Tall and Supertall

Tall and Supertall

Our Offices

Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. - 971.2.672.8488

Chicago, IL - 312.596.2000
Dallas, TX - 972.387.8393
Dubai, U.A.E. - 971.4.313.2894
Fort Lauderdale, FL - 954.903.9300
Hong Kong, China - 852.2890.4488
Irvine, CA - 949.271.3300
Kansas City, MO - 816.221.7771
London, U.K. - 44.0.207.014.4400
Los Angeles, CA - 310.665.0010
Moscow, Russia - 7.495.223.44.72
New York, NY - 917.661.7800
Newark, NJ - 973.286.6100
Oakland, CA - 510.433.9370
Philadelphia, PA - 267.238.4000
San Francisco, CA - 415.243.8400
Shanghai, China - 86.21.6322.0166
Washington, D.C. - 202.580.6300

www.ThorntonTomasetti.com

pver
[Michael

Cover: Petronas Towers - Kuala Lumpur City Centre (Michael Goodman photo)

Tall and Supertall

Contents
1

Introduction

1.0

Practice Profile

1.1

Building Structure Services

1.2

Building Skin: Membrane and Textile Structures

1.3

Energy Efficiency and Sustainability

10

Integrated Practice Overviews

12

2.0

Thornton Tomasettis Role in Tall and Supertall Buildings

12

2.1

Building Information Modeling (BIM)

13

2.2

Project Delivery

15

Case Studies 

18

3.0

Taipei 101

18

3.1

Petronas Towers

20

3.2

The New York Times Building

22

3.3

Plaza 66 

24

3.4

Comcast Center 

26

3.5

Shanghai Tower

28

3.6

Moscow International Business Center

30

3.7

The Federation Tower

31

3.8

Eurasia Tower

32

3.9

Naberezhnaya Tower

33

3.10

New Ring of Moscow 

34

3.11

Diamond of Istanbul

35

3.12

We've the Zenith

36

3.13

Seoul International Finance Center

37

3.14

Incheon 151 Tower

38

3.15

Ping An International Finance Center

39

3.16

Tameer Towers

40

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

05

Shanghai Tower - Shanghai, China (icourtesy Gensler)

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

06

1.0 Introduction

Practice Profile
Thornton Tomasetti is a global engineering consultancy with practices in building
structure, building skin and building performance, serving clients from offices
in the United States, United Kingdom, Asia, Russia and the Middle East.
We collaborate with leading architects to design influential and iconic
building structures, with an emphasis on providing innovative structural
solutions. Our experience and ability to deliver outstanding projects that
meet the demands set by challenging programs is underpinned by a team of
highly motivated individuals who contribute to the success of projects.
Our 50+ years of experience is both broad and deep, collaborating on projects of all
sizes and complexities. An impressive portfolio of elegant, economic and sustainable
projects is a result of achieving a clear and detailed understanding of architectural
concepts and constraints. Throughout our work, close liaison with fellow consultants
and contractors helps to generate ideas and promotes high standards of design and
construction. It also ensures the efficient integration of architecture, structure, building
services and infrastructure that we consider essential for a successful project.

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

07

1.1 Introduction

Building Structure Services

The phrase Building Solutions reflects the core of Thornton Tomasettis
Building Structure practice: design of structural framing systems
that support the buildings people visit and live in every day, and our
collaboration with the project team to build a solution. To best develop
and maintain our expertise, we deliberately concentrate on buildings
rather than all structures, but this does not limit our thinking.
Our multidisciplinary team of specialists designs structural frames for buildings
of all types and sizes at locales throughout the world. We understand the
similarities and differences among building types office towers and ballparks
have some common and some divergent design issues -- and the structural
systems, which may be applicable to them. We apply both traditional and
cutting-edge building materials and structural systems, and consider both
indigenous and newly introduced construction methods. The challenge and

731 Lexington Avenue - New York, N.Y. (Barry Langer photo)

level of mental flexibility involved with working in such a diverse practice

provides professional excitement that translates into special project designs.

08

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

1.2 Introduction

Building Skin: Membrane and Textile Structures

Thornton Tomasetti's multidisciplinary team of building skin specialists
brings decades of experience to the design, engineering and
construction of innovative and award-winning building envelopes.
Our expertise in skin and structural systems reaches from conventional
curtain walls to innovative applications of structural glass, tensioned
fabrics and ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) membranes. This familiarity
with many diverse materials and methods of structural integration allows
us to evaluate and develop systems that meet the design intent for
both aesthetics and performance within cost-effective solutions.
Successful building skins are holistic functional solutions where body and skin perform
together, integrating both building structure and building physics design concepts. This
approach, combined with ongoing advances in materials and new technologies, offers
designers unparalleled opportunities to achieve sustainable solutions. Introducing our
skin specialists early in the design process enables the project team to keep these
opportunities in sight through the complexities of system and design implementation.
Our team brings a unique sense of pragmatic innovation, enabling us to tailor the
design to the specific needs of the project. We are involved throughout the design
process to develop a solution that fits the architectural aesthetic and structure,
whether its a fabric system or a movable enclosure built into the roof structure.

Walk-on and overhead glazing

Skin Systems
Point-Support Glazing
Membrane Roof Structures
Cable Nets and Anticlastic
Structures
Grid Shells
Movable Enclosures
Custom Components
Skin Materials
Structural Glass
ETFE Systems

Fabric Systems
Interactive Faade Technologies

Skin Sustainability
Energy Analysis
Daylighting Analysis
Vegetated Roofs
Photovoltaics
Specialty Services
Material Evaluation/Selection
Advanced Geometry Analysis
Finite Element/Nonlinear Analysis
Custom Component and
System Design
Virtual Prototype Development

Fabric sails

We worked with architect Audrey Matlock to develop this faceted unitized curtain wall for Chelsea Modern in New York.

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

09

1.3 Introduction

Energy Efficiency and Sustainability

In any major metropolitan area, the stock
of existing buildings far outnumbers the
construction of new buildings. Even if
all new buildings were designed and
constructed to the highest energy
efficiency and environmental standards,
the reduction of energy and resource
consumption and greenhouse gas
emissions attributable to the built
environment would not be significant
without a substantive contribution from
the enormous pool of existing buildings.

of the envelope, and addressing key

operational and maintenance aspects.
Thornton Tomasetti, with decades of
experience in all aspects of building
assessment, renovation and upgrade,
is well positioned to assist owners
and property managers in evaluating
realistic options, and developing
customized strategies based on the
type and age of construction, building
systems, local climate, budget, local
regulatory environment and incentives.

Tangible benefits to greening an

existing building include reduced
operating costs, increased efficiency
and reliability of building systems,
improved indoor air quality, increased
occupant comfort, health and
productivity, and potentially higher
achievable rents / sales prices.
The greening process can involve a
variety of strategies including: upgrading
the energy and water-consuming
systems, increasing thermal performance

Our staff of experts includes more than

180 LEED Accredited Professionals
representing all design disciplines,
who are familiar with sustainability
concepts and strategies in general and
specifically with the requirements of
the U.S. Green Building Councils LEED
for Existing Buildings Operations
and Maintenance rating system.

200 5th Avenue - New York, N.Y. (courtesy Graham P. Clegg Studios Architecture)

10

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

Thornton Tomasettis services include:

Feasibility studies to identify
realistic strategies
Advising on available incentives
such as tax breaks and subsidies
Assessing related capital costs
Developing expected return-oninvestment (ROI) timelines
LEED certification feasibility studies
Administration and coordination
of the LEED certification process
Whole-building energy modeling
Dewpoint and thermal
performance analysis of building
envelope components
Renewable energy consulting
(on-site and off-site)
Design of upgrades to the
energy and water consuming
building systems
Design of building envelope
improvements
Design of vegetated roofs

Taikoo Hui Development - Guangzhou, China

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

11

2.0 Integrated Practice Overviews

Thornton Tomasettis Role in Tall and Supertall

Buildings
historical information and an analytical
approach to develop the answers
owners and design teams need to
select an appropriate design course.
Peer Review
It takes a firm experienced in supertall
building design to know whether the
design proposed by another firm is
appropriate. Our approach to peer review
services applies the lessons learned
during our work on new building designs
and existing building investigations.
We know how to address conflicting
design criteria when it is time to provide
suggestions and observations as a
peer reviewer. This experience means
our comments are focused on the
realities of super-tall buildings rather
than hypothetical considerations.

Plaza 66 - Shanghai, China (Philip Gostelow photo)

New Design
In recent years, supertall buildings
have become more structurally
challenging and visually exciting. Lateral
accelerations on windy days and
differential column shortening (postconstruction creep and shrinkage) as
height increases pose special challenges.
Powerful computer programs now aid
in geometric modeling and structural
analysis. Increased understanding
of wind and seismic loads, and new
architectural and structural materials,
along with improved construction
technologies, all facilitate the design
process. This knowledge base
buttressed by our understanding of
the interaction between structural
12

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

system framing elements, building

skin and architectural and
mechanical systems is invaluable
in providing designs that are
safe, comfortable, economical,
sustainable and constructable.
Feasibility Studies
There is no substitute for experience
when an early decision is needed on
concept feasibility. Evaluation must be
based on a combination of extrapolations
from completed designs of other highrise buildings and computer models
that condense structural details while
preserving attributes essential to
answering preliminary design questions.
Our design professionals use both

Value Engineering
Design criteria and construction
methodology are just two of the key
components of supertall buildings that
often require expert review and value
engineering. Often local codes and
practices, or construction materials
and methods that are appropriate
for conventionally sized projects are
applied to supertall designs for which
they were never intended. We have
experience around the globe in helping
reviewers understand and apply current
international standards for these unique
projects. We also assist contractors and
developers by sharing best practices.

2.1 Integrated Practice Overviews

Building Information Modeling (BIM)

consistency within a set of drawings.
Improved Coordination
BIM enhances coordination among
disciplines and allows for better
communication with the owner.
All disciplines benefit from the
coordination and clash checking
available through BIM. Coordination
with other disciplines is ongoing
throughout the design process, which
helps to keep costs within budget.
Superior Visualization
and Communication
Thornton Tomasetti uses BIM to
create 3-D images and renderings
that can clearly communicate design

Our approach to building information

modeling (BIM) improves the design
process for all members of the project
team. Thornton Tomasetti design
professionals are at the forefront of BIM
technologies, lecturing about BIM at
conferences worldwide, working with
software manufacturers to improve the
software, and writing our own scripts

libraries can speed implementation and

include the setup of live shared models
across multiple geographic locations.
We can help all design team members
achieve the efficiencies offered by BIM.

and routines to fill interoperability gaps.

Our expertise in BIM is based on years
of experience on many types of projects,
which has equipped us to provide
superior design, efficient workflow
and an effective delivery process.

production drawing quality, design

team coordination, visualization, client
communications, interoperability, and
design flexibility. These benefits are
evident in superior drawings, decreased
production time, and reduced costs.
Downstream benefits include minimized
schedule risk and reduced field problems.

Master Modeler and BIM Assistance

We often lead the BIM implementation
on a project, working as the master
modeler to integrate inputs from all
disciplines. In addition, we provide
training and full-time assistance to
those on the design team who have
not participated in a BIM project. Our
BIM standards can be adapted for each
project and shared with the design
team. Our BIM processes and standard

Benefits of BIM
Effective development of BIM
can improve drafting efficiency,

Efficiency and Quality

A building information model can be
used to generate accurate construction
documents eliminating much of the
tedious 2-D drafting process and
reducing human error. Sections are cut
directly from the building information
model and update seamlessly, saving
time and ensuring accuracy and

issues and are easier to understand

than 2-D drawings. Animations and
fly-throughs derived from the model
can be created quickly and frequently,
using our in-house render farm to
illustrate complex concepts. Web
viewer versions of building information
models can be created at any time to
allow those unfamiliar with BIM to view
the models and examine progress.

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

13

Increased Design Flexibility

BIM offers a robust set of tools and
methods to modify designs. Parametrics
can generate reports and studies very
quickly. Because modifications are
automatically reflected throughout
project documents, parametrics also
allow us to accurately and easily
apply last-minute design changes.
Interoperability and Automation
We understand the consequences
of the current lack of truly intelligent
interoperability. To address shortcomings
of the IFC and CIS/2 formats, we have
developed an advanced automation
team to create custom in-house
translators and interoperability scripts
to assist design teams by creating
a more efficient workflow for all.
Our automation team creates these
translators and scripts using an
application programming interface (API)
to share intelligent BIM information
with software programs such as Revit
Structure, Tekla, AutoCAD, Catia,
SAP, ETABS, Rhino, and others. Our
automation staff can quickly write
customized translators for job-specific
problems to increase process and
production speeds. These can save
the design team considerable time
and address many of the problems
that arise in the absence of an
industry standard BIM format.
Software
We use a variety of software for
BIM, structural analysis, design and
documentation, and consider ourselves
multi-lingual. Revit Structure is
our preferred BIM program, but we
also use Digital Project, Bentleys
Generative Components, AutoCAD
Architecture, Rhino, Inventor and Tekla.
Navisworks is used as an external
clash checking and visualization tool
when appropriate. We are committed
to the efficient use of technology
tools in their most current versions.

14

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

2.2 Integrated Practice Overviews

Project Delivery

BIM for Shanghai Tower, China

Design Delivery Strategy

By engaging the owner, client, and
design team members early in the
design process, the most appropriate
delivery strategy can be determined,
saving the owner time and money. We
have used a variety of design delivery
strategies and understand which ones
best suit specific project needs. For
design-bid-build, design-build, integrated
project delivery or a hybrid, our design
professionals identify the advantages
and disadvantages associated with
each delivery process and guide the
selection to the most suitable choice.

Connection at stadium as modeled (left) and built.

Automation
We continually develop customized
software tools that automate processes
to increase efficiency and work product
quality. We focus on automation of
repetitive and otherwise time-consuming
tasks in analysis, design and modeling.
In-house routines provide interoperability
among software packages allowing
optimal transfer of design information
among BIM platforms, spreadsheets, and
structural analysis programs. This saves
time and ensures the integrity of our
structural design as it moves from one
model to another. In addition, we define

complex geometries mathematically

to reduce their generation to a
manageable set of parameters. This
permits a rapid yet thorough structural
study and optimization process.
Advanced Detailing
Thornton Tomasetti provides 3-D detailing
services in which the model can be used
as a construction document deliverable
for projects both large and small. These
models save significant time for the
design team and the contractor while
better defining the construction scope.
The first phase of detailing is the
member model, containing the main
structural framing members, which can
be used for accurate quantity takeoffs
to create advanced bill of materials and
is ready for use by the fabricator. The
second phase adds steel connections
or concrete reinforcement to the
model. Shop drawings and additional
material take offs, such as connection
material quantities, bolt lists and rebar
quantities, can be generated from
this model. In addition, we provide
steel shop drawing services.

We provided erection engineering for the multi-crane lift of this 32-foot deep,
200-foot long-span truss at Sight and Sound Theatre, Branson, Mo.

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

15

Animations and Renderings

We provide rendering, animation and advanced
graphics services, from simple geometric
representations to advanced kinematic simulations
(moving objects obeying physics rules). Rendered
and animated building information models help
to clearly visualize design and forensic issues.
Animations and 3-D renderings are inherently more
understandable than traditional 2-D drawings.
Animations and renderings can be generated
quickly with our custom in-house tools and linked
to intelligent data to represent complex scenarios
clearly and efficiently. Our animations can include
4-D (time) and 5-D (cost) information to provide
a more complete representation of a project.

Comcast Tower - Philadelphia, Pa.

16

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

Erection Engineering and Site Logistics

Structural members and assemblies undergo different
loading and support conditions during erection than in
their completed state. Erection engineering addresses
the structure in its incomplete state, including erection
procedures, the adequacy of elements to be part of the
permanent building, and design of elements used as
temporary erection aids. Our services include assisting in
construction equipment selection, determining construction
sequencing, estimating manpower, and providing safety
guidelines. We also assist the structural steel erector
in the development of lift plans and rigging. Logistics,
equipment, and site planning services include engineering
checks for crane capacity, investigation of soil conditions to
support equipment, and optimization of crane locations.

The New York Times Building

3.0 Case Studies

Taipei 101
Taipei, Taiwan
Our services were engaged by C.Y. Lee and Partners to provide concept
and preliminary designs, and to review the final structural design by
the local engineer of record. We also responded to questions from the
architect and advised the architect and owners during construction.

Owner
Taipei Financial Center
Corporation
Architect
C.Y. Lee and Partners
General Contractor
KTRT Joint Venture

Taipei 101 features a 508-meter, 101-story tower with a unique profile, a fivestory deep basement and a surrounding six-story retail structure. Thanks to
tapering walls, most floor plan areas vary between 2,000 and 2,500 square
meters (21,500 to 27,000 square feet), though they are as small as 47 square
meters above the main roof. Building aspect ratio (height/width) to the main
roof is about nine based on its waist (and 6.8 counting the wider base). The
Taipei tower is equipped with the fastest elevators in the world, taking only
39 seconds to reach the observatory on the 89th floor: Window of Future.
The building is designed to open upwards, representing a blossoming
flower that signifies financial richness, as well as everlasting vitality
in the Chinese culture. Repeated references to the number eight also
reflect local culture. The architecture of the building relies upon the
concept of inwardly slanted observatories. When used in conjunction
with the high-tech, energy conserving, transparent glass materials and
the innovative lighting design, the building is crystal-clear and elegant.

Completion Date
2004
Construction Cost
$1.7 billion U.S.
Total Area
2,200,000 sf
(204,386.7 m)
Number of Stories
101-story tower
5-story deep basement
Height
508 m (1,667 ft)
Awards
Concrete Industry Board, 2004
Out-of-State Award of Merit
Popular Science
2004 Grand Award

Taipei 101 - Taipei, Taiwan (courtesy C. Y. Lee & Partners)

18

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

19

Taipei 101 - Taipei, Taiwan (Dugald MacKay photo)

3.1 Case Studies

Petronas Towers
Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Owner
KLCC (Holdings) Sdn. Bhd.
Architect/Owner
Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects with
Adamson Associates
Completion Date

The Petronas Twin Towers at Kuala Lumpur City Centre represents one of our
proudest achievements in structural engineering design. The slender towers
soar 452 meters (1,483 feet) above Kuala Lumpur and culminate in gleaming
stainless-steel pinnacles. Their dramatic Islamic-themed design is enhanced
by a sky bridge at floors 41 and 42 that connects the towers and creates
a visual gateway to a major public park. The sky bridge was designed with
slender structural members rather than heavy trusses to be compatible with
the architecture of the buildings and was constructed more than 150 meters
above street level. It accommodates independent movement of the towers
as they sway with wind loads. The KLCC complex also includes a 5,143-car
underground garage, a seven-story retail facility and an acoustically isolated 864seat concert hall that spans over the entryway to the towers and retail areas.

1999
Construction Cost
$1 billion U.S.
Total Area
3.3 million sf
(306,580 m)
Number of Stories
88
Height
452 m (1.483 ft)
Awards
The Aga Khan Award for
Architecture 2004

Petronas Towers - Kuala Lumpur City Centre (Michael Goodman photo)

20

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

21
Petronas Towers - Kuala Lumpur City Centre (Micheal Goodman photo)

3.2 Case Studies

The New York Times Building

New York, N.Y.
The New York Times building is a 52-story high-rise office tower of
lightness and transparency topped by a mast that disappears into the sky.
Contributing to this vision is an elegant structural steel exoskeleton that
is integrated into the architectural design and a glass and ceramic curtain
wall design that admits abundant natural light to the building on all floors.
The exposed structural steel provided several challenges for our design
team, such as complying with the city's fire and building codes,
detailing the steel to achieve the aesthetic elegance, and designing
for forces and movements caused by temperature differentials.
Adding to the building's appealing faade are thin, horizontal ceramic
rods placed on a steel framework 18 inches in front of the low-emissivity
glass. The first of its kind in the United States, this curtain-wall design
acts as sunscreen and helps to reduce the heating and cooling
requirements while the rods reflect the changing colors of the sky.

Owner
The New York Times Company
Architects/Client
Renzo Piano Building Workshop
FXFowle Architects
Developer
Forest City Ratner Co.
General Contractor
(Core and Shell)
AMEC Construction Mgmt. Inc.
General Contractor (Interiors)
Turner Construction
Completion Date
2007
Construction Cost
$650 million
Total Area
1.7 million sf
(157,935 m)
Number of Stories
52
One-story cellar below grade
Height
319 m (1,046 ft)
Awards
AIA 2009 Institute Honors Award of Excellence 2008,
AIA New York State
CTBUH 2008 Best Building
Award - Americas
ACEC New York Diamond

The New York Times Building - New York, N.Y. (David Sundberg/Esto photo)

Award in the category of

Structural Systems 2008
New York Construction
Project of the Year 2007

22

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

23

The New York Times Building - New York, New York (David Sundberg/Esto photo)

3.3 Case Studies

Plaza 66
Shanghai, China
Plaza 66 consists of two towers, retail space on a five-story podium
and three levels of below grade parking. A special feature of the first
tower is the great height that is accomplished on a small footprint.
The concrete tower soars 288 meters (945 feet) above the city
featuring a narrow irregular-shaped lantern on the rooftop.
As structural engineer, one of our challenges was the skylight roof design
that covers the seven-story atrium in the retail podium. The oval-shaped
atrium roof is approximately 200 feet by 125 feet. The cross sections of its
members vary along the span, as do the cross sections of its supporting
columns, resulting in a visually dynamic but technically challenging atrium.
The 48-story second tower was also built on a small footprint. The concrete
tower was complicated by lateral stability concerns, poor site soil, seismic
considerations, high water table, limitations of locally available building
materials, and construction between new and existing buildings.
A conventional concrete frame-shear core wall lateral support system and
deep mat with long friction pile were used to produce a functional building
economically, and using local labor and materials almost exclusively.

Owner
Hang Lung Realty
Architect/Client
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates PC
Completion Date
Tower I 2001
Tower II 2006
Construction Cost
$400 million U.S.
Total Area
2,300,000 sf
(213,729 m)
Height
Tower I 288 m (945 ft)
Tower II 228 m (749 ft)
Number of Stories
Tower I 66-story tower with 10-story
tower crown and three-level basement
Tower II 48-story tower and
three-level basement

Plaza 66 - Shanghai, China

24

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

25

Plaza 66 - Shanghai, China (Philip Gostelow photo)

3.4 Case Studies

Comcast Center
One Pennsylvania Plaza
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
At just under 1,000 feet, Comcast Center not only is the tallest
building between New York and Chicago, it also reflects engineering
and design lessons Thornton Tomasetti learned after leading the
assessment of the 9/11 collapse of the World Trade Center towers.
Elevators, sprinklers, communications systems, and stairwells are
encased in a massive concrete core that stretches the full height of the
building. Stairwells are 10 inches wider than code to allow for easier
evacuation. And because the building footprint is small and the core
relatively slim, the exterior walls are thicker than usual 54 inches
thick up to the 20th floor to minimize flexing due to wind stress.
In addition to integrating new safety designs, the building has expansive open
public spaces, which needed to be designed without columns. A nine-story
glass winter garden leads to a three-story lobby and atrium that is a 90-foot
column-free span. In addition, a tuned liquid-column mass damper a
300,000-gallon reservoir of water is installed near the top of the building to
increase the occupant comfort by limiting movement of the building from wind.
The project received LEED-CS (core and shell) certification.

Comcast Tower - Philadelphia, Pa.

26

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

Owner
Liberty Property Trust
Architect/Client
Robert A.M. Stern Architects
Environmental Consultants
Atelier Ten
Completion Date
2007
Construction Cost
$352 million
Total Area
1.35 million sf
Number of Stories
57
Height
297 m (975 ft)

Comcast Tower - Philadelphia, Pa.

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

27

3.5 Case Studies

Shanghai Tower
Shanghai, China
Thornton Tomasetti is providing structural engineering for another of the
worlds most distinctive and innovative high-rise buildings. The mixed-use
development comprises of 4,090,285 square feet and at 632 meters (2,074
feet), the Tower is the world's third tallest building under construction.
The building features world-class offices, luxury hotels, retail, convention
facilities, observation decks and a 2,200 seat arena. Connections to
the Shanghai Metro and three floors of parking are below grade.
Thornton Tomasetti engineered a simple, safe and cost-effective structural
system that enables a creative architectural form. The exterior of the tower
is a twisting triangle that tapers with height, which drapes around an inner
concrete structure comprising nine cylinders stacked one atop another.
We developed an efficient design of super columns with outriggers that
also support the twisting-form curtain wall. The outrigger trusses and super
columns derive stiffness from the concrete inner building, comprising an
effective system for resisting wind and seismic loads for super tall buildings.
The project incorporates the latest sustainable technologies, including
wind turbines and solar panels as renewable energy sources to achieve a
low carbon footprint. The project will seek certification as a LEED project
by the China Green Building Council (in association with the USGBC).

Shanghai Tower - Shanghai, China (courtesy Gensler)

28

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

Developer
The Shanghai Tower Construction
and Development Company
Architect
Gensler
Completion Date
2014
Total Area
4.1 million sf
Height
632 m (2,074 ft)

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

29

Shanghai Tower - Shanghai, China (courtesy Gensler)

3.6 Case Studies

Moscow International
Business Center
Moscow, Russia

(courtesy Enka)

Thornton Tomasetti is providing structural engineering services for three major projects in the New Moscow
International Business Center. These include Federation Towers for the Mirax Group, Eurasia Tower for Eurasia
IPG and Naberezhnaya Tower for the Enka Development Group. Completion of MIBC central core and towers is
scheduled for 2011.

B
A

(courtesy Enka)

Moscow International Business Center. A: Federation Tower B: Eurasia Tower C: Naberezhnaya Tower

Moscow International Business Center A: Federation Tower B: Eurasia Tower C: Naberezhnaya Tower

30

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

3.7 Case Studies

Owner/Client
Mirax Group, Moscow

The Federation Tower

Moscow, Russia

Architect
NPS Tchoban Voss
General Contractor
Mirax/StroyMontazh Moscow

The Federation Tower Complex is on track to become the tallest

building in Europe and the tallest concrete tower in the world. Rising
365 meters, this 93-story skyscraper provides accommodation for
Class-A offices, a five-star hotel and luxury apartments. It will become
the centerpiece of the new Moscow International Business Center.

Completion Date
2011
Total Area
3.5 million sf

Adjacent to the 93-story East Tower is its 64-story twin, the West
Tower. A 448-meter stiletto-like, glass dressed elevator mast and spire
visually unites these two sail-shaped buildings. Connecting the two
towers and the mast are pedestrian bridges at the 33rd and 61st floors
and the observation platform at the 87th floor. The Federation Tower

(325,160 m)
Height
448 m (1,470 ft) - Elevator
Mast and Spire

is the first project in Russia to utilize super high-strength concrete

technology. Three levels of steel outrigger truss systems, placed at the
bridge levels, distribute gravity and wind loads between the core and
perimeter framing. The project is designed and constructed considering
modern requirements for occupant safety in super high-rise structures.

365 m (1,200 ft) - Buildings

Awards
International Real Estate
Federation - FIABCI

In addition to structural engineering services, Thornton Tomasetti is

also providing curtain wall consulting services and specialty glass and
steel design. We have used computational geometry and building
information modeling techniques to develop innovative and efficient
designs for the tower caps, integrating the structure with architectural
elements, maintenance requirements and mechanical functions.

(courtesy Enka)

Prix dExcellence

(courtesy Enka)

Federation Tower

Federation Tower

Federation Tower

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

31

3.8 Case Studies

Eurasia Tower
Moscow, Russia
The second tallest building in Moscow, this 72-story, two-million-square-foot
commercial and residential development in the all-new Moscow International
Business Center, features a five-story underground parking garage and concourse,
connected to MIBC Central Core, which will be home to shopping malls and
entertainment facilities. The 1,000-foot (300-meter) tall building is the first highrise in Russia that utilizes a composite "steel/concrete" core, composite structural
steel/concrete deck floors and steel exterior columns construction. Thornton
Tomasetti has provided complete structural engineering services, including
Project Phase (SD and DD), Construction Documents and CA Phases.

Owner/Client
Eurasia IPG, Moscow
Design Architect
Swanke Hayden Connell
General Designer
Gorproekt, LLP
Completion Date
2010
Total Area
2 million sf
(185,806 m)
Number of Stories
72
Height
300 m (1,000 ft)

Enka Tower

Enka Tower

32

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

Enka Tower

3.9 Case Studies

Naberezhnaya Tower
Moscow, Russia

Owner/Client
Enka Development Group
Client/Architect/Contractor
Enka Construction Corp.

Located on Lot 10 of the Moscow International Business Center, this prominent

66-story highrise is a part of Enka Commercial Complex, featuring a five-story
underground garage and concourse level connected to the central core and its
shopping malls and transportation center. This is the first tall building in Moscow
that incorporates a reinforced concrete core and steel perimeter framing.
Two levels of steel outrigger trusses, placed at the mid-height and the top of
the tower distribute gravity and wind loads within this composite structure.

Completion Date

Thornton Tomasetti provided structural analysis and design through Design

Development Phase (Project Phase) and worked closely with local regulatory
agencies to assist the Client in conforming to Russian norms and regulations.

66

2008
Total Area
1.2 million sf
(111,483 m)
Number of Stories

Height

(courtesy Enka)

240 m (790 ft)

Naberezhnaya Tower

ThorntonTomasetti
Tomasetti- Tall
- Talland
andSupertall
Supertall
Thornton

33
33

3.10 Case Studies

New Ring of Moscow

Moscow, Russia

Owner/Development
New Ring of Moscow/Moscapstroy
Client/Project Manager
Interstroi

Thornton Tomasetti is participating in the 15-year, 80-million-squarefoot High-Rise Residential Development Program New Ring of
Moscow,initiated by the City of Moscow, to replace residential buildings
built in the 1950s and 1960s. About 60 high-rise residential complexes are
to be constructed, creating a ring of modern and comfortable dwellings
equipped with convenience shopping, parking garages and parks. Green
building technology will be utilized in building systems and materials.

Architect
Swanke Hayden Connell Architects
Total Area
5 million sf (464,515 m)
Number of Stories

We are providing complete structural engineering services for this project,

including project phase (SD and DD) and working documents phase (CD and
shop drawings). Project Lublino comprises 1.9 million square feet and rises 42
stories; project Crystal will be 1.4 million square feet and will rise 45 stories tall
and project Marino is approximately 1.3 million square feet and 51 stories tall.
The main construction material is high-strength reinforced concrete. 3-D Advanced
Concrete software is used to develop the working documents phase.

Lublino

Crystal

34

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

Marino

Lublino: 42 stories
Crystal: 45 stories
Marino: 51 stories

3.11 Case Studies

Diamond of Istanbul
Istanbul, Turkey
Diamond of Istanbul is a Y shaped, 270-meter high-rise, mixeduse building which will be the tallest in Turkey. The tower contains
office space, residential apartments, and a luxury hotel, with parking
and a retail mall at the podium and eight levels below grade.

Architect/Client
Hema Industry
Dome Architects
Owner
The Hattat Group
Completion Date
2010

It is about 24 kilometers (15 miles) north of the Main Marmara fault, part of the
North Anatolian fault system, a 1,500-kilometer (930-mile) fault zone through
the Sea of Marmara and east into Turkey. Our seismic design work on Diamond
of Istanbul began in 2005 with conventional code-based design of the tower
and surrounding podium and deep basement. In addition, we completed a
nonlinear time history (NLTH) analysis in recognition of Diamond of Istanbuls
height, slenderness, unusual geometry and seismically active location.

Construction Cost
$250 million U.S.
Total Area
1.8 million sf
(170,000 m)
Height

The building structure is made up of a concrete core with steel perimeter

moment framing. A recent decision to build a higher tower required
us to embark on a second phase of performance-based design.

270 m (886 ft)

Diamond of Istanbul - Istanbul, Turkey (courtesy Dome Architects of Istanbul)

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

35

3.12 Case Studies

We've the Zenith

Busan, South Korea

Owner
Doosan Construction and
Engineering
Architect

The tallest residential tower in Asia broke ground in December 2007

and is rising on the waterfront in South Koreas second largest city,
Busan. At 80 stories, and 984 feet (300 meters), the tallest of three
towers in Weve the Zenith forms the centerpiece of a 4.1-millionsquare-foot (378,500-square meter) mixed-use development,
which includes a retail podium, and six basement levels which
are used to house retail, parking, and mechanical facilities.
Exposure to typhoons has been the biggest engineering challenge in the design
of Weve the Zenith. The team designed the structures to withstand sustained
winds of 90 mph (40 meters per second) and gusts to 105 mph (47 m/s). The
towers present a smooth, rounded face to the wind, which makes them more

DeStefano + Partners

aerodynamic, and reduces wind forces. Also helping improve stability and
comfort for occupants is the very wide stance, with an aspect ratio of nearly
1:7. The efficient design of the core wall, which is butterfly-shaped in cross

Height

section, maximizes building stiffness while minimizing the amount of material.

Haeundai U-Dong, We've the Zenith - Busan, South Korea (courtesy DeStefano)

36

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

Completion Date
2012
Total Area
4.1 million sf
(622,450.4 m)
Number of Stories
70 and 80

300 m (984 ft)

3.13 Case Studies

Seoul International Finance

Center
Seoul, South Korea
Located in Yeouido, a section of Seoul, the site is bordered on three
sides by financial institutions and corporate headquarters, along with the
Korean Stock Exchange, and bordered on the northwest by a 57-acre
park. The mixed-use development contains three office towers (two are
28 stories, one is 52), an 800-room five-star hotel, and a retail mall.
Our structural design for the high-rise office towers comprises structural
steel columns and framing consisting of composite steel beams with
concrete on metal deck. The lateral load resisting system is primarily
reinforced concrete core walls with an outrigger truss at the upper
mechanical level. Two options for the lateral system of the tallest office
tower have been presented. The first option is reinforced concrete core
walls with three outrigger trusses throughout the height of the building.
The structural system of the hotel consists of reinforced concrete beams
and one-way slabs, and reinforced concrete columns and core walls. The
basement levels are reinforced concrete one-way slabs and beams at
the retail floors and reinforced concrete flat slab with drop panels at the
parking levels. The seven basement levels are bound by a slurry wall.

Seoul International Finance Center - Seoul, South Korea (courtesy Arquitectonica)

Owner
American International Group
The Seoul Metropolitan Government
Developer/Project Manager
AIG Global Real Estate
Client/Architect
Arquitectonica
Construction
GS Construction, POSCO
Construction
Completion Date
2013
Construction Cost
$1.6 billion U.S.
Total Area
Retail and Parking 193,625 m
(2,083,405 sf)
Three office towers and one hotel
330,120 m (3,552,090 sf)

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

37

3.14 Case Studies

Incheon 151 Tower

Songdo Landmark City
South Korea
Upon completion, Incheon 151 Tower will be the tallest building in South
Korea, rising 600 meters above land reclaimed from the Yellow Sea.
The mixed-use project includes 95 floors of residential space, 30 floors
of office space, 10 levels of hotel, and features observation decks.
Consisting of a concrete core and super columns connected by megaoutriggers, the structure splits at the 44th floor into two interconnected
trapezoidal sections, creating a distinct silhouette. The two halves of the
tower are tied together by a trio of pedestrian bridges containing steel
truss outriggers, which provide resistance to wind and seismic forces.
The towers sharp edges are an important aspect of the architects aesthetic
vision. At the upper levels this shape intensifies wind loads caused by
vortex shedding. Thornton Tomasetti worked closely with the architect
and a wind tunnel consultant to develop a form that is both consistent
with the design vision and structurally efficient. The solution, a series of
open slots on four corners, creates an alternative path for wind, improving
aerodynamic performance while enhancing the structures visual appeal.

Incheon 151Tower - Songdo Landmark City, South Korea

(courtesy John Portman & Associates)

38

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

Owner
Portman Consortium
Client/Architect
John Portman & Associates
Completion Date
2014
Total Area
6.5 million sf
(603,869.76 m)
Total Height
600 m (1,968 ft)

3.15 Case Studies

Ping An International Finance

Center
Shenzhen, China
Thornton Tomasetti is providing structural design services for the new
office tower with the total gross floor area of 378,600 square meters
plus basement area of 90,000 square meters. The project will consist of
offices, conference center, supporting facilities and parking spaces.
The tower is being designed using performance-based
design to ensure the safety of the structural system.
.

Client/Architect
KPF
Owner
Ping An Life Insurance
Company of China, Ltd.
Completion Date
2012
Construction Cost
$678 million U.S.
Total Area
468,600 m

Ping An International Finance Center - Shenzhen, China (courtesy KPF)

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

Taikoo Hui Development - Guangzhou, China

39

3.16 Case Studies

Tameer Towers
Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
The Tameer Towers Development on Al Reem Island, Abu
Dhabi, U.A.E. is to be the landmark development of the Shams
Masterplan, and a new iconic structure for the region.
The site is split into residential and commercial sections, and comprises
two 63-story residential towers and two 43-story commercial
towers. Located in a moderately active seismic zone, on reclaimed
land with a high water table, it is bisected by an eight-lane highway
in one direction and by a canal in the orthogonal direction.
A 76-story commercial tower is the centerpiece of the development and
features one of the worlds largest atriums, and a distinctive reinforced
concrete diagrid exoskeleton. The diagrid creates a continuous lateral system
for the towers exterior, making it more than just an imposing faade.

Owner/Client
Tameer Holdings
Architect
Gensler
Completion Date
To be determined
Total Area
9 million sf
(836,127 m)
Number of Stories
One 76-story commercial tower
Two 63-story residential towers
Two 43-story residential towers
One 30-story hotel
11-story podium

Our fast-track structural design program was 18 months and excavation

commenced in November 2007. The vast quantity of information required
was able to be produced to meet tight deadlines from inception utilizing
3-D CAD modeling. This allowed sections and general arrangement
plans to be rapidly produced, and facilitated greater understanding of
three-dimensional coordination of structure with other disciplines.

Tameer Towers - Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. (courtesy Gensler)

40

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

4-story basement
Height
314 m (1,030 ft)

Thornton Tomasetti - Tall and Supertall

41

Tameer Towers - Aby Dhabi, U.A.E. (courtesy Gensler)