Buildings

More Foxconn workers, frustrated by the company’s cost cutting, jump from buildings

Posted: 04/1/2013 10:00 am

There were two incidents involving frustrated Foxconn workers climbing to the top of buildings in Shenzhen to express their frustration on March 29. Nobody was killed but the incidents cast light on anger caused by lay-offs and cost cutting at the company, Caijing reports.

At around 9 a.m., a female worker jumped from the top of the building and survived her injuries. Then at around 12 noon, three climbed to the top of the building and caused a stand-off that led to fire engines and ambulances arriving at the scene before they were talked into coming down.

A representative of the company admitted to media that the incidents occured but denied that the company was introducing measures to “encourage” workers to resign as the company has seen a decrease in orders this year.

Workers stand at the top of a building threatening to jump, courtesy of http://lc.cf8.com.cn

Some media had earlier reported that the company was giving 600 yuan subsidies to workers who resigned.

The company announced last month that in 2012 it had suffered its biggest net loss since 2005. For this reason, the company has been laying of more people than it has been recruiting.

Tagged: BuildingsFoxconnjumpinglossessuicides

Shenzhen’s tallest building to open in August

Posted: 04/26/2011 8:59 am

The comparisons rage on in China about which city has the tallest building.

Shenzhen is about to whip out its tallest building, the brand new KingKey, 100 which is (naturally) 100 floors high and will open in Western Luohu. It is 441.8 metres high, which passes the current record holder, the Dawang Building, at 383.95 metres high.

From the Shenzhen Standard:

With 100 floors, the Kingkey 100 beautifully made by TFP Farrells of London, will be marked as the eight highest building of the world. Kingkey 100 has the highest hotel in the city, the St. Regis with it’s 220,000 sq. meter floor area from the 75th to 100 floor that features highest highest garden and restaurant was linked to KK mall with luxury brand stores, restaurants, and the city’s first IMAX Cinema.

While it might be the 8th tallest in the world, it won’t be even close to the tallest in China.

KingKey, it should be noted, also has a beautiful hotel in Dameisha which plays second-fiddle to those who can’t afford to stay at the Sheraton Dameisha Resort. One could argue the rooms are better at the KingKey anyway. But it’s the name of the hotel that stands out: The KingKey Palace. Say that 5 times fast.

You can read a lot more about the architect of the KingKey 100, Sir Terry Ferrell, here.

We reported earlier on The Nanfang about a new 400-metre monster going up in Dongguan, and how that fits in with the other tall buildings in the country:

So what about other tall buildings in China? Well, if we include Taiwan, (and we should, just so our website doesn’t get blocked), Taipei 101 takes the cake easily, coming in at 509 meters high. In Mainland China, the tallest remains the World Financial Centre in Shanghai (492 meters), followed by the brand new International Commerce Centre in Kowloon (484 meters).

The thing is, there are hundreds of skyscrapers in Shanghai and Hong Kong, so even the tallest towers tend to blend in. However, anybody’s who’s been to Taipei would agree that Taipei 101 is an absolute anomaly on the city’s skyline as the single tower standing out amidst several low-rise buildings. The same effect will likely happen in Dongguan.

Just for trivia’s sake, the tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa at over 800 meters high, or more than double the height of Dongguan’s new tower.

The new KingKey 100 will throw open its doors in August this year.