Zhongshan (Chine) - Lamp Tower - 254m

Un nouveau record du monde?

2006-10-29 > Chinese City Builds Huge Lamp Skyscraper
One of the most bizarre skyscraper projects ever is being constructed in the city of Zhongshan, China.
The project consists of a 253.8 metre tall building containing 48 floors and 40,000 square metres of space designed in the shape of a giant Chinese lamp - it will be called the Century Giant Lamp Tower and is designed to live up to its name as much as possible. Before you think this is too, weird a bit of local background helps to explain the logic behind such an unusual idea.
The eccentric scheme is being built in the Guhzen Town sub-area that sits in the north west of Zhongshan. Guzhen Town is known by many as the lighting capital of China with no less than 3,000 registed lighting manufacturers located in it employing 50,000 workers making it the backbone of the local economy by contributing a whopping 95% of the economic production of the area and exporting to over 80 countries around the world.
The foundation stone for the scheme was laid in 2005 during the World Lamp Fair and completion is set to happen in 2007. The cost of the project is reported to be a mere 30 million U.S dollars showing just how cheaply things can be built in China thanks to a favourable purchasing parity. Much of this money has been put up by the Chinese government, keen to show off just how fast the country is advancing with their latest great leap forwards.
When finished the project will serve a number of roles. Primarily it will act not only as a lamp museum that shows off the best of the wares of local manufacturers but also look at lamps around the world and serve as a headquarters for local trade associations.
The site will act as a gateway thanks to its symbolic position on the end of the key Xinxing Road that runs through Guzhen, a seven kilometre long avenue that many of the lighting manufacturers front on to.
Perhaps this will also serve as inspiration for other cities around the world associated with a single product - Amsterdam for example could rebuild it's sex museum or Virginia in the USA could do a massive cigarette. Just think of the opportunities for imaginative or dirty-minded architects, developers, and local politicians.
lien:http://www.skyscrapernews.com/news.php?ref=760