Shanghai Tower is now the tallest structure in China

computer-generated image

With its twisting and tapering shape, the Shanghai Tower is a shining example of performance design. I have shared information about the Shanghai Tower before:

• autodesk.com: The Shanghai Tower Gallery Exhibit
• It's Alive in the Lab: The Shanghai Tower at The Gallery at One Market
• It's Alive in the Lab: Powers of Design Exhibit: 10² Shanghai Tower

In June of 2012, my colleague, Ben Cochran, visited the Autodesk office in Shanghai. He sent me a picture of the tower, noting that the welders were working on it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

A while back I had a Facebook friend send me some pictures of the tower when he visited China, but I cannot seem to find them. I defy anyone to tell me how to search one's Facebook timeline. I tried. I even tried looking at my Activity and scrolling down one page at a time for as far as it would go before the server timed out.

The other day I got another photo. My colleague, Sydney Xu, snapped a picture from his cubicle in the Shanghai office. Sydney noted that even though the Shanghai Tower is not yet complete, it has surpassed the Financial Center and is now the tallest structure in China.

The inner column is being constructed first. The twister/tapering outer wall envelope will be added afterwards.

Thanks Ben and Sydney.

The telling of tall tales is alive in the lab.