Conventional wisdom has held that skyscrapers must be symmetrical in design or risk collapse. But the Kuwaitis are trying to dispel that theory by constructing the first skyscraper with a 100% asymmetrical exterior. Al Hamra is a 1350-foot tall tower whose innovative design includes a façade with a 130-degree sweeping turn and two fins that sprout from the top and bottom of the structure in opposite directions. It has engineers, designers and builders charting unprecedented territory. In a construction first, they will attempt to build the upper-most flared wall — a seven-story structure that juts out 150 feet from
the building while suspended a quarter of a mile in the air.
If they succeed, they will redefine the skyline of Kuwait, symbolizing its recovery from the Iraqi invasion two decades ago. It will also redefine how super-tall structures are built and usher in the next generation of skyscrapers.
World's First Sculptured Skyscraper
Al Hamra will rank among the ten tallest buildings in the world but it's the only one with loop-sided exterior. To create its unique shape, designers are removing a spiraling slice from each floor that moves counter-clockwise as the building rises. This carving provides both sweeping views of the Persian Gulf on the north side and a thermal barrier from the harsh desert sun on the south side. But it also dares engineers to defy physics.
Tallest Stone Covered Structure on Earth
When finished, Al Hamra will be the tallest stone clad structure on earth. Covered with 860,000 square feet of limestone, enough to tile NYC's central park. While engineers were planning the building's construction they expressed concern to the architect that the flared walls could collapse under the load of the limestone. Unwilling to change their aesthetic, the two sides met in the middle. The solution: install limestone tiles on the lower floors and a mesh tile covered with crushed limestone on the higher floors. Achieving the same look, but with a fraction of the weight.
Never Before Attempted Construction Techniques
The external façade makes a 130-degree sweeping turn from east to west, resulting in unique blueprints for each floor. This distinctive layout places extremely high demands on both the workers and schedule. To stay on the required pace of building a floor every 8 days, they designed a entirely new system — a climbing formwork that uses hydraulics, not cranes, to advance to higher levels. This system is designed to move both horizontally and vertically to compensate for the twisting nature of the structure.
Giant Thermal Wall
The building isn't only aesthetic; it also serves a practical form. The twisting shape ensures optimum views, while the opposite stone clad wall acts a protective skin from the desert sun where temperatures top 120 degrees. The 77 story tall concrete wall insulates the building.
One of the Highest Concrete Structures
Steel is the material of choice for most modern skyscrapers. But to deliver the molded sculpture of Al Hamra, they needed a more malleable material. They chose concrete. One of their biggest challenges: pumping 500,000 tons of concrete a quarter mile vertically.
