Emily Alpert Reyes reports that Los Angeles has overturned a long-standing requirement for its skyscrapers to have flat roofs to accommodate the fire department's helicopters in the event of an emergency.
According to Emily Alper Reyes, "builders [in Los Angeles] will be able to craft skyscrapers that don’t have a helicopter pad on the roof if they include other safety features, such as a fire service elevator for firefighters to swiftly reach a blaze or another set of exit stairs, automatic sprinklers and a video surveillance system."
Mayor Eric Garcetti called the former ban "one more stupid rule in Los Angeles" when he announced the change earlier this week.
As for how the rule change would influence the shape of the city, "[architects] had bemoaned the old rule, saying it stifled creativity and prevented L.A. builders from crafting a distinctive skyline," explains Alpert Reyes.
Read the full story: L.A. to allow spires on skyscrapers, easing 40-year-old flat-roof rule
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