The video covers the remarkable construction of the Scorpion Tower in Miami by the late renowned architect Dame Zaha Hadid. This project exemplifies a revolutionary design concept, characterized by a unique exoskeleton and inside-out construction. Team members face challenges as they attempt to realize Hadid's groundbreaking vision in a location with unsuitable soil conditions and the constant threat of hurricanes.

Through hard work and innovative engineering solutions, the team perseveres in building the tower despite the tragic passing of Zaha Hadid. The video documents the various engineering hurdles, including foundational issues due to Miami's geology and the use of glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) to achieve the iconic silhouette. Despite unforeseen delays and the harshness of nature, the team maintains its commitment to excellence.

Main takeaways from the video:

Please remember to turn on the CC button to view the subtitles.

Key Vocabularies and Common Phrases:

1. radical [ˈrædɪkəl] - (adjective) - Describing an idea or method that is new, different, and sometimes shocking or extremely innovative. - Synonyms: (innovative, revolutionary, groundbreaking)

Its design is radical and the method of construction, revolutionary.

2. conceive [kənˈsiːv] - (verb) - To form a plan or idea in the mind; to imagine or create something. - Synonyms: (imagine, devise, design)

It's one of a kind, conceived in the mind of one of the world's most pioneering architects.

3. exoskeleton [ˌɛksoʊˈskɛlɪtn] - (noun) - An external structure that supports and protects an animal's body, used metaphorically to describe structural designs. - Synonyms: (outer shell, framework, structure)

It's held together from the outside of the structure by an insect like exoskeleton.

4. porous [ˈpɔːrəs] - (adjective) - Having tiny holes through which liquid or air may pass, often referring to materials such as stone or soil. - Synonyms: (permeable, absorbent, spongy)

This area of Miami may be prime real estate, but it's built on porous limestone right next to the sea.

5. formwork [ˈfɔːrˌwɜrk] - (noun) - Temporary or permanent molds into which concrete is poured. - Synonyms: (mold, cast, scaffold)

It's normally used as a decorative covering, but here, pre made panels will be used as permanent formwork to deliver the building's signature curves

6. reinforce [ˌriːɪnˈfɔːrs] - (verb) - To strengthen or support, often used in structural and engineering contexts. - Synonyms: (strengthen, fortify, bolster)

227 shafts drilled as far down as 177ft into the earth, reinforced with steel and now filled with concrete.

7. meticulous [məˈtɪkjələs] - (adjective) - Showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise. - Synonyms: (careful, precise, painstaking)

As night turns into day, Joe's meticulous planning proves faultless.

8. embark [ɪmˈbɑːrk] - (verb) - To begin a course of action, typically one that is new or challenging. - Synonyms: (begin, start, commence)

From here on up, the team will be relying on the revolutionary glass fiber panels to complete the exoskeleton.

9. snaking [ˈsneɪkɪŋ] - (adjective) - Moving in a twisting or winding manner. - Synonyms: (zigzagging, winding, serpentine)

The exoskeleton will be formed by clamping GFRC panels around a snaking framework of reinforced steel.

10. fortuitous [fɔrˈtuːɪtəs] - (adjective) - Happening by a lucky chance; fortunate. - Synonyms: (fortunate, lucky, serendipitous)

But just as Tony feared, the force has cracked the custom made panel. Fortunately, the damage is cosmetic and can be fixed.

Constructing The Scorpion Tower - Impossible Builds - Full Episode - PBS

In the heart of downtown Miami, a skyscraper like no other is rising. Its design is radical and the method of construction, revolutionary. Nobody's ever built a high rise with this material. It's one of a kind conceived in the mind of one of the world's most pioneering architects, Dame Zaha Hadid.

This will be one of her most ambitious projects, and tragically, her last. She came here on Monday, and she passed away on Thursday. A team of construction experts must complete Zaha's vision without her. "Everybody's watching what we're doing. We're trying to make the impossible possible." The scorpion tower is an impossible build.

Miami, Florida, a city renowned for its climate, beaches, and art deco architecture. If a team of construction experts can pull it off, then Miami may also become famous for something revolutionary: the most groundbreaking skyscraper ever built. "We're hoping that the building that we create here is going to be a centerpiece for Miami."

The building that developer Lewis Berdman and his team are hoping will become a modern day icon is a curved 709 foot work of art, held together from the outside of the structure by an insect-like exoskeleton. "We're looking at something on paper that looks impossible to build and trying to make it real."

The scorpion tower is the brainchild of Iraqi British architect Dame Zaha Hadid, the so called queen of the curve. From Azerbaijan's Haider Aliyev Cultural Center to Beijing's Galaxy Retail Complex, Hadid's designs are renowned for pushing boundaries without compromising on functions. "I still believe in the 20th century dream that architecture could contribute to a better life."

For Miami, Zaha Hadid has designed an extraordinary 62-story skyscraper, officially called 1000 Museum. After its location overlooking the city's museum park, it will feature just 83 super luxury condos costing almost half a billion dollars to build. The plan is to complete construction in just four years. It's a huge challenge for a skyscraper with an inside-out structure that will rewrite the construction rulebook.

In December 2014, Dame Zaha Hadid is on site in Miami to witness the birth of her groundbreaking project. "We are extremely excited because this is a very adventurous project. I want to thank you all for having us." On the ground to lead construction, the developers have chosen a man whose career has been built on achieving the seemingly impossible.

General Superintendent Joe Serie: "I've been in the business 39 years, and I look for challenging, exciting projects. I don't think anything that can be drawn accurately is an impossible build. If an architect and engineer can draw it, we can build it."

To build the scorpion tower, Joe has handpicked a team of experts. Construction Superintendent Tony Patriarcha will oversee all external work. "Anyone could build that square building down the road that's a couple floors high. Doing one that's 62 stories high with columns that go like this... it's phenomenal."

Shell Superintendent Keith Wissen will take charge of assembling the futuristic exoskeleton. "Every year, it seems like the buildings get more challenging. This one is even more challenging."

The first challenge isn't the building, it's what lies beneath. This area of Miami may be prime real estate, but it's built on porous limestone right next to the sea. If the foundations aren't rock solid, the whole structure could sink, bringing the neighboring skyscrapers down with it. "Ground over here on Biscayne Boulevard is like a giant sponge. You'd be hard-pressed to find a less suitable soil to build this huge skyscraper on." The developers don't want to hear these problems, they just want solutions. "That's why we're here."

To strengthen the ground enough to support the building, the team has constructed the city's deepest ever foundation piles. "We drilled the deepest pile in Miami. We're not even out of the ground yet, and we're starting to break records already."

Nine months after first breaking ground, the Scorpion Tower's foundation slab is finally ready to be poured. Downtown Miami has never seen a site quite like this. A thousand truckloads of concrete brings the city's traffic to a standstill.

Over a 24-hour period, they'll deliver a continuous pour of almost 10,000 cubic yards of concrete. It's down to Joe to ensure it reaches every corner of the foundation. "This is what guys like me live for. Building something like this. It's a challenge, and that's what I look for."

To form the foundation slab, it's essential the concrete hardens as one single mass to stop internal cracking. But the clock is ticking. The longer the trucks have to wait, the more likely the concrete will start to harden before it reaches the site. As concrete cures, its temperature rises, so every batch is continually checked before it's poured.

As the operation continues through the night, the developers can't resist heading to the site to watch this landmark stage of construction unfold. "A lot of background work for the last couple of years that people couldn't see. Finally, we're coming out of the ground now, and people will be able to see the building coming up. Very exciting."

"The curves start right at the bottom." So far, the columns have been shaped by pouring concrete into plywood-lined forms. But even the best finish is far from smooth. "That's a problem because this skyscraper is defined by its silky curves."

From the 15th floor, the exoskeleton will be formed using a groundbreaking construction material known as glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC). It's normally used as a decorative covering, but here, pre-made panels will be used as permanent formwork to deliver the building's signature curves.

"We explored everything from poured concrete to faux to steel, and this was the only way to achieve her, Zaha's design." The exoskeleton will be formed by clamping GFRC panels around a snaking framework of steel. Once in place, each column will be filled with super-strength concrete.

If the technology works, the pre-made panels could knock six months off the construction schedule. But nobody's ever built a high rise with this material. "It's one of a kind. The method of construction is revolutionary." The Scorpion Tower is being built at two different sites on opposite sides of the world. Here in Miami and 8000 miles away in Dubai.

"GFRC has a finish which is unique. It's a finish which is long-lasting. The GRC comes to the building site. You lift it up, and the building is finished." Every panel is a unique panel. Each and every panel has to be designed to fit on top of the other one.

To produce this seamless design, Nasser has masterminded an intricate arrangement of 4800 panels. "I believe we are doing pioneering work in using the GFRC as permanent homework in high rise buildings. I believe this is the future of high rise building."

March 2016. The revolutionary skyscraper that's become known as the Scorpion Tower is up to the 9th floor. The team is six floors off installing the first of the GFRC panels, when the building's visionary architect, Zaha Hadid, is suddenly taken ill just days after inspecting progress.

On the 31st of March 2016, the team received the devastating news that Zaha Hadid had died. "She came here on Monday and she passed away on Thursday. We're now not just completing a building by a famous architect, but we're creating a legacy building for the architect herself."

By July, they've reached the critical 15th floor. From here on up, the team will be relying on the revolutionary glass fiber panels to complete the exoskeleton. We've been working on it for about 15 months, trying to implement a plan, and because of the unique size shape, every column changes as the building goes up.

Each panel is held in place by brackets embedded in the floor slab. "The technology supposed to speed up the build is having a negative effect on the schedule." One of the steel rods that holds this panel to the building wasn't lining up where it should.

The concrete fills the tall column, but as the hopper containing tons of concrete is craned into position, it's essential there are no leaks. "This is something we try to prevent at all costs because it's so fluid." The pressure of the setting concrete will blow the column apart.

November 2016. Eight months since Zaha Hadid's sudden death, the 24th floor of the Scorpion Tower is taking shape. The team is over a third of the way to completion, but the build is already two months behind schedule.

The glass fiber panels were supposed to fast track the build, but in reality, their assembly has taken far longer than anyone planned. "This right here, the GFRC, is the new element that none of us have dealt with. We're learning as we're going along."

Keith Bisson, the on-site GFRC expert, may have now mastered assembly of the basic columns, but on the 24th floor, they fork and head skywards at precisely calculated angles. Here, there's no margin for error.

As you can see behind me, this column here on the southwest corner and this southwest corner actually meet together eight floors above this location. If we get them off by fractions of an inch, it won't line up properly when they come together in the corner.

To achieve the 2018 completion deadline in just 24 months, Miami Scorpion Tower now has a combined workforce of over 400 people. Every person on site plays a critical role. "When complete, 1000 museum, aka the Scorpion Tower, promises to be one of the most luxurious residences in Miami."

The responsibility for ensuring this turns into this falls to head of interiors. The reason the interiors are proving to be a pain is that in this 62-story building, thanks to its curvaceous design, no two floors are the same.

"This alignment has to be perfect because you can see straight down through here and you'll see anything the slightest bit off." Each day you get thrown for something, something's a little different, and you got to deal with it.

The cheapest apartment in this building costs $5.8 million. In this price range, the owners demand perfection. "The complexity of the build means some floors have taken weeks. This is the most challenging building that I've ever been involved with in my career."

It's a pain. I mean everything's a pain. I thought as I got older it would get easier, but I haven't seen that. The build is entering uncharted territory, and Shell Superintendent Keith Bisson must now master the pioneering technology.

As head of exteriors, Tony Patriarca is responsible for ensuring that all 4800 glass fiber reinforced concrete panels are installed on time, and they come in many shapes and sizes. "The curvaceous balconies are a key selling point of the Scorpion Tower."

Each balcony offers uninterrupted views across downtown Miami and Biscayne Bay. Andrew Wilson has just 80 days to install all 80 balconies, but right now, he's struggling to finish one. The pre-made floor panel design should slide slot onto steel pins.

"It's made to go together like legos, but you gotta make sure all your Lego pieces fit first." After two further hours of maneuvering, Andrew aborts the installation. Engineers in Dubai are convinced their custom-made panel should fit precisely as designed.

November 2016. Eight months since Zaha Hadid's sudden death, construction of the 62-story skyscraper has just passed the halfway stage. "To achieve the 2018 completion deadline in just 24 months, Miami Scorpion tower now has a combined workforce of over 400 people."

Right now, the best we can do is we go eleven out of twelve. So let's go. Every person on site plays a critical role. And no one has worked on a building quite like this.

The pre-made floor panel design should fit precisely as designed. We're behind in our time schedule. In two days, it should be simple to scaffold more levels. But project superintendent Joe Serie has spotted a serious problem.

The top of the buck hoist tower is leaning dangerously away from the building. Going any higher could cause the entire structure to be ripped from the building, sending the elevator car crashing to the ground. Joe shuts the buck hoist with immediate effect.

It's now critical that Diesel can get the buck hoist back into alignment. We're under a lot of pressure. Joe's very demanding but he's under a lot of pressure. Diesel's team is forced to wait, wasting precious time.

The curved design of the skyscraper is creating unique challenges. The future of high-rise building. For the past few months, the construction team has been completing a floor every nine days. Progress is at an all-time high.

There's trouble on the horizon and it goes by the name of Hurricane Irma. "Irma continues to be an extremely dangerous category five hurricane. Right now, maximum sustained winds are a potentially catastrophic 175 miles per hour."

Scorpion Tower's inside-out structure is about to face the ultimate test. Most of the workers have been evacuated from the city, that just leaves Joe Serie and Tony Patriarca to batten down the hatches in the Scorpion Tower. "Hopefully, this one doesn't turn out to be the big one."

This floor looks good. We'll go around and we'll shut all the windows, shut all the sliders, make sure all that's sealed up, then we're going to shut the power off to the building. With the building and its contents secured, they can do no more but head for shelter.

On September 10, 2017, Hurricane Irma tears through Miami, bringing destruction and flooding to the city. "There's chaos on the streets. A construction crane is torn apart, but the Scorpion Tower defies the storm."

So I'm watching the newscasters on Biscayne Boulevard right outside, and they're showing all these horrendous trees coming down. I didn't think there was going to be a lot left here when I came back.

Zaha Hadid's futuristic exoskeleton has held the building together as designed. "You know, I'm pretty pleased." The effects of the wind and rain worsen. The team repairs the damage.

All 400 workers are back on site. For the first time, they're completing a new level every six days. The pioneering glass fiber technology has delivered on its promise. Now the team know how to assemble it.

The Scorpion Tower now promises to be one of the most luxurious residences in Miami. "This is what $6 million buys you in the Scorpion Tower." The model unit is revealed.

Mark's 17th floor show apartment features an open plan living space with floor-to-ceiling glass leading out onto a spacious balcony, exploiting the best view in Miami. Inside, there's room for entertaining. The kitchen has been custom-made.

There are four bedrooms, a walk-in closet, and a bathroom lined with Italian stone. But the apartment's unique selling point is something no other residential building in Miami or America has. "Zaha Hadid's signature."

When someone takes an interest in the building, they get very particular about where this column falls in their bedroom, where it falls near the shower. As the interiors take shape, the end of the build is well within sight. There's just five stories to go.

Three years after construction began, Zaha Hadid's final showstopper now towers above Miami. From the outset, the Scorpion Tower's design meant this was never just another skyscraper.

But a pioneering construction team, driven by a will to complete Zaha Hadid's vision, has achieved what many thought impossible. The Scorpion tower stands as their tribute to one of the most extraordinary architects of our time.

Architecture, Construction, Zaha Hadid, Technology, Innovation, Miami, Pbs