Any construction work begins with the foundation, then the walls are gradually erected. But in the case of the Exchange Tower in Detroit, the architects had to deviate from tradition. It’s all about the site, the location and size of which did not allow for the normal operation of construction equipment.
Now the building with a height of 63 meters is almost completed. Its creators found a very original solution by turning to modular technology. It provides for the assembly of floors directly on the ground with their subsequent rise to the desired height. At the same time, new floors seem to appear in the building from top to bottom. For this, two massive central columns are used, which serve as guides and supports for the assembled structures.
Liftbuild uses the “lift plate” technology known since the 1950s, but with some modifications. According to her, first a solid foundation is arranged, on which several central supports are erected. Inside them are mounted flights of stairs and a system of elevators. Builders assemble the floors, performing all the necessary work on laying engineering systems.
The weight of one floor is approximately 500 tons. When it is ready, it is raised to the desired height. The process of lifting the first floors (which are at the maximum height from the ground) took about 10 hours. The floors are then firmly fixed to the supports using a patented connection system. This approach to construction makes it possible to obtain a building in which the view from each of its windows is not blocked by external elements and columns.
