spoke to the structural engineer responsible for the projects at the centre of the photograph (the "HighCliff" and "Summit"), and this is one example which overseas engineers came to Hong Kong to study as a precedent. the technical difficulties it encoutered during site formation and the construction of the foundation works were good case study.
on the other hand, how it actually dwarfed the houses and building in front, that' s something else worth discussing. should the government impose stricter control on the development of buildings to control the compatibility of built forms? or should it allow the developer/ architect to develop the piece of land to its full potential in the spirit of free economy, capitalist state?
another point worth noting is that these 2 towers are actually residential buildings with externally cladded curtain wall system, meaning the residents are not expected to open the windows normally. due to its high altitude, since the moisture and the gust will be difficult to control without proper measures, that implies that the space will be air-conditioned 24 hrs a day and 7 days a week. an essentially energy intensive environment.
the wind is quite strong at such location, and the air is supposed to be cleaner and fresher, shouldn't we be looking into opportunity to harness the wind power for such developments?
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