By using 'megacolumns' Taipei's new megatower will top out at 101 stories (508 meters).
Taipei, Taiwan: " 'If this building is going to be damaged, other buildings in Taipei will collapse,' claims Shaw Shieh, president of the tower's local structural designer, Evergreen Consulting Engineering Inc." When it is complete, the 101 story building will be 508 meters tall. Its primary feature are megacolumns, designed to withstand seismic events many times greater than the local laws require. Built with two dampers, the vibration at the top of the building will be reduced by 1/3. In selecting a structural system, Evergreen was inspired to adopt the "megacolumn" concept of Chicago's unbuilt 610-m-tall Miglin Beitler tower, designed by New York City-based Thornton-Tomasetti/Engineers. T-T joined the Taipei 101 team in 1998. Shieh says he welcomed the firm's involvement. "They made us feel more confident about designing a supertall building," he says.
Thanks to Adam Weiss
FULL STORY: Megastructure Supports Taipei’s 508-Meter ‘Megatower’
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie