How the world’s tallest skyscraper was built - Alex Gendler

翻译人员: 校对人员: Helen Chang

By the end of the 20th century,

20 世纪末，

the race to build the world's tallest skyscraper grinded to a halt.

建造世界最高摩天楼的争夺战 陷入停滞。

Each new contender was only slightly taller than the one before,

每栋新出现的角逐者 都仅比之前的略高些许，

and architects were running out of ways to top their previous efforts.

建筑师们逐渐无法超越 他们之前的成就。

But in 2004 construction began on a new building in Dubai,

但 2004 年， 在迪拜开工的一栋新建筑

promising a revolutionary design that would dwarf the competition.

使用了一项令其它摩天大楼 都相形见绌的革新性设计。

In 2009, the 828-meter Burj Khalifa was complete,

2009 年， 高达 828 米的哈里法塔竣工。

surpassing the previous record-holder by over 60%.

它比之前的世界第一高楼记录保持者 高出 60% 。

So what innovations allowed for such a huge leap in height?

所以，是什么革新性设计 才能让高度有如此巨大的飞跃？

For most of architectural history, heavy building materials

建筑史的大部分时间里，

沉重的建筑材料 使得高楼难以维持它们自身的高度。

made it difficult for tall buildings to support their own weight.

To compensate, taller structures had wider, thicker masonry at the base,

相应地，越高的建筑需要 更宽更厚的砌体结构作为地基，

making them substantially more expensive.

也就会令它们的造价更加昂贵。

The arrival of industrial steel in the early 20th century

20 世纪早期 由于工业用钢的普及，

helped buildings shed weight, and stretch to new heights.

高楼建筑得以卸下部分负重， 高度也得以进一步提高。

But steel frames required intensive labor to produce,

但钢架的生产需要密集的劳动力，

often under poor working conditions.

且生产环境恶劣。

And when they were finished,

除此之外，建成的钢架结构

these three dimensional grids took up huge amounts of space inside buildings.

囊括三个维度的钢筋网络， 占据了建筑的大量内部空间。

Tall steel skyscrapers also had larger, less dense surfaces,

钢筋建成的高楼 表面积更大、密度却更低，

making them vulnerable to strong winds.

因此无法抵御强劲的风力。

Architects designed various countermeasures

建筑学家们设计出了种种对策

to prevent swaying and structural damage,

来防止建筑摇晃或结构破坏，

but to increase height further,

但要是想进一步增加高度，

engineers would have to completely rethink how tall buildings were designed.

工程师只能重新构思高楼的架构。

Enter the father of modern skyscrapers: Fazlur Rahman Khan.

让我们看看现代摩天大楼之父： 法兹勒 · R · 汗（Fazlur Rahman Khan）。

This Bangladeshi-American engineer believed tall structures

这位孟加拉裔美籍工程师认为

高楼建筑的承重应在 最宽最稳的地方，即外部。

should bear their weight where they were widest and most stable— on the outside.

He proposed swapping an internal grid of steel beams

他提议将内部钢梁网格替换成

for a steel and concrete exoskeleton

由钢筋和混凝土组成的外骨骼，

that would make buildings more resilient to wind

这样有助于提高建筑的抗风能力，

while using far less heavy materials.

并同时减少沉重建筑材料的用量。

Khan developed this idea into what he called tubular designs.

汗将这个想法称为“管状框架结构”。

These buildings had exterior steel frames that were braced with concrete

这些建筑物外部的钢筋架构 是由混凝土支撑

and connected to horizontal floor beams.

并与平行于地面的钢梁相接

Tubular frames proved superior at absorbing and transferring

事实证明，管状框架结构 在面对强劲风力时优势显著

the force of wind to a building's foundation.

吸收风力，将风力转化给建筑的地基

And since the exterior walls could bear the bulk of the load,

既然外墙可以承受大部分的承重

internal supporting columns could be removed to maximize space.

那么就可以移除内部的支撑柱 将使用空间极大化

Following the 1960s, tubular design became the industry standard.

之后的20世纪60年代 管状框架结构成为了工业建筑的标准

This new philosophy allowed for the construction

这种创新概念

使得摩天大楼更高、更坚固

of taller, sturdier skyscrapers,

including many of the record holders for world’s tallest building.

其中包括了许多 世界最高建筑的记录保持者

But planning the Burj Khalifa would take one more innovation.

但建造哈里法塔还需要 另一个革新性设计

In 2004, the late Fazlur Khan’s longtime employers,

2004年，已故的法兹勒·汗的长期雇主

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, completed the Tower Palace III in South Korea.

美国SOM建筑设计事务所完成了 位于韩国的Tower Palace三期建筑

This building took Khan's exoskeleton design one step further,

这栋摩天高楼对汗的外墙设计 有了进一步拓展

with a central column supported by three protruding wings.

中心柱子是由三个突出的翼部所支撑

Each wing’s weight carries the other two,

每个翼部的重量由另外两个翼部承载

while the heavy concrete core acts as a support beam,

而沉重的混凝土核心充当支撑梁

that also houses the building’s elevators and mechanical infrastructure.

还能容纳建筑物的电梯和机械基础设施。

This design, called the buttressed core,

这种结构称为“扶壁核心”

allowed the entire structure to work as a single load-bearing unit,

让整个结构作为单一的承重单位

supporting the building’s 73 stories.

支撑着73层的高楼建筑

SOM was confident the buttressed core could support a much taller building,

SOM建筑设计事务所坚信 扶壁核心可以支撑更高的建筑

and they were determined to see how high they could go with their next project.

他们决定看看以这种结构 下一座摩天大楼可以达到多高

As only the second building to use this design,

作为唯一使用这种设计的第二栋建筑

the Burj Khalifa spans an unprecedented 163 floors.

哈里法塔就达到了史无前例的163层

To battle the monumental vertical and lateral forces,

为了对抗极大的垂直向和侧向作用力

the design strategically places the strongest, load-bearing areas

这所建筑战略性将最主要的承重区域

where the wind is also most powerful.

落地于风力最强的地区

Additionally, the Y-shaped layout was specifically calibrated

同时，经过了专门校准的Y形布局

to minimize local wind forces.

将当地风力减至最小

Every several floors, one of the wings recedes slightly,

每隔几层楼， 其中一个翼稍往后移

forming a series of setbacks in a clockwise pattern.

形成一个顺时针方向的后移界

This spiral shape disperses air currents,

这种螺旋形状可以分散气流

transforming 240 kilometer per hour winds into harmless gusts.

将时速240公里的狂风转为 无关痛痒的一阵风

Considering its height and unique design,

考虑到它无可匹敌的高度 和独一无二的设计

the Burj Khalifa was completed in a staggeringly short five year period.

哈里法塔耗时5年才终于完工

However, this pace came at a great human cost.

然而，这一步耗费了巨大的人力

The workforce consisted mostly of South Asian migrants,

大部分的施工工人都是南非的移民

who regularly endured shifts over 12 hours long

轮班时长超过12个小时

for a daily wage of roughly $10.

日薪只有大约10美元

Those who tried to quit or return home had their paychecks and passports withheld

想离职或者回家的工人

薪水和护照都被项目建设公司扣留了

by the project’s construction company.

These abusive conditions led to multiple protests,

恶劣的工作条件引发了多次抗议

in addition to at least one suicide, and one fatal accident reported on site.

以及至少一次的自杀事件 和工地现场的致死事故

In the years following the tower’s completion,

哈里法塔竣工后的几年时间里

the United Arab Emirates fell under harsh scrutiny

阿联酋因违反劳工保护法律

for failing to enforce worker protection laws.

而受到了严密的审查

Hopefully, future projects will prioritize the individuals

真诚地希望，未来的建筑项目能够 优先考虑建筑工程背后的人本身

behind these engineering marvels over the buildings themselves.

而不是雄伟的建筑物