Architecture

China's amazing horizontal skyscraper nears completion

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Raffles City Chongqing's horizontal skyscraper, by Moshe Safdie, is officially named the Crystal and measures 300 m (984 ft) in length
CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing's horizontal skyscraper, by Moshe Safdie, is officially named the Crystal and measures 300 m (984 ft) in length
CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing comprises a total of eight skyscrapers, plus the skybridge
CapitaLand
Moshe Safdie's Raffles City Chongqing includes a cluster of eight skyscrapers, plus its horizontal skyscraper, which is now complete
CapitaLand
The Raffles City Chongqing's skybridge being hoisted into position
CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing has taken over six years to construct
CapitaLand
Electric vehicle company NIO is one major tenant  of Raffles City Chongqing 
CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing includes a cinema and mall
CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing 's scale is massive, with a total floorspace of 817,000 sq m (roughly 8.8 million sq ft), spread over eight towers
CapitaLand
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Following six years of construction, the Moshe Safdie-designed Raffles City Chongqing is nearing completion in China. Representing a genuinely impressive engineering achievement, the so-called horizontal skyscraper consists of a cluster of eight towers and a huge connecting skybridge. Developer CapitaLand reports that it's now structurally complete and work is ongoing finishing its interior. The official opening ceremony is expected to take place in the second half of 2019.

Related reading: China's amazing "horizontal skyscraper" opens to visitors

Reminiscent of Safdie's Marina Bay Sands, but even more ambitious, Raffles City Chongqing also involves engineering firm Arup. Its unusual design is inspired by the sails of the Chinese trading vessels that once plied their trade in the busy river that runs through the city.

The scale of the project is considerable, with a total floorspace of 817,000 sq m (roughly 8.8 million sq ft), spread over its eight towers. The curved skybridge, dubbed the Crystal, is its focal point and is supported by four 250 m (820 ft)-tall skyscrapers. It also connects another pair of 350 m (1,148 ft)-tall skyscrapers via two adjoining smaller skybridges.

Moshe Safdie's Raffles City Chongqing includes a cluster of eight skyscrapers, plus its horizontal skyscraper, which is now complete
CapitaLand

The Crystal measures 300 m (984 ft) in length, which, if made vertical, would be almost the height of the Eiffel Tower. It's clad in roughly 3,000 glass panels and almost 5,000 aluminum panels.

To get the Crystal into position some 250 m (820 ft)-high, it was divided into nine segments. Four pieces were built in place atop the towers and three middle segments were prefabricated on the ground and hoisted into place. The end pieces were mostly assembled in place, with finishing sections also hoisted up from the ground.

The Raffles City Chongqing's skybridge being hoisted into position
CapitaLand

The Crystal's interior will include two swimming pools, a gallery, large gardens with trees, and restaurants, and a viewing point, among other amenities.

The rest of Raffles City Chongqing will host residential and office space, as well as a shopping mall and a large landscaped site measuring 9.2 hectares (22.7 acres).

Check out the video below to see the towers rising and sections of the skybridge being hoisted into position.

Source: CapitaLand

View gallery - 8 images
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6 comments
David F
Given its shape, the ultimate will be a fully circular skybridge skyscraper.
Gizmowiz
What no floatation in the clouds?
Smokey_Bear
impressive, but very ugly. China has some great looking skyscrappers...this ain't one of em'.
Deres
Horizontal links between skycrappers may also bring a huge security boost. They permit evacuation of the building through its top in case of fire.
Buzzclick
Truly impressive how the Chinese are building remarkable architecture, and so much of it, but who are the folks that came up with the name of Raffles City? Sounds like a casino.
Aloysius
Sir Stamford Raffles founded what became the nation-state of Singapore. Singapore is also host to the smaller version of the horizontal skyscraper, the Marina Bay Sands.
So "Raffles" is not about raffling a ticket or anything like that. It's the name of a person.