CTBUH Starts Comprehensive Innovation Study

Two-year project to investigate “rope-less, non-vertical elevators.”

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) Research Office, project sponsor thyssenkrupp and an international steering committee have embarked on a 24-month research study investigating how technical innovations in elevators, specifically rope-less, non-vertical elevators, could impact the design outcomes of tall buildings and cities. thyssenkrupp contributed US$265,000 to the project, which was launched on August 30 with a kickoff meeting in Chicago that brought together experts in design, structural engineering, vertical transportation, real estate, consulting and fire safety.

Entitled “A Study on the Design Possibilities Enabled by Rope-Less, Non-Vertical Elevators,” the project seeks to remove the evolutionary bottleneck created by exclusively vertical elevator systems, as conventional systems have limited the height and influenced the shape of skyscrapers. It will ask such questions as:

“What would happen if a rope-less elevator cabin, able to move in the horizontal direction, became possible? How could the application of such a system affect the design of tall buildings, and, to a greater extent, the design of contemporary cities?”

To support the research, a steering committee and various expert panels were formed to generate and evaluate final results. The possibilities of thyssenkrupp’s own MULTI system will be investigated. CTBUH notes this product “would align succinctly with the proliferation of connections between buildings through skybridges,” which are seen in such popular high rises as the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore and the Linked Hybrid in Beijing.

The aim of the research is to retrace the evolution of the elevator and its relation to the design of tall buildings. CTBUH expects it will “make a new ‘generation’ of tall buildings possible with completely new, unprecedented designs, freed from the verticality of lift constraints.” Moreover, the research group will strive to uncover the challenges, possibilities and eventual limits and solutions to the application of rope-less elevators in new designs. Downstream effects that such an application could produce in the design of tall buildings and cities will also be examined.

Parisian Macao Resort Features Schindler Products

The Parisian Macao Sands Resort opened in September 2016 in Cotai on the southern coast of China, featuring an array of Schindler vertical-transportation equipment, Jardine Schindler Group announced. The system includes 87 elevators and 48 escalators, including a pair of specially designed high-speed, high-traffic 7000 elevators for the Parisian Macao’s half-scale Eiffel tower. Those elevators transport visitors 100 m to a 37th-floor observation deck in approximately 40 s. The system also includes 40 additional 7000 and 39 compact 5500 elevators, and 48 9300AE escalators serving a resort with 3,000 guest rooms, more than 170 stores, French-inspired streetscapes and a 1,200-seat theater.

Fenton-Scott Named Service Sales Manager at Apex

London-based Apex Lifts has named Soni Fenton-Scott Service Sales manager. With more than 20 years’ experience in the industry, he will be responsible for growing the company and meeting with prospective clients throughout the southeast U.K. Fenton-Scott began his career in the lift industry at a large international company, going on to study for his degree in Lift Engineering and focus his career on the independent market. As a holder of the EOR202 Basic Lift Safety qualification, he will conduct lift-equipment surveys. Fenton-Scott stated:

“I joined Apex because they are a very well-respected and established company within the industry, and are at a point where they are expanding. I hope to further develop my career and take Apex to the next level, with the goal of making them the largest independent lift company in the U.K.”

Nouvel’s Tour Helka to Make Mark on Paris Skyline

A geometric, 49-story glass office building designed by Jean Nouvel promises to distinguish itself on the Paris skyline in the La Défense district, with construction slated to start this year, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat reported. Hines and AG Real Estate are the developers of Tour Helka Complex, also set to include a 22-story
tower containing