SPINNING SKYSCRAPER

Some surprising things are happening in the city of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. A few unusual buildings have sprung up in the past decade. One of those is a shopping mall which has the world's largest indoor ski slope.

David Fisher is an architect from Italy. Fisher has announced that he is ready to start building a new skyscraper in Dubai. It will be "the world's first building in motion." The 80-storey tower will have turning floors. They will give the building an ever-shifting shape.

The spinning floors will hang like rings around a tall core. A few larger apartments will spin on command. How? With the help of a computer. The rest of the building will move in patterns that will change over time. The people living inside the skyscraper will have an ever-changing view of the Persian Gulf and Dubai's skyline.

Many people want to see Fisher's tower built. However, Fisher has made a bold claim. He has declared that his tower will change the way that skyscrapers are made. Once completed, Fisher's tower may really do this.

Each floor will be built in a factory in Italy. Then, the floors will be shipped to Dubai. There, the floors will be joined to the core. This will take only 80 workers, Fisher said. Also, it can be finished in 20 months. The total cost will be $700 million. This is less than the cost of building a traditional skyscraper, Fisher said. Other parts of the building will be unusual, also. Giant wind turbines will be installed between every floor.

They will generate enough electricity to power the entire building. Large elevators will allow owners to park their cars right at their apartments.

Not long ago, Fisher answered some questions about his tower's engineering. How will the plumbing work in a moving building? Fisher said that the pipes will join to the core using soft hoses. What about the upkeep for a building that has so many moving parts? Fisher said that the building's parts can be replaced easily. Will people inside the building feel dizzy because of their moving houses? Fisher said, "No." He said that the spinning would be slow enough that no one will notice.

Fisher is convinced that he can build the skyscraper. However, some people do not think he can do it. Fisher admits that he is not well known. Also, he has never built a skyscraper before. Fisher hasn't practiced architecture regularly in decades, either. Yet, he insists that his lack of experience won't stop him. To help, Fisher has brought together a team of designers. The team includes Leslie E. Robertson who was an engineer for the World Trade Center.

With Robertson at his side, Fisher said, "I have not designed skyscrapers, but I feel ready to do so."

Robertson said that the Dubai skyscraper is indeed unusual. Yet, it is definitely buildable.

"You can build anything," Robertson said to Fisher with a smile.