On Friday, April 22, experts from the United States and China assembled at the Third U.S.-China Tall Buildings Symposium to discuss challenges and opportunities for tall building planning, design, and construction. The day-long exchange covered topics including urban growth, structural resilience, and environmental sustainability. Jointly organized by the John A. Blume Earthquake Engineering Center at Stanford University, the China International Exchange Committee for Tall Buildings (CITAB), and SOM, the event took place at the Huang Engineering Center on the Stanford campus.
In a wide-ranging conversation moderated by John King, Urban Design Critic of the San Francisco Chronicle, several panelists including SOM Design Director Michael Duncan explored questions of regional style and urban context, adapting buildings to changing uses, and designing for safety in high-density urban areas. SOM Structural and Seismic Engineering Partner Mark Sarkisian also presented on innovative structural engineering approaches inspired by nature. Watch the video of his presentation here.
The next edition of the U.S.-China Tall Buildings Symposium, to be held in October 2017, will be expanded to include speakers and representatives from Japan and Korea.