Skyscrapers - Building Big and Building Cool

You work for an architectural firm that has been asked to design a skyscraper for the Natick Collection. The mall is hoping that the new skyscraper will boost interest in the area while also providing low cost office and housing space to help grow the area.

The developers do NOT want a boring rectangular structure. They want something fresh and exciting to attract interest. Obviously height is a consideration, but more important is creating a building that looks interesting.

The architects at the firm have asked you to develop a model to help them sell their plan to the developers. There are some very specific constraints you must meet otherwise your plan will not even be considered.

• The tower must fit onto an that measures 20cm square.
• The tower must contain at least 6500 cubic centimeters of usable space.
• The frame of the model must be made using balsa and glue, but other materials like paper, straws, string, etc. can be used as decorative or finishing pieces.
• The model must include at least one floor, no less than 10 centimeters above ground capable of supporting a 1 kg weight. You must provide the testers a way to insert and remove the weight.
• You will have twenty 60 cm pieces of balsa to work with

Before you get started you should have a look at some other skyscrapers that have been considered notable for their unusual design. Some ones to look at are the:

• The TransAmerica Pyramid in San Francisco
• The Flat-Iron Building in New York
• The CitiCorp Building in New York
• The Lloyd's of London Building
• The Guggenheim Museum in New York
• The Sony Building in New York
• Taipei 101
• Musuem of Contemporary Art Building in New York

You can also go to skyscraperpage.com and look at any number of skyscrapers. It's a very large site so be careful not to get lost looking at all the buildings.