You are on page 1of 6

07/08/2016

ArchitectDavidFisheronHisDynamicTowerinDubaiWSJ

Thiscopyisforyourpersonal,noncommercialuseonly.Toorderpresentationreadycopiesfordistributiontoyourcolleagues,clientsorcustomersvisit
http://www.djreprints.com.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123432213609971519

CULTURALCONVERSATION
Believe Him or Not, He Puts a Fresh
Spin on Architecture

ByFRANCISX.ROCCA
UpdatedFeb.11,200912:01a.m.ET
Florence
Withpropertypricesalmosteverywhereheadedforthegroundfloor,thismightnotseemthebesttimefor
buildingaluxuryskyscraper.ThemomentwouldseemespeciallyunpropitiousinDubai,wheretheglobal
financialcrisishasunderminedaonceboomingrealestatemarketandlastmonthhaltedworkonwhat
wouldhavebeentheworld'stallestbuilding.Sowhataretheprospectsforaritzyresidentialandoffice
towerwhosemostdistinctivefeaturesdependonuntriedtechnologytowhichmostlistenersreactwith
headshakingdisbelief?
IfDavidFisherhasanydoubts,heisnotsharingthem.The60yearoldarchitectandbusinessman,bornin
IsraelandbasedforthepastfourdecadesinItaly,saystheworldwideeconomicdownturnhasyettodent
demandforhisrotatingDynamicTower,inwhichthecheapestapartmentswillgofor$3millionandthe
priciestfor10timesthatmuch.
"Luxuryproductsaresoldalmostmoreintimesofcrisis,"heinsists."Thesamepeoplethathad$1billion,
maybenowtheyhave$600million,buttheyfeelmorelikespending.Theysay,'let'shavefun.'"
Mr.Fishersaysthatgroundbreaking,whichheoncehopedwouldtakeplacelastfallatastillundisclosed
locationinDubai,hasbeenpostponeduntilspring,mainlybecauseofbureaucraticdelayswithconstruction
permits.Buthesaysthatapplicationsforapartmentsinthe80storytowerhavecontinuedtopourin
morethanahundredinJanuaryaloneandthatagroupofprivateinvestorsfromanunspecified"North
Americancity"hasapproachedhimtodesignanotherlikeitthere.
It'seasytoseewhytheywoulddoso.InMr.Fisher'spromotionalvideos,acomputergeneratedconception
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123432213609971519

1/6

07/08/2016

ArchitectDavidFisheronHisDynamicTowerinDubaiWSJ

Called"theworld'sfirstbuildinginmotion,"theDynamicTowerwillbean80storyskyscraperwithrevolvingfloorsthatwill
giveitanevershiftingshape,showninthisartist'srenderingfromDynamicArchitecture.ASSOCIATEDPRESS

ofthetowertwirlssinuouslylikeapreciousmetalchain,eachstoryturningatitsownspeedandinitsown
direction.Theeffectismesmerizing.
Lifeinsidethebuildingwillbenolessattractive,Mr.Fishersays.Notonlywillresidentsbeabletoenjoy
sunriseandsunsetthroughthesamewindowtheywillbeabletoshifttheirbalconygardensthroughoutthe
day,toguaranteeplantstheoptimumamountoflight.TheDynamicTower,whichTimemagazinenamed
asoneofthebestinventionsof2008,isthatrareideadeservingofshopwornadjectiveslike"unique"and
"revolutionary."
Assumingitworks,thatis.Becauseatfirstglance,andevenatthesecond,thethingseemsasfantasticasit
isexhilarating.
Wellaccustomedtoincredulity,appearingindeedtorelishit,Mr.Fishercheerfullyexplainswhyhisdesign
isnotonlyfeasible,butactuallycheaper,fasterandsafertobuildandmaintainthanaconventional
building.Hedeclaresthatpracticalconsiderations,notaesthetics,arethesinequanonofhisarchitectural
philosophy.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123432213609971519

2/6

07/08/2016

ArchitectDavidFisheronHisDynamicTowerinDubaiWSJ

"Youhavetoknowifaprojectholdswaterbeforeyou
start,"hesays."Itcanbebeautiful,butifit'snot
functional,youdon'tcareaboutthedesign."
TheefficiencyoftheDynamicTower,Mr.Fishersays,
willderiveaboveallfromitsprefabrication.Eachstory
thebuildingtapersfrom13,000squarefeetontheground
floorto10,000squarefeetatthetopwillbecomposed
ofabout40factorybuiltmodules,preinstalledwithall
wiring,plumbingandcustomizedfurnishings,including
kitchenandbathroomfixtures.Thisisthe"most
revolutionaryaspect"oftheproject,hesays,sinceitwill
enable90peopletoputupinlessthantwoyearswhat
wouldrequiremorethan20timesasmanyworkers,and
nearlytwiceasmuchtime,usingtraditionalconstruction
methods.Suchavastsavingsinmanhourswill
dramaticallyreducetheriskofaccidents,andbringdown
insurancecostsaccordingly.
ISMAELROLDAN

Tomakethingsevensafer,theprocessofbuildingthe

1,380foottalledificeistotakeplaceforthemostparton
theground.Thekeytothatparadoxicalachievementwillbethetower'ssilolikecore,theonlysection
whoseconstructionwillrequireacrane.Oncetheconcretecolumnisinplace,eachfloorwillbeassembled
inaringaroundit,thenhauledupwithcables.Thebuildingwillthus"rise"fromthetopdown.IfMr.
Fisher'sprojectsoundslesslikeengineeringthanlikeplayingwithachild'stoy,thatexplainsmuchofits
charm.
Thelargelyhollowcorewillfunctionastheaxlearoundwhichthefloorsturn.Itwillalsobetheconduit
forelevators,electricalwiringandplumbing.Toenablewatertoflowthroughaconstantlyshifting
structure,Mr.Fishersayshehaspatentedasystem,basedontechnologyusedtorefuelairplanesinmid
flight,thatwillserveeachfloorthroughasingle"smartconnection"forcleanwaterandanotherforwaste.
Andwhatabouttheelectricityneededtoturn80floorsalldaylong?Inanageofanxietyaboutenergy's
economicandenvironmentalcosts,suchaspectaclesoundsprohibitivelyextravagant.Onthecontrary,Mr.
Fisherinsists:hisbuildingwillbenotonlythemostdazzlinginhistory,butalsothemost"green."
Panelsontheroofofeachstory,partofwhichwillbeexposedatsomepointineveryday'srotation,will
collectheatfromthesun'srays.Horizontalturbines,likeairplanepropellerssandwichedbetweenthe
floors,willgatherpowerfromthewind.Thebuildingwillactuallyproducemoreenergythanitconsumes,
hesays,leavingtheresttobesoldtotheneighbors.
Perhapsrecognizingthatallthismightseemalittletoogoodtobetrue,Mr.Fisheroccasionallyinterrupts
hisboosterismtonotethat,comparedwithotherfamousinventions,theDynamicTowerisinfactnotso
veryremarkable.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123432213609971519

3/6

07/08/2016

ArchitectDavidFisheronHisDynamicTowerinDubaiWSJ

Anartist'srenderingshowsDavidFisher'sDynamicTower,thatwillbebuiltinDubai,invariousstagesofmovement.
ASSOCIATEDPRESS

"Ilaughwhenpeoplesayit'sincredible,"hesays."It'sridiculoustocompareittoanaircraft.It'sridiculous
tocompareittoalaptopcomputer.Thisisbyfarsimpler."Henotesthathediscoveredthevirtuesof
prefabricationwhenmakingbathroomsforluxuryhotels,oneofseveralbuildingrelatedventureshe
pursuedinatwodecadehiatusfromarchitecturalpracticebeforehegottheideaforarotatingskyscraper.
Theunexpectednotesofmodestyarenotonlydisarmingbutoddlyinspiring.AfterlisteningtoMr.Fisher
talkabouttheDynamicTowerforacoupleofhours,youmightstillbeskeptical,butyoucertainlyhopehe
succeeds,ifonlytoprovethatthechoicebetweenthepracticalandthemarvelousatradeoffthatmostof
uslearnedtoacceptasaninevitablepriceofgrowingupmightnotbenecessaryafterall.
Providingsuchinspiration,Mr.Fischersays,isthepartofhisworkthatgratifieshimthemost:"Ithinkthat
themostimportantcontributionthatthisprojectcanmakeistohelppeopleunderstandthateverythingis
possible."
Mr.RoccaistheVaticancorrespondentforReligionNewsService.

What To Read Next...

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123432213609971519

4/6

07/08/2016

ArchitectDavidFisheronHisDynamicTowerinDubaiWSJ

OLYMPICS
Mr. Skyball Is Set to Star on the Beach in Rio

OLYMPICS
The Gymnastics Move That Must Not Be Named

WORLDNEWS
After Plane Fire, Dubai Airport Reopens on Restricted Basis

OLYMPICS

Who Is Tonga s Flag Bearer?

BUSINESS
Emirates Airline Plane Catches Fire After Landing at Dubai

FASHION
What Happened After I Wrote That Cargo Shorts Story

OLYMPICS

Brazilian Time, Security Measures Cause Some Spectators to Miss Events

FILMREVIEW

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123432213609971519

5/6

07/08/2016

ArchitectDavidFisheronHisDynamicTowerinDubaiWSJ

Suicide Squad Review: Weapon of Mass Depression

Copyright2014DowJones&Company,Inc.AllRightsReserved
Thiscopyisforyourpersonal,noncommercialuseonly.DistributionanduseofthismaterialaregovernedbyourSubscriberAgreementandbycopyright
law.Fornonpersonaluseortoordermultiplecopies,pleasecontactDowJonesReprintsat18008430008orvisitwww.djreprints.com.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123432213609971519

6/6

You might also like