The $3BN Feng Shui Skyscraper Fixing Hong Kong's Skyline

This may be the world’s curviest skyscraper.
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Additional footage and images courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects, Seele, Dassault Systems, ABC News Australia.
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[@UnbeltedSundew]

Ah yes, every window bespoke, complicated and incredibly expensive. That definitely won't cause problems in the future.

[@ronaldfreeman1787]

Our city state is literally run by boomer bourgeoisies with traditional superstition, just look at our demographics and you would understand.

[@jimmysass]

its not even that great - they over sell this. Have a look at crown casino building in sydney. I think that is 100% bespoke - this was only 20%.

[@ItsMe-yv9jd]

?? Gotta say, THAT is a very very ugly building... no matter how many times he insists on saying it's an 'impressive' design will not change that.

[@alexandercarder2281]

@@ItsMe-yv9jdI know right, it’s a bumbling monstrosity except for that huge glass restaurant at the top except they o oh showed us the 3D model version of it which is dubious to say the least.

[@vannustube]

@@ItsMe-yv9jd out of curiosity, which buildings do you find nice looking?

[@Tobi-ln9xr]

Seele is also the company which produces the glass domes of the new Stuttgart underground central station which is part of the S21 infrastructure project.

[@OtisFilm]

And the Apple Campus donut :D

[@errrerr2489]

They also are working on something called the "Human Instrumentality Project", sounds exciting!

[@zevpizda]

@@errrerr2489 EVANGELION MENTIONED

[@mattmiller4]

As a longtime B1M subscriber, I'm disappointed with the recent videos. They feel more like software ads than the detailed construction content I loved. This video needed more depth and time, but it felt rushed and rather superficial.

[@Datamining101]

Fells like there are 5-10 minutes missing from this video.

[@taterkaze9428]

How will any damaged curved glass panels be replaced a few years from now? "There are only two suppliers in the world". I'm sure duplicates of all curved surfaces weren't produced before construction because of cost. This design carries a unique risk. Even if the probability of future panel damage is low it's still an unmanaged risk. Typhoons happen. High winds pick things up and fling them into buildings.

[@ronaldfreeman1787]

Do not question boomer logic /s

[@HKNotch]

They will patch it up with plywood lol that's what always happens.

[@donc-m4900]

It will be a copy, so Made in China.

[@Roatanlova68fmp71lliiiak]

​@@HKNotchplywood and bamboo 😂

[@Discount-Stonks]

Sounds like a Zaha Hadid project

[@ThoughtFission]

Interesting subject. Unfortunate it was basically a just a big Dassault infomertial.

[@malahammer]

You must have missed the engineering bits and not seen the many other videos that interview the architects and builders.

[@BruneSixtine]

While a Nord VPN commercial would have been ok.

[@NeovanGoth]

Yes, it said so at the end. And why not? This seems to be the good kind of advertising that goes beyond the usual bullshit and shows what can actually be done with a product.

[@thaifoodtakeaway]

@@fishmarketer I've learned that there is a company in Germany that makes curved glass, and that the building follows the Feng-Shui principles. Apart from that, just fluff. The B1M videos these days are just reading out the PR BS from the builders with little or no research and with a sponsors forced in sideways to make it look relevant. Some more information about the building would have been nice.

[@merricstudy]

I saw it in hk yesterday and it is really amazing and magnificent.

[@f.remplakowski]

CATIA should really do an Autodesk and let students get easy and free access to their software (with full tutorials), they will eventually be your paying customers and you need a large group of expert users to become a common industry standard. If you gatekeep and nickel and dime them they will only learn the software if someone else is paying for it and sugar daddies/mommies in construction are in short supply. From the videos I have seen it's a very impressive piece of software that architects should have been using all along. Just difficult to find when you're a student, so you will go with what is easily available, free and what your peers use. We all know how much degrees in architecture cost along with the other costs associated with it. Most students will not be spending money on extra software they will have to pay for anyway if they have their own practice.

[@jellygoo]

That large group of expert users is the automobile industry where it is a standard.

[@f.remplakowski]

@@jellygoo Do they have easy access to the software, because it's not something you can download and learn as easily as other software? They seem to be gatekeepers when this type of software should be easy to get hold of and learn. Licensing and remuneration for its use should be from businesses making money.

[@PaulVoorberg]

Why have a misleading thumbnail like that? It gives off the wrong impression in regards to what the video is about IMO. I liked the video (watched it fully) but the thumbnail gives me the impression that it's meant to be clickbait and not to accurately represent the angle of the video. Edit: They changed it, it isn't misleading anymore now. For the record, the thumbnail before featured two images of the skyscraper: one titled "render" looking very shiny and futuristic, and the other titled "reality" which was the building when it was under construction without reflective surfaces - suggesting they did a bad job or didn't finish it.

[@kingyertle100]

Couldn’t agree more

[@danycashking]

all youtubers are caving to clickbait, impressions are all that matter

[@d.b.cooper1]

Cause clickbait & captions matter more than ever. It's just a fact. We're now at a point where creators often often change thumbnails several times in the first 24 hours depending on analytics. Once you look past it & focus on the vid it's better

[@mateuszbugaj799]

Yup, I thought that they did bad job or didn't finish it. For the record, the thumbnail features two images of the skyscraper; in one title "render" it's very shiny and futuristic and in the other titled "reality" the building is under construction without reflective surfaces

[@RickyCornejo91]

I think that in order to stay competitive in youtube they might not have much of a choice but to clickbait. I don’t mind it from creators that make quality videos.

[@_S7R4N63R]

Interesting to see how bamboo scaffolding is still used in Hong Kong even for a construction project of this scale.

[@alexandercarder2281]

Because it’s the best for scaffolding. Better than our tube metal. More flexible.

[@vehicles_n_stuff]

It’s cheap, strong, takes a long time to rot, and almost infinitely available. It’s too bad it isn’t used in more places.

[@EleanorPeterson]

Yep. Bamboo is extraordinary stuff. It's the exact natural equivalent of a modern synthetic epoxy-carbon composite: long, extremely tough fibres embedded in a flexible waterproof matrix. If an engineer suggested using carbon-fibre rods, poles and tubes to make scaffolding, I don't suppose anybody would question his idea... Until he told them how much each tube would cost.😲 Synthetic composites are light and tough, but they have poor abrasion resistance and need careful handling. A typical building site is a brutal environment. Things get crushed, dropped, trodden on and driven over. UV degradation can be a problem, too. Overall, synthetic scaffolding would be too delicate and expensive for normal use. Steel scaffolding is certainly robust, but it's heavy and expensive when compared to bamboo, which is light, tough, elastic, UV resistant, waterproof, and ridiculously cheap. It grows so quickly that you can actually see it move hour-by-hour. A final point which might have some relevance nowadays is that bamboo's 'green' credentials are impeccable. It's non-polluting, has a tiny carbon-footprint, and is totally recyclable.

[@krishpatel3773]

@@EleanorPeterson Hey there, I just wanted to get further insight regarding bamboo for scaffolding. Why don't we see bamboo used more commenly around the world? Going off the top of my head here so I may be wrong but wasn't there a point where bamboo was used a lot more commenly. If I were to guess, I'd say that it doesn't portray the same level of safety/strength to regulators and/or individuals/companies haha. Or perhaps just the talent or skill is lacking elsewhere.

[@ringonhomes]

Finally a poignant comment

[@dt8101]

There was a Financial Times article from last week saying that the occupancy rate of this building is very low. In fact, Hong Kong's prime office occupancy rate has declined rapidly recently. When this building was initially planned, they didn't expect the decline of Hong Kong as a financial hub.

[@Jason88215]

60% according to FT which is not really “very low”

[@ronaldfreeman1787]

@@Jason88215 For a new building, it is very low.

[@felineboy1586]

It is when you have loan repayments to make ​@@Jason88215

[@thevikingbear2343]

It's not low when you consider NYC office buildings occupancy rates

[@d.b.cooper1]

Occupancy rates are often very deceptive cause you never really know what figure developers have already baked into their numbers as the breakeven. Key flagship tenants who pay the big bucks matter way more. And in a place like HK in the long run can only go so wrong, people have fearmongered over HK real estate since the 80s/90s.

[@arthurm4726]

While we know there is a need for commercialization, I also get the sense recently that the PRC is also bankrolling things at the B1M as well…

[@canto_v12]

The software sponsor is French, not Chinese.

[@arthurm4726]

Slow down. Read. ‘As well’ - referring to several stories from China. I know where Dassault is from, I work for a competitor.

[@Parakeet-pk6dl]

It's very cool, and I'm very glad that's it built in a place I'm not living 🙂

[@kathym6603]

Funny but true!

[@Sakuyushi]

Hong Kong people also find this building looks weird!

[@fedm6296]

Sums up the life of an architect: works on a billion dollar project, can only afford an IKEA Kallax. And a black shirt.

[@mrbbqcraig]

Absolutely astounding construction in such a small space... just amazes me how it's done these days... cheers to the B1M team 🤟✨

[@serkles8597]

Precision, precision, precision. What does that even mean in the context of CAD software? Does it have more numbers behind the decimal point?

[@Roatanlova68fmp71lliiiak]

Right?

[@pkramer962]

It means that you can make any shape you want. Especially with curvature often times there are restrictions to what you can get. This is not necessary for most "normal" design work but especially in aerospace design it is important. One example i can make is if you want to make a circle using splines you can get something close to a circle with Bezier Splines. But if you want a precise circle you need to use something like NURBS which takes more effort but gets you exactly what you want.

[@Alone47]

I would love to see a comparison of the as-built and the as-designed drawings, and see what that "precision" got them in the end. But then, anything can be built if you throw enough money around.

[@joshgall3661]

Choose one... Me drawing how I did your mom? Or a 3D rendered animation of how I did your mom? I think the computer's drawing is more precise😂😉

[@mountainjeff]

@@pkramer962 I think it also includes the ability to define manufacturing "limits", but that isn't part of the "precision" measure. Or maybe it is.

[@rickkuny6591]

Always delightful to watch I wish it was twice as long! Thank you for showing us these modern marvels

[@stefanoslan]

Dude that building design was used for multiple proposals including one in Melbourne so don't tell me that they were inspired by some hong Kong stuff.

[@2008uit123]

I can't believe it... Architects from zaha hadid has a IKEA kallax?

[@jefitoo]

😅

[@ItsMe-yv9jd]

?? Gotta say, THAT is a very very ugly building... no matter how many times he insists on saying it's an 'impressive' design will not change that.

[@u1zha]

Oh but... That's level 100 trolling. XD I didn't notice at first (and I despise Kallax)

[@nickwei6865]

proud to see this , i live in Hong Kong and I work for Dassault

[@mechaka430]

I am glad that there is a Bulgarian imprint (architect Erevinov) on the construction of this skyscraper!And it is amazing to note the development of the construction of skyscrapers in a different way, different from the one we see in big cities.

[@jacksak]

A big advertisement...

[@alee9071]

wow, great looking building! love it!

[@real.ilya_remov]

The before/after of the renders were really cool! Please do more!

[@thomas_delaney]

This video was 40% advertising and 60% Wikipedia information

[@felineboy1586]

Unfortunately i feel the quality of content is slipping recently which is so sad

[@PROVOCATEURSK]

Capitalism. Capitalism never changes.

[@1subhraguha]

awesome. I learnt CATIA just after my engineering in 2004. But never really got chance to work in this software. This project could have been my dream project. Loved it

[@ahmadj1111]

Amazing building and the tech used to build it. B1M again amazes me with its reach to this kind of amazing projects.

[@SJR_Media_Group]

Catia was used to design this building. Former Boeing Everett... in the 90's we used Catia 3D Modeling Software and high-end IBM Engineering Workstations to design the B-777 aircraft. It was first modern airliner designed solely in software with no physical models.

[@darthowl100]

Crazy level of curves, cool. Actually good looking building... not so much.

[@brendancolohan6841]

That was a cool looking building man nice one

[@ethanol1586]

I remember seeing this building in Hong Kong when I went earlier this year, and I was utterly mesmerized

[@Stop4MotionMakr]

This building is pretty unique in that it's the first one I've seen ever where the real thing actually looked like the rendering.

[@michaeljf6472]

This "each panel unique curve" must be a nightmare for manufacturers and breaks any illusion of it being sustainable. Starchitect products that look like blobitecture or Gehry are for shock value, not logical and efficient reasons. Edit: I stand corrected, its even worse

[@mtmfsoe]

I get making money from youtube, but honestly i´d prefer a sponsor segment instead of disguised 10 min long commercials with litttle to no value

[@zo3997]

....or you could just get premium? 😂

[@mtmfsoe]

@@zo3997 doesn't change the content my friend...

[@zo3997]

@@mtmfsoe you actually WANT to see marketing materials related to the subject matter?

[@mtmfsoe]

@@zo3997 you are missing my point.. fearing that repeating my point wont make a difference: The whole video feels like an infomercial. I´d rather see an sponsor break for 30 seconds than low quality hight marketing content from a once great channel.

[@zo3997]

@@mtmfsoe yes I was, my bad, I had a smoothbrain moment, after reading more comments I understand yours. What sort of information would you like to see instead? That may be more constructive than simply saying the segment has little to no value

[@OkThisllbeMyName]

lots of locals think this thing looks like a fleshlight source: lives here

[@freakazoid4691]

This channel is becoming more and more like an infomercial. It’s not what drew me to it but it is what will drive me away…

[@바보Queen]

gorgeous building

[@LivinginHongkong1]

Havent seen this building yet, ill have to go down and have a look

[@jakobschulz7500]

The stuff that Seele has done over the years. They are also building the glass ceiling of the main station of my town and for whatever reason they got it strong enough that a car could drive over it. They also build the roof of the Moynihan train hall in new york.

[@MassiveBuild]

Undoubtedly, if it is managed properly, can be the world’s curviest skyscraper

[@downundabrotha]

It looks like my Flower Vase 😂

[@johnl.7754]

After it is finished people might say that your flower vase looks like the skyscraper

[@100c0c]

😂 ​@@johnl.7754

[@rexmann1984]

Your house must be huge?!?!!!?

[@marcbyrnes293]

I was thinking a giant jar of Jelly Bellys

[@goullet86]

Hahahahaha omg thats so crazy and worth mentioning!!!!!!!!

[@KKw0ng-m1m]

I remember the first time going past this building, the first thing that reminded me of is just a bunch of guinness pint glass stacked on top of each other

[@joshgall3661]

THE SHARP BUILDING without fransua is so much cleaner, and overall more pleasing to look at tbh😂

[@remkoburger6595]

That is one impressive building!

[@davidbulbeck4370]

i know adverts are getting more prevalent on platforms like this and with creators like the B1M, but this felt like a huge step in an unwanted direction. Pretty much an advert from start to finish with very little interesting content and more questions at the end than the start, Such as what if that software hadn't been available? Is it just because of that one platform that this was possible? Why that fairly small height? And who would pay USD3bn for a car park?

[@imjody]

Wow, this building is absolutely beautiful!! I love all the curves. I can say with certainty that in years past, it would have been insanely difficult to make all these differently curved panes of glass!! I love how the software being used today allows for such beauty to be made at a fraction of the cost, and at a fraction of the time. Thanks for sharing with such remarkable detail, and for getting others who are in the know, to share their knowledge as well. Seriously love Fred & The B1M team! 🔥❤

[@boredgrass]

I would love to learn more about the glass! There seem to have gone a number of quantum leaps in glass making into this! I also wonder wether super high skyscraper building has put up steam again, because of material science and engineering developments like this one. Keep up the good work! ❤

[@elliottmcparland8786]

walked by it last week when in hong kong.. its impressive, got the feeling i could have walked in if i wanted to hahaha wasnt super well guarded, but most rooftops are open and easy to access in hong kong if you are into that sort of thing. Anyway I think they were testing out lighting during the day for when its ready, assume it will be impressive at night

[@koohami]

nice can you do bahamar in the bahamas. it was a very big project for my island. Big story with it also.

[@Roatanlova68fmp71lliiiak]

That's an exquisite building, the engineering is insane. Nice touch with the fung shei too..

[@lowyieldbondfunds]

Yup, great video but it's missing 10-15 more minutes of content. It just got started talking about the interior of the building, and it ended.

[@Sandoz-tq7qj]

I live in Hong Kong and I have seen this building last week. Great ! Don't know when is the official opening ceremony ? Summer is very hot here for the last couple of weeks .

[@shermanator87]

This tower looks like it gained a decent amount of weight and then had a huge allergic shock due to an insect sting.

[@samuelistillo84]

I'm literally working with CATIA rn for an OEM while watching this vid lol I'd never thought to have B1M mentioning it on an architecture video hahaha maybe I should change sector now

[@alam9014]

Diversification is key, I also know CATIA from aerospace and transportation industries but now I can see full potential

[@borntoclimb7116]

This design looks very cool. Sad this is not a hotel.

[@stevekeiretsu]

Interesting to watch this not long after Stewart Hicks' excellent video about skyscraper glazing problems, particularly how maintaining windows over the decades creates whole other challenges that early skyscraper architects didnt always anticipate. All I can say, watching this, after that, is good luck to the occupiers here. I'm sure when (not if) glazing breaks and you have only two suppliers in the world who can manufacture replacements and they're on the wrong side of the planet, the maintenance will no doubt be fast and service charges kept low...lmao

[@petergerdes1094]

I think you underestimate the clever solutions people can come up with absent computers. Not saying it would be easy, but you can make a scale model use forms or simply pay a bunch of people to do computations by hand.

[@GazMoby]

Very enjoyable as always 👍

[@TheB1M]

Thank you!!

[@malahammer]

1:00 they need new software to upgrade their scaffolding :)

[@humayunsarfraz1495]

So impressive

[@jameswilson5165]

Wow! I couldn't help but think of a Star Wars Coruscant cityscape or a huge air-filtering machine. I wonder if there is a huge warehouse somewhere full of replacement glass and a trainload of Windex.

[@noodlessurprise]

Are these videos just ads - I don’t get it - feel like constant promo.

[@edyee1647]

Heck no.

[@LM-MS]

Yeah I miss the old B1M before they selling out and going corporate...

[@Direkin]

One of those footbridges was demolished when Cheung Kong Tower (world's ugliest building just across the road) was built. They weren't allowed to do that, so Cheung Kong Holdings had to rebuild the footbridge.

[@Avg-Usr]

Fun fact: the anti feng shui design of the BOC tower is a deliberate decision. The tower is right next to the former (British) governor’s mansion and it was specifically designed to give bad feng shui to the British administration.

[@andywayne5356]

Your videos are turning into 80% ads and 20% info. This entire video was to promote a CAD program.

[@arrjay2410]

I'm not unappreciative of the esthetics of Feng Shui, but the expense of the building process has me asking one simple question. Why?

[@drumcircler]

Magnificent views of the ugly surrounding buildings.

[@Supernaut2000]

I hope it has a nice food court?

[@JohnJohn-ts6ux]

Thanks for the video I wouldn't be surprised but the glass is made in Germany is similar recipe like on smartphones Gorilla Glass, and that is the recipe with where it came from originally

[@nighttime9539]

3:28 which way? Can't understand what it says.

[@timhorton698]

If a glass panel breaks -and it will - you have to get a replacement from Germany? 😂

[@sharonkwan5732]

Hong Kong is what a place with outstanding engineering work and histories of skyscrapers

[@pritishjena5393]

If human beings could have had this kind of empathy like their intelligence

[@user-ny7lz3pc8s]

Will you do another video about it when it completes?

[@jonathanllamas2423]

Do you know if the glass manufacturer for the project is the same one that did the curved glass for the new Apple HQ?

[@TheHersonCastillo]

Of course, a Zaha Hadid Architects creation 🙃😊

[@sukhdeepsandhu488]

Is it an advertisement?

[@revant4835]

Always love a new B1M upload

[@x1achilles99]

You mean infomercial?

[@user-tt5xj5ib1e]

When I wanted to get rid of the bad Feng Shui from my neighbours, I just planted a massive hedge, now no more neighbours :) 🤔🌳🌳🌳🌳🤣

[@petatrethewy2695]

Zaha Hadid buildings are instantly recognisable and beautiful, if incredibly complicated.

[@Theodisc]

Looks like it's gunning to take off. 🚀

[@Samuel_J1]

Looks like it must be one of the most complex facades ever built. It's a beautiful building, but I feel like it could have a better name 😅

[@Kodakcompactdisc]

Strange seeing such a futuristic looking building being built with bamboo scaffolding.

[@gtv6chuck]

Funny - the Bank of China Building was designed by IM Pei, who was rather Chinese, and he didn't follow Feng Shui principles. It's also one of my favorite buildings.

[@tofanalexander]

Although technologically impressive, one can not not observe that the compromises that had to be made distorted a lot the beauty of the initial design.

[@luisbranco]

awesome content as always, keep it up :)

[@louisbalfour5202]

I didn't subscribe to watch 10 minute ads. Goodbye.

[@diefachfrau]

Seele hat da wahrscheinlich für die gesamte Verkleidung nicht so lang gebraucht wie bei S21….

[@george_davituri]

epic skyscraper, it's feat of construction but my personal preference is neo gothic architecture

[@Danji_Coppersmoke]

A very rare Zaha Hadid's design that I don't like. Is that because they lady left? That bank of china building is a better design.

[@alfrredd]

She didn't leave she died 🙃

[@A51Rene]

Amazing how close the end result is compared to the renders. You don't see that too often

[@Ooooollee]

That's astonishing compared to the 88 floors of the IFC! They certainly know how to employ financial strategies.. gg

[@LukeXlll]

Not sure if you used the wrong thumbnail or something, but the one on this video does not accurately depict the video at all.

[@theguiltyboy269]

We love a giant Tenga in our skyline ❤

[@theguiltyboy269]

And for context hkers literally nickname this the Tenga building 🙂‍↔️

[@chicobicalho5621]

Richard Serra used CATIA to conceive his amazing Torqued Elipses.

[@thomasfholland]

How much does the software program like CATiA cost in USD?

[@balesjo]

Ah, I wonder if a pane of glass pops out or is otherwise broken, what is the time-frame for getting a replacement.

[@ModelSkyscrapers]

❤ Hong Kong

[@pkramer962]

Finally a skyscraper that actually looks futuristic and not just like something that an architecture student threw together in a few hours.