split level rotating villa. The villa which occupies 6000 sq. ft. of space has its own private garden, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, and gym. If rotating your home isn't enough, the top floor villa will have a car lift that takes your ride straight up to the villa!

Here are some shots of the villas that will be sprinkled throughout the property.

And even floating villas that are basically the Jetsons equivalent to a houseboat.

from wired magazine

What was Thom Mayne's inspiration?

I'm crossposting this from one of my other blogs, Planetizen Interchange, which is an urban planning thing. Because I think it has appeal in this world, too.

The new San Francisco Federal Building, designed by Morphosis 'starchitect' Thom Mayne, opened earlier this year.

And I knew it looked familiar. Today I finally figured it out.

The building:



And what must have been the inspiration:

from wired magazine

SOM’s Pearl River Tower

The storied design firm has set its sights on redefining one of its bread-and-butter project types, the corporate headquarters, into a model of high-tech sustainability.

Continue Reading the case study here