Al Hamra Firdous Tower

Sculpting the Skyline: Architects, engineers, and contractors tackle a challenging geometry to build a supertall tower with a striking silhouette for a desert city.

May 16, 2012

No Comments

People/Products

It is in the nature of tall buildings that rankings are short-lived, but at least for the moment, the 1,354-foot-tall, 77-story Al Hamra Firdous Tower, by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), is the tallest building in Kuwait City. It is the tallest all-office building and the tallest skyscraper with a concrete structure in the region.

Designing with Concrete in the 21st Century

Now On Demand

Credits: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 AIBD P-CE; 0.1 IACET CEU

May qualify for learning hours through most Canadian architectural associations

Concrete is a rather ubiquitous, tested, proven, and versatile building material. It has been used for literally thousands of years to create long-lasting man-made structures of all types, including buildings. Architects in the past few centuries have found it to be an appealing choice to express dynamic and vibrant designs in ways that other materials could not.

Housing Our Cities’ Growing Populations

Now On Demand

Credits: 1 AIBD P-CE; 0.1 IACET CEU

May qualify for learning hours through most Canadian architectural associations.

Population growth within American cities continues to skyrocket. Once empty downtowns in Rust Belt cities like Detroit, St. Louis and Buffalo are filling up; cities across North America like Tulsa, Philadelphia, and Ottawa, hoping to be the next Seattle, are wooing tech companies to bring their offices there.

2019 January

In the January 2019 issue, Architectural Record includes its annual building type studies on Schools of the 21st Century.

View More Subscribe

Al Hamra Firdous Tower

Sculpting the Skyline: Architects, engineers, and contractors tackle a challenging geometry to build a supertall tower with a striking silhouette for a desert city.

Related Articles

Related Products