http://www.industrytap.com/how-sustainable-are-supertall-structures-burj-khalifa-chief-architect-knows/16262
By: David Russell Schilling | December 17th, 2013
The view from Burj Khalifa makes Dubai skyscrapers look like small toys. Photo © travelourplanet.com / Flickr
Which architect would you hire if you wanted to build the tallest building in the world?
Every architect alive today has his or her own version of the tallest building in the world if not prominently displayed then sheepishly hidden amongst prized possessions. Many submit their grand visions to projects like Miapolis, a proposed skyscraper that will surpass Burj Khalifa as the world’s tallest building, hoping against hope they will be selected to lead the project.
But for Burj Khalifa planners, experience mattered most. With over 125 awards including five international, nine national AIA Awards and two ULI Awards for Excellence, American architect Adrian Smith impressed the most. And with Trump International Hotel & Tower, China’s Jin Mao Tower, and Boston’s Rowes Wharf to his name, the decision came easy and in just four weeks.
Now that Burj Khalifa is done, Smith has begun to receive more attention: first, Lego, a Disney property, has decided to offer The Burj Khalifa Lego, ensuring Smith will be known by young architects for generations to come. Second, Smith is now the de facto spokesman and apologist for explaining the meaning, purpose and sustainability of supertall structures.
Last month, Smith gave a lecture at a Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust Event entitled: “Supertall Towers and Green Cities.” Here are a few points he made:
Soon IndustryTap will write about Bill Baker, Chief Structural Engineer for Burj Khalifa. Stay tuned.