mosticonic

Tokyo Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower, Tokyo, Japan

Height: 204 meters Cost to build: NA Completion date: October 2008 Fast fact: It's the second-tallest educational building in the world, next to the M.V. Lomonosov State University building in Moscow. The tower is one of the few educational skyscrapers in the world, hosting s The tower is one of the few educational skyscrapers in the world, hosting schools of fashion, computer science and medicine. As its name suggests, its exterior resembles the silky home of various larvae. Students are educated inside the 50-level tower and metaphorically transformed into something bigger and more beautiful, culminating in generations of Tokyoites prepared to give this sprawling city, and its country, focus. The Cocoon Tower is also a symbol of innovation -- soaring above its older and shorter neighboring buildings not just literally, but figuratively

Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Height: 452 meters Cost to build: US$1.6 billion Completion date: June 1996 Fast fact: National poet laureate A. Samad Said was commissioned to write a poem for the towers, which can be read "These towers changed the skyline of Kuala Lumpur, and jumped the existing scale there dramatically. Petronas was also an attempt to relate a tall building to a country’s culture and history, and to make a statement about its power and desire to replace Hong Kong as a financial capital.” -- A. Eugene Kohn. Employing the repetitive geometric principle of Muslim architecture and Islamic arabesques, architect César Pelli wanted the Petronas Twin Towers to exude Malaysian culture and heritage; and he succeeded. Although nothing in Kuala Lumpur is nearly as colossal, the world’s tallest twin towers somehow feel at home amid the capital’s otherwise unassuming cityscape. Completed in 1996, the sky bridge that connects the two towers symbolizes “a gateway to the future” and Malaysia’s sky-high ambition entering the millennium. Since completion, this 451-meter skyscraper has become Malaysia’s unmistakable icon.

Kingdom Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Cost to build: US$458 million Completion date: 2002 Fast fact: Ladies Kingdom claims to have "almost every thing a female would need" -- even a ladies’ bank and a ladies' mosque. Some observers have drawn a connection between the Kingdom Center and a shovel stuck in the sand; a somewhat misplaced comparison for the tallest building in Saudi Arabia. But get this: Riyadh building code forbids any building with more than 30 usable floors, but doesn’t impose height restrictions. So, thanks to the big void in the new Saudi Arabian icon, only 30 floors are used for normal purposes. It features an area offering a refreshing break from usual social norms in the region, with a shopping mall that includes a female-only "Ladies Kingdom," an entire floor designated for women to shop freely without needing to be covered.

Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong

Height: 305 meters Cost to build: NA Completion date: May 1990 Fast fact: The building was criticized by feng shui masters for its sharp corners, which in feng shui terms means it will bring bad luck to its neighbors (notably the HSBC main building). Pei had to modify the design before construction began. The Bank of China Tower was the first skyscraper outside of the United States to surpass the 305-meter mark and was once the tallest building in Hong Kong. Reflecting lights like a glittering crystal, the unusual crystalline-like structure is inspired by the bamboo plant, mimicking its strength, vitality and growth. It has for years been one of the most distinctive buildings in Hong Kong, out-shining its taller neighbors. Together with Two IFC, the tower is part of the city's Symphony of Light show, illuminating Hong Kong's harbor every night at 8 p.m.

Transamerica Pyramid, San Francisco, United States

Height: 262 meters Cost to build: US$220 million Completion date: October 31, 2010 Fast fact: With speeds of seven meters per second, the elevators in the building are the third-fastest in the world. The Bitexco Financial Tower may no longer be the tallest building in Vietnam, but it still defines Ho Chi Minh City’s skyline. Designed to represent Vietnam’s national flower, the lotus, this 262-meter skyscraper is meant to characterize the beauty and growth of the city below. It's ambitious, and it's in your face, much like its host city. There's an observation deck on the 47th floor, where visitors get a 360-degree view of HCMC, and a helipad on the 50th level, creating one of the structures most salient features.

Bitexco Financial Tower, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Elephant Tower, Bangkok, Thailand

Height: 102 meters Cost to build: NA Completion date: 1997 Fast fact: The building contains a swimming pool. If there’s one thing besides a smile that can represent Thai people, it's elephants. From pretty much anywhere in this dusty district in northern Bangkok, you can catch a glimpse of this 102-meter-high jumbo building, with its eyes and tusks towering above a busy junction. As well as highlighting the importance of elephants in Thai culture and history, the building also nods toward Thailand's coming-of-age, with high-tech offices, a shopping plaza and a floor of luxury residential suites. This would never make a list of the most beautiful skyscrapers, but there's no denying Elephant Tower's place in local hearts. Plus, you just can’t keep your eyes off it

Thứ Ba, 23 tháng 10, 2012