The Rotating Tower(s) of Dubai

[M.K.]

I like much. If it would be really built, will be the first too different tower in world. It changes the concept of bldg we have up to now. All structures are static and this could be the first dynamic one. I would try first in a 10 storey to see if works before going to a fast 70 floor one- The core should be thick including all devices and systems. Of course too expensive but feasible. I think great. I hope to be built soon and surely, in Dubai. Do have a diagram already made here??? I would like to see.

[Tom In Chicago]

It's an interesting concept. . . but probably going to cost far too much to engineer than it's worth. . .

[malec]

^^ Exactly what I think

[CGII]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

^ i totally agree. the concept is very intriguing, but i still think that you create A LOT more problems than you solve when you start to animate buildings. on a smaller scale like the bird-flapping brise-soliel on milwaukee's art museum, i think it can at least be workable, but for a whole friggin 68 story tower? i have my doubts about the long term wisdom of this strategy. hopefully they'll build it so we can see how it turns out.

Hell, even the Brise Soleil has had some pretty serious engineering issues.

[Tom In Chicago]

The only way I can perceive this building getting built is if all the mechanical services are built into the core while external rooms are allowed to rotate. . . it can be done. . . the Hyatt Regency in Milwaukee or the Tampa Airport Marriott, two examples that I've been to, have a revolving floor at the top. . . plumbing is the obvious service that would be impossible to extend out, but I'm not sure how you'd get electrical services off of the core efficiently. . . I suppose you could have everything running off of inverters that are fed by batteries which would be recharged at times when the building was not moving. . .

The other challenge I see is simply getting people to buy into a building that's moving at all. . . most buildings are built with engineering specifications that PREVENT motion. . . and the discomfort factor would kill the project even if they figured a way to engineer it economically. . .

[Trantor]

Originally Posted by markdv

Wow, what an idea ! Brazil has a smaller residential tower, 1 6-20 stories that rotates simultaneously, nothing like this . If this works , this will begin a new generation of designs that also become art ! I think the plumbing, etc ... will stay in the core which doesn't rotate.

no no... the brazilian building has independent rotating floors controlled by the owner of each unit. They can rotate in different speeds and also in DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS (clock or anti-clockwise)

But the tower is much smaller (actually, there is no 60 floors tower in entire Brazil, fixed or not) and the floors are round shaped, so the shape of the building never changes.

[Trantor]

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

The only way I can perceive this building getting built is if all the mechanical services are built into the core while external rooms are allowed to rotate. . . it can be done. . . the Hyatt Regency in Milwaukee or the Tampa Airport Marriott, two examples that I've been to, have a revolving floor at the top. . . plumbing is the obvious service that would be impossible to extend out, but I'm not sure how you'd get electrical services off of the core efficiently. . . I suppose you could have everything running off of inverters that are fed by batteries which would be recharged at times when the building was not moving. . .

The other challenge I see is simply getting people to buy into a building that's moving at all. . . most buildings are built with engineering specifications that PREVENT motion. . . and the discomfort factor would kill the project even if they figured a way to engineer it economically. . .

in a smaller scale (11 independently rotating floors) it has already been done in Brazil, and the units cust $300k each. So they can do it in Dubai in a larger scale and charge like 1 million per unit to compensate the more complex engineering because of the size of the building.

[M.K.]

@Trantor: Where is this rotating 11-floor tower in Brazil? I've never heard.

It is quite easy transmitting eletricity to other points in the room out the core. You can have 2 round rails, one fixed in core floor and the other in rotation side floor almost touching one with other, with small space in between and when rotates the electric devices outer the core is in this magnet system converted. 2 rails to magnet transfer for electricity. There is only solution for eletrical devices and system. The other systems should be kept in core, of course, like plumbing, flushing and so on.

[CGII]

Tom, electric is easy, all you need is a conductive surface 'tape' on the rotating side of the floor that touches a wire or eletric input from the core.

[Serge]

I love this... The cost can be a problem to dream of this here in Canada... affordable in a «normal» condo market. I love it I said.

[Aleks]

will the ground floor rotate?!?!
cause the loby would be weird if it did
the one in Brazil is cool
and the steel needed to make this rotating tower would have to be really lite yet strong to suport beds, sofas, people ect. ect......

[Trantor]

Originally Posted by Mkmillenium

@Trantor: Where is this rotating 11-floor tower in Brazil? I've never heard.

its in Curitiba. And it was news all over the world (as far as highrises are news). Several people (non brazilians) posted about it on SSC and SSP.

[MGW]

Dubai is really out of control--they're almost doing too much...well, they are. Most stuff is impressive and so is this. But its getting ridiculous. Next theyre gonna bring in some guy from Tokyo who will design a skyscraper that floats around the city and give the residents different views. Imagine coming home from work and you have to go find and chase your home as it floats 300 feet up around the city.

[M.K.]

The Freedom Ship is something like that, already proposed.

[rdm]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Yeah, how the frock is plumbing going to work? What happens when you flush the toilet?

shit water falls on the roof below you.

oh i slay me...

[slide_rule]

the plumbing does not have to be confined to the core. pipes would bring fresh water into the core, then would be distributed via a rotating coupling. wastewater would enter a trough, and then flow back to the core.

if this building could be pulled off, i'd be impressed. it's a vanity project for sure. but at least it's an engineering challenge, and has more going for it than pure shock value.

[Jularc]

So having the kitchen and bathroom in the core because of the 'better' plumbing places to be, then it means that is one apartment per floor. What about if you step into the kitchen (plumbing issues) and then want to go to the dining room and it is on the other side already. Then I guess you will be facing a bedroom. But then you either have to wait for the living room to come around again or walk to the bedroom and then to the dinning room. Ok Crazy stuff.

[Trantor]

Originally Posted by slide_rule

the plumbing does not have to be confined to the core. pipes would bring fresh water into the core, then would be distributed via a rotating coupling. wastewater would enter a trough, and then flow back to the core.

if this building could be pulled off, i'd be impressed. it's a vanity project for sure. but at least it's an engineering challenge, and has more going for it than pure shock value.

why do you think its such a challenge, if it was already made in Brazil, albeit in a smaller scale (11 floors)?? In Brazil, the floors rotate independently from each other, and in the direction you choose, when you choose.

[Tom In Chicago]

Tom, electric is easy. . .

Thanks for reminding me. . . I am an electrical engineer after all

[SrbijaCG]

The next obvious step would be something that we have already seen in the Jetsons....houses that can rise above the clouds when it rains