CAPITAL GATE TOWER

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates THE GRAND
Architect: RMJM Speacially designed
STAND
diagrid to absorb and
Structural Engineer: RMJM channel the forces
Building Function: Hotel / Office created by wind and
Owner: ADNEC Group seismic loading.
Proposed: 2005
Construction Started: 2007 THE SPLASH
Completion: 2011

FORM The funnel shape

facilitates natural
Elevation

lightening upto Height: To Tip: 540 ft

The form of Capital Gate Tower is half the length of Floors Above Ground: 36
ground breaking due not only to its lean the building. Floors Below Ground: 1
but also the funnel shape. It widens as it Tower GFA: 571,564 ft²
spirals upwards and outwards having a Structural Material: Composite
total incline of 18°

STRATEGIES
The shape was
TWISTING sought to be
CORNER SOFTENING looked into the
nature of Abu
Dhabi and was
WIND ROSE inspired by the
N
NNW NNE

NW NE sand dunes and

WNW ENE rolling waves.
W E
Combining the
WSW ESE
forces a build-
SW SE
ing that spirals
SSW
S
SSE out like a
0 TO 5 MPH 5 TO 10 MPH 10 TO 15 MPH Whirl-wind was
designed.
Wind Flow Diagram

GROUND FLOOR PLAN 18th FLOOR PLAN 20th FLOOR PLAN 30th FLOOR PLAN

The “splash” twists around

the building towards the
south to shield Capital
Gate as much as possible
Section
from direct sunlight.
The tower overhangs
from the base a total
of 33 meters.
HANGZHOU WANGCHAO CENTER
Hangzhou, China

Location: Hangzhou, China

Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Structural Designer: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Building Function: Hotel / Office
Owner: Zhejiang Chengdao Properties Limited
Construction Started: 2018

Height: To Tip: 919 ft

FORM Floors Above Ground: 54
Floors Below Ground: 4
The Hangzhou Wangchao Center’s Tower GFA: 1,345,489 ft²
distinctive silhouette derives its form Structural Material: Composite
from an integrated design process
Elevation
that solves programmatic, structural,
and environmental criteria.

STRATEGIES
TAPERING
CORNER SOFTENING
Twisting

Floor Plans Section

FORM DEVELOPMENT

Constrained Site Diagonal Mega-Frame Programmatic Taper Optimized for Wind Loads Flexible Planning

The soft curves and breaks at

corners help wind to easily
divert in two directions
around the tower.

Floor Framing Perimeter Frame Final Form Wind Flow Diagram

LOTTE WORLD TOWER
Seoul, South Korea
Location: Seoul, South Korea
Architect: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
Shinchon-Dong, Songpa-Ku
Structural Designer: Leslie E. Robertson Associates
Building Function: Hotel / Office / Residential
Owner: Lotte Property & Development
Construction Started: 2011
Completion: 2017 Height: To Tip: 1823 ft
Floors Above Ground: 123
Floors Below Ground: 6
FORM Tower GFA: 3,273,101 ft²

Taking inspiration from traditional Korean

art forms in the design of the various interi- The seam that runs
or program spaces, the sleek tapered form Section
from top to bottom
of Lotte World Tower will stand out from
The tower is rated strong of the structure
Seoul’s rocky, mountainous topography. enough to sustain winds of gestures toward the
The design of the tower melds a modern upto 80m/s all the way to old center of the
aesthetic with forms inspired by Korean ce- its peak at 1820ft above city. Elegance of
ramics, porcelain, and calligraphy. the ground.
form was one of the
prime objectives,
following the desire
of stakeholders to
STRATEGIES bestow a beautiful
monument to the
TAPERING capital city skyline.
CORNER SOFTENING Axonometric drawing of
Typical Floor

Elevation

The soft curves and sudden

Top of Tower
break at two corners help
(+1820 ft) wind to easily divert in two
directions around the tower.

Level 111
(+1492 ft)

Level 80
(+1126 ft)

Level 52
(+776 ft)

Level 26
(+397 ft)
As the tower ascends, the
slight taper towards its peak
keeps the tower performing
Wind Flow Diagram
well aerodynamically even
Form Development with increased wind speeds.