
Almost a century ago, the world was introduced to a new architectural typology that changed the entire construction industry. Starting off with the Home Insurance Building in 1885, leading to the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings in Manhattan, skyscrapers became a symbol of power and financial abundance. Soon enough, they were being constructed in almost every city across the world with state-of-the-art designs that defy engineering norms. But with all the changes taking place in the architecture practice, what does the future hold for these heavily criticized yet constantly developed buildings?
More than half of the world’s 7.8 billion population live in cities and urban areas, and 2.5 billion more are expected to join them within the next 20-25 years. High-rise buildings, particularly residential ones, have proved to be beneficial in densely-populated cities where vacant plots are almost impossible to find. In areas like SoHo, where the ground level is highly congested with pedestrians and vehicle traffic regularly, constructing low-rise commercial and residential buildings is inadequate for the occupants’ physical and mental wellbeing; suppose staying more than 7-8 hours a day with constant visual distractions, nonstop honking, and uncontrollable traffic and headlights, to name a few.
