Pause architecture : One World Trade Center, Freedom Tower

1 Le contexte

A la suite de 9/11 et la destruction des Twin Towers, ground zero va faire place pour une part à un nouveau 'skyscraper'. Le blog qui suit à pour objet de faire le point sur la genèse de ce gratte-ciel, de donner des renseignements sur la symbolique adoptée, de voir l'évolution de sa construction et son aspect final (vidéos 1 et 2).
Commençons par un court article qui nous donnera quelques renseignements factuels :

One World Trade Center, more simply known as 1 WTC and previously known as the Freedom Tower, is the lead building of the new World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan, New York City. The 104-story supertall skyscraper is being constructed in the northwest corner of the 16-acre World Trade Center site, occupying the location where the original 8-story 6 World Trade Center once stood.
At the time of its completion in 2013, One World Trade Center will be the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and the third-tallest building in the world by pinnacle height, with its spire reaching a symbolic 1,776 feet (541.3 m) in reference to the year of American independence. It has been the tallest building in New York since April 30, 2012. (source wikipedia)

2 Les documents

2.1 Une vidéo

One World Trade Center 2004-2012 

2.2 La construction

2.3 A tribute to the World Trade Center in movies

3 Let's make the most of it

Pause architecture : The Shard, London skyline

1 Le contexte

Le 'Shard' oeuvre de l'architecte Renzo Piano domine enfin le paysage londonien. Du haut de ses 230 mètres, ce 'skyscraper' est désormais la plus haute tour d'Europe... Il se fond très bien dans la 'skyline' londonienne qui marrie si bien modernité et tradition, marque de fabrique de la capitale anglaise...

Voici pour vous faire une idée du Shard of Glass, un article qui présente le projet, le site de l'architecte et quelques vidéos... Enjoy your visit...

"Shard London Bridge, previously known as London Bridge Tower, and also known as the Shard of Glass, 32 London Bridge and The Shard, is a skyscraper under construction in Southwark, London, United Kingdom. When completed in 2012, it will be the tallest building in the European Union. It will be used for offices, residential apartments and a hotel.
The tower will stand 1,017 ft (310 m) tall and have 72 floors, plus 15 further radiator floors in the roof. The building has been designed with an irregular triangular shape from the base to the top. It will be clad entirely in glass. The viewing gallery and open-air observation deck will be on the top (72nd) floor.
The building replaces Southwark Towers, a 24-storey office building of 1976. Renzo Piano, the building's architect, worked together with architectural firm Broadway Malyan during the planning stage of the project."

2 Les documents

2.1 Un petit film/diaporama sympa présentant la nouvelle London skyline...

2.2 Site sur le Shard (photo prise sur le site)

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photos © Nick Weall
 
2.3 Reportage sur le 'petit' nouveau du paysage londonien

3 Let's make the most of it !

Pause architecture : Skyscrapers

1 Le contexte

La course au bâtiment le plus haut, le plus original, le plus audacieux, le plus etc... a toujours existé. Dernièrement le Shard à Londres ou 1WTC à New York ont fait la une mais d'autres très rapidement prendront la suite...

Voici quelques documents qui vous permettront de faire le point sur les plus célèbres skycrapers, leur histoire, leurs caractéristiques, les défis que les ingénieurs et architectes ont du relever.

En guise d'introduction voici un court texte trouvé sur the kidswindow.

'Engineers, architects and builders who work on tall skyscrapers have to make certain that their structures will not tip over no matter what kind of weather or other problems occur.[...]

From the Egyptian Pyramids to European cathedrals and castles people have wanted to build something grand and beautiful. Today skyscrapers are popular because you can put a lot of building on a little bit of land if you build UP instead of OUT.

When a skyscraper is about to be made the ground has to be inspected. It must be judged strong enough to hold the weight of the completed building. Then digging begins for the basement foundation. This underground part of a skyscraper is much larger than many people realize. This is what supports all of the skyscraper's weight.

Today iron and steel is used to make a steel skeleton for skyscrapers. These materials are very strong and flexible. This makes the building sturdy and still lets it sway a little in high winds. The skyscraper needs to have some sway to keep from being damaged.

Workers use vertical metal columns and horizontal beams to create a framework for each floor. Diagonal metal beams are sometimes used to give extra strength to the skeleton of the building. This is very similar to how you build things with your own building sets at home.

The entire skeleton design of a skyscraper is known as the superstructure. The superstructure rests on the basement substructure. Substructures are built on foundations of concrete and steel that are very thick. Large metal pilings connect the substructure floor with the bedrock layer of the earth deep underground. This makes the substructure strong enough to support the heavy weight of a skyscraper.

Today most outer walls of skyscrapers seem to be made completely of glass.

2 Les documents

2.1 Quelques sites

a) discovery

b) skyscraper

2.2 Deux power point sur l'architecture moderne (texte et photos)

Modern architecture

Architecture Loadup

2.3 Un reportage sur la construction d'un skyscraper

3 Let's make the most of it !