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Getting 'High' In The Nation's Capital

Posted by: Christian Peralta Madera

9 July 2007 - 5:00am

With office rents second only to Midtown Manhattan, developers are arguing that it's time to add skyscrapers to the Washington D.C. skyline.

"The capital's skyline, intentionally lacking in skyscrapers, is defined by the dome of the Capitol and the soaring obelisk of the Washington Monument, visible from throughout the city."

"The maintenance of Washington's low architectural profile is enshrined in law, but not, as many believe, because its planners wanted to ensure that the Capitol and the monument remained the tallest structures in the city. Rather, at the dawn of the 20th Century, residents were afraid Washington was about to lose its charm."

"But now some are questioning whether the height limit is still the smartest thing for Washington. With property prices soaring and the possibilities for new office space running out, some think the only way Washington can grow is up."

Full Story: Should the D.C. skyline be changed?
Source: The Houston Chronicle, July 6, 2007
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Planners, architects, artists, and other community members can make the exploratory walk a key tool in re-making places, stemming from the emotions and atmospheres perceived by people who live there or visit them, and plan outward from the experiential, toward trajectories, shapes, and physical structures.
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