Burj Dubai copied from Frank Lloyd Wright?
Back in the 1950's, visionary architect Frank Lloyd Wright (and Norm's favorite architect of all time), decided to change his perspective somewhat. He was known, and still is known, for his houses, and often for relatively flat structures designed to fit in well with their surroundings.
But in the city, the surroundings are other skyscrapers, and what Lloyd Wright envisioned would fit amongst them, but would also tower over them. The Illinois.
It was planned to be a mile tall. Wright believed that even with the construction materials and techniques available to him at that time, that it would have been possible to build the tower. However, major issues would have been the elevators required to service all of the floors. Even with multi-story elevators which open on more than one floor at once (Wright imagined five floors at once, Taipai 101 opens on 2) and the use of sky lobbies to switch into a different elevator (as the World Trade Center towers used) it was still required to put the elevators on the outside of the building (presumably on the side of the sketch not shown).
It seems though that many years later his design is being put to use. The Burk Khalifa, known during its construction as the Burj Dubai, is now by far the world's tallest skyscraper. It is an amazing building, and and a world wonder. It is also very very similar in design to the Illinois.
Other than the wider base, which is a) more practical and b) more stable, the design is a near perfect rip on Lloyd Wright's. This does not really upset me though, as it can bee seen as more of a tribute of sorts. The Illinois was never and will likely never be built. The Burj is the tallest building in the world, and will remain so for some time, and it uses the brilliant design of Lloyd Wright.
But in the city, the surroundings are other skyscrapers, and what Lloyd Wright envisioned would fit amongst them, but would also tower over them. The Illinois.
It was planned to be a mile tall. Wright believed that even with the construction materials and techniques available to him at that time, that it would have been possible to build the tower. However, major issues would have been the elevators required to service all of the floors. Even with multi-story elevators which open on more than one floor at once (Wright imagined five floors at once, Taipai 101 opens on 2) and the use of sky lobbies to switch into a different elevator (as the World Trade Center towers used) it was still required to put the elevators on the outside of the building (presumably on the side of the sketch not shown).
It seems though that many years later his design is being put to use. The Burk Khalifa, known during its construction as the Burj Dubai, is now by far the world's tallest skyscraper. It is an amazing building, and and a world wonder. It is also very very similar in design to the Illinois.
Other than the wider base, which is a) more practical and b) more stable, the design is a near perfect rip on Lloyd Wright's. This does not really upset me though, as it can bee seen as more of a tribute of sorts. The Illinois was never and will likely never be built. The Burj is the tallest building in the world, and will remain so for some time, and it uses the brilliant design of Lloyd Wright.
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