Chinese Firm Approved To Raise World's Tallest Building In 90 Days 307
kkleiner writes "The long anticipated Chinese construction project called Sky City, a 220-story building that can house 30,000 people, has finally received approval from the central government to break ground. The firm Broad Sustainable Building previously constructed a prefab 30-story building in 15 days, but for Sky City, they have an even more aggressive schedule: 90 days to build 2,750 feet into the air. Once completed, the building will be a place for people to both live and work, with recreational facilities, theaters, a school, and a hospital all within the structure."
Built in 90 days (Score:5, Insightful)
Falls down in 90 seconds.
And if anyone thinks I'm being unfair they should read up on the safety compromises chinese railways made in the rush to build high speed lines in record time.
Re:it's going to fail (Score:0, Insightful)
Since it is such a high-profile building, I suggest they put the government into it. Into the highest stories, of course, something below that would not do. And of course the government officials also get to live in the building, in the stories just below the government offices.
Seems like overkill (Score:3, Insightful)
Shouldn't they work on filling those empty cities before they build more stuff? Or maybe reduce pollution?
Re:Seems like overkill (Score:3, Insightful)
Nah. Gotta keep up the imaginary growth factor, after all it's not like banks over there are already running into issues seizing assets from companies who've taken loans out against them. You know, two, three or sometimes four times. Wish I could find the article on zero hedge again but it was up sometime last year.
Units in the summary (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:it's going to fail (Score:2, Insightful)
Nah. Fill the whole damn building with them. The lower floors will be just as lethal whether this pancakes, shears, or tips over.
I am not one to wish ill on anyone, but the Chinese will have this one coming to them. Their lust for speed and the need to "wow the world with superior Chinese methodology" will ultimately fall around their ears. They may be building cities and building at break-neck speed, but a lot of their infrastructure is rotten to the core. My prediction? The failure of their bullet train [guardian.co.uk] was just a glimpse of the future. I see a lot more failure from their corrupt business practices. Couple this with the social unrest of the one-child per family, resulting in 30 million unmarried men [blogspot.com], and you have the fodder stimulating a revolution.
Re:Seems like overkill (Score:5, Insightful)
Nah. Gotta keep up the imaginary growth factor, after all it's not like banks over there are already running into issues seizing assets from companies who've taken loans out against them. You know, two, three or sometimes four times. Wish I could find the article on zero hedge again but it was up sometime last year.
Every country's growth is based on an imaginary growth factor.
At least they're getting infrastructure out of it.
Re:Units in the summary (Score:1, Insightful)
I realise that many /. readers are from the US, but out of politeness to the rest of the world, it would have been nice to provide metric units in the summary in addition to the imperial units. Yes, I can go and convert them and so can others, but such accumulated waste of time could have been easily avoided.
And /. is in the US. Note the .org domain.
The post was also not in French, German, Italian, Chinese, Thai, Mogolian, Yiddish or Aztec.
American site. American English. American units of measure.
(Although, someone should do a units of measure translator like Bing and Google Translate can do with webpages.... so those of you who can't multiply by three in your head can read the site.)
Re:Units in the summary (Score:3, Insightful)
Condescending? I wasn't preaching imperial superiority or anything like that.
I already know the metric system. I accept the fact that there are two conventions, and I live with it. I agree the metric system is easier. At some point, however, you have to reconcile yourself to the undeniable fact that there are times in life you'll have to deal with imperial units. It sucks, but get over it. (That last bit was condescending, in case you missed it.)
As for the post that started this, he implied that the summary was somehow impolite because it didn't conform to his preferred units of measurement. I responded in kind. The summary wasn't impolite, it's a consequence of the worldwide culture we live in. It's not logical to go around expecting the rest of the world to conform to your notions of right and wrong (metric right, imperial wrong.) Even when metric measurement is clearly and objectively a superior system, it's not "impolite" to use imperial units of measurement It's especially not sensible to couch your expectation of other people's conformity in some sort of assumption that noncomformity is offensive or rude.
At worst, noncomformity is ignorant. At best, it's simply a competing convention. Learn to accept that and your life will have much less needless stress.
Re:it's going to fail (Score:5, Insightful)
There are two kinds of failure. The failure of ambitious dreams that maybe we'll see in china. And the never ending failure of the miserable cynical bastards in the west who never open their mouths but to whine about how terrible everything is. People so fundamentally opposed to a better world tomorrow that the highest political ambition is austerity (both economic and environmental).
You want to talk about rotten infrastructure and social unrest? Let's see where another ten years of politicians "saving money" get's you.
Re:Units in the summary (Score:5, Insightful)
The US is one of only three countries in the world that uses that system. Some people in the UK do but it isn't taught at school any more. You expect the rest of the world to know conversion ratios for your archaic system. Feet just happen to be an easy 1/3 ratio with metres but most other Imperial units are not.
Politeness would be recognizing that you chose not to use the standard system everyone else does but still accommodating them with a quick google conversion.
Re:it's going to fail (Score:4, Insightful)
Couple this with the social unrest of the one-child per family, resulting in 30 million unmarried men [blogspot.com], and you have the fodder stimulating a revolution.
How is the imbalance caused by the one-child per family policy? It was caused by the selective abortion by short-sighted people who thought that having an unmarried male heir is better than a married female heir (either that or they thought that they were the only people with the genius idea of making sure they'd have a son)
Other points - spot on.
Re:it's going to fail (Score:0, Insightful)
You still think China is a communist nation de facto and not just in name only? Awww that's *adorable*
Re: it's going to fail (Score:0, Insightful)
Yes having a choice between Obama and Bush is much much better! China is a 1 party state, the USA is a "two" party state where both parties basically do exactly the same thing.
Re:it's going to fail (Score:2, Insightful)
Yes if they'd only split their Communist Party into red and blue teams with minor ideological differences, and give lip service to the people's needs while clearly indicating that they give no fucks through their actions, they could be brought up to US standards of freedom and democracy.
Re:it's going to fail (Score:5, Insightful)
A primary result (intended or otherwise) of couples has always been reproduction.
The lineage of the Mother is never in doubt.
If the father has his name attached to said resulting offspring, and the assurances of the Mother that the child is his, he will usually accept that it is and help support both the child and the mother. Otherwise, there is a much lower rate of acceptance and fathers (or possible fathers) will leave them claiming it's another males child.
Strangely enough, this has been studied. I read a science article on it about a month or two ago.
No, I am not a sociologist or anything, but the info is out there, you just have to look for it.