February 2008 - World Buildings

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World Buildings - February 2008

The Oriental Pearl Tower

February 28th 2008 09:49

Pearl Tower at night on the Huangpu river in Shanghai

Pshaw! Your feeble Sydney Tower has nothing on the magnificent Oriental Pearl Tower, a communications tower in Pudong, a suburb of the beautiful, commerically frisky, success-story city called Shanghai.

It's the tallest tower in Asia, and the third tallest in the world. The first (now the second) tallest tower is a tower for hosers, though. I don't know anybody that would want to go up there, eh?

In fact, if you think about it, the Pearl Tower is the tallest tower in Asia - and Asia is the biggest continent in the world, so, really, the Pearl Tower is the biggest tower in the world. Basically.

It's 468 m tall, which towers over the puny 309 m Sydney Tower. Why even bother making a tower that small? Am I right?

The Pearl Tower has three observation levels, including one of those revolving restaurants. Revolving restaurants are sweet because you can face backwards to the direction of revolution, move your feet and appear to be moonwalking to people outside.

Well, people that happen to be over 400 meters up. And looking through the windows.

riental_Pearl_Tower" target="_blank">More pictures of the Oriental Pearl Tower!

* this image is taken from Wikipedia.

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Posted By: Cibbuano - Category: No Category

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Innovative Australian home uses water tank to hold up house

February 21st 2008 10:02

House uses water tank to support roof and cool interior

This is a wonderful idea, clever and original, with the added benefit of being entirely functional...

This is a house in Victoria, Australia, where the designer has placed the rainwater tank in the center of the house, using it to support the roof.

Australia generally suffers from water shortages, although this year we've had our share and then some. Still, when water is tight, residents are encouraged to use rainwater for non-consumable purposes, and a supply of water is always a good thing to have on hand.

From the webpage:

"Within the living room the ceiling wraps down to an internal water tank. The tank cools the ambient air temperature of the living room during summer, supplies rain water, and structurally carries the roof load. Excess water drains to an external tank, and is used for flushing toilets, irrigating the garden, washing wetsuits and occasionally for drinking."

I love it - the water tank cools the room as well. Water is an incredible substance, capable of cooling and heating, depending on the outside temperature. I'm almost in love with this design. I wish I had thought of it first.

But I didn't, so I'll have to think up something else. How about a house where the roof support is a tank for... um... strawberry jam? Motor oil? Creme soda?

Ah, forget it.

(found on BoingBoing)