office interior design hong kong
for structural engineers, building aestheticsis just the cherry on top of a cake. the real substance of a building structurelies in the complex design and arrangements of structural elements and members. more often than not, these essential structuralfeatures are under appreciated as they are typically hidden deep within the claddingof buildings to provide a more aesthetically pleasing exterior. however, a number of buildings were not afraidto expose their skeleton and instead, showcase the technically-savvy design of their structure. so, lets take a good look at ten of the worldsmost impressive exoskeleton structures and
gain a deeper appreciation for their intricatetechnical designs. a set luxury penthouse buildings at the heartof london, neo bankside is an incredibly modern exoskeleton structure. the building is comprised of a concrete framethat serves as the core with exterior perimeter bracings that provides lateral stability fromwind loading, which reduces the need for sheer walls. this allows the building to gain more floorspaces and opens up possibilities for future developments. the diagonal bracings are connected at everythird floor by pinned nodes, which creates
a system that transfers lateral loads intothe main core of the structure. gazing through the skyline of london, thesebuildings provide priceless views and experience of the city. an iconic and elegant design by structuralengineering firm som, this exoskeleton structure uses diagonal bracings that offset from theglass curtain wall. located in the financial district of san francisco,part the building was built above ground as it sits on top of a water table. the exoskeleton design approached maximizesthe usable interior space as columnar interference within the building was eliminated.
standing amongst a city dotted with innovativestructures, the one maritime plaza sets itself aside with its exoskeleton structural design. with an industrial architecture design, theatlantic plumbing building has expansive floor-to-ceiling glass windows offering cityscape views ofwashington dc. the exterior bracing frame of the buildingis comprised of corten weathering steel, which is designed to resist both lateral and thermalloadings. it has a concrete core that was cast-in-placeand serves as the main structural support of the building. this exoskeleton frame structure does notjust offer structural stability, it also completes
the edgy and industrial aesthetics the architectwas going for. engineered building for businesses, the cannonplace is an outstanding exoskeleton structure in london. it provides stunning panoramic views of thecity skyline and offers uninterrupted floor spaces as the structure is virtually column-free. the exterior of the building is heavily bracedwith steel members that have been offset from the glass facade. the large cross and diagonal bracings carryall the structural loads and absorb transient loadings such as wind forces.
there is a total of six large x-frames whichsupports 21-meter cantilevers back to the structures core and are subsequently tiedtogether through similar x-frames. this system allows the whole structure tobalance. the exposed steel trusses are supported onfour composite thick-plate structures that transfer on to the foundation of the building. a complex and aesthetically perplexing exterior,the cannon place building is one of londons exciting and innovative structures. standing along the mediterranean coast ofbarcelona, this multi-purpose building is designed with exoskeleton perimeter crossbracings.
hotel arts feature 44 stories of glass claddingand exposed steel skeleton, which makes it one of spains tallest structures. cross bracings at the edge of the buildingaccount for high wind loads in lateral directions with further cross bracing reinforcement atthe top and center. through this exoskeleton system, large floorareas are achieved making way for spacious art exhibition rooms. the hotel displays a 20th-century collectionof exclusively commissioned art pieces by contemporary catalan and spanish artists. providing the most beautiful view over paris,centre pompidou is home to the largest modern
and contemporary art collection in europe. celebrating its 40th year anniversary this2017, this impressive exoskeleton structure serves as an architectural and engineeringicon in the french city. the centre pompidou doesnt just house exquisiteart pieces, its an engineering artwork itself designed as an “evolving spatial diagramâ€by italian architects renzo piano and gianfranco franchini, and british architect richard rogers. one of the distinct and exposed skeleton designof the building are the steel structural bracings inter-crossing the frames. to enliven the facade, the designers usedfour vibrant colors – blue, red, yellow,
and green – to color code the building servicesof the structure. the air conditioning pipes of the buildingare coded in blue color, electrical services are yellow, water pipes are green, and redis for escalators and lifts. despite being more than 30-years-old, thehsbc headquarters in hong kong is still known as one of the most structurally-savvy buildingsin the world. an impressive showcase of hanging structuraldesign is critical to the buildings flexibility and development potential. the building obtains an additional 30% superstructurefloor area as the structural skeleton is located on the exterior rather than inside allowingfuture developments to be possible should
the planning regulations are altered. the exterior skeleton arrangement of the membersallows the system to carry all the structural loads, creating an incredible column-freeground level. this structural solution is an innovativeengineering feat making the building one of the highly regarded structures in the world. although complicated by sight alone, thesestructures have undergone critical and intricate engineering analyses. sleepless nights and long hours of thinkingare the building blocks of these incredible exoskeleton structures.
and hopefully, this simple list gives youa more rooted appreciation for exoskeleton structures. d2 tower is in the heart of the business districtof la defense, west of paris, france, which was above the office building veritas. the architect anthony bechu, in associationwith tom sheehan, won the competition to build a tower in place that becomes vacant afterthe demolition of the veritas tower. work began in late 2010. the ovoid shape of the d2 tower has becomeone of the most original achievements of la defense offering an innovative architecturalform to change the traditional geometrical
combinations. with 37 floors and a height of 180 meters,the d2 tower is the tallest structure in the district, but one of the most distinctivepattern through the outer structural designs reminiscent norman foster. the architectural project won the 2015 awardfor archidesignclub offices. the tower was completed in december 2014 andinaugurated on january 27, 2015. the turning torso, twisting torso or rotatingtorso, whatever name fits it best, santiago calatrava‘s torso tower in malmo is thetallest skyscraper in sweden and a pioneer of its kind.
a spectacular building depicting a human bodyin a turning motion, the architect gave the city a new tourist destination. still on structure, it has an unprecedentedarchitectural form, and an entirely unique combination of structural solutions. the framework consists of the core, shapedlike a concrete pipe. inside the core a concrete construction houseslift shafts and staircases. an exoskeleton around the buildings frontface is made of tapered white steel tubes. following the concrete perimeter column, theexoskeletons single upright is fixed to the tower between each module with horizontaland inclined tubes.
these tubes reach back to steel anchors embeddedin shear walls at the buildings back corners. while the spine column takes perimeter verticalloads, the exoskeleton around it provides wind resistance and dampens the buildingsvibrations. 30 st mary axe (informally known as the gherkinand previously as the swiss re building) is a commercial skyscraper in londons primaryfinancial district, the city of london. it was completed in december 2003 and openedin april 2004. with 41 stores, it is 180 meters (591 ft)tall and stands on the former sites of the baltic exchange and chamber of shipping, whichwere extensively damaged in 1992 by the explosion of a bomb placed by the provisional ira inst mary axe, the street from which the tower
takes its name. after plans to build the 92-storey millenniumtower were dropped, 30 st mary axe was designed by norman foster and arup group and it waserected by skanska, with construction commencing in 2001. the building has become a recognizable featureof london and is one of the citys most widely recognized examples of contemporary architecture
