With the use of modular pieces, Chinese builder BSB completed a 57-floor mixed-use tower in just 19 days, saying that “three floors in a day is China’s new normal.”
Inhabitat names it “the world’s tallest prefab tower.” Official pictures and a statement are yet to be released.
The tower, called Mini Sky City, is located in Changsha, in the Southeastern Chinese province of Hunan. It is part of the Sky City complex which is to include a 220-story tall skyscraper at 2,749 feet, but is yet to be completed,
According to Sploid, the construction company used 2 million-sf worth of modular blocks they manufactured themselves that are energy efficient. The tightly sealed blocks ensure an efficient use of HVAC systems, as well as protection from outside pollution.
A representative of the company told Sploid "that the use of modules reduced the use of concrete by 15,000 trucks, [which] almost eliminated all the release of dust in the air."
Mini Sky City has 19 atriums that are 33 feet tall each. It has the office space capacity for 4,000 employees, as well as residential units for 800 households.
Read more on Sploid.
Related Stories
| Jun 12, 2014
Austrian university develops 'inflatable' concrete dome method
Constructing a concrete dome is a costly process, but this may change soon. A team from the Vienna University of Technology has developed a method that allows concrete domes to form with the use of air and steel cables instead of expensive, timber supporting structures.
| Jun 11, 2014
5 ways Herman Miller's new office concept rethinks the traditional workplace
Today's technologies allow us to work anywhere. So why come to an office at all? Herman Miller has an answer.
| Jun 9, 2014
Green Building Initiative launches Green Globes for Sustainable Interiors program
The new program focuses exclusively on the sustainable design and construction of interior spaces in nonresidential buildings and can be pursued by both building owners and individual lessees of commercial spaces.
| Jun 2, 2014
Parking structures group launches LEED-type program for parking garages
The Green Parking Council, an affiliate of the International Parking Institute, has launched the Green Garage Certification program, the parking industry equivalent of LEED certification.
| May 30, 2014
MIT researchers create 'home in a box' transformable wall system for micro apartments
Dubbed CityHome, the system integrates furniture, storage, exercise equipment, lighting, office equipment, and entertainment systems into a compact wall unit.
| May 29, 2014
7 cost-effective ways to make U.S. infrastructure more resilient
Moving critical elements to higher ground and designing for longer lifespans are just some of the ways cities and governments can make infrastructure more resilient to natural disasters and climate change, writes Richard Cavallaro, President of Skanska USA Civil.
| May 27, 2014
Contractors survey reveals improving construction market
The construction industry is on the road to recovery, according to a new survey by Metal Construction News. Most metrics improved from the previous year’s survey, including a 19.4% increase in the average annual gross contracting sales volume. SPONSORED CONTENT
| May 26, 2014
New Jersey data centers will manage loads with pods
The two data center facilities totaling almost 430,000 sf for owner Digital Realty Trust will use the company's TK-Flex planning module, allowing for 24 pods.
| May 22, 2014
BIM-driven prototype turns data centers into a kit of parts
Data center design specialist SPARCH creates a modular scheme for solutions provider Digital Realty.
| May 19, 2014
What can architects learn from nature’s 3.8 billion years of experience?
In a new report, HOK and Biomimicry 3.8 partnered to study how lessons from the temperate broadleaf forest biome, which houses many of the world’s largest population centers, can inform the design of the built environment.
