Buttressed core explained

Buttressed core is a structural system for high buildings, consisting of a hexagonal core reinforced by three buttresses that form a Y shape.

Properties

The buttressed core supports itself both laterally and torsionally. It also eliminates the need for column transfers, and moves loads in a smooth path from the building's top into its foundations.

Origin

The buttressed core was invented by the Skidmore, Owings & Merrill engineerBill Baker. ^[1] It was first used in Tower Palace III in Seoul but its ability to support higher buildings than ever before was first demonstrated in Burj Khalifa in Dubai.^[2]

Uses

• Tower Palace III in Seoul, South Korea, completed in 2004
• Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, completed in 2009
• Crown Las Vegas in Las Vegas, USA (never built)
• Jeddah Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, currently on hold in 2021

See also

• Core (architecture)

Notes and References

1. https://www.wired.com/culture/design/magazine/15-12/mf_baker Engineer Bill Baker Is the King of Superstable 150-Story Structures
2. https://academic.csuohio.edu/duffy_s/CVE_601_Struct_1.pdf Higher and Higher: The Evolution of the Buttressed Core