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Old Posted Sep 18, 2012, 9:25 AM
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Smile NEW YORK | Zhongshan Center | 2,173 FT | 128 FLOORS

Read all about this Chinatown vison here...( 128 pages )
http://www.wongbook.com/final-printing-en.pdf







___



___



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Old Posted Sep 18, 2012, 9:36 AM
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Curbed.com goes through some of the details...


http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2012/0...n_problems.php

Chinatown 'Super Tower' Will Solve All Urban Problems





September 17, 2012
by Pete Davies

Quote:
Down in Chinatown at the base of the Bowery, where streets are crooked and living can be crowded, a proposal is being put forth to bring a massive 128-story building to NYC, where "everyone lives under one roof in harmony." This urban utopia would emerge by way of a "Super Skyscraper" called the Zhongshan Center rising over a newly-created superblock just west of the Manhattan Bridge. To make way for this behemoth, a swath of low-rise bits of brick would come down between the Bowery and Mott, from Bayard to Worth Streets. But unlike in divisive neighborhood transformations like the Atlantic Yards project, displaced Chinatown residents "will be able to move into these beautiful apartments, as if they had just won first prize in a lottery." The mega-scheme is outlined in a 54-point manifesto, covering everything from American capitalism to zoning inequities, with social and historical perspectives interspersed throughout.

The imagined building, shaped like a very severe capital "H" surrounded by gardens, will rise to 2,173 feet and contain a gross 15,000,000 square feet serviced by 130 elevators. Up high will be the world's largest revolving restaurant, doing a complete 360 every 85 minutes and offering views even better than those from atop the new 1 WTC. Floors below will be individually purposed, giving "mixed-use" a whole new meaning. Six stories of parking for 3,000 cars will anchor it all, leading up to a 10-story vertical retail mall with a wide array of restuarants. The next 12 floors will include community spaces, all offered for free (now we're really in utopia land). Rising over the next 10 floors will be low- and medium-income housing and then another batch of floors offering homes for those displaced by construction of the Zhongshan Center. This place truly has something for everyone, and the wonders only increase as it rises.

In the professional portion, running from floors 56-65, there'll be a floor for doctors, another for lawyers and so on. Next are twenty stories of luxury, "an excellent living choice for successful people." Above that: the Galactic Hotel, 10-stories of hospitality, not to be confused with the loftier 5-story "Super-Galactic Hotel" up on the 106th to 110th floors, where the crazy rich will find 8-star "ultra-luxurious service." On top of it all, there's still room for another fifteen floors where "officials and successful businessmen from the world over" can buy a condo or ten. Topping it off will be a 150 foot spire reaching to the heavens, leaving in the lurch a batch of new NYC towers all hoping to lay claim to the tallest in town.

Beyond being the biggest thing around, what's at the core of the Zhongshan Center pipe dream? "Strengthening the Country, Making People Rich, Getting Out of the Red, Building a Happy Family." Not to mention that it will become "a Scene of Perfection and Harmony" amidst the chaos and noise of NYC. Some big yang to balance out the yin. Who could argue with that?
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  #3  
Old Posted Sep 18, 2012, 12:31 PM
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^

http://observer.com/term/zhongshan-center/

Just What Chinatown Needs, a 2,173-Foot Tower of Insanity Created by Some Retired Local

By Matt Chaban

Quote:
“Ordinary People, Middle Class, The Rich & Government Officials. All live in Harmony under the Same Sky. To Generate a Utopian Society with Great Dreams.”

Is this some zen koan? A communist manifesto? The message inside a fortune cookie? No, it is the introduction, and the vision, to a 120 page pamphlet proposing a 128-story mega skyscraper covering some five blocks in the heart of Chinatown. Think the World Trade Center meets that crazy hotel in Pyongyang. It is the work of a humble man, retiree Wong San Yan, his gift to the neighborhood he love.

Curbed sleuth Pete Davies revealed the terrifying looking tower today, and he gives a striking rendition of what is inside:

The imagined building, shaped like a very severe capital “H” surrounded by gardens, will rise to 2,173 feet and contain a gross 15,000,000 square feet serviced by 130 elevators. Up high will be the world’s largest revolving restaurant, doing a complete 360 every 85 minutes and offering views even better than those from atop the new 1 WTC. Floors below will be individually purposed, giving “mixed-use” a whole new meaning. Six stories of parking for 3,000 cars will anchor it all, leading up to a 10-story vertical retail mall with a wide array of restuarants. The next 12 floors will include community spaces, all offered for free (now we’re really in utopia land). Rising over the next 10 floors will be low- and medium-income housing and then another batch of floors offering homes for those displaced by construction of the Zhongshan Center. This place truly has something for everyone, and the wonders only increase as it rises.

In the professional portion, running from floors 56-65, there’ll be a floor for doctors, another for lawyers and so on. Next are twenty stories of luxury, “an excellent living choice for successful people.” Above that: the Galactic Hotel, 10-stories of hospitality, not to be confused with the loftier 5-story “Super-Galactic Hotel” up on the 106th to 110th floors, where the crazy rich will find 8-star “ultra-luxurious service.” On top of it all, there’s still room for another fifteen floors where “officials and successful businessmen from the world over” can buy a condo or ten.”

If the penthouse at 432 Park is $85 million, what would this place cost? Then again, who would want to live in such a severe looking building.

The pamphlet accompanying is a work of sheer old-man genius, so perfectly wrought it could be some sort of over-the-top parody meant to lampoon the New York real estate market and the Chinatown community. Unfortunately, it appears to be legit, in which case it is the greatest example of daydream doodlings and architectural madness The Observer has ever seen.
Btw there's a spelling error in the thread title: should read Zhongshan instead of Zongshan.
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  #4  
Old Posted Sep 18, 2012, 2:02 PM
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Hahaha.

Actually that little block that he wants to replace is awesome. Good thing this will never happen.
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Old Posted Sep 18, 2012, 7:44 PM
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i wish this was a real proposal, lol
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  #6  
Old Posted Sep 19, 2012, 2:27 AM
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Imagine this monstrosity built in this view (just behind Confucious Plaza).


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Old Posted Sep 19, 2012, 8:05 PM
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You know what, I say go for it (even if it's a vision). When the Empire State Building was built, and even to this day it's surrounded by mid-highrises. This will be the same thing. Fifty years from now 1,500-2,000 footers will be crowding the city, doing to the 1,000 footers, what the 1,000 footers do to the 500 footers today. If this picture of the Larkin Building doesn't explain anything, then I don't know what will.



Look around the Larkin Building at Midtown (even though it's from 1926). All tiny buildings being dwarfed by the Larkin. Same thing the Zhongshan Building is doing to Chinatown (in the vision). Whether we like it or not beautiful and ugly (432 Park) megatall buildings will be dwarfing the skyline, and this is the 1,500 to 2,000 range (in Midtown and Downtown). So that means Chinatown, Little Italy, Soho, Noho, Meatpacking Dist etc. will all be getting 500-900 footers. The only problem I have with the Zhongshan Center is it's design, and the fact that if you wanna GO then GO all the way and make it the Worlds Tallest Building, especially since you're getting 5 precious Manhattan blocks.

BTW CONFUCIUS PLAZA. No O in Confucius, and this will look pretty bad behind CONFUCIUS Plaza.
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Old Posted Sep 20, 2012, 1:19 AM
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Nice design. Reminds me of KLi 63 in Seoul
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Old Posted Sep 20, 2012, 3:20 PM
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How about "build it and they will come"?
I just hope I'll be alive when NY gets its first 2000 footer...
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Old Posted Sep 20, 2012, 6:20 PM
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^ What do you mean build it and they will come. NYC is already a well established city. It's not Dubai where NYC has to build tall buildings to attract people to come, who won't even be permanent residents. Dubai has to set it's priorities straight. First, second, and third (nature) streets, sidewalks, roads, highways, parks, etc. Architecture AFTER a WHILE. If NYC didn't have tourists for the next 20-30 years it would still be the most populous city in the U.S. 20 million people appox. pass through the land known as Manhattan A DAY. Lets see 1.6 million residents, the other 18.4 million tourists, commuters, visitors etc. We don't need an ugly 2,000 footer to make people come to NYC, we got the ESB (that's all that needs to be said).
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Old Posted Sep 21, 2012, 2:30 AM
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Went to Google Sketch up and Earth to make these pictures. This thing would have completely dominated the skyline, messing it up in many views but sometimes adding to it in others. Basically these pics show how a 2,000 footer might look like in NYC.
First, roughly the same view NYguy showed.

























I would prefer a smaller version that uses more Asian architecture like Tapei 101, but somewhere else in this area in Chinatown.
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Old Posted Sep 22, 2012, 6:12 AM
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This building is extremely unattractive. It's just not good looking at all. There isn't anything to it. No design planning, no exterior planning, short mast, poor interiors, because of this I am considering this to not even be a serious proposal, but of a vision.
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Old Posted Sep 22, 2012, 8:03 AM
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^ You THINK it's a vision.
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Old Posted Sep 22, 2012, 12:43 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by THE BIG APPLE View Post
^ You THINK it's a vision.
this is an actual proposal?
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Old Posted Sep 22, 2012, 6:50 PM
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^ The guy who is proposing this is neither a developer nor an architect so if this is a proposal its in his mind. But if you or I ever proposed this or anything it would still be a vision. But let's say it is a proposal then it would be in the stale proposal category cause there's just no way this is getting built.
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Old Posted Sep 23, 2012, 1:19 AM
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This would look really bad cause its just way to fat.
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Old Posted Sep 23, 2012, 1:36 AM
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I would like it better if it were scaled down a lot, and built somewhere else.
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Old Posted Sep 23, 2012, 12:38 PM
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http://homes.yahoo.com/news/10-weird...141500792.html

The 10 Weirdest Details of NYC's Proposed 'Super Skyscraper'


Quote:
Earlier this week, a proposal for a 2,173-foot-tall tower in New York City's Chinatown surfaced on Curbed NY, and it outlines with rambling detail a 15,000,000-square-foot urban utopia. The manifesto, entitled "The Zhongshan Center Plans," brims with delicious, wackadoo features the future "Super Tower" might have, but in hopes of sparing anyone the task of reading 113 pages, here are the bizarre tidbits of the truly "mixed-use" space:

1. The Super Tower will have an outdoor roof observation deck on the 128th Floor with a path along the skyscraper's edges for "scenic viewing" of the city. It may sound terrifying, but there's really no need to worry, as "safety will be guaranteed, because we will invest in a steady frame."
2. Displaced residents will be able to move into the new apartments "as if they had just won first prize in a lottery."
3. But wait! The plans also include "Super-Galactic" residences, which will tempt celebrities including (but not limited to) royal families from Europe, CEOs, and "the wealthy."
4. The plans accommodate a teahouse and four "super famous" international restaurants.
5. Included in the blueprint draft is The Zhongshan Center Map-Designing Song, with morsels of lyrical genius like "Architects use thousands of papers, but what good does it do?"
6. The blueprints have allowed for a whopping 180,000 square feet of space for, well, lawyers. The more than four acres of office space (oh, and assistants and secretaries will be provided) is a worthy investment because, as the next 1,000 words describe fastidiously, there turns out to be many reasons why people may need a lawyer in the United States. There are also floors for accountants and other professionals.
7. The 10 stories above the professional floors will comprise the "Galactic Hotel," which will only be out-swanked by the "Super-Galactic Hotel" on floors 106 through 110.
8. Turns out "Super-Galactic" is the hyperbolic modifier of choice. Those aforementioned "super famous" restaurants will actually also be "Super-Galactic."
9. On top of it all? You guessed it, a rotating "Super-Galactic" restaurant, the largest and highest in the world.
10. And here's what makes it a true urban pipe dream: blueprints allow for 3,000 parking spaces and 12 floors of free community space. A "Scene of Perfection and Harmony," indeed.
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Old Posted Sep 23, 2012, 10:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by -Filipe- View Post
this is an actual proposal?
One more thing, WHY is this in the never built and visionary section?
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  #20  
Old Posted Sep 25, 2012, 12:06 PM
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http://designbuildsource.com.au/huge...orlds-problems

Could Huge Tower Solve Society’s Ills?




By Ahn Jae Wook
25 September 2012


Quote:
The concept of designing and building a 128-storey building just west of the Manhattan Bridge in New York that would accommodate everyone from the middle class, the rich and government officials in complete harmony to create a utopian society may seem like an unattainable goal. Those ambitions seem even more unfeasible if the ideals behind the building were intended to meld together socialism, capitalism and colonialism and help turn financial deficits into profits, reduce unemployment, generate more than $USD40 million annually in real estate tax, and that the building would contain within its walls billions of dollars worth of businesses.

Wong San Yan, a Chinese-American architect, not only has just such a far-reaching vision, he actually does not even hope to profit from it. Wong recently put forward an idea for Zhongshan Tower, a 128-storey building he says would be located in a run-down area in New York. So serious is he that he has produced a 113-page, 54-point manifesto, covering in minute detail the layout of the building and the features of each floor. The 64th floor, for example, would be reserved specifically for accountants, tax specialists and economists and no one else.

His plans are certainly grand. Situated on the block between Bowery Street, Bayard Street, Mott Street and Worth Street, this proposed urban utopia would cover roughly 15,000 square feet in area and reach a mammoth height of 2,173 feet. It would feature 120,000 square feet of greenery, 130 elevators, 1,600 apartments, 1,000 retail stores, 1,500 offices and have five million square feet for community use as well as a 3,000-vehicle car park. The plans also include environmentally friendly factories, eight-star hotels, a rooftop greenhouse, the world’s four best restaurants, an enormous rotating restaurant and the world’s highest observation deck.

The community space would include elder care centres, schools, youth associations, kindergartens, health spas, cultural centres, libraries, conference rooms, and offices for not-for-profit organisations. Some 300 apartments between the 36th and 45th floors would be available for low and middle income families, with a further 150 apartments on these floors reserved for the elderly.

Certainly, Wong is not shy in espousing the virtues of his proposal, nor in his appraisal of the current state of the site. “For over 100 years, there have been more than 120 buildings at the location where the Zhongshan Centre will be built,” Zhou declares in the preface accompanying his proposal. “In these buildings, the roofs leak to the point of being irreparable and the wires and pipes supplying electricity and sewage access are old and inefficient. This often leads to accidents and other problems.” He adds that stairs in the buildings in the area are typically steep and, without elevator access, the buildings are inaccessible. Furthermore, the buildings are not tall enough to allow scenic views, and he suggests the land in underutilised.

Wong says his proposed skyscraper would be modern and offer vastly improved living conditions and decor. He said the businesses in his proposal would offer upscale working conditions, and with so many amenities in such a condensed space, shopping and all other facilities would be extremely convenient.

Bringing such an ambitious and far-reaching project to fruition would obviously be challenging, and Wong himself is clear that he wants no part in the construction of the tower. While his intentions in proposing such a massive development are no doubt laudable, it will be up to others now to act on the proposal for it to come to fruition. Wong has, however, certainly brought the concept far enough that it is now in the realm of discussion, and all magnificent buildings in existence today were once merely dreams of those who believed the ‘impossible’ was indeed possible.
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