280-m-Tall TST Hotel Tower in Taipei Inspired by Bamboo

Curved edges, an angled tip and a grooved green façade distinguish Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel’s (ACPV) design for the 280-m-tall Taipei Sky Tower (TST) planned by local developer Riant Capital Ltd. in the Xinyi shopping and financial district, dezeen reported. ACPV will also design interiors for Park Hyatt Taipei, one of two Hyatt hotels that aim to occupy TST by 2020. The other, Taipei Andaz, will have a different designer so the hotels will have distinct identities. There will be 500 rooms, and the developer is optimistic based on surging numbers of tourists, expected to reach 19 million in 2020, and demand from the local wealthy elite.

Earthquake-Resistant Building Debuts in Tokyo

Mitsui Fudosan debuted the 191-m-tall, or approximately 57-story, Tokyo Midtown Hibiya across from Hibiya Park in downtown Tokyo during a grand opening in March, Japan Property Central reported. With offices, a 2,300-seat cinema and 60 retailers, the structure replaces 1960s- and 1930s-era buildings demolished to make way for it. Spanning 188,000 m2, Tokyo Midtown Hibiya was built to be earthquake resistant by withstanding a lean of up to 30˚. Its basement arcade incorporates features of the Sanshin Building, built in 1930. Hopkins Architects of the U.K. handled the design.