THE TOP10 TALLEST BUILDING'S IN SINGAPORE(CIVIL)

The city-state of Singapore has over 4,300 completed high-rises, the majority of which are located in the Downtown Core.  In the city, there are 49 skyscrapers that rise higher than 140 metres (459 ft). Three buildings share the title of tallest building in Singapore: United Overseas Bank Plaza One, Republic Plaza and Overseas Union Bank Centre. The three towers, which share the title of 70th-tallest building in the world, are each 280 m (919 ft) tall. There is a height restriction of 280 metres (919 ft) for structures in the central business district of Singapore because of the proximity of Singapore Changi Airport.

10 Photos

1. Overseas Union Bank Centre (919 ft)

2. Republic Plaza (919 ft)

3. United Overseas Bank Plaza One (919 ft)

4. Capital Tower (833 ft)

5. One Raffles Quay North Tower (804 ft)

6. The Sail @ Marina Bay Tower (804 ft)

7. 8 Shenton Way (771 ft)

8. Swissôtel The Stamford (741 ft)

9. Millenia Tower (732 ft)

10. DBS Building Tower One (659 ft)

TOP 10 TALLEST BUILDINGS IN DUBAI

Top 10 tallest buildings in Dubai

1.	Emirates Office Tower	355.00
2.	Burj al Arab	321.00
3.	Emirates Hotel Tower	309.00
4.	21st Century Tower	269.00
5.	Chelsea Tower	251.00
6.	The Tower	243.00
7.	Shangri-La Hotel	196.00
8.	Capricorn Tower	185.00
9.	Murjan Tower	185.00
10.	Mesk Tower	185.00

1) Emirates Office Tower

2) Burj al Arab

3) Emirates Hotel Tower

4) 21st Century Tower

5) Chelsea Tower

6) The Tower

7) Shangri-La Hotel

8) Capricorn Tower

9 & 10) Murjan and Mesk Tower

PERVIOUS CONCRETE

Pervious concrete is made from carefully controlled amounts of water and cementitious materials used to create a paste that forms a thick coating around aggregate particles. Unlike conventional concrete, the mixture contains little or no sand, creating a substantial void content – between 15% to 25%.

Using sufficient paste to coat and bind the aggregate particles together creates a system of highly permeable, interconnected voids which drain quickly. Both the low mortar content and the high porosity reduce strength compared to conventional concrete, but sufficient strength is readily achieved for many applications.

Pervious concrete allows 3 to 8 gallons of water per minute to pass through each square foot of the material. By allowing rainwater to seep into the ground, pervious concrete can be instrumental in recharging groundwater and reducing stormwater runoff. This capability can reduce the need for retention ponds, swales, and other stormwater management devices. Pervious pavement integrates hardscape surfaces with stormwater management.

Applications for pervious concrete include:

Hardscape

Low-volume pavements

Residential roads, alleys, and driveways

Low-water crossings

Parking lots

Sidewalks and pathways

Patios

Tennis courts

Swimming pool decks

Pavement edge drains

 

Floors

Foundations/floors for greenhouses, fish hatcheries, aquatic amusement centers, and zoos

 

Walls

Load bearing and other walls

Sound barriers

Other

Subbase for conventional concrete pavement

Slope stabilization

Artificial reefs

Well linings

Hydraulic structures

Tree grates in sidewalks

Groins and seawalls

Use of pervious concrete is among the Best Management Practices (BMP) recommended by the EPA and other agencies for the management of stormwater runoff on a regional and local basis. By eliminating the need for retention ponds, swales, and other stormwater devices, pervious concrete can lower overall project costs on a first-cost basis, and makes more efficient use of the land. Pervious concrete can also reduce operational costs and allow developers to increase utilization of available property. Pervious concrete has a significantly lower life cycle cost than other alternatives and saves money in teh long run due to its superior durability, strength, and long life span. Parking lot owners who use pervious spend fewer dollars on stormwater management systems and irrigation systems may be downsized or eliminated. Pervious canhelp property owners minimize sewer system usage and avoid municipal stormwater impact fees.

Pervious concrete has many environmental benefits. See associated sustainability solutions and technical briefs (right) for more detail.

 

Stormwater Management. By allowing water to soak through and infiltrate, pervious paving reduces stormwater flow and pollutant loads. Can contribute to LEED Credit 6.

 

Minimize Site Distrubance. By integrating paving and drainage, less site area may need to be used to manage stormwater, allowing a more compact site development footprint. May contribute to LEED Credit SS 5.

Local. Materials are usually extracted and manufactured locally. May contribute to LEED Credit M 5.

Recycled content. Fly ash, slag cement, or silica fume can substitute partially for cement, and recycled aggregates can replace newly mined gravel. Recycled content can contribute to LEED Credit M 4.

Cool. The voids reduce mass reducing the heat build up associated with heat islands. Lighter colored cements can increase reflectivity. Not specifically approved for achieving LEED Credit SS 7.

The properties of pervious concrete vary with design and depend on the materials used and the compaction procedures. General guidelines for specifications are provided below.

Permeability. Typical flow rates for water through pervious concrete are 3 to 8 gallons per sq foot per minute, but can be double that amount if desired.
Compressive Strength. Pervious concretes can develop compressive strengths in the range of 500 to 4000 psi – suitable for a wide range of applications.
Flexural Strength. Flexural strength of pervious concrete ranges between 150 and 550 psi.
Shrinkage. Drying shrinkage of pervious concrete is faster but much less than that experienced with conventional concrete. Many pervious concretes are made without control joints and are allowed to crack randomly.
Freeze-Thaw Resistance. Freeze-thaw resistance depends on the saturation level of the voids in the concrete at the time of freezing. In the field, it appears that the rapid draining characteristics of pervious concrete prevent saturation from occurring. Where substantial moisture and freeze-thaw conditions are anticipated, pervious concrete should be placed on a 6 to 18-in.-thick layer of drainable rock base such as 1-in. crushed stone.
Abrasion resistance. Because of the rougher surface texture and open structure of pervious concrete, abrasion and raveling of aggregate particles can be a problem, particularly where snowplows are used to clear pavements. Surface raveling in new pervious concrete can occur when rocks loosely bound to the surface pop out under traffic loads. This raveling is considerably reduced after the first few weeks.

ABOUT KASHMIR

Information about Kashmir The valley of Kashmir is known all over the world for its beauty and charm. The Kashmir valley is situated about 300 km. from Jammu across forested ravines and steep mountain passes. The emerald valley of Kashmir is cradled in the Himalayas, under the crystal blue skies, against the background of snow-capped mountains. It is a magic land of silvery streams, rivers, fresh water lakes, pine, deodar and chinar forests, snow clad mountains, sparkling waterfalls, shikaras, green meadows and grassy slopes full of flowers of vibrant colours. It is an oval plateau over 5000 feet high and framed by three Himalayan ranges – the Karakoram, Zanskar and Pir Panjal. Kashmir covers an area of 222,236 square kms and is often referred as the 'Switzerland of the East'. It is the land of bewitching beauty with exotic fruits, flora and flowers. Srinagar, the capital of Kasmir is nestled amidst the huge lakes, meadows and unique floating gardens in the valley. The state of Kashmir is mainly dominated by the Muslims and Kashmiris. Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru also said about Kashmir that is there is a paradise on the earth, it is this, it is this. Kashmiri, Dogri and Urdu are the main languages which are spoken here. The best time to visit Kashmir is during summers.

History of Kashmir Kashmir formed part of the empire of Emperor Ashoka, about three centuries before Chirst. He spread Buddhism in Kashmir, Tibet, China and Central Asian Republics. In the 7th and 8th centuries, there was a succession of Hindu kings who gave Kashmir its first impressive monuments. Then followed a dark era in which power passes from one ruthless commander to another till a Tibetan Muslim prince took over. He died in 1338 and Commander Shah Mir usurped the kingdom and stated a Sultan dynasty. The eighth Sultan of this dynasty was Zainul-Abdin, also known as Badshah or the Great king. He patronised art, music and encouraged studies in Hindu and Buddhist scriptures. The king was very popular with the local people as they considered him their patron saint who introduced such arts like shawl making, embroidery, carpet-weaving, papier-mache, silver and wood carvings. He invited guilds of craftsmen from Persia and Samarkand to settle down in the Kashmir valley. When Mughal Emperor Akbar conquered Kashmir in 1587, he lost his heart to the valley. He declared Kashmir as his private gardens and indulged himself in boating, water fowling and watch the saffron being harvested in the fields. Various Mughal kings made Kashmir their home to avoid the heat and dust of summer. Akbar's son Jehangir also found the natural paradise of Kashmir captivating and built various gardens in Srinagar. While, one day on his way to Kashmir, he become ill and when he was asked to express his last wish, he said, “Kashmir… and nothing else.” The Mughal kings created elaborate pleasure gardens, marble pavilion and intricate irrigation systems in the valley. They also succeeded in converting the majority of local Hindus into Islam. As the Mughal power decline, Afghans captured the valley till they were ousted by the Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Kashmir became part of the Sikh empire. When the Sikhs lost their war against the British in 1846, the British demanded an indemnity of 500,000 pounds. Since they could not meet this demand, the Sikhs offered Kashmir to the British. The Dogra Maharaja of Jammu offered the British twice the indemnity amount and thus became the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir. His descendants ruled over the State till 1947 and became part of the Indian Republic. The state also became the battleground between India and Pakistan during 1948, 1965 and in 1971 wars when Pakistan lost. Pakistan is still trying to grab Kashmir by aiding and abetting terrorism in Kashmir. Since 1997, when elections were held in the state, Jammu and Kashmir is under an elected government. Law and order situation is better now and foreign as well as Indian tourists are visting Kashmir in large numbers.

Geography of Kashmir The main heart of Kashmir is the fertile Vale of Kashmir, also known as the valley. The Vale of Kashmir lies between the Himalayas and the Pir Punjal mountain range. The valley is set apart from the plains to the south-west by the Pir Punjal range, through which runs the imposing 9,760 ft. Banihal pass. The climate is mild. Mount Godwin Austen or K2 (28,250 ft) and Nanga Parbat (26,650 ft) lies in the northern Kashmir. The Indus and Jhelum rivers flow through Kashmir and the Vale of Kashmir respectively.

People of Kashmir The people of Kashmir are popularly known as Kashmiris. Most of the Kashmiris are Muslims, followed by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Christians. Among the Kashmiris, Kashmiri Pandits who are Hindus, are a progressive community, scattered all over India. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi were part of the Kashmiri Pandit fraternity. Most of the Kashmiri Pandits have been recently forced to leave Kashmir due to a communal frenzy by the Muslim fundamentalists.

Culture of Kashmir Kashmiris love dance and music, and marriages, festivals and other occassions provide them the opportunities to enjoy themselves. The ancient caves and temples of Kashmir reveal that a strong link existed between Kashmir and South Indian cultures at the beginning of the Christian era. The classical folk dances of the south were also performed here during the marriage ceremonies. The popular Hafiza dance performed by Kashmiri women to the accompaniment of Sufiana Kalam was later replaced by the Bacha Nagma, performed by young boys dressed like women. The bhand jashna (festival of clowns), is a 300 to 400 year old Kashmiri folk theatre that was performed in village squares and satirizes social situations through dance, music and clowning.

Crafts of Kashmir Kashmir is known for its exquisite craftsmanship which flourished over the centuries. During the winters, the craftsmen make handicrafts and sell them to tourists coming there during summers. Some of the famous handicrafts of Kashmir are the hand-knotted Persian rugs and traditional rugs, carpets, embroidered woollen caps, shawls and jackets, the Jamawar, silk-soft Pashmina shawls, crewel embroidery, embroidered gold and silver dresses, caps, boleros and ponchos, stone studded jewellery, filigree, enamelware, articles made of beaten and carved silver, articles made of walnut wood and papier mache, silks and embroidery. Wood carving is another special art of Kashmir which is very unique. The walnut furniture made in Kashmir is exquisite and work done on the furniture speaks about the Kashmiri's patience and workmanship.

Cuisine of Kashmir Kashmir is also known for the Kashmiri saffron, which is very expensive. But, only a small quantity of it provides flavour to a dish. Walnuts and almonds are available throughout the year. Shah Zira, Kashmiri chillies and honey are the other items which are grown in Kashmir. During festive occasions, the Kashmiris serve a feast called Wazwan. The Wazwan consists of 36 meat dishes prepared specially by highly trained chefs and eaten together. The feast begins with the passing around of the Tash-t-Nari for guests to wash their hands, followed by the various delicacies served in large silver platters or thramis piled high with long grained rice crowned with Dum Kokur (chicken cooked in saffron scented yoghurt), Alu Bukhara Korma (mutton simmered in a splendid sauce of yogurt, almonds and plums) along with methi, Rogan Josh, Kebabs, vegetables, gushtaba, Tabak Maaz (crunchy rib chops), Seekh Kababs and chutneys. The dessert is usually phirni and Kahwah. Kahwah is the green tea, flavoured with saffron, cardamom and almonds.

Places to visit in Kashmir Kashmir is just like a Himalayan Paradise on the earth. Some of the famous places to visit in Kashmir are Srinagar, Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Yousmarg. Srinagar is the capital and heart of Kashmir. There are various gardens and lakes in Kashmir. Wular and Dal lake are the famous lakes in Kashmir. When it floods in spring ans summer, the Wular lake reaches 260 square km in size making it one of the largest lakes in India. In winter, it decreases considerably in size. The Dal lake is the smaller lake and covers 38 square km. Srinagar is situated around the Dal lake.

Trekking in Kashmir The trekking in Kashmir and Ladakh is very different from the trekking in Nepal. Before the recent disturbances, no special permission was required to visit Kashmir or Ladakh. But today, it is impossible to trek from the Vale of Kashmir, though it is still possible to get into Ladakh. There are wide open spaces in Kashmir and Ladakh and a sparse population in the trekking areas. While trekking, you will be moving through the countryside that is used for grazing. The feeling of being in a wilderness area is possible in Kashmir and Ladakh. Some of the famous trekking points in Kashmir are Kishtwar to Kashmir, Kishtwar to Chamba, Kishtwar to Zanskar, Sindh and Lidder valleys, Lidder to Sindh valley trek via the Yemhar Pass, Sonamarg to Haramukh and Kashmir to Ladakh.

How to reach Kashmir Jammu is the nearest railway station for Kashmir. From Jammu, the tourists can either take the flight or travel by road to Srinagar. Before the Jawahar tunnel was completed, the journey took two days with an overnight stop at Batote. Now, it can be covered in one long day.

ABOUT CIVIL WORLD

The world is a beautiful place in more ways than one. Mother Nature isn’t the only one contributing to that beauty. Among the thousands of ordinary brick-and-mortar buildings making up the bulk of the urban landscape, skyscrapers are architectural and engineering marvels that rise hundreds of meters into the air, overlooking all others. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) is the official body that determines which buildings fall into the “The World’s Tallest Buildings” category. It ranks the height of buildings based on the height to the architectural top of the building, highest occupied floor, top of the roof or the tip of the building.

Let us look at what the CTBUH says are the world’s tallest buildings as of now.

Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan – 1671 ft (509 m) 101 Floors

Taipei 101 became the world’s tallest building to be constructed in the new millennium and the first to cross the half-kilometer mark. The construction cost was $1.76 billion and it was completed in 2004. This multi-use steel-and-glass skyscraper was designed by C.Y. Lee & Partners and has 61 elevators. It reflects the traditional Chinese pagoda, with a soaring podium base, eight tiers of eight stories (eight is considered a number representing prosperous growth in China), narrow pinnacle tower, and a spire.

The building has an 18 ft, 882-ton ball-shaped damper at the top that counteracts swaying motions during typhoons and earthquakes. Although CTBUH only takes into consideration the floors above ground level, there are 5 floors underground too. The number “101” represents not only the number of floors, but also the mailing code of Taipei’s international business district. It was hailed as one of the Seven New Wonders of the World by Newsweek magazine in 2006 and as one of the Seven Wonders of Engineering by The Discovery Channel in 2005.

Shanghai World Financial Center – 1614 ft (492 m) 101 Floors

This super-tall skyscraper in Shanghai dominates the skyline over East China and is destined to become a symbolic icon, giving the city a new status and depicts the arrival of a new era in Asia. It was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and officially opened its doors to the public on August 28, 2008. It is a mixed-use building with excellent urban shopping malls at the base, a 174-room luxurious five-star hotel at the top and sixty-two floors filled with offices. There are three observation decks between the 94th and the 100th levels. It has a total of 31 elevators and the construction cost was US $1.2 billion. The most remarkable feature of this majestic building is the aperture at the top of the building. It is the 2nd tallest building in the world.

Petronas Twin Towers – 1483 ft (452 m) 88 Floors

The beautiful world-famous Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were constructed in 1998. The name sounds as romantic as they look together, standing side by side. These elegantly slender towers once held the title of the world’s tallest buildings before being ousted from that position by Taipei 101.

Petronas Tower 1 is the 3rd tallest building in the world.

Petronas Tower 2 is the 4th tallest building in the world.

However, they still remain the tallest twin buildings in the world. They were designed by Argentine-American architect Cesar Pelli and were built on Kuala Lumpur’s race track. The structure is made of high-strength concrete and has a curtain wall of glass and stainless steel sun shades that help diffuse the intensity of light.

The major feature of the towers is the sky-bridge between the towers on the 41st and 42nd floors, which is the highest 2-story bridge in the world. Visitors are allowed on the Skyway. The sky-bridge is also meant to be used in case of a fire or for other emergencies.

The Sears Tower – 1451 ft (452 m) 108 Floors

Located in Chicago, Illinois, The Sears Tower was constructed in 1974, and held the title of the world’s tallest building when it overtook the World Trade Center in New York. Although it is no longer the tallest building in the world, the Sears Tower is the 5th tallest and still has the world’s highest occupied floors, highest elevator ride and the highest roof deck. The top of the tower is the highest point in Illinois. It is said that four states can be seen from the top of the Sears Tower.

This tower was designed by architect Bruce Graham and engineer Fazlur Khan in a “bundled tube” system with nine squares, sheathed in a dark tinted glass curtain wall. The building leans a few inches due to its asymmetrical design and this can be felt occasionally. The Sears Tower has a separate tourist entrance and attracts more than 1.5 million tourists each year.

Jin Mao Tower – 1380 ft (421 m) 88 Floors

The name of the landmark super-tall skyscraper, Jin Mao, literally means “Golden Prosperity Building.” Currently ranked the 6th tallest building in the world, it was designed by the Chicago-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and was constructed in 1999. It is located in the Lujiazui area of the Pudong district of Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. The architecture ingeniously combines elements of traditional Chinese culture with the modern architectural styles of the time, which makes it one of the most well-constructed buildings in China. The proportions of this structure revolve around the number 8, which according to Chinese belief signifies prosperity.

It houses the very luxurious Shanghai Grand Hyatt hotel and several offices. The construction cost is estimated to be 530 million dollars. The tower has several exhibition halls, banquet halls, entertainment venues, and an observation deck on the 88th floor that can fit about 1000 tourists. The daily maintenance of this tower is reported to be an unbelievable US$121,000.

Two International Finance Center (IFC) – 1362 ft (415 m) 88 Floors

Constructed in 2003, the IFC with its two skyscrapers overlooking the Victoria Harbor is a prominent landmark in Hong Kong, China. One International Finance Center is 38 stories high. The Two International Finance Center, which is the world’s 7th tallest building, has 88 stories and has been designed to house financial firms with advanced telecommunications, featuring raised floors for better cabling and floor plans that are almost without columns. About 15,000 people can be accommodated in this building. Although there are 88 stories, there are some floors that are considered to be taboo and which are not used, such as the 14th and 24th floors, as these numbers signify evil for the Chinese.

The IFC mall has an array of famous retailers and several top jewelry retailers, health & skin care and fashion houses, restaurants, and a cinema. It is one of the few buildings in the world to be equipped with double-deck elevators.

CITIC Plaza – 1283 ft (391 m) 80 Floors

The China International Trust and Investment Company (CITIC) Plaza, built in 1997, is located in Guangzhou, in the growing Tianhe District. It was the tallest building in the world when it was built and is currently the tallest concrete building in the world. It is ranked as the fourth tallest building in China, seventh in Asia and eighth in the world. This building is part of a complex which has two other 38-story residential buildings.

CITIC Plaza has two antennas on the top like spires. This elegant building is surrounded by several other tall buildings and gives an indication of the increasing prosperity of Guangzhou. It is close to the Tianhe Sports Center where part of the Asia games 2010 will be held.

Shun Hing Square – 1260 ft (382 m) 69 Floors

The Shun Hing Square tower, built in 1996, is one of the world’s tallest buildings and occupies the 9th place currently. This brilliantly constructed building is in Shenzhen, China and is said to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. It has the distinction of being the tallest all-steel building in China and the fifth tallest building overall in China. An interesting tid bit about this building: it was built at an incredible speed of four floors in nine days. The spires on the top of the building add to the height and without them, it stands at 325 m tall.

Shun Hing Square is a complex that has an office tower and another 35-story building for residential, office, and retail purposes. The 69th floor has an observation deck called the Meridian View Center. Tourists will have to pay US$12 to go up to that observation deck.

Empire State Building – 1250 ft (381 m) – 102 Floors

The Empire State Building of New York, in the United Stats was built in 1931, and it is one of the oldest and most famous buildings in the world. There probably aren’t many people who have not heard of it. Now rated as the 10th tallest building, it was the world’s tallest building for forty-one years until the World Trade Center was constructed in the year 1972. After the unfortunate incident with the World Trade Center in 2001, the Empire State Building once again became the tallest building in the State of New York.

It has also been named as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The beauty of the Empire State Building is highlighted by the beautiful lights at the top of the building. In fact, the view of the building at night is considered to be a tourist attraction all on its own.

Coming Up

Standing tall among all others is another marvel, the Burj Dubai Tower in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is still under construction and will not be considered the tallest building until completion in September 2009. It already has 160 stories and overtook Taipei 101 and surpassed the KVLY-TV mast in the U.S. (which is 629 m), achieving the status of being the tallest man-made structure on the planet. The eventual height remains a secret, but speculation is that it will reach 900 meters.

There may be a magical moment in the future. The plan for the proposed Sky City 1000 by Japan shows its height at 1000 meters and 196 floors. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Burj Dubai, Dubai, The United Arab Emirates (167 Stories)

EDIT:The Burj Dubai had a delayed opening. It’s name has been changed to the Burj Khalifa, and it officially opened and became the world’s tallest building on January 4, 2010. It stands at 828 meters (2717 feet) tall. You can view a picture of the completed building below.

Credit: Wikipedia