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By: Alex Covert
Termite-Inspired Mega Buildings - Ultima Tower
With a one mile wide base and a staggering two mile high rooftop, the Ultima Tower by Eugene Tsui is inspired by nature: the elegant termite mound. It is aerodynamically efficient, resistant to earthquake shock waves, and is cooled by flowing water.
OK, so let’s put aside the fact that if the Earth ever reaches the point where we need to house over a million people in one building, we will have bigger problems than putting a roof over our heads. Let’s just roll with this one because the design is really cool.
Know what’s just as cool as this buildings size? It’s price, at $150 billion!
Designed to be virtually impervious to wind, water and earthquakes, the massive tower is conceived less as an architecture project but as a series of mini-ecosystems within which other architectural projects can be developed. And it offers some ingenious ideas on energy production, water use and intra-colony transport. At US$150 billion a pop, you wouldn't expect to see the Ultima being built any time soon, but as population pressure increases, it's pioneering ideas like these that will form the inspiration for real-world solutions.
(gizmag)
Via: gizmag Posted: May 6, 08
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