I feel some pressure to write a post about Sky City 1000 as soon as possible. In fact, this 1 kilometer tower planned to Tokyo is less and less a mere fantasy. Today there are real plans to construct skyscrapers with that height (as Kingdom Tower in Saudi Arabia which is estimated to be finished in 2018), and therefore the existence of a 'Mile-High Tower' it is just a question of time. However, in 1989, when Sky City was thought for the first time, it was just the main representation of a surrealistic concept created by Takenaka Corporation (the biggest construction firm in Japan), to respond to the Japanese asset price bubble. The initial plan seems very justifiable:
"1,000 meters (3,280.8 feet) tall and 400 meters (1,312 feet) wide at the
base, and a total floor area of 8 km² (3.1 miles² or 1976.8 acres). The
design
provides for 35,000 full-time residents and 100,000 workers, students
and visitors. It comprises 14 concave dish-shaped 'Space Plateaus'
stacked one upon the other. The building would include residences,
offices, commercial facilities, schools, theaters and other modern
amenities."
In 2003, the Discovery Channel's Extreme Engineering
show exposed the plans to make Sky City more real than ever. The asset
price bubble is over, but the high demographic density and the lack of
green spaces in Tokyo are a fuel to take seriously this concept, and
consequently think about all associated challenges and constraints.
While some solutions require technology that is not available in the
short term, this kind of attention to the 'almost-impossible-stuff' is
always a way to improve old techniques, related to safety, civil
engineering or even elevators speed.
Our grandchildren must be prepared to live above the clouds.
Name: Sky City 1000
Place: Tokyo, Japan
Height: 1000 metres
Function: Mixed use
Author: Takenaka Corporation
(Extreme Enginnering documentary 'Tokyo Sky City' - part 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
(Takenaka Corporation website)
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