GMS understands tall buildings. Our engineers and architects are experts in not just the skyscraper’s “bones” (the structure), but its “skin” (the envelope) as well.
On October 22nd, Achim Hermes will travel to the annual Middle East Conference of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) in Dubai to participate in a panel discussion about “skinning tomorrow’s skyscrapers.” The era of the “all-glass” skyscraper has been declared to be coming to an end for some time. If this is true, when will we see a change, and what will that change look like? How can the skyscrapers we build today be cost-effectively and optimally clad for an uncertain tomorrow? Four experts debate their visions of how we’ll skin tomorrow’s skyscrapers. These questions and others will be addressed at the CTBUH session.
Gary Steficek will also be in attendance at the Dubai conference, serving as a judge for CTBUH’s annual awards in the category of Tall Building Renovation. This award recognizes projects that have made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of tall building renovation, and that take the technical solutions and possibilities for such renovations to the next level, innovatively extending the life cycle of the building.
At the end of November, GMS will present at the Chicago Architecture Center about renovating historic skyscrapers. Many of the most recognizable tall buildings dotting our skylines are more than 50 years old. How do we ensure these icons remain operable, profitable and vital to our cities for years to come? When does it make sense to tear down and build anew? The panel members will attempt to answer these questions using rapid-fire presentations followed by a moderated group discussion. “Too Tall to Fail: Revitalizing Our Iconic Skyscrapers” is co-hosted by CTBUH. Stay tuned for more information about this event.