Mega structures are so amazing, and not just because they are described by adjectives that end in the ending “est.” While the tallest, largest, deepest, and longest display extreme proportions, it’s the engineering feats and construction methods behind each structure that are truly astounding.
Here is a list of the 5 most important engineering achievements from around the world:
1. Eureka Tower
The city of Melbourne in Australia is home to this tower which consists of 91 floors. It is the tallest building in Melbourne, and the second tallest in Australia. It was finished in 2006, after five years of construction.
Clad in blue glass, its modern architectural style is visually striking. The blue, gold, red and white colors used on this building are symbolic of the Eureka Stockade rebellion that occurred during the 1854 gold rush in Victoria. The golden crown of the tower symbolizes the gold rush. The red color represents the blood that was shed. The blue hue represents the main color of the rook’s flag. White can also be found on flags.
2. Aldar Headquarters Building
This giant orb can be found on Al Raha Beach in Abu Dhabi. The mega-structure is the first full circular building in the Middle East. Its distinctive and visionary form and style earned it the title of “Best Futuristic Design”, awarded at the Spanish Building Exchange Conference.
The shape and construction of the building is achieved using structural diagrams. This is a diagonal steel grating. Aldar Headquarters has a restaurant and hotel suites. There are 20 elevators of various types in the building, three of which are single-person lifts.
3. Petronas Towers
The Petronas Towers, otherwise known as the Petronas Twin Towers, are located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The tower was built in stages, starting in March 1993. The overall style is post-modernism.
Both towers are topped by very high pinnacles. The peak has a dual function. They adhere to the Islamic minaret tradition, and their lights warn aircraft of their presence. These towers are connected by a sky bridge. It is a construction marvel in itself. Between 1998 and 2004, the tower was the tallest man-made structure in the world.
4. Roller Coaster Kingda Ka
This steel accelerator roller coaster is located in the Golden Kingdom section of the park at Six Flag Great Adventure in New Jersey, USA
It is the tallest roller coaster in the world, and the second fastest. Acceleration goes from zero to 128 miles/206 kilometers per hour in just three and a half seconds. The course is 3,118 feet/950 meters long, and the journey lasts less than 30 seconds. This roller coaster is capable of providing rides to 1,400 passengers every hour.
5. Rio-Antirrio Bridge
The official name of the bridge is the Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge. Named for the politician who first proposed its construction. Spanning the Gulf of Corinth, it is the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world.
The construction of the bridge presented many engineering challenges, and new construction techniques had to be devised due to the depth of the water and loose seafloor deposits. There are built-in sensors and monitoring devices to ensure the safety and structural integrity of the bridge.
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This post was written by Artyon Kelly, an architecture student from Brisbane, Australia.
