A historic but fragile chimney, built in Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital, in 1900, is being preserved to be a central point of a multimillion-dollar shopping complex.
The (unnamed) developer of this shopping center, which is called the Twin Towers of Port Baku, originally had planned to demolish the chimney. That’s before Azerbaijan’s president, Ilham Aliyev, intervened and requested that the chimney be restored instead.
It’s not clear what the historical significance of this chimney is other than its age. But now it will stand between two office buildings that, at 14 and 32 stories respectively, will overlook the Caspian Sea when they and shopping center are completed sometime in 2017.
Based on the renderings, the shopping mall portion will curve around the chimney and connect the two office buildings.
Azerbaijan sees this regeneration project as a way to establish Baku as a center for commerce and technology. Cintec International, an engineering firm based in Newport, Wales, which specializes in structural masonry retrofits, is commissioned to restore the chimney.
This chimney project, which started in September, is estimated to take 12 weeks to complete and cost £1 million (US$1.5 million). It requires securing the chimney—which based on photos appeared to be listing—by drilling into it from the top and feeding 24 meters (78 feet) of anchors into the structure.
Because the circular chimney is so delicate, Cintec had to design thinner connecting anchors for this project, and use laser keyhole technology in order to position the anchors internally.
“What we’re doing is surgical engineering, so it’s very precise,” said Peter James, Cintec’s managing director.
Chimney before renovations.
Related Stories
| Sep 15, 2014
Ranked: Top international AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Parsons Brinckerhoff, Gensler, and Jacobs top BD+C's rankings of U.S.-based design and construction firms with the most revenue from international projects, as reported in the 2014 Giants 300 Report.
| Sep 9, 2014
Using Facebook to transform workplace design
As part of our ongoing studies of how building design influences human behavior in today’s social media-driven world, HOK’s workplace strategists had an idea: Leverage the power of social media to collect data about how people feel about their workplaces and the type of spaces they need to succeed.
| Sep 3, 2014
New designation launched to streamline LEED review process
The LEED Proven Provider designation is designed to minimize the need for additional work during the project review process.
| Sep 2, 2014
Ranked: Top green building sector AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
AECOM, Gensler, and Turner top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest green design and construction firms.
| Aug 21, 2014
RTKL's parent company Arcadis acquires Callison
The acquisition of Callison, known predominantly for its leadership in retail and mixed-use design, builds on Arcadis’ strong global design and architecture position, currently provided by RTKL.
| Aug 19, 2014
Goettsch Partners unveils design for mega mixed-use development in Shenzhen [slideshow]
The overall design concept is of a complex of textured buildings that would differentiate from the surrounding blue-glass buildings of Shenzhen.
| Aug 18, 2014
From icon to breadbasket: Gehry building to be turned into Whole Foods
The Howard Hughes Corporation, in association with architecture firm Cho Benn Holback + Associates, plans to turn the building—at least the majority of it—into a Whole Foods.
| Aug 18, 2014
SPARK’s newly unveiled mixed-use development references China's flowing hillscape
Architecture firm SPARK recently finished a design for a new development in Shenzhen. The 770,700 square-foot mixed-use structure's design mimics the hilly landscape of the site's locale.
| Aug 11, 2014
The Endless City: Skyscraper concept connects all floors with dual ramps
Rather than superimposing one floor on top of another, London-based SURE Architecture proposes two endless ramps, rising gradually with a low gradient from the ground floor to the sky.
| Aug 4, 2014
Retail Giants: Grocery-anchored centers, trophy malls among hot retail developments [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Despite the rapid growth of online shopping, the 'bricks and mortar' retail sector is faring quite well, headed by power centers, grocery-anchored centers, and trophy malls, according BD+C's 2014 Giants 300 Report.