Thursday, August 17, 2006

the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai

I mentioned the JinMao tower in Shanghai Day 1, and will get back to it in Shanghai Day 6 when I get to it.
The JinMao Tower is the 5th tallest building in the world (actually the 4th height as the Petronas Towers are identical, and so tied at 2nd). From Forbes.com:

The buildings observatory and highest floor is the 88th.
The Grand Hyatt Hotel is from the 54th to the 87th floor. It is the world's highest hotel above ground level. The Hotel has the tallest atrium in the world, going 33 floors up. I didn't particularly appreciate the view down the atrium from the 88th floor (being that I'm afraid of heights and you have to lean over to see down the atrium). Looking up from the bar on the 55th floor wasn't so bad. It also supposedly has the world's longest laundry chute, at 420 vertical meters (Lonely Planet Guide)
There are 61 elevators in the building. Thinking about it, I can understand the need. For example, there are 2 elevators from the ground floor to the hotel lobby on the 54th floor. From there, you have the hotel elevators, and the 2 elevators to the 3 floors of restaurants. There are also the 2 elevators to the 88th floor. Every bunch of floors must have elevators to the group and then elevators within that set of floors. I couldn't imagine the entire building relying on one set of elevators. That would be a very long wait!!
The top of the tower is supposed to be able to sway up to 75 centimeters in case of a storm!!!! I could not imagine how that would feel to be standing on the 88th floor when that happens. Ugh.

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