Impossible Builds

NARRATOR: IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN MIAMI, A SKYSCRAPER LIKE NO OTHER IS RISING.

ITS DESIGN IS RADICAL AND THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION REVOLUTIONARY... MAN: NOBODY'S EVER BUILT A HIGH-RISE WITH THIS MATERIAL.

IT'S ONE OF A KIND.

NARRATOR: CONCEIVED IN THE MIND OF ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST PIONEERING ARCHITECTS-- DAME ZAHA HADID.

MAN: I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT IS.

IT'S CRAZY.

NARRATOR: THIS WILL BE ONE OF HER MOST AMBITIOUS PROJECTS AND, TRAGICALLY, HER LAST.

MAN: SHE CAME HERE ON MONDAY, AND SHE PASSED AWAY ON THURSDAY.

LET'S GO.

LET'S MOVE IT!

NARRATOR: A TEAM OF CONSTRUCTION EXPERTS MUST COMPLETE ZAHA'S VISION WITHOUT HER... [WHISTLE BLOWS] MAN: EVERYBODY'S WATCHING WHAT WE'RE DOING.

WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE.

NARRATOR: BUT WILL EXPERIMENTAL CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES...

I HATE THAT.

NARRATOR: COMBINED WITH THE FORCES OF NATURE... MAN: EVERYONE SHOULD BE PREPARING FOR THE CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE.

NARRATOR: PROVE TOO MUCH?

MAN: THIS IS A BAD ONE.

THIS PREVENTS US FROM GOING ANY FURTHER.

NARRATOR: THIS IS THE SCORPION TOWER, AND IT IS AN IMPOSSIBLE BUILD.

NARRATOR: MIAMI, FLORIDA-- A CITY WORLD-RENOWNED FOR ITS CLIMATE, BEACHES, AND ART DECO ARCHITECTURE...

BUT 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.

MAN: WE'RE HOPING THAT THE BUILDING THAT WE CREATE HERE IS GOING TO BE A CENTERPIECE FOR MIAMI.

WHEN YOU THINK OF OTHER IMPORTANT CITIES AROUND THE WORLD, AND THEY HAVE A BUILDING THAT THAT CITY IS KNOWN FOR, WE THINK THAT THIS WILL BE THAT BUILDING.

LOOK.

JUST THIS... NARRATOR: THE BUILDING THAT DEVELOPER LOUIS BIRDMAN AND HIS TEAM ARE HOPING WILL BECOME A MODERN-DAY ICON IS A CURVED, 709-FOOT WORK OF ART... AND IT'S HELD TOGETHER FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE STRUCTURE BY AN INSECTLIKE EXOSKELETON.

MAN: THIS EXOSKELETON, IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE OUTSIDE OF A SCORPION WHERE IT HAS ITS HARD SHELL THAT HOLDS ITS BODY TOGETHER.

WE'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING ON PAPER THAT LOOKS IMPOSSIBLE TO BUILD... AND TRYING TO MAKE IT REAL.

NARRATOR: THE SCORPION TOWER IS THE BRAINCHILD OF IRAQI BRITISH ARCHITECT DAME ZAHA HADID, THE SO-CALLED QUEEN OF THE CURVE.

FROM AZERBAIJAN'S HEYDAR ALIYEV CULTURAL CENTER TO BEIJING'S GALAXY RETAIL COMPLEX, HADID'S DESIGNS ARE WORLD-RENOWNED FOR PUSHING BOUNDARIES WITHOUT COMPROMISING ON FUNCTION.

I STILL MAYBE IN A WAY STILL BELIEVE IN THE 20th-CENTURY DREAM THAT ARCHITECTURE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO A BETTER LIFE, AND I THINK AT THE END, IT REALLY IS ABOUT WELL-BEING.

YOU HAVE TO FEEL GOOD.

NARRATOR: FOR MIAMI, ZAHA HADID HAS DESIGNED AN EXTRAORDINARY, 62-STORY SKYSCRAPER.

OFFICIALLY CALLED ONE THOUSAND 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 4 YEARS.

IT'S A HUGE CHALLENGE FOR A SKYSCRAPER WITH AN INSIDE-OUT STRUCTURE THAT WILL REWRITE THE CONSTRUCTION RULE BOOK.

DECEMBER 2014, AND DAME ZAHA HADID IS ON SITE IN MIAMI TO WITNESS THE BIRTH OF HER GROUNDBREAKING PROJECT.

HADID: I LOVE MIAMI.

I'VE BEEN COMING HERE FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS.

WE ARE EXTREMELY EXCITED BECAUSE--NOT ONLY BECAUSE I'LL EVENTUALLY HAVE SOMETHING OF MINE IN THIS CITY AND ALSO BECAUSE IT'S A VERY ADVENTUROUS PROJECT, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US.

[APPLAUSE] ALL RIGHT.

LET'S GO TO SCHEDULE.

NARRATOR: ON THE GROUND WITH THE LEAD CONSTRUCTION, THE DEVELOPERS HAVE CHOSEN A MAN WHOSE CAREER HAS BEEN BUILT ON ACHIEVING THE SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE-- PRACTICAL JOKERS SHOULD AND WILL BE BANNED FROM THIS SITE.

NARRATOR: GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT JOE CERRI.

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.

I'M LIKE YOU GUYS.

I LIKE TO WIN.

NARRATOR: TO BUILD THE SCORPION TOWER, JOE HAS HAND-PICKED A CRACK TEAM OF EXPERTS.

GUYS, HOW YOU DOING OVER HERE?

NARRATOR: CONSTRUCTION SUPERINTENDENT TONY PATRIARCA WILL OVERSEE ALL EXTERNAL WORK.

PATRIARCA: ANYONE CAN 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-- PHENOMENAL.

NARRATOR: AND SHELL SUPERINTENDENT KEITH BISSON WILL TAKE CHARGE OF ASSEMBLING THE FUTURISTIC EXOSKELETON.

BISSON: EVERY YEAR, IT SEEMS LIKE THE BUILDINGS GET MORE CHALLENGING AND CHALLENGING.

THIS ONE IS EVEN MORE CHALLENGING.

NARRATOR: BUT 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.

PATRIARCA: GROUND OVER HERE ON BISCAYNE BOULEVARD, IT'S LIKE A GIANT SPONGE.

YOU'D REALLY BE HARD-PRESSED TO FIND A LESS SUITABLE SOIL TO BUILD THIS HUGE SKYSCRAPER ON.

THE DEVELOPERS, THEY DON'T WANT TO HEAR THESE PROBLEMS.

THEY JUST WANT SOLUTIONS.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.

NARRATOR: TO STRENGTHEN THE GROUND ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE 62-STORY BUILDING, THE TEAM HAS CONSTRUCTED THE CITY'S DEEPEST-EVER FOUNDATION PILES... [RUMBLING] 227 SHAFTS DRILLED AS FAR DOWN AS 177 FEET INTO THE EARTH... REINFORCED WITH STEEL AND NOW FILLED WITH CONCRETE.

CERRI: WE DRILLED THE DEEPEST PILE IN MIAMI.

WE'RE NOT EVEN OUT OF THE GROUND YET, AND WE'RE STARTING TO BREAK RECORDS ALREADY.

[HORN HONKS] NARRATOR: 9 MONTHS AFTER FIRST BREAKING GROUND, THE SCORPION TOWER'S FOUNDATION SLAB IS FINALLY READY TO BE POURED.

DOWNTOWN MIAMI HAS NEVER SEEN A SIGHT QUITE LIKE THIS.

A THOUSAND TRUCKLOADS OF CONCRETE BRING THE CITY'S TRAFFIC TO A STANDSTILL.

OVER A 24-HOUR PERIOD, THEY'LL DELIVER A CONTINUOUS POOL OF ALMOST 10,000 CUBIC YARDS OF CONCRETE.

IT'S DOWN TO JOE TO ENSURE IT REACHES EVERY CORNER OF THE FOUNDATION.

CERRI: THIS IS WHAT GUYS LIKE ME LIVE FOR, BUILDING SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

IT'S A CHALLENGE, AND THAT'S WHAT I LOOK FOR.

NARRATOR: 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 IT IS THE CONCRETE WILL START TO HARDEN BEFORE IT REACHES THE SITE.

HEY... NARRATOR: AS CONCRETE CURES, ITS TEMPERATURE RISES...

SO EVERY BATCH IS CONTINUALLY CHECKED BEFORE IT'S POURED.

CERRI: IF THE CONCRETE GETS ABOVE 95 DEGREES, WE HAVE TO SEND THOSE TRUCKS BACK TO THE PLANT, AND WE'RE NOT PUTTING THE CONCRETE INTO THE FOUNDATION THERE.

NARRATOR: AS THE OPERATION CONTINUES THROUGH THE NIGHT, THE DEVELOPERS CAN'T RESIST HEADING TO THE SITE TO WATCH THIS LANDMARK STAGE OF CONSTRUCTION UNFOLD.

COVIN: A LOT OF BACKGROUND WORK FOR THE LAST COUPLE 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, SO IT'S VERY EXCITING.

BIRDMAN: THIS IS THE VERY TOP OF THE FOUNDATION.

FROM HERE, WE'LL GO UP, AND WE'LL BE CONSTRUCTING THE STRUCTURE FOR ABOUT THE NEXT 24 MONTHS TILL WE GET TO THE TOP OF THE BUILDING, SO THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN GOING VERTICAL.

NARRATOR: AS NIGHT TURNS INTO DAY, JOE'S METICULOUS PLANNING PROVES FAULTLESS.

THE FIRST CRUCIAL STAGE OF CONSTRUCTION HAS BEEN COMPLETED WITHOUT A HITCH... [WHISTLE BLOWS] BUT NOW THE REAL HARD WORK BEGINS.

FEBRUARY 2016, 15 MONTHS SINCE GROUND WAS BROKEN, AND MIAMI'S NEWEST LANDMARK IS RISING OUT OF THE GROUND.

CONSTRUCTION ON THE SCORPION TOWER HAS REACHED THE SEVENTH FLOOR, AND ZAHA HADID'S TWISTING, INSIDE-OUT SUPPORT COLUMNS ARE STARTING TO TAKE SHAPE.

CERRI: THIS IS THE FIRST LIFT OF COLUMNS THAT TAKES OFF RIGHT OFF THE MAT.

THIS IS WHERE IT'S STARTING.

YOUR CURVES START RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM.

NARRATOR: 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, SO FROM THE 15th FLOOR, WHERE THE COLUMNS SLIM DOWN, THE EXOSKELETON WILL BE FORMED USING A GROUNDBREAKING CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL.

KNOWN AS GLASS FIBER REINFORCED CONCRETE, OR GFRC, IT'S NORMALLY USED AS A DECORATIVE COVERING, BUT HERE, PREMADE PANELS WILL BE USED AS PERMANENT FORMWORK TO DELIVER THE BUILDING'S SIGNATURE CURVES.

MAN: WE EXPLORED EVERYTHING FROM POURED CONCRETE TO FAUX TO STEEL AND SEEING IF WE COULD ACHIEVE THE FINISH.

THIS REALLY WAS THE ONLY WAY TO ACHIEVE HER--ZAHA'S DESIGN.

NARRATOR: THE EXOSKELETON WILL BE FORMED BY CLAMPING GFRC PANELS AROUND A SNAKING FRAMEWORK OF REINFORCED STEEL.

ONCE IN PLACE, EACH COLUMN WILL BE FILLED WITH SUPER-STRENGTH CONCRETE, AND THAT'S IT.

IF THE TECHNOLOGY WORKS, THE PREMADE PANELS COULD KNOCK 6 MONTHS OFF THE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE.

THE NAME OF THE GAME IN BUILDING IS GET IT DONE AS SOON AS YOU CAN, BUT NOBODY'S EVER BUILT A HIGH-RISE WITH THIS MATERIAL.

IT'S ONE OF A KIND.

NARRATOR: THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION IS REVOLUTIONARY, AND TO ACHIEVE IT, THE SCORPION TOWER IS BEING BUILT AT TWO DIFFERENT SITES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE WORLD-- HERE IN MIAMI AND 8,000 MILES AWAY IN DUBAI.

YES.

THIS GOES IN THERE, AND THAT SHOULD BE OK. NARRATOR: HARALD HALVORSEN IS THE MAN BEHIND THE GFRC TECHNOLOGY.

NARRATOR: TO DEMONSTRATE THE PREMADE PANELS WILL PROVIDE THE RIGHT FINISH, HARALD'S TEAM HAVE RE-CREATED PART OF THE SCORPION TOWER IN DUBAI, ALBEIT A SIMPLIFIED VERSION.

NARRATOR: THE JOB OF ENGINEERING THIS 700-FOOT JIGSAW IN THE SKY FALLS TO DESIGN ENGINEER NASR YAHIR.

YAHIR: EVERY PANEL IS A UNIQUE PANEL.

EACH AND EVERY PANEL HAS TO BE DESIGNED TO FIT ON TOP OF THE OTHER ONE AND, OF COURSE, TO TAKE ALL THE DETAILS WITH THE PANELS ADJACENT TO IT SO THAT THEY CAN FIT TOGETHER AND EVENTUALLY BE INSTALLED ON SITE.

NARRATOR: TO PRODUCE THIS SEAMLESS DESIGN, NASR HAS MASTERMINDED AN INTRICATE ARRANGEMENT OF 4,800 PANELS.

EVERY ONE IS FORMED FROM ITS OWN UNIQUE MOLD.

A MIX OF CEMENT, SAND, AND CHOPPED GLASS FIBER IS SPRAYED LAYER UPON LAYER INTO THE MOLDS.

ONCE DRY, EACH FRESHLY FORMED PANEL IS SANDED, CLEANED, AND SEALED.

THE RESULT-- [WHISTLE BLOWS] 21st-CENTURY FLAT-PACKED PANELS READY FOR INSTALLATION.

NARRATOR: ALL 4,800 PANELS WILL BE SHIPPED TO MIAMI IN CONTAINERS AT KEY STAGES IN THE BUILD.

IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT EVERY ONE ARRIVES IN THE CONDITION IT LEFT THE FACTORY.

TO ENSURE THERE'S NO CHANCE OF DAMAGE EN ROUTE, HEAD OF LOGISTICS SIMON HANLON HAS DEVISED A NO-EXPENSE-SPARED TRANSPORT SOLUTION.

HANLON: YOU'RE TALKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS' WORTH OF PANELS THAT ARE BEING MOVED, SO SAFETY, PACKAGING, LOADING FOR FINAL SHIPMENT IS PARAMOUNT.

NARRATOR: EACH PANEL WILL BE SECURED IN A CUSTOM-MADE CRADLE WHILE AN INGENIOUS SYSTEM OF TRACKS WILL ALLOW EACH 10-TON CRADLE TO BE MANEUVERED EFFORTLESSLY IN AND OUT OF THE CONTAINERS.

HANLON: IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THE CRADLE INTO THE BACK OF THE--TO THE ACTUALLY REAR OF THE CONTAINER, SO WITHOUT THIS SYSTEM, IT WOULD ALMOST BE IMPOSSIBLE.

YEAH.

THE SYSTEM WE HAVE IN PLACE IS PRETTY MUCH A BESPOKE SOLUTION, AND WITHOUT USING THAT SYSTEM, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE CONFIDENCE THAT WE HAVE AT THE MOMENT TO ENSURE THAT THOSE CRADLES GET TO MIAMI IN A SAFE AND SECURE MANNER.

NARRATOR: THE LATEST SHIPMENT OF CUSTOM-MADE PANELS HAS BEGUN.

IN 6 WEEKS' TIME, THEY'LL BE 8,000 MILES AWAY AND READY FOR INSTALLATION.

[KNOCK KNOCK] MARCH 2016.

THE REVOLUTIONARY SKYSCRAPER THAT'S BECOME KNOWN AS THE SCORPION TOWER IS UP TO THE NINTH FLOOR.

THE TEAM IS 6 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.

SHE WASN'T EVEN SICK WHEN I SAW HER ON MONDAY, AND SHE WAS SO EXCITED THAT THE BUILDING WAS COMING UP.

NARRATOR: ON THE 31st OF MARCH, 2016, THE TEAM RECEIVED THE DEVASTATING NEWS THAT ZAHA HADID HAS DIED.

COVIN: SHE CAME HERE ON MONDAY, AND SHE PASSED AWAY ON THURSDAY.

BIRDMAN: WE'RE NOW NOT JUST COMPLETING A BUILDING BY A FAMOUS ARCHITECT, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, CREATING A LEGACY BUILDING FOR THE ARCHITECT HERSELF.

COVIN: WE DO FEEL NOW AN EXTRA WEIGHT TO MAKE THIS THING PERFECT FOR ZAHA AND TO FINISH HER DREAM AND TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT YOU CAN BUILD ZAHA'S DESIGNS.

NARRATOR: OVER THE NEXT 3 MONTHS, A DETERMINED CONSTRUCTION TEAM PUSHES ON WITH THE CUTTING-EDGE BUILD.

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.

THE BUILD IS ENTERING UNCHARTED TERRITORY, AND SHELL SUPERINTENDENT KEITH BISSON MUST NOW MASTER THE PIONEERING TECHNOLOGY.

BISSON: 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.

[WHISTLE BLOWS] IT'S A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING.

NARRATOR: EACH PANEL IS HELD IN PLACE BY BRACKETS EMBEDDED IN THE FLOOR SLAB WITH CONNECTING PINS THREADED THROUGH THE STEEL CORE...

BUT IMMEDIATELY, THERE'S A PROBLEM.

THE PANELS AREN'T ATTACHING TO THE BUILDING AS THEY SHOULD, AND EVERY MODIFICATION NEEDS APPROVAL FROM THE ENGINEERS IN DUBAI TO ENSURE THEY'RE INSTALLED SECURELY.

THE TECHNOLOGY SUPPOSED TO SPEED UP THE BUILD IS HAVING A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON THE SCHEDULE.

PATRIARCA: THE FACT THAT OUR PANELS ARE MADE IN DUBAI, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY USE THE CONVENTIONAL CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES THAT WE'RE USED TO BUILDING AROUND HERE, SO THIS SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY NEW TO US.

NARRATOR: ONE OF THE STEEL RODS THAT HOLDS THIS PANEL TO THE BUILDING WASN'T LINING UP WHERE IT SHOULD.

TO AVOID WAITING FOR A REPLACEMENT PANEL, IT'S TAKEN TWO DAYS OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH DUBAI TO MAKE THE NECESSARY MODIFICATIONS TO COMPLETE THE LATEST COLUMN.

BEFORE IT CAN BE FILLED WITH CONCRETE, THE TEAM MUST CLAMP THE PANELS TOGETHER SECURELY, OR THE PRESSURE OF THE SETTING CONCRETE WILL BLOW THE COLUMN APART.

[HAMMERING] AS THE HOPPER CONTAINING TONS OF CONCRETE IS CRANED INTO POSITION, IT'S ESSENTIAL THERE ARE NO LEAKS.

PATRIARCA: TYPICAL CONSTRUCTION, YOU MAY USE 3,000-, 4,000- 5,000-PSI CONCRETE.

THIS IS WELL OVER DOUBLE THAT STRENGTH...

TOUGHEST CONCRETE I'VE EVER SEEN.

WATCH OUT!

HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY!

NARRATOR: BUT AS THE CONCRETE FILLS THE TALL COLUMNS, TONY'S WORST NIGHTMARE BECOMES A REALITY.

THE SUPER-STRENGTH MIXTURE STARTS TO LEAK OUT AT THE BOTTOM.

PATRIARCA: THIS IS SOMETHING WE TRY TO PREVENT AT ALL COSTS.

BECAUSE IT'S SO FLUID, IT FOUND A GAP, AND IT'S MAKING ITS WAY OUT OF THE FORM BOARD RIGHT NOW.

NARRATOR: IT'S NOW A PRIORITY TO PLUG THE LEAK AND CLEAN UP THE SPILLAGE BEFORE IT SETS HARD.

THIS IS BECOMING A FRUSTRATINGLY REGULAR ACTIVITY THAT TONY HAS NOT SCHEDULED FOR.

PATRIARCA: SO AGAIN WE'RE TAKING GUYS OFF OF WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING, SOMETHING ELSE, AND NOW THEY GOT TO COME BACK AND FIX THIS.

IT IS A REAL PROBLEM.

[HAMMERING] NOVEMBER 2016, 8 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.

HEY, GUYS, HAS MARIO BEEN UP HERE YET?

NARRATOR: 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, AND WE'RE FIGURING IT OUT.

NARRATOR: 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.

[MEN SHOUT] BISSON: AS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME, THIS COLUMN HERE ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER AND THIS SOUTHWEST CORNER ACTUALLY MEET TOGETHER 8 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.

NARRATOR: THE STEELWORKERS' FIRST TASK IS TO SET THE HEAVY-DUTY COLUMNS AT A PRECISE, 80-DEGREE ANGLE.

GOT TO GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT ON THAT CORNER FOR HIM.

NARRATOR: IT'S NOW A CASE OF MAN VERSUS STEEL.

AFTER TWO HOURS OF INTRICATE ADJUSTMENTS, KEITH IS SATISFIED THE ANGLE IS RIGHT, AND THE REINFORCING STEEL IS WELDED INTO POSITION.

IT CAN NOW BE WRAPPED WITH THE CUSTOM-MADE PANELS.

IN 8 FLOORS' TIME WHEN THEY WEAVE BACK INTO THE MAIN STRUCTURE, THE TEAM WILL FIND OUT IF THE COLUMNS ALIGN OR IF THEY'VE MADE A CATASTROPHIC ERROR.

TO ACHIEVE THE 2018 COMPLETION DEADLINE IN JUST 24 MONTHS, MIAMI'S SCORPION TOWER NOW HAS A COMBINED WORKFORCE OF OVER 400 PEOPLE.

CERRI: RIGHT NOW, THE BEST THAT WE CAN DO IS, WE CAN GO 11 OUT OF 12, ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S GO.

LET'S MOVE IT!

ALL RIGHT.

NARRATOR: EVERY PERSON ON SITE PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE, AND NO ONE HAS WORKED ON A BUILDING QUITE LIKE THIS.

MAN: OH, I LOVE IT, MAN, THE WAY IT ACTUALLY-- I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT IS.

IT'S CRAZY.

THAT LITTLE THING LIKE THIS FROM THE OUTSIDE, THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY LOVES, MAN.

THEY'RE LIKE, "WOW.

WHO CAME UP WITH THAT DESIGN, MAN?"

IT'S GOING IN THE HISTORY BOOKS, FOR SURE.

NARRATOR: WHEN COMPLETE, ONE THOUSAND MUSEUM, AKA THE SCORPION TOWER, PROMISES TO BE ONE OF THE MOST LUXURIOUS RESIDENCES IN MIAMI.

I'M ON 26 WORKING DOWN.

NARRATOR: THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENSURING THIS TURNS INTO THIS FALLS TO HEAD OF INTERIORS... BILL, SEE WHAT THE ISSUE IS.

NARRATOR: MARK MORABITO.

MORABITO: IT'S A PAIN, I MEAN, NEVER A PIECE OF CAKE.

I THOUGHT AS I GOT OLDER, IT WOULD GET EASIER, BUT, NAH, I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT.

NARRATOR: 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.

EVERY WALL, DOORWAY, WASTE PIPE, LIGHT FITTING, AND OUTLET IS IN A DIFFERENT POSITION FROM THE FLOOR BELOW.

MORABITO: IT'S EASY TO DRAW WITH A PENCIL, BUT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS WORK WITH WHAT'S HERE.

EACH DAY, YOU GET THROWN FOR SOMETHING.

SOMETHING'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT, AND YOU GOT TO DEAL WITH IT.

ALL RIGHT.

NARRATOR: THE CHEAPEST APARTMENT IN THIS BUILDING COSTS $5.8 MILLION.

YOU GUYS-- OH, THEY DIDN'T BUILD THE TOP DECKS HERE?

NARRATOR: IN THIS PRICE RANGE, THE OWNERS DEMAND PERFECTION, AND TO ENSURE THEY GET IT, MARK CARRIES OUT A FORENSIC, FLOOR-BY-FLOOR INSPECTION EVERY DAY.

THIS ALIGNMENT HAS TO BE PERFECT BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE STRAIGHT DOWN THROUGH HERE AND YOU'LL SEE ANYTHING THE SLIGHTEST BIT OFF.

NARRATOR: ON THE 17th FLOOR, JUST HOURS BEFORE THE CEILING PANELS ARE DUE TO BE HUNG, MARK'S EXPERT EYE HAS SPOTTED A PROBLEM.

THE LIGHTS AND SPRINKLERS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED OUT OF ALIGNMENT.

MORABITO: IF THAT'S CENTER LINE, WE'RE NOT EVEN CLOSE.

NARRATOR: IT'S A SMALL DETAIL, BUT WITH OVER 6,000 SPRINKLERS AND 8,000 CEILING LIGHTS TO INSTALL... JUST A SMALL TAP THIS WAY, GUYS, SMALL TAP.

NARRATOR: LITTLE DETAILS CAN BECOME BIG PROBLEMS.

IF WE'D HAVE DRYWALLED, WE'D HAVE BEEN TEARING IT DOWN.

NARRATOR: MARK HAS NARROWLY AVOIDED A COSTLY MISTAKE... LET'S KEEP MOVING TILL WE CAN GET EVERYBODY THROUGH THIS.

NARRATOR: BUT EVERY DELAY HAS A DOMINO EFFECT.

MORABITO: YOU'VE GOT 10 PEOPLE BEHIND YOU, AND WHEN YOU STOP, ALL THEM PEOPLE COME TO A HALT.

IT CAUSES DELAYS AND SOMETHING WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID, BUT IT HAPPENS.

OK. ALL RIGHT.

WELL DONE.

MOVING RIGHT OUT.

NARRATOR: FOR THE PAST 4 MONTHS, THE SCORPION TOWER'S WORKFORCE HAS BEEN BATTLING TO KEEP UP WITH THE PUNISHING SCHEDULE.

CONSTRUCTION OF THE 62-STORY SKYSCRAPER HAS JUST PASSED THE HALFWAY STAGE, BUT THE PLAN WAS TO COMPLETE A FLOOR EVERY 6 DAYS.

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 JUST A TRICKY BUILDING TO PUT TOGETHER.

ANDREW, IT'D BE JUST LIKE THIS.

NARRATOR: AS HEAD OF EXTERIORS, TONY PATRIARCA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT ALL 4,800 GLASS FIBER REINFORCED CONCRETE PANELS ARE INSTALLED ON TIME... ALL RIGHT.

COUPLE HOURS.

NARRATOR: AND THEY COME IN MANY SHAPES AND SIZES.

THE CURVACEOUS BALCONIES ARE A KEY SELLING POINT OF THE SCORPION TOWER.

THEY OFFER UNINTERRUPTED VIEWS ACROSS DOWNTOWN MIAMI AND BISCAYNE BAY.

ALL RIGHT, ANDY.

READY?

NARRATOR: EACH ONE IS MADE FROM 7 PIECES OF GFRC, AND ON PAPER, ASSEMBLY LOOKS EASY.

WE NEED TO DO ONE BALCONY A DAY, SO IT'S HARD.

WE WANT TO BE AS CAREFUL AS POSSIBLE.

WE WANT TO BE AS PRECISE, AND WE NEED THIS THING TO LOOK AS GOOD AS IT CAN LOOK.

MAN: ALL CLEAR.

ALL CLEAR.

NARRATOR: CHIEF INSTALLER ANDREW WILSON HAS JUST 80 DAYS TO INSTALL ALL 80 BALCONIES, BUT RIGHT NOW, HE'S STRUGGLING TO FINISH ONE.

COMING UP.

NARRATOR: THE PREMADE FLOOR PANEL HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO SLOT ONTO STEEL PINS SET FIRM IN THE CONCRETE SLAB.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE PINS AND INSERTS ARE NOT LINING UP.

YOU GOT A HOLE HERE, AND YOU'RE HERE.

WILSON: IT'S MADE TO GO TOGETHER LIKE LEGOS, BUT YOU GOT TO MAKE SURE ALL YOUR LEGO PIECES FIT FIRST.

YOU HAVE 4 PINS SET IN THE CONCRETE, AND YOU HAVE 4 HOLES THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO MATCH UP TO.

WHEN YOU'RE BRINGING THAT PIECE UP, THEY SHOULD SLIDE RIGHT DOWN, BUT WE'RE NOT MAKING THAT.

WE'RE OFF, AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHERE-- WHERE WE'RE NOT MAKING IT.

WE'RE GONNA COME DOWN AND MOVE TO THE LEFT.

WILSON: TIME IS OF ESSENCE HERE.

WE'RE TRYING TO GET A BALCONY DONE A DAY PER INSTALLATION TEAMS.

EVERY SINGLE THING THAT BECOMES AN ISSUE SLOWS US DOWN.

NARRATOR: AFTER TWO FURTHER HOURS OF MANEUVERING, ANDREW ABORTS THE INSTALLATION.

TO FIT THE BALCONY TO THE BUILDING, HE'LL NEED TO MODIFY THE PANEL, BUT HE CAN'T DO THAT WITHOUT FIRST GAINING PERMISSION FROM THE ENGINEERS IN DUBAI TO ENSURE IT REMAINS STRONG ENOUGH, AND THEY ARE CONVINCED THEIR CUSTOM-MADE PANEL SHOULD FIT PRECISELY AS DESIGNED.

YEAH.

OK. NO PROBLEM.

I'VE KIND OF SHUT THIS DOWN.

WE ARE GONNA GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND GET WITH OUR ENGINEERS AND WITH THE FOLKS IN DUBAI AND COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.

NARRATOR: THE NEXT MORNING, ANDREW KNOWS WHY THE BALCONY ISN'T FITTING.

GOT THAT ONE MOVED OVER.

NARRATOR: THE PROBLEM IS NOT BECAUSE OF THE CUSTOM-MADE PANEL.

IT'S THE RESULT OF HUMAN ERROR.

STOP.

WILSON: THE ISSUES WE'VE BEEN HAVING ARE THAT THE INSERTS UP ABOVE HAVE BEEN MOVED OR ADJUSTED WHEN THEY POURED THE CONCRETE, SO THEY'RE EITHER NOT IN THEIR RIGHT LOCATION OR THEY'RE BENT, SO THE BOLTS AREN'T COMING BACK STRAIGHT.

COMING UP.

NARRATOR: THE ENGINEERS IN DUBAI HAVE GRANTED ANDREW PERMISSION TO INSTALL TWO NEW PINS IN THE CONCRETE SLAB.

COMING UP.

NARRATOR: WITH THE PINS IN POSITION, THE BALCONY FLOOR NOW SLOTS PRECISELY ONTO THE BUILDING.

IT'S A SIMPLE FIX, BUT THE FIRST BALCONY HAS TAKEN A WEEK TO INSTALL.

WORRYINGLY FOR ANDREW, THERE ARE 79 MORE TO GO.

WILSON: WE'RE TRYING TO DEAL WITH THEM AT ONE A DAY, SO WE'RE OBVIOUSLY WAY BEHIND IN OUR TIME SCHEDULE TO GET IT ACCOMPLISHED.

THE FIRST PIECE HAS NOT BEEN EASY AT ALL.

NARRATOR: UP ON THE 32nd FLOOR OF THE SKYSCRAPER, KEITH BISSON IS PREPARING FOR THE MOST COMPLEX PART OF THE BUILD YET.

COME ON, WADE.

GO GRAB THE LASSO.

NARRATOR: THIS IS WHERE THE STEEL COLUMNS OF THE EXOSKELETON, WHICH SPLIT 8 FLOORS BELOW, REJOIN IN THE CORNERS.

SO FAR, THE ALIGNMENT OF THE STEEL LOOKS GOOD.

KEITH'S JOB IS TO NOW ENCASE THEM WITH 5 CUSTOM-MADE PANELS.

BISSON: WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, WE'RE THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE.

WHEN IT GETS HERE, IT'S TOO LATE.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT FIT.

NARRATOR: AS THE LAST PANEL IS SLOTTED INTO PLACE, CONSTRUCTION SUPERINTENDENT TONY PATRIARCA SPOTS A PROBLEM.

PATRIARCA: I'VE GOT A GAP RIGHT HERE OF ABOUT 1 INCH, WHEREAS THIS SHOULD BE FLUSH, AND RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT MAKING A LOT OF SENSE TO US WHY.

THIS PANEL'S IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

THAT JOINT IS GOOD.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S CAUSING THAT PANEL TO BE PUSHING OUT 1 INCH.

NARRATOR: FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALS THE REASON FOR THE MISALIGNMENT IS DUE TO AN ERROR 8 FLOORS BELOW.

DOWN ON THE 24th FLOOR, THE BASE OF THE COLUMN IS 1/8th INCH OUT, AND THAT TINY MISTAKE HAS MULTIPLIED WITH EACH FLOOR, MAKING THE COLUMN NOW A WHOLE INCH OUT OF POSITION.

PATRIARCH: THE END OF THE DAY, THIS HAS TO BE FLUSH.

SOMEHOW, WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO MANEUVER THIS PANEL 1 INCH IN THIS DIRECTION.

THIS IS A BAD ONE.

IT PREVENTS US FROM GOING ANY FURTHER.

NARRATOR: TO STOP CONSTRUCTION GRINDING TO A HALT, KEITH AND TONY MUST FIND A SOLUTION AND FAST, BUT AS THE GFRC EXPERT, KEITH KNOWS HIS OPTIONS ARE LIMITED.

I CAN'T JUST HACK IT UP WITH A SAW.

IT'S VERY TECHNICAL, AND IT'S NOT VERY FORGIVING.

YOU CAN'T ABUSE THE PANEL.

NARRATOR: TO MAKE MORE ROOM FOR THE PANEL, TONY'S SUGGESTION IS TO TIGHTEN THE JOINTS BETWEEN EACH SECTION OF THE COLUMN.

THIS WAY, THE FIFTH PANEL SHOULD SLOT INTO PLACE.

PATRIARCA: BY SACRIFICING 1/8th INCH IN EACH OF THE JOINTS, WE THINK WE CAN GET ENOUGH FLEXIBILITY TO MOVE THE PANELS INTO POSITION.

NARRATOR: IT SOUNDS LIKE A SIMPLE SOLUTION, BUT IT MEANS LIFTING UP EACH PANEL ONCE MORE BY CRANE.

KEITH THINKS THEY'RE TOO DELICATE TO RISK BEING FULLY REMOVED.

BISSON: WE KNOW HOW FRAGILE THESE COLUMNS ARE.

WE RISK THE POTENTIAL TO DAMAGE THEM IF WE PICK THEM UP AND REMOVE THEM.

NARRATOR: HE DECIDES TO FORCE THE PANEL TO ALIGN.

BISSON: WE THINK WE CAN SLIDE IT OVER.

NARRATOR: TONY WATCHES ON NERVOUSLY AS KEITH'S TEAM PREPARES TO PUSH IN THE PROBLEM PANEL.

PATRIARCA: YOU PUSH CONCRETE UP AGAINST CONCRETE, IT USUALLY DOESN'T WORK TOO WELL.

YOU COULD BUST THAT PANEL.

I'M GONNA PUMP IT.

I WANT TO PUSH IT UP AGAINST IT, AND I'M TRYING TO SCOOT OVER.

[CRACK] NARRATOR: JUST AS TONY FEARED, THE FORCE HAS CRACKED THE CUSTOM-MADE PANEL.

FORTUNATELY, THE DAMAGE IS COSMETIC AND CAN BE FIXED, BUT KEITH'S PLAN IS ABORTED.

IF THEY'RE TO GET BACK ON TRACK, KEITH HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO REVERT BACK TO TONY'S ORIGINAL SUGGESTION.

THE PANELS WILL NOW BE LIFTED INTO ALIGNMENT.

PATRIARCA: WE'VE BEEN MESSING AROUND WITH THESE COLUMNS, THIS COLUMN SPECIFICALLY, FOR WAY TOO LONG.

WE JUST GOT TO SUCK IT UP, DO WHAT'S RIGHT, GET IT DONE.

BISSON: TODAY WAS A CLOSE CALL.

THE PANEL WAS DAMAGED, BUT WE CAN SAVE THE PANEL.

AS YOU GO UP THE BUILDING, IT'S A NEW ADVENTURE EVERY DAY.

IT'S A NEW PIECE.

IT CHANGES ON YOU, SO EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE LEARNED ON THE FLOOR BELOW, YOU CAN TAKE WITH YOU AND USE A LITTLE BIT OF IT, BUT EVERY DAY, IT'S ANOTHER CHALLENGE BECAUSE EVERY SHAPE IS DIFFERENT.

EVERY PANEL'S DIFFERENT ON THIS JOB.

NARRATOR: AFTER 3 MORE HOURS OF BACK-BREAKING WORK...

THE 5 PANELS ARE FINALLY IN PLACE.

ALL RIGHT, SO AFTER OUR FINAL POSITIONING OF THE PANEL, WE'VE GOT DOWN TO PROBABLY LESS THAN 3/8ths OF A JOINT, WHICH IS BETTER THAN ANTICIPATED.

HOPEFULLY, WE LEARNED A COUPLE THINGS, AND NEXT COUPLE COLUMNS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET IT FLUSH.

NARRATOR: APRIL 2017, 28 MONTHS AFTER THE TEAM FIRST BROKE GROUND ON THE SCORPION TOWER.

THE 62-STORY SKYSCRAPER THAT MANY THOUGHT TOO COMPLEX TO BUILD HAS PASSED THE HALFWAY STAGE OF CONSTRUCTION.

DESPITE THE DIFFICULTIES THE PIONEERING DESIGN HAS CAUSED, THE TEAM IS STILL ONLY 8 WEEKS BEHIND SCHEDULE.

KEY TO KEEPING THE BUILD ON TRACK ARE THE ELEVATORS ATTACHED TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING.

THEY'RE CALLED BUCK HOISTS, AND IN THIS BUSINESS, THEY'RE A LIFELINE FOR CONSTRUCTION.

CERRI: I MEAN, THIS IS THE HEARTBEAT OF THE BUILDING.

IF YOU CAN'T GET THE PEOPLE THERE AND YOU CAN'T GET THEM THERE QUICKLY AND YOU CAN'T GET THE MATERIAL THERE AND YOU CAN'T GET THE GARBAGE OUT AND YOU CAN'T GET THE PEOPLE BACK DOWN, YOU JUST CRIPPLED YOUR JOB.

BUENOS DIAS.

BUENOS DIAS.

NARRATOR: DWIGHT PATERSON, AKA DIESEL... TODAY WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON THE SOUTH TOWER.

NARRATOR: IS IN CHARGE OF CONSTRUCTING AND MAINTAINING THE BUILDING'S TWO ALL-IMPORTANT BUCK-HOIST TOWERS.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE A GOOD DAY.

PATERSON: WITH NO ELEVATOR, IT SLOWS DOWN MATERIAL.

THE MEN CAN'T GET WHERE THEY GOT TO GET.

IF THEY GET, THEY GOT TO WALK UP STAIRS, SO THEY'RE TIRED BY THE TIME THEY WALK UP, SO BY DOING THIS, WE FACILITATE THE PRODUCTION OF THE BUILDING AND THE MOVEMENT OF THE BUILDING.

WITHOUT THIS, THE BUILDING'S DEAD.

NARRATOR: BUT ONCE AGAIN, THE CURVED DESIGN OF THE SKYSCRAPER IS CREATING A UNIQUE SET OF CHALLENGES.

PATERSON: THIS BUILDING'S A VERY DIFFICULT BUILDING BECAUSE OF THE EXOSKELETON.

IT'S OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING, SO THEREFORE, THE BUCK HOIST CAN'T MEET UP TO THE SLAB OF THE BUILDING, SO WE GOT TO BUILD OUT TO MEET THE BUCK HOIST.

EVERY OTHER BUILDING, THE DOORS WILL BE RIGHT HERE.

THESE DOORS ARE OUT THERE 20 FEET.

NARRATOR: TODAY, DIESEL IS PREPARING TO BUILD THE SCAFFOLDING SUPPORTING THE SOUTH BUCK HOIST UP TO THE NEWLY COMPLETED 37th FLOOR.

PATERSON: AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ON 35, SO WE GOT TWO MORE LEVELS TO JUMP IN TWO DAYS.

NARRATOR: IF SHOULD BE A SIMPLE MATTER OF ADDING MORE SCAFFOLDING...

I GOT YOU, DIESEL.

NARRATOR: BUT TWO FLOORS BELOW, PROJECT SUPERINTENDENT JOE CERRI 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 NOT GOOD FOR THE JOB.

NARRATOR: IT'S NOW CRITICAL THAT DIESEL CAN GET THE BUCK HOIST BACK INTO ALIGNMENT.

THAT MEANS DISMANTLING TWO STORIES OF HIS TOWER AND REBUILDING IT THROUGH TO THE 37th FLOOR.

CERRI: THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

NARRATOR: TO PREVENT SERIOUS DELAYS, JOE WANTS IT BACK UP AND RUNNING IN JUST TWO DAYS' TIME.

PATERSON: WE'RE UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE.

WHERE USUALLY IT WILL TAKE US TWO WEEKS, WE GOT TO GET IT DONE IN TWO DAYS, SO WE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

DIME QUANDO YO.

PATERSON: JOE'S VERY DEMANDING.

IT'S ANOTHER LITTLE SPEED BUMP WE GOT THROWN IN OUR LANE, BUT WE'RE GONNA KEEP GOING.

NARRATOR: TO SHOWCASE THE SCORPION TOWER AND HELP BOOST SALES, THE DEVELOPERS HAVE ANNOUNCED THE OPENING OF A NO-EXPENSE-SPARED SHOW APARTMENT ON THE 17th FLOOR.

IT HAS TO BE READY FOR POTENTIAL BUYERS IN JUST TWO MONTHS' TIME, BUT AT THE MOMENT, IT'S A BUILDING SITE.

THESE GUYS WANT IT.

THEY NEED IT.

WE WANT THEM TO GET IT SO THAT THEY CAN GO SELL THE REST OF THIS PLACE SO THEY GOT ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY US ALL.

LET'S GO BACK TO WORK.

NARRATOR: TODAY, SCORPION TOWER DEVELOPER KEVIN VENGER WILL INSPECT PROGRESS OF THE 17th-FLOOR SHOW APARTMENT, AND HE'S A TOUGH MAN TO PLEASE.

RIGHT.

I MEAN, LOOK.

VISUALLY, I HATE THAT GRILL RIGHT THERE.

I'D RATHER NOT HAVE THAT AT ALL.

NARRATOR: THE SIZE AND POSITION OF A CRUCIAL VENTILATION DUCT MAY SEEM TRIVIAL, BUT IN HERE, SMALL DETAILS MATTER.

VENGER: THE FULL-FLOOR UNITS ARE A $20 MILLION UNIT.

WE GOT TO GET IT AS PERFECT AS WE CAN GET IT SO WHEN A UNIT OWNER COMES IN AND CLOSES, THEY DO NOT HAVE A HEART ATTACK ABOUT WHY THIS HUGE DUCT OR GRILL ON THE SIDE.

NARRATOR: THIS ONE APARTMENT WILL ACT AS A SHOWCASE FOR THE ENTIRE BUILDING.

THE STANDARD OF ITS FINISH COULD WIN OR LOSE MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR SALES.

VENGER: WE'RE JUST GETTING INTO WHAT THEY'RE GONNA NITPICK.

THE STONE, THE COUNTERTOPS, THEIR CABINETS, THEIR APPLIANCES-- THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE TO PUT THE EXTRA TOUCH TO, AND IT TAKES TIME.

IT'S ALL ABOUT FINAL DETAILS AT THE END OF THE DAY.

THE WALLS ARE DOWN.

YOU RUN THE WIRES... NARRATOR: WITH THE DELIVERY OF FURNITURE BOOKED AND THE LAUNCH DATE SET, FAILURE TO HIT THE DEADLINE IS NOT AN OPTION...

BUT BUCK HOIST MANAGER DIESEL HAD AN EVEN MORE PRESSING DEADLINE: TO REALIGN THE CROOKED TOWER AND GET THE CONSTRUCTION ELEVATOR WORKING AGAIN.

[SPEAKS SPANISH] NARRATOR: THAT DEADLINE CAME AND WENT 3 DAYS AGO.

WITH ONLY ONE BUCK HOIST SERVICING THE ENTIRE BUILDING, DIESEL'S TEAM HAS BEEN FORCED TO WAIT FOR THE MATERIALS THEY NEED...

WASTING PRECIOUS TIME.

NOW PROJECT SUPERINTENDENT JOE CERRI WANTS ANSWERS.

DIESEL, WHAT IS GOING ON UP THERE?

YOU GOT TO COMMUNICATE WITH ME, MAN.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

YOU GOT TO JUST PICK-- ALL'S YOU GOT TO DO-- I'M A PHONE CALL OR I'M ON-- YEAH.

I DIDN'T WANT TO-- I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY STUPID TO BOTHER YOU FOR SOMETHING SO SIMPLE, BUT-- BOTHER ME.

BOTHER ME.

BOTHER ME.

I MEAN, IF WE CAN'T GET THE PIECES AND PARTS AND THE PEOPLE TO THESE FLOORS, WE CAN'T GET THIS DONE, AND WE DIE.

THAT IS THE HEARTBEAT OF THE BUILDING.

LET'S GET TO WORK, GENTLEMEN.

[SPEAKS SPANISH] NARRATOR: AFTER A WEEK, DIESEL'S TEAM FINALLY GET THE BUCK HOIST RUNNING AGAIN, BUT IT'S A DELAY THE ALREADY-TIGHT SCHEDULE CAN ILL AFFORD.

ZAHA HADID'S FUTURISTIC SCORPION TOWER IS NOW UP TO THE 51st FLOOR.

FOR THE PAST 3 MONTHS, THE CONSTRUCTION TEAM HAS BEEN COMPLETING A FLOOR EVERY 9 DAYS.

PROGRESS IS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH, BUT THERE'S TROUBLE ON THE HORIZON, AND IT GOES BY THE NAME OF HURRICANE IRMA.

MAN: IRMA CONTINUES TO BE AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY-5 HURRICANE RIGHT NOW.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE AT A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC 175 MILES PER HOUR.

NARRATOR: THE SCORPION TOWER'S INSIDE-OUT STRUCTURE IS ABOUT TO FACE THE ULTIMATE TEST.

WITH JUST 3 DAYS TO GO BEFORE HURRICANE IRMA IS DUE TO HIT MIAMI, CONSTRUCTION HAS BEEN SUSPENDED, AND MOST OF THE WORKERS HAVE BEEN EVACUATED FROM THE CITY.

THAT JUST LEAVES JOE CERRI AND TONY PATRIARCA TO BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES IN THE SCORPION TOWER.

YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY, THIS ONE DOESN'T TURN OUT TO BE THE BIG ONE THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT RIGHT NOW, THAT'S WHAT THE FORECAST IS.

THIS IS GONNA BE A CAT-5.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GETTING READY TO MAKE A DIRECT HIT IN MIAMI SOMEPLACE, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING AS READY AS WE CAN BE.

AND WE STILL GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO THIS AFTERNOON.

SEE, THIS STRAPPING IN THE EVENT THE WIND COMES THROUGH HERE AND IT IS A CAT-5, IT'LL KEEP THESE WINDOWS FROM FLIPPING UP AND SMASHING THROUGH THERE AND POTENTIALLY FLYING OUT IN THE AIR.

THIS FLOOR LOOKS GOOD.

PATRIARCA: WE'LL GO AROUND AND GO SHUT ALL THE WINDOWS, SHUT ALL THE SLIDERS, MAKE SURE ALL THAT'S SEALED UP.

OK.

I'M GONNA SHUT THE POWER OFF TO THE BUILDING.

NARRATOR: WITH THE BUILDING AND ITS CONTENTS HOPEFULLY SECURED, JOE AND TONY CAN DO NO MORE BUT HEAD FOR SHELTER AND WAIT OUT THE STORM.

GOOD.

LET'S GO.

NARRATOR: ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2017, HURRICANE IRMA TEARS THROUGH MIAMI.

WITH WINDS EXCEEDING 100 MILES PER HOUR, THE CATEGORY-4 HURRICANE BRINGS 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.

PATRIARCA: 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 GONNA BE A LOT LEFT HERE WHEN I CAME BACK.

NARRATOR: ZAHA HADID'S FUTURISTIC EXOSKELETON HAS HELD THE BUILDING TOGETHER AS DESIGNED, BUT WITHOUT A ROOF AND FLOORS ONLY PARTLY SEALED WITH GLASS, DAMAGE INSIDE WAS INEVITABLE.

HOLY MOLY, LOOK AT THAT.

IT TORE THE DRYWALL RIGHT OFF, BENT UP THE STUDS.

LUCKILY, IT DIDN'T RIP THE DUCTWORK OUT, BUT IT CAME RIPPING RIGHT THROUGH HERE AND TORE THAT RIGHT APART.

THEY SAID WE HAD 100-MILE-AN-HOUR WINDS THROUGH HERE, AND HERE'S SOME EVIDENCE OF IT.

NARRATOR: AS TONY AND JOE GO FURTHER UP THE BUILDING, THE EFFECTS OF THE WIND AND RAIN WORSEN.

CERRI: YEAH.

YOU CAN SEE FROM SOME OF THE WATER COMING IN FROM UP ABOVE THAT IT TOOK DOWN SOME OF OUR CEILING.

AND IN ADDITION, SOME SORT OF FLYING OBJECT MUST HAVE HIT THAT WINDOW FROM OUTSIDE.

THE BACK CORNER WINDOW IS ALL SHATTERED ON THE OUTSIDE, SO SOMETHING MUST HAVE HIT THAT WINDOW.

LET'S FACE IT, YOU KNOW?

BY THE TIME THIS THING BECAME A CAT-5, WE HAD "X" AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET THIS READY.

ALL IN ALL, YOU KNOW, I'M PRETTY PLEASED WITH WHAT I SEE, THAT THERE WASN'T MORE DAMAGE.

NARRATOR: JUST 5 DAYS AFTER THE SCORPION TOWER SURVIVED THE ULTIMATE TEST OF STRENGTH, ALL 400 WORKERS ARE BACK ON SITE.

OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, THE HURRICANE DAMAGE IS REPAIRED, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE TEAM IS COMPLETING A NEW LEVEL EVERY 6 DAYS.

THE PIONEERING GLASS FIBER TECHNOLOGY CHOSEN TO FAST-TRACK THE BUILD HAS AT LAST DELIVERED ON ITS PROMISE, NOW THE TEAM KNOW HOW TO ASSEMBLE IT.

CERRI: WE FINALLY FEEL LIKE WE GOT A HANDLE ON THIS, AND WE'RE STARTING TO HIT 6-DAY CYCLES.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE POURING 56 TODAY, SO WE'RE REALLY STARTING TO HIT OUR STRIDE.

NARRATOR: THERE ARE NOW JUST 7 FLOORS OF THE SKYSCRAPER LEFT FOR THE TEAM TO COMPLETE, AND INSIDE, HEAD OF INTERIORS MARK MORABITO IS RACING TO KEEP UP WITH THE SPEED OF THE EXTERIOR BUILD.

MORABITO: WE KNOW THE SCHEDULE.

KEEP MOVING UP THEM FLOORS BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE TRYING TO TURN OVER A FLOOR A WEEK.

NARRATOR: BUT ON THE 17th FLOOR, HIS MODEL UNIT IS AT LEAST READY TO BE REVEALED.

THIS IS WHAT $6 MILLION BUYS YOU IN THE SCORPION TOWER.

IT'S TAKEN MARK AND HIS TEAM NEARLY 6 MONTHS TO CREATE, BUT THE 5,000-SQUARE-FOOT SHOW APARTMENT IS FINISHED.

MORABITO: YOU'VE GOT THIS BEAUTIFUL EXTERIOR, AND THAT HAPPENS TO BE TRANSFERRED INTO THE INTERIORS.

WE'RE NOT GONNA ACCEPT ANYTHING BUT THE BEST, AND, TO BE HONEST, I MEAN, WHEN I WALK IT, I SEE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE DID PRETTY MUCH A PERFECT JOB.

NARRATOR: 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 ENTERTAINMENT.

THE KITCHEN HAS BEEN CUSTOM-MADE IN ITALY.

THERE ARE 4 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 CURVES.

THE FUTURISTIC, INSIDE-OUT STRUCTURE DEFINES EVERY ELEMENT OF THE INTERIOR.

BIRDMAN: BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE COLUMNS MOVE THROUGH THE BUILDING, VIRTUALLY EVERY UNIT HAS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS.

WHEN SOMEONE TAKES AN INTEREST IN THE BUILDING, THEY GET VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT WHERE THIS COLUMN FALLS IN THEIR BEDROOM, WHERE THIS COLUMN FALLS IN THE KITCHEN, WHERE IT FALLS NEAR THE SHOWER, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR BATHROOM, SO IT'S REALLY, LIKE, A SELECTION PROCESS THAT PEOPLE GO THROUGH ALMOST LIKE IF THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, SELECTING A PIECE OF ART THAT THEY'RE GONNA PUT IN THEIR UNIT.

NARRATOR: AS THE INTERIORS TAKE SHAPE, 650 FEET ABOVE MIAMI, THE CONSTRUCTION TEAM KNOW THAT THE END OF THE BUILD IS WELL WITHIN SIGHT.

THERE'S JUST 5 STORIES TO GO, AND THE TOUGHEST PART OF THE COMPLEX BUILD IS NOW A LONG WAY BELOW.

PATRIARCA: IT'S OVERWHELMING TO LOOK BACK AND SEE WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED HERE.

SUCH A DIFFICULT PROJECT ALL THE WAY THROUGH, THERE WAS A LOT OF DAYS WHERE I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE'D GET THIS FAR OR NOT.

WE'VE DEFINITELY COME A LONG WAY, AND I'M HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS SO FAR AND LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THIS BUILDING COMPLETE AND TURNING IT OVER TO THE HOMEOWNERS.

NARRATOR: 3 YEARS AFTER CONSTRUCTION BEGAN, ZAHA HADID'S FINAL SHOWSTOPPER NOW TOWERS ABOVE MIAMI.

BISSON: THIS BUILDING HAS BEEN A MASSIVE LEARNING CURVE.

NO ONE'S BUILT ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.

NOT MANY PEOPLE THOUGHT WE COULD DO IT, BUT WE'RE ALMOST THERE.

NARRATOR: 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.

BIRDMAN: WE HAD NO IDEA WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROJECT THAT WE WOULDN'T ACTUALLY FINISH THIS PROJECT WITH ZAHA.

SHE, OBVIOUSLY, WON'T GET TO SEE THE BUILDING COMPLETED, BUT WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO KEEP IT TRUE TO ITS ORIGINAL DESIGN.

MORABITO: IT'S ONE FOR THE AGES, AND NOW AS YOU STAND BACK AND YOU LOOK AT THE SHAPES, IT'S SOMETHING SPECIAL.

THERE'S NOTHING OUT THERE THAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE LIKE THAT.

CERRI: WE'VE TAKEN ZAHA'S VISION, AND WE PUT IT INTO REALITY.

I THINK ZAHA HADID IS LOOKING DOWN FROM THE SKY, GIVING US A THUMBS-UP, SAYING, "YOU GUYS NAILED IT."

NARRATOR: NEXT TIME ON "IMPOSSIBLE BUILDS," CAN THESE MANMADE ISLANDS OFF THE COAST OF DUBAI BE TRANSFORMED INTO A VACATION DESTINATION LIKE NO OTHER-- A EUROPEAN-THEMED LUXURY RESORT OF UNRIVALED AMBITION?

MAN: I WANT TO BUILD SOMETHING AMAZING.

NARRATOR: ONE DEVELOPER BELIEVES THEY CAN, AND HE'S RISKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO CREATE EUROPE IN THE DESERT.

MAN: IT'S IMPOSSIBLE, AND STILL, WE WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN.