Moscow’s crowded skyline could soon be squeezing in a new crown jewel. Crystal Island, designed by British starchitect Norman Foster, would be the world’s largest building and is expected to cost about $4 billion to construct over the next five years. It is yet another in a string of megaprojects being built around the globe in fast-rising countries—often backed by governments—from China to the United Arab Emirates. A city unto itself, the site is slated to include some 900 apartments, 3,000 hotel rooms, an international school, shopping center, offices, museum, and sports complex. A tent-like superstructure over the building will form a kind of thermal buffer that would shield interior spaces from extreme summer and winter climates. Residents may never have to venture outside again.(Innovation Tools and Trends - BusinessWeek)
