Chicago architecture firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill (AS+GG) have released the first images for the Kingdom Tower, set to be the world’s tallest building. At over 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) and a total construction area of 530,000 square meters (5.7 million square feet), the Kingdom Tower will be the centre piece and first construction phase of the Kingdom City development on a 5.3 million-square-meter site in north Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The tower’s height will be at least 173 meters (568 feet) taller than the world’s current tallest building, Dubai’s 828-meter-tall Burj Khalifa, which was designed by Adrian Smith while at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Kingdom Tower will feature a Four Seasons hotel, office space, luxury apartments and the world’s highest observatory. Design development of the tower is under way, with construction expected to begin imminently. Foundation drawings are complete and the piling for the tower is currently being tendered. The tower will cost approximately $1.2 billion to construct, while the cost of the entire Kingdom City project is anticipated to be $20 billion. In addition to its status as an architectural landmark and economic symbol, the Kingdom Tower was conceived to have cultural significance. The tower is envisioned as a new marker of Jeddah’s historic importance as the traditional gateway to the holy city of Mecca. To this end, the design of the southeast leg of the Kingdom Tower’s tripedal base is on a direct line with the Ka’ba in Mecca, Islam’s holiest site. Architect Gordon Gill has described the streamlined form of the tower as being inspired by the folded fronds of young desert plant growth: “The way the fronds sprout upward from the ground as a single form, then start separating from each other at the top, is an analogy of new growth fused with technology.” The three-petal footprint is also believed to be ideal for residential units, and the tapering wings are expected to produce an aerodynamic shape that helps reduce structural loading due to wind vortex shedding. The immense height of the Kingdom Tower will require one of the world’s most sophisticated elevator systems. The complex will contain 59 elevators, including 54 single-deck and five double-deck elevators, along with 12 escalators. Elevators serving the observatory will travel at a rate of 10 meters per second in both directions. Another feature of the design is a sky terrace, roughly 30 meters (98 feet) in diameter, at level 157. AS+GG also designed the master plan for the 23-hectare Kingdom Tower Waterfront District, which surrounds the tower and which will include residential and commercial buildings, a shopping mall, outdoor spaces and other amenities.

Frank Gehry’s latest skyscraper, the residential tower simply branded as ‘New York by Gehry’, is now reaching completion. As its first residents get ready to move in, the building, located at 8 Spruce Street in Lower Manhattan, has already made a significant impact on the architectural landscape of New York City. At 265 metre (870 feet) tall, New York by Gehry is the tallest residential tower in the Western Hemisphere and the eighth tallest building in New York. The stainless steel exterior, with its seductive rippling effect, covers three faces of the tower and creates bay windows for the apartments. At the same time, it reflects the changing light, transforming the appearance of the building throughout the day. The tower contains 903 apartments laid out in over 200 floor plans for studios, and one, two and three-bedroom residences. Gehry’s aesthetic is also carried across the 22,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenity spaces with personalized furnishings and installations. Frank Gehry is widely regarded as one of the most celebrated practicing architects in the world. He has been the recipient of numerous awards recognizing excellence in architecture, including, in 1989, the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize, which honours “significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture.” Over the past five decades, Gehry Partners LLP has designed numerous public and private buildings in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Calgary Stile Gone are the days of tile being just a natural subdued backdrop! Current tile design, whether it is for floor or wall applications, take a more intense approach in the world of design. Not only has tile itself become available in a great variety of hues, textures and sizes but also very attractive tile layouts and grout colors have helped to create an eye-catching feature. Here are just a few examples that the Calgary Design market is going crazy about this year. When a space seems to have no visual focal point those are a few examples of how designers have created show-stopping impressions. Take a look around you and see how you can express your own personal sTile! Photos provided by and product available at Stone Tile, Calgary location www.stone-tile.com Liz Nandee, designer at Basic Black Designs Inc. www.basicblackdesigns.com Rooms With A (point of) View How we dress the environments we inhabit and the message that sends very often mirrors the way we dress ourselves and the message our wardrobe sends. Many of the hottest trends in fashion often apply to decor and this year it is hits of bright colour, oversized accessories, and an eclectic blend of styles popular from other eras The 50s, 60s and 70s are the “haute’’ decades now. Iconic mid-century modern classics such as the Womb chair and ottoman from Knoll designed by Eero Saarinen have become the LBDs of home decor. Introduce old Hollywood glamour into your space using lighting that incorporates 21st century technology. The Swarovski Architectural lighting available exclusively in Edmonton at Vivid Inc.Concepts Lighting + Design, is a great example of modern meets classic. For a comprehensive source of contemporary home furnishings in Edmonton, visit retailers such as Inspired Home Interiors, Vivid Inc. and the shops that comprise the Lightform Design Centre.

Phabrik is delighted to reveal to you the first photos of Guangzhou’s new Opera House, designed by Zaha Hadid and partner Patrik Schumacher of Zaha Hadid Architects, one of the most outstanding architectural firms in the world (www.zaha-hadid.com). As the building nears completion, the 70,000 m2 complex intends to revitalise the city’s cultural life and establish a close relationship with the Pearl River named so for its pearl coloured shells that lie on the river bed in the section that flows through Guangzhou. The project is made up of two main areas covered in a triangulated skin of concrete, glass, and steel. Internally, the different and numerous levels of the building provide views of the main atrium space. In addition to the 1,800 seat main auditorium, the complex hosts a multifunction hall, and a number of auxiliary facilities and support premises. The Opera House is the first step of the local government to enhance the city and the quality of life of its inhabitants by opening access to the riverside and dock, and it intends to be an iconic architectural gateway to the city, to China and to Asia.