Hasta La Ideas

US architecture studio Morphosis has unveiled the 359-metre-tall Hanking Center supertall skyscraper in Shenzhen, China, which has a detached structural core.

Described by the studio as an “asymmetrical skyscraper”, the supertall building in the high-tech district of Nanshan in Shenzhen appears as two interconnected towers.

The skyscraper has a structural steel core containing the majority of the building’s lifts and mechanical services.

This is separated from the 65-storey-building’s office space in a structural arrangement similar to Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners’ Leadenhall building, which is known as the Cheesegrater, in London.

The offices and structural core were built ten metres apart and connected by numerous bridges to create what Morphosis founding partner and Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning architect Thom Mayne describes as “a threshold” space.

“As a typology, skyscrapers tend to emphasize shape as the primary differentiator,” said Mayne.

“Instead, we focused on lived experience within the city. The delamination between the circulation core and the office spaces within the tower generates a threshold, an intensification of the urban landscape as part of the day-to-day.”

Morphosis separated the structural core from the offices to create a form that responds to the nearby Shenzhen University campus.

The decision also created large, column-free spaces in the glass-clad office tower that have expansive views across the city.

“We were interested in several primary concepts when approaching the form for Hanking Center: first, offering a large, contiguous, column-free floor space with 270-degree views, which could be achieved by a detached core configuration; second, not to get trapped in a game of ‘sculptural shaping’; and finally, to respond to the campus of Shenzhen University which lay directly south of the tower,” explained  Morphosis partner Eui-Sung Yi.

“This resulted naturally in an asymmetrical skyscraper with two joined ‘towers’: a clear primary front volume facing the campus of the Shenzhen University, and the core tower to the north.”

While the steel structural core rises vertically, the office tower’s form contracts and then expands as the building rises to give the skyscraper “a sense of movement”.

The arrangement also created a variety of different-sized floor plates within the tower.

“The shape was driven both by structural dynamics –achieving stability by being wider at the bottom, narrower at the top – and the opportunity to provide different-sized floor areas for different tenant types,” explained Yi.

“For example, some tenants seek the symbolic value of having a whole dedicated floor despite a smaller workforce and space demands.”

The studio hopes that the tower embodies the spirit of Shenzhen.

“With its enthusiasm for new possibilities in the design and experience of a commercial tower, you could say Hanking Center embodies the entrepreneurial and innovative ethos of Shenzhen, a prototypical 21st-century city which has utterly redefined global touchstones of urban development,” said Yi.

“Locally, it anchors Shenzhen’s emerging high-tech district in Nanshan, and the expressive structure and material palette speaks to the focus of its projected tenant base of startups and leading tech companies.”

Founded by Mayne, architecture studio Morphosis has offices in Los Angeles, New York, and Shenzhen. The studio recently revealed a pair of contrasting towers for Viper Room nightclub site in Los Angeles and a headquarters building for athletic clothing brand Lululemon in Vancouver.

The Hanking Center is the latest supertall skyscraper – a building over 300 metres – to be built in Shenzhen with Kohn Pedersen Fox’s bullet-shaped office for the China Resources export company recently completing.

Other upcoming supertalls in the city include a pair of connected 400-metre-tall towers being designed by Zaha Hadid Architects and Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill’s 700-metre-high Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Center, which would be the tallest building in China.

Project credits:

Architect: Morphosis
Associate architect: Zhubo Design
Interior architect: Hassell Hong Kong
Structural concepts: John A. Martin & Associates
Structural engineer: Halvorson and Partners, WSP
MEP / Facade Concepts: Stantec
MEP / Fire Protection: Parsons Brinckerhoff
Landscape architect: SWA Group (Concept); Ohtori Consultants (Design)
Lighting: Gradient Lighting Design
Facade: SuP Ingenieure GmbH
Vertical transportation: Parsons Brinckerhoff
Traffic: MVA Transportation, Planning & Management Consultants
Wind consultant: RWDI
Tower consultant: w.erk studios
Visualization: Aveson Luxigon
General contractor: China Construction Fourth Engineering Division Corp
Facade contractor: Shenzhen Fangda Building Technology Group, Co
Steel contractor: China Construction Steel Structure Corporation

The post Morphosis creates asymmetrical supertall skyscraper in Shenzhen appeared first on Dezeen.

Here a selection of gems from Reddit’s r/redneckengineering thread:

I assume this is to catch fasteners – Source

“Alarm system.” – Source

Source

Manspreading solution. – Source

Split-screen gaming solution. – Source

“Seen at a hospital in Argentina, Latin American countries are a goldmine for these.” – Source

“No toaster? No problem.” – Source

“Very nice shoe Dryer prototype for you guys” – Source

“So… The analog stick’s head broke and I end up gluing a cork from a wine bottle… I like it.” – Source

“Stick fix.” – Source

Source

Source

Concrete shortage? – Source

Source

“Lost the straw to my WD-40. Attached a new one from the Capri Sun of my son.” – Source

“When you forget your spoon at home.” – Source

“I took a free broken laptop and hooked it up to a monitor, used the monitor box as the holder. Been using it daily for almost a year no problems.” – Source

“I wanted an outdoor super bowl party, but I threw away the TV stand long ago…” – Source

“How to do laundry while living in a vehicle. Available programs; off-road, highway and city” – Source

Source

“Cooking some trailer steaks.” – Source

“It caught on fire last year. But this year I give you portable fire pit 2.0” – Source

Source

“Old sheep skin I use to keep the controls from freezing on my garbage truck. Works like a freaking champ!” – Source

“Slavic redneck piping” – Source

Source

Source

I’m pretty sure our pets are enjoying this pandemic way more than us, I mean they get to have their hoomans all to themselves almost all the time! And as much as I love spending time with my own cats, I’m honestly running out of ways to keep them entertained and prevent them from knocking down an item or two in my home, out of sheer boredom. If you’re pretty much in the same precarious situation as me, then this collection of pet products promise to come to your rescue! From a slow feeder that makes bath time enjoyable for your pets to a robot cat toy that keeps your pets safe and entertained – these product designs will take good care of your pet, and keep them active and content! You can take a little breather, while they wrestle around with these newfound fun products!

In all the desk designs I’ve seen over the years, this is a first for me! It’s called ‘Ascend’ and it’s been created by Dan Devine for all the cat ladies and fellas out there. Like any cat person will tell you, the moment you give attention to anything but your furry friend, they’ll find a way to lounge on your keyboard or knock over your utensils until it’s back on them! Designed with this in mind, the wood desk has been crafted with multiple ramps and landings for cats to perch up and play. If you can’t fight ’em, invite ’em!

Something about pets in general and baths simply does not mesh. Daniel Lentz and Tom Zipprian grew up having similar struggles with their pets, and hence their creation the ‘Aquapaw Slow Treater’. The ingenious product is a slow feeder for treats, which aims to persuade your puppy/adult dog to get into the shower or bathtub, and most importantly to make sure they stay there. So how does the Slow Treater work? Simply lather the feeder with your pet’s favorite treat. Peanut butter, pate, meat mince, their preferred canned dog food, and smeared cream or cottage cheese are a few examples of the food you could coat the feeder with. Once their treat is in place, stick the feeder onto any smooth surface and let it do its magic! Your pet will be instantly attracted to the curious little item filled with a yummy snack, let him enjoy it, while you sneakily give him a bath!

The Playground is a doghouse that also alternates as a modular sofa! The various modules of the sofa can be arranged creating not only different sofa designs but also fun spaces wherein your doggo can hop, bounce, and play about! The wooden doghouse on one side of the furniture piece seems super comfy and adorable! A little hole on its roof, allows your dog to pop his head out of the doghouse, and connect/interact with you while you lounge about on the sofa. It’s the perfect way to spend quality time!

TOMO gives pet gear the upgrade it’s always needed, with minimalist aesthetics and beautifully engineered designs backed by high-quality materials. Putting basic plaid collars and harnesses with those fiddly carabiner clips in the rear-view mirror, TOMO’s pet gear comes in beautiful matte black, from the leash to collar to harness, and features a unique, robust metal clasp that’s minimal, durable, and easy to secure in a matter of seconds. All the products look like they’re a part of a wonderful ecosystem (unlike current pet gear where the leash, collar, and dog-tag look different because they were all bought separately. The entire ecosystem of products draws a balance between functionality, comfort, and aesthetics, giving pet-gear a modern upgrade and making them complement each other when worn together, like a well-designed suit.

Say hello to DogTag – a pet-collar tag designed by the fine folks at Studio Proper that houses an Apple AirTag within it. Designed to work with dogs as well as cats, the DogTag lets you easily keep track of your furry little friend when they’re scampering about outdoors or even playing hide-and-seek with you inside the house. Relying on Apple’s powerful ‘Find My’ network, the DogTag lets you be able to keep track of your pet no matter where they are. You can create no-go zones for them, knowing if and when they scale your fence and jump right into your neighbor’s prized flower-bed… and if they decide to play hooky right before bathing time, you can easily ‘ping’ the AirTag inside the collar to give up your furry little monster’s location, or use the Find Nearby feature to help guide you to them!

The Ebo Catpal is a robot companion that serves as both a cat sitter and a favorite toy. It’s essentially a mobile security camera that can follow your pet through the house like a Roomba. Similar to a Roomba, the device has sensors to detect obstacles in the vicinity. It also will automatically return to its charging station when low on battery. The camera’s feed is accessible through a mobile app, similar to many home security systems. It also serves a second purpose … let’s be honest, what owner can resist snapping close-ups of their pet’s hijinks? For this reason, the Ebo’s camera records high-resolution footage, which you can save, edit, and post to social media. You can add cute stickers to an image, or even create gifs.

Cat Is Art has a simple frame, featuring a rectangular box with a right-hand, round window. The wooden box is mounted onto steel beams that wrap around it to acquire a height similar to that of a mid-rise storage cabinet. Designed for both the cat and cat owner, Cat Is Art’s elemental structure reimagines the ways cat furniture fits into modern homes. The top of the playpen features a storage area with an upright lip that protects any objects from falling down as your cat gets bored and looks for things to knock over. Similarly, smaller cat toys can be stored on Cat Is Art’s top lid so that your cat can play inside the pen and on top of it. Only accessible by your cat, the round porthole on Cat Is Art’s right-hand side is petite and offers an easy escape route for when your cat needs some alone time.

The PetX smart pet water dispenser designed by Beijing Kitten&Puppy Technology Co. was one of the iF Design Awards 2020 winners and rightfully so – they used the simplest animal behavioral psychology pattern and applied it to a product that worked for pets. Instead of a regular water bowl, this smart water dispenser provides clean running water for pets anytime. Flowing water is better for your pet’s health as still water has a higher chance of becoming contaminated and leading to things like urinary tract infections. Your pets are likely to drink more water due to the innovative and inviting mechanism.

Mira-Pet introduced its Ultrasound Dog Toothbrush. Equipped with a vibration-free, silent ultrasound technology, the toothbrush guarantees to clean even deeper than the gums, and to annihilate bad breath! Its vibration-free tech ensures that your doggo doesn’t feel a thing. The entire process is very swift and gentle. Mira-Pet’s one-of-a-kind form and functionality prevent tartar build-up, eliminating periodontitis in the long run. You simply lather the toothbrush with its accompanying toothpaste and run it along your dog’s upper and lower jaw. Within 45-60 seconds, the duo destroys any signs of bacteria, protecting your pet from any serious dental and health issues in the future.

An aesthetic hammock in a tent for your pet! Designed by Philipp Günther Design, this is one of the cutest pet loungers we’ve seen – minimal, cozy and interactive. The organic form is complemented by a soft CMF. The wood and felt combination have a universal appeal that fits with every interior style/setting. The modern pet house and swing are designed for small dogs and cats. The tiny gates encourage more flexibility and movement for the pets. It’s a cozy corner that can be playful as well as a safe space. The felt surface is optional and adds a soft and pleasant touch, especially for cats sharpening their claws or teething puppies. We can’t help but wish this came in adult size for humans too.

Most people avoid using pet houses in their homes because it takes up too much space and they can’t tuck it away like they can with the pet beds. But Accordio is here to solve that dilemma, it is a portable, flexible, accordion-like pet house that can be expanded for your pet’s use or flat-packed away if you have guests over! Accordio’s form drew inspiration from the designer’s niece who had a silicone bowl plate. “I was intrigued by its flexibility and portability. After some research, I found that silicone also has a fascinating collapsible feature, which was later adapted into a foldable house,” explains Seong. The unique pet house is a study in portable pet furniture. The silicone makes it super lightweight and gives it a distinct collapsible feature. Silicone not only makes it easy to carry along for outdoor activities or travel but is also very easy to clean. Accordio can be compressed into 1/6th of its full size by pushing both sides.

Osun’s sugar- and gluten-free beverages can be sipped alone or added to spirits as a mixer. Beginning with spring water that’s been filtered through positively charged crystals, each drink is then infused and lightly carbonated. Various flavors are available, but the lavender promises to help relieve anxiety and stress as well reduce inflammation. Price is in AUD for a pack of 12 bottles.

“I can solve a 3x3x3 Rubik’s Cube within 90 secs,” writes David Wright on his Twitter bio. Wright is also a fan of Christian Eriksen, the soccer player who scarily collapsed on the field earlier this month; after Eriksen recovered from his cardiac event and left the hospital, Wright paid him an artistic tribute, using his Rubik’s skills:

When you’ve got both left- and right-brain wired like this, they should call it Wright-brain.