CTBUH Study Examines Tallest Buildings with Dampers
22 August 2018 - CTBUH Research
You must be a CTBUH Member to view this resource.
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the architectural top of the building, including spires, but not including antennae, signage, flag poles or other functional-technical equipment. This measurement is the most widely utilized and is employed to define the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) rankings of the "World's Tallest Buildings."
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest point of the building, irrespective of material or function of the highest element (i.e., including antennae, flagpoles, signage and other functional-technical equipment).
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the architectural top of the building, including spires, but not including antennae, signage, flag poles or other functional-technical equipment. This measurement is the most widely utilized and is employed to define the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) rankings of the "World's Tallest Buildings."
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest occupied floor within the building.
The number of floors above ground should include the ground floor level and be the number of main floors above ground, including any significant mezzanine floors and major mechanical plant floors. Mechanical mezzanines should not be included if they have a significantly smaller floor area than the major floors below. Similarly, mechanical penthouses or plant rooms protruding above the general roof area should not be counted. Note: CTBUH floor counts may differ from published accounts, as it is common in some regions of the world for certain floor levels not to be included (e.g., the level 4, 14, 24, etc. in Hong Kong).
The number of floors above ground should include the ground floor level and be the number of main floors above ground, including any significant mezzanine floors and major mechanical plant floors. Mechanical mezzanines should not be included if they have a significantly smaller floor area than the major floors below. Similarly, mechanical penthouses or plant rooms protruding above the general roof area should not be counted. Note: CTBUH floor counts may differ from published accounts, as it is common in some regions of the world for certain floor levels not to be included (e.g., the level 4, 14, 24, etc. in Hong Kong).
The number of floors below ground should include all major floors located below the ground floor level.
The current legal building name.
Other names the building has commonly been known as, including former names, common informal names, local names, etc.
A complex is a group of buildings which are designed and built as pieces of a greater development.
CTBUH collects data on two major types of tall structures: 'Buildings' and 'Telecommunications / Observation Towers.' A 'Building' is a structure where at least 50% of the height is occupied by usable floor area. A 'Telecommunications / Observation Tower' is a structure where less than 50% of the structure's height is occupied by usable floor area. Only 'Buildings' are eligible for the CTBUH 'Tallest Buildings' lists.
The CTBUH follows the United Nations's definition of Country, and thus uses the lists and codes established by that organization.
The CTBUH follows the United Nations's definition of City, and thus uses the lists and codes established by that organization.
A single-function tall building is defined as one where 85% or more of its usable floor area is dedicated to a single usage. Thus a building with 90% office floor area would be said to be an "office" building, irrespective of other minor functions it may also contain.
A mixed-use tall building contains two or more functions (or uses), where each of the functions occupy a significant proportion of the tower's total space. Support areas such as car parks and mechanical plant space do not constitute mixed-use functions. Functions are denoted on CTBUH "Tallest Building" lists in descending order, e.g., "hotel/office" indicates hotel function above office function.
Steel
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from steel. Note that a building of steel construction with a floor system of concrete planks or concrete slab on top of steel beams is still considered a “steel” structure as the concrete elements are not acting as the primary structure.
Reinforced Concrete
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from concrete which has been cast in place and utilizes steel reinforcement bars.
Precast Concrete
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning system are constructed from steel reinforced concrete which has been precast as individual components and assembled together on-site.
Mixed-Structure
Utilizes distinct systems (e.g. steel, concrete, timber), one on top of the other. For example, a steel/concrete indicates a steel structural system located on top of a concrete structural system, with the opposite true of concrete/steel.
Composite
A combination of materials (e.g. steel, concrete, timber) are used together in the main structural elements. Examples include buildings which utilize: steel columns with a floor system of reinforced concrete beams; a steel frame system with a concrete core; concrete-encased steel columns; concrete-filled steel tubes; etc. Where known, the CTBUH database breaks out the materials used in a composite building’s core, columns, and floor spanning separately.
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the architectural top of the building, including spires, but not including antennae, signage, flag poles or other functional-technical equipment. This measurement is the most widely utilized and is employed to define the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) rankings of the "World's Tallest Buildings."
The number of floors above ground should include the ground floor level and be the number of main floors above ground, including any significant mezzanine floors and major mechanical plant floors. Mechanical mezzanines should not be included if they have a significantly smaller floor area than the major floors below. Similarly, mechanical penthouses or plant rooms protruding above the general roof area should not be counted. Note: CTBUH floor counts may differ from published accounts, as it is common in some regions of the world for certain floor levels not to be included (e.g., the level 4, 14, 24, etc. in Hong Kong).
The number of floors below ground should include all major floors located below the ground floor level.
Number of Parking Spaces refers to the total number of car parking spaces contained within a particular building.
Number of Elevators refers to the total number of elevator cars (not shafts) contained within a particular building (including public, private and freight elevators).
You must be a CTBUH Member to view this resource.
You must be a CTBUH Member to view this resource.
Cost
Interiors
Landscape
Traffic
Wind
Elevator
You must be a CTBUH Member to view this resource.
Cost
Interiors
Landscape
LEED
Traffic
Wind
Ceiling
Elevator
2018 CTBUH Awards
22 August 2018 - CTBUH Research
26 April 2018 - CTBUH News
31 May 2018 | Shenzhen
The Tencent Seafront Towers were constructed in a special zone of Shenzhen, the Software Industry Base. The project represents a new vision of the workplace,...
01 March 2020
As the workplace evolves in our vertical cities, the need for “think spaces” and the public realm to meet, create and innovate will become integral...
Established as a corporate headquarters, the design process began by adapting the concept of a suburban corporate campus for a vertical urban setting. Rather than the typical process of placing all of the company space is one tower, the plan incorporates two towers connected at three different locations allowing for an easy flow through the work spaces while providing for the accommodations of an additional 12,000 employees anticipated through future growth.
The total space the company was seeking was split into two pieces, with the orientation of the towers maximizing passive energy efficiency in the hot and humid climate of southern China. Through a slight rotation of the towers and staggering of the heights to maximize shading, energy consumption was reduced by 30 percent compared to a typical office tower. In addition to the reduction of solar heat gain and glare, the placement of the towers also maximized use of the prevailing winds to naturally ventilate multiple atriums spread throughout the towers. A modular system of fins covers the façades with an optimal orientation to filter sunlight from each direction. Additional strategies then reduce energy consumption an additional 10 percent.
The company wanted to include a number of public features and employee amenities into their vertical campus and these elements were then placed within the multi-story connections linking the towers, not only improving circulation within the structures, but also serving as meeting places which bring the employees together. The first connection is located at ground level, forming a podium base designed around a cultural theme includes public spaces such as an exposition hall and a company museum beside employee dining facilities. The second connection is a multi-story bridge designed as a health and fitness center while the third and uppermost connection features a bridge with a knowledge theme incorporating meeting rooms along with a company university and library.
The connections between the staggered towers enhance the uniqueness of the design and assists in making this corporate headquarters an easily identifiable feature on the cityscape of western Shenzhen.
2018 CTBUH Awards
31 May 2018 | Shenzhen
The Tencent Seafront Towers were constructed in a special zone of Shenzhen, the Software Industry Base. The project represents a new vision of the workplace,...
18 October 2016 | Shenzhen
Jonathan Ward of NBBJ is interviewed by Chris Bentley during the 2016 CTBUH China Conference. Johnathan discusses the design process behind the Tencent Seafront Towers...
18 October 2016 | Shenzhen
While tech companies have traditionally located in suburbia due to lower property costs and the perceived security of intellectual property, they are now increasingly investing...
17 October 2016 | Shenzhen
Chao (Ivan) Wan of Tencent Holdings Limited is interviewed by Chris Bentley during the 2016 CTBUH China Conference. Ivan discusses the design process for Tencent...
16 October 2016 | Shenzhen
Moira Moser of M Moser Associates is interviewed by Chris Bentley during the 2016 CTBUH China Conference. Moira discusses the planning of modern work spaces...
26 October 2015 | Shenzhen
This presentation will provide a data-driven analysis of building performance from three eras: the early 1900s, mid-twentieth century, and today. This longitudinal analysis will illustrate...
01 March 2020
As the workplace evolves in our vertical cities, the need for “think spaces” and the public realm to meet, create and innovate will become integral...
30 April 2018
The Tencent Seafront Towers bring a novel concept – the “vertical campus” – to Shenzhen. In housing the corporate headquarters of the fourth-largest internet company...
27 April 2018
What does the office of the future look like? The leading tech industry giants all seem to agree the main goal is “connectivity” that forges...
01 March 2018
For over 100 years, the tall building has largely advanced in technological innovation; however very little has been done in the terms of understanding the...
17 October 2016
The CTBUH 2016 International Conference is being held in the three cities of the Pearl River Delta, the world’s largest “megacity,” projected to have 120...
17 October 2016
A methodology that façade engineers commonly use to understand and detail a façade element is to break it down into “functional patterns” – principles that...
22 August 2018
CTBUH has released a Tall Buildings in Numbers (TBIN) interactive data study on the world's tallest buildings with dampers.
26 April 2018
In the latest CTBUH Journal, examine a case study of Tencent Seafront Towers, Shenzhen's "vertical campus", in addition to other great features
Subscribe below to receive periodic updates from CTBUH on the latest Tall Building and Urban news and CTBUH initiatives, including our monthly newsletter. Fields with a red asterisk (*) next to them are required.
View our privacy policy