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?
_Nick_Merrick_for_Hedrich_Blessing_(10).jpg?1637696683 "Burj Khalifa by SOM. Image © SOM")
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.
