Chinese company builds 30-story building in 15 days

Chinese company builds 30-story building in 15 days [video]

March 7, 2012 | 6:33pm

A Chinese company has built a 30-story hotel in just 15 days, a feat that leaves Western architects speechless, The Times’ Jonathan Kaiman writes.

It’s a stunning example of China's building boom. Watch it for yourself: The YouTube video above shows the prefabricated building speeding toward completion in Changsha.

How is it possible to put up a high-rise so fast? Kaiman writes that the prefabricated building was mostly created in a factory. The foundation was laid ahead of time. And China has lots of workers to get the job done.

The company, Broad Sustainable Building, boasts that its technology is “the most profound innovation in human history.” But other architects question the safety and oversight for a building constructed so fast.

Broad Sustainable is looking beyond China: The company is hoping to partner in the United States and says it is also working out deals with firms in Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and India, Kaiman reports.

If 15 days still seems like an eternity to you, Broad Sustainable has gotten some projects done even quicker. Two years ago, the same company built a 15-story hotel in two days. Watch it happen:

Chinese company builds 30-story building in 15 days [video] - latimes.com