international
construction
september 2014
HIGHRISE
36
Topping out
TheMAC system does not use anchors on the external face of
the corewalls but pockets on the internal face, leaving a smooth
finish.This is vital for the project, as the architects stipulated an
architectural concrete finish for the core walls because they are
exposed on some floors.
TheMAC system is also being used on the newRocheTower
inBasel, Switzerland.When completed, the towerwill be178m
high. The 41-storey tower has already passed the 130 mmark
and is progressing at a storey aweek.
In Poland, formwork and scaffolding manufacturer Peri
is working on the 220 m high Warsaw Spire office complex.
A 55 m high building flanks the tower on each side. Peri has
supplied the complete formwork and scaffolding solution for
the complex – including the selfclimbing formwork for the core
as well as a fullperimeter climbing protection panel.
Climbing at a floor a week, the building has thrown up some
challenges for Peri, not least because of its variable elliptically
Schindler lifts
Elevator technology is a limiting factor
C
oncepts for the first mile-high building already exist. However, development is
not expected for another 20 years, simply because elevator technology needs to
catch up.
Current elevator technology is limited to buildings of around 600m high, mainly due to
challengeswith braking and cabling. However, manufacturers areworking on solutions.
Swiss lift manufacturer Schindler is experienced inworking on high-rise developments.
It is currently installing 34 elevators, including 30 Schindler 7000 high-rise elevators,
inMarina One Residences, rising in Singapore’s newCentral Business District. The two
34-storey towerswill consist of 1,042 apartments.
All unitswill adopt Schindler’s clean Power Factor One (PF1) regenerative drive
technology. The PF1 regenerative drive enables power generated by the elevator to be fed
back into the building’s electricity grid, using up to 30% less energy.
Potain cranes
were used to
build two of the
Chishi Grand
Bridge’s four
pylons, each of
which has 24
exterior sides
and 36 interior
sides, forming a
unique S-shape
structure.
The newRoche Tower in Basel is climbing to 178mwith
MEVA’sMAC automatic climbing system, MevaDec slab
systemMevaDec andMammut 350wall formwork.
(Photo: Wladyslaw Sojka).
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