Waterfront City, the flagship project to line the Joseph Khoury Marina stretch, was launched on July 13, in a breathtaking ceremony on-site, reported Zawya.com. The project, as was confirmed, will include residential, commercial and leisure facilities, to unfold in multiple phases over the next few years. Phase One of Waterfront City was launched, which will include 7 unique buildings, an uplifted promenade with cafes, restaurants and a retail zone. The project, located on the Mediterranean Sea, approximately 15 kilometer north of Beirut, is a product of a strong joint collaboration between Ste Joseph G. Khoury et Fils Holding and regional developer Majid Al Futtaim Properties. Architectural design belonged to ERGA Group, and SB Architects (from the United States). Covering a total area of over 193.6 thousand square meters, Waterfront City will serve as an unparalleled development in Lebanon, in terms of scale and offerings. With over 5 thousand luxurious residential units of varying sizes, catering to all the modern demands of the Lebanese buyer; a full-fledged commercial district, complete with a grand international shopping mall and numerous dining and entertainment options, along with a renowned hotel chain. The master-plans of the development have shown that it will be built around the famous Marina Club, offering residents an exclusive and calm lifestyle away from the city. A newly developed health club, gym and year round swimming pool will also be available to the residents to enhance the lifestyle offering and ensure convenience for active residents.

As reported by news.yahoo.com, the 70-story Trump tower opened in Panama City this week. The tallest building in Latin America, soaring 284 meters into the sky, is a resort and residential address that added to a real estate boom in Panama. The Trump Ocean Club reflects "the modern sensibility of the new generation of luxury travel," the company said in an invitation to the inauguration of the resort, where the cheapest room costs US$ 300 per night and homes sell for US$ 250 thousand to US$ 1 million. With an investment of US$ 430 million, the resort designed by Colombian architecture firm Arias Serna Saravia is home to 47 suites, 37 elevators, a spa, marina, casino and an island with a private beach. It also boasts a 900 square meter terrace with an oceanfront pool, personalized butler service and a convention center stretched across 4,200 square meters. The city's real estate boom has turned the capital of Panama into a "mini Dubai" of sorts, mirroring the wealthy Gulf city's skyscrapers and monumental buildings. With the Trump tower, Panama is now home to the three tallest buildings in Latin America. Both "The Point," which stands at 67 floors or 266 meters high, and "Ocean Two," which is just 20 meters shorter, opened this year.

According to ctbuh.org, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat announced the winners of its annual "Best Tall Building" awards for 2011. This year's winners will be recognized, and the awards conferred, at the CTBUH 10th Annual Awards Ceremony on October 27. All the winning projects and finalists will be celebrated at this gala event. Additionally, from the four regional best tall building winners, one overall winner will be selected and bestowed with the "Best Tall Building Worldwide" award, to be announced on the night. This year are awarded to: "New York by Gehry" at Eight Spruce Street, New York (Americas); Guangzhou International Finance Center, Guangzhou (Asia & Australasia); KfW Westarkade, Frankfurt (Europe); and The Index, Dubai (Middle East & Africa). These buildings were selected for their design and technical innovations, sustainable attributes, and the enhancement of both cities and the lives of their inhabitants. Developer of winner in region America "New York by Gehry" is Forest City Ratner Companies. 76 - storey and 265 meters high building's architectural design is belonged to Genry Architects New York. With 102 thousand square meters total area, this building is completed in April 2011. Total budget of this residential tower was US$ 174 million. Developer of Guangzhou International Finance Center is Yue Xiu Group, and architectural design is belonged to Wilkinsone Eyre Architects. With 250 thousand square meters total area 103-storey and 440 meters high world's ninth tall building was completed on 2010. Main contractors of project were China State Construction Engineering Corporation LTD and Guangzhou Municipal Construction Group CO LTD. Total budget of Wilkinson Eyre's first high-rise tower was nearly US$ 410 million. KfW Westarkade is Europe region winner. Developer of 14 - storey, 56 meters tall building is KFW Bankengruppe. Construction of tower completed in May 2010. Architectural design is belonged to Sauerbruch Hutton. Middle East & Africa region winner 80-storey, 326 meters high Index Tower was designed by Foster+Partners architectural company, and main contractor was Brookfield Multiplex. The developer of 170 thousand square meters residential/office tower is Union Properties. Construction works were completed in March 2011. You can read about "Best Tall Building 2010" here.

The Scandinavia's largest hotel opened recently in Copenhagen, Denmark. It symbolizes not only the identity of the modern Orested area of Copenhagen, but also marks the Capital's increasing importance on the international convention and congress scene. Its location also ensures direct access to the international conference and exhibition venue, Bella Center, Copenhagen Airport and the historical Copenhagen city center. Project's customer is Bella Center, and 3XN architectural company has designed The Bella Sky Hotel. Ramboll Cosnculting engineering Group participated in the project as consulting engineer on structures, sewers and earthworks and the senior project manager is Kaare K.B. Dahl. "One of our biggest challenges was to grasp and handle the very complex geometry and to do this TEKLA has proved invaluable" Kaare K.B. Dahl explains. All calculations and drawings used by Ramboll on the project were extracted from a 3D model. The calculation program ROBOT worked together with the design program TEKLA. This 3D structural building information modeling (BIM) system provides you with the ability to create all types of complex structures. The combination of these two programs made it possible to calculate things such as: How will the earth deform when the building settles? How far will the top of the building move sideways in the present conditions? Every detail was entered into the model which incorporated all changes into the 2D drawings generated directly from the 3D model. The Bella Sky Hotel Consists of two towers. The two towers lean 15 degrees to each side. Two towers leaning in opposite directions at an almost four times that of the leaning tower of Pisa. The geometrical dare continues as the top nine floors of tower one and the bottom nine floors of tower two both twist an additional 19 degrees horizontally. They are 76.5 meters tall with a total of 814 rooms and a building area of 44,173 thousand square meters. Accommodating 814 rooms, 32 conference rooms, 3 restaurants, lounge, a sky bar and a 850 square meter wellness centre the hotel will meet the wishes of a much needed extension to the Bella Centre Conference facilities and prepare Copenhagen to host large international events in the future. Kim Herforth Nielsen, Principal and Founder of 3XN said "Most international convention hotels have a formal and impersonal style. We wanted to address this by doing the opposite. We designed the interior of Bella Sky in a style reminiscent of a tasteful Scandinavian home with warmth, light and connection to nature."

As reported by Inhabitat.com, last week South Korea inaugurated the world's first solar-powered and largest floating island on Hangang River in Seoul. With two more islands slated to open in September, the recently opened Viva is already drawing crowds en masse with its first-rate entertainment complex. The stunning structure includes a 700 seat convention hall, restaurants and arcades - all powered by solar energy. When the development is completed, the trio of islands will be linked together by twenty-three weather-proof chains. Seoul's man-made islands differ from those common to Dubai, which are constructed by building up sand on the ocean floor. Viva, and its satellite islands, instead float, and are buoyant on the river's surface. Should there be a flood, the islands while rise and fall with the water levels, rather than be flooded over. A high tech tracking system will alert a controller should the islands float too far from their home site, due to changing water levels. Supported by 24 giant airbags, Viva weighs in at 2,000 tons, but can support building facilities up to 6,400 tons. The island will be harnessed by chains to a 500 ton concrete block to keep it in place. The three story building which holds all facilities is covered with 54 square meters of solar panels, which produced 6 kilowatts of energy each day, providing the facilities below with electricity, and also illuminating the facades at night. The $83.9 million dollar government project includes the 3.2 thousand square meters Viva, 1.3 thousand square meters Vista and nearly 371 square meters Tera. Combined, they will host international conventions, water sports events, restaurants, cultural performances and exhibitions. All three islands should be open by late August 2011.