Chinese Company Records Time-Lapse Video of Skyscraper Built in 19 Days

Company recorded time-lapse video of building constructed in just 19 days.

ByABC News
March 11, 2015, 12:36 PM

— -- A Chinese company has built a 57-story building in only 19 days in the town of Changsha, China, a construction company official told ABC News.

The project, called Mini Sky City, was built by 1,200 workers and includes 800 homes and working space for 4,000 people, the official with Broad Sustainable Building told ABC News.

A video released online by the company shows a time-lapse of the process. See it above.

PHOTO: A screen grab from a video released by BROAD Group on March 7, 2015 shows a 57-story building being constructed in Changsha, China.
A screen grab from a video released by BROAD Group on March 7, 2015 shows a 57-story building being constructed in Changsha, China.

The building could be built so quickly because it was made of pre-fabricated parts. Nevertheless, it is earthquake-resistant and safer than others, the company official said.

One planning expert said the building project is impressive but also raises questions.

It is important to look at “the whole life of the building, the material costs and compare that with similar buildings,” Vanessa Castan Broto, a senior lecturer at University College of London’s Bartlett Development and Planning Unit, told ABC News.

“I can only look at it in awe, that such a thing is possible in these days,” Castan Broto said.

PHOTO: A screen grab from a video released by BROAD Group on March 7, 2015 shows a 57-story building being constructed in Changsha, China.
A screen grab from a video released by BROAD Group on March 7, 2015 shows a 57-story building being constructed in Changsha, China.

But she warned, “The sustainability of the building will depend on how it is integrated within the context of urban planning, whether it addresses social and economic needs, rather than just being an iconic product.”

The company originally proposed building a 97-story tower in 2012, but the project was lowered to 57 stories because of the building's proximity to an airport, the company official said.

PHOTO: A screen grab from a video released by BROAD Group on March 7, 2015 shows a 57-story building being constructed in Changsha, China.
A screen grab from a video released by BROAD Group on March 7, 2015 shows a 57-story building being constructed in Changsha, China.