How a wobbly skyscraper in downtown Shenzhen has shaken public confidence in high-rise buildings
- One local media report said an unusual combination of factors had created an aerodynamic phenomenon known as the ‘Karman vortex street’
- The SEG Plaza in Shenzhen has been closed until an official investigation into the shaking has been completed
SEG Plaza, a 70 floor-plus skyscraper in downtown Shenzhen known as a mecca for electronic hardware merchants across the country, has been closed for thorough checks and possible repairs after a mysterious wobble in the past two days ignited public fears about the safety of the building.
A preliminary investigation indicated that a combination of three factors, including wind, the subway line below the SEG Plaza, and temperature differences inside and outside the building, likely all played a part in what some experts have said was the creation of an aerodynamic phenomenon known as the “Karman vortex street”, according to a report from the state-backed China Securities Journal.
On Thursday, an internal notice released by the building’s owner to the proprietors, tenants and merchants stated that as of Friday morning, no one would be allowed to enter the building until an investigation was completed, without specifying a time frame.
By Friday afternoon, however, merchants were busy pulling their merchandise out of the building while temperatures approached 35 degrees Celsius in the city. One tenant, apparently with nothing better to do, started to play a piano.
