Skyscrapers

John Hancock Center

Friday Eye Candy: Hang Out Above Chicago at the John Hancock's 'Tilt!' Installation

Call it a ride, an art installation, or a feat of engineering—Tilt! Is not for those with a fear of heights.

May 16, 2014 - Chicago Tribune

Quiz: How Many Stories Constitute a 'Residential Tower'?

Sure, it's a subjective question. Where I live, it's anything taller than four stories, at least in the local media's eyes. But from a real estate perspective, there really is a minimum number, and they are being built in record numbers in the U.S.

April 29, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal - U.S. News

The Shard London

How Tall is Too Tall?

What is the best height to promote good urban living? It needs to be high to attain necessary density but not so high that it detracts from the quality of life, particularly for existing residents. In short, what is the Goldilocks height level?

April 26, 2014 - The Guardian

Cloud Computing Company Will Have its Name in the Clouds above San Francisco

It is only fitting that Salesforce, whose logo is a cloud, won the naming rights to what will be the West Coast's tallest building when completed in 2017 where they will lease half the space. When the fog rolls in, that's all the workers will see!

April 14, 2014 - San Francisco Chronicle

Imagining a Future Vertical City

Not everyone is sold on the idea of vertical cities, populated with futuristic skyscrapers beyond the proportions of earlier eras. But for as long cities bear the brunt of the world’s population growth, explorations of verticality will continue.

March 5, 2014 - Sourceable

Philadelphia Skyscraper Rewrites the Corporate Headquarters Script

Comcast recently released designs for a $1.2 billion skyscraper in Downtown Philadelphia. The building’s potential starkly contrasts the suburban model of commercial office parks.

January 20, 2014 - Philadelphia Inquirer

Is Tall All There Is?

Should planners be pushing to remove height limits to meet the growing demand for housing?

December 16, 2013 - Tim Halbur

London Skyline

Seven Skyscraper Design Fails

This week, sun rays bouncing off the "Walkie-Talkie" skyscraper in London have caused cars to melt and forced the city to ban parking in the area. Here are 7 other skyscraper design fails that have led to mishaps and disasters for cities.

September 5, 2013 - Future Cities

An Argument Against “Skyscraper Phobia” in the Big Apple

Kenneth T. Jackson of the New York Times expresses his opposition to recent density concerns in New York City, which he believes are compromising its future as the world’s greatest city.

September 3, 2013 - The New York Times

The Unintended Message of the High-Rise Race

Throughout history, cities that built the tallest towers were the newbs and rubes of urbanization, proclaims land use attorney Bill Adams in this light hearted put-down of the architectural race for rarified air.

July 21, 2013 - UrbDeZine.com

As Tall Tower Trend Goes Global, Africa Aims High

As the planet slowly emerges from the global recession, skyscraper construction is surging once again. One area seeking skyline augmentation is a continent that has heretofore shied away from the height race: Africa.

July 17, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

How Bloomberg's Bluster Inspired New York to Build Taller

Kicking off its in-depth examination of the ways in which New York City has been remade during Mayor Bloomberg's tenure, Matthew Schuerman looks at the city's astonishing vertical growth, a significant feat considering the shadow of 9/11.

July 11, 2013 - WNYC

Architect Ego Trip or Necessity for a Modern Metropolis? Paris Debates Skyscrapers

Following Mayor Bertrand Delanoe's overturn of a ban on buildings over seven storeys high, Paris is planning a dozen new skyscrapers outside the city centre. Debate over the towers is destined to become an issue in next year's municipal elections.

June 19, 2013 - BBC News

Hong Kong Towers

The Case for Hyperdensity

On Places, Vishaan Chakrabarti argues that the hyperdense city is more prosperous, equitable, ecological and delightful — and vital to America's strength as a nation.

June 16, 2013 - Places Journal

Big Egos and Fat Wallets Drive New York Skyscraper Boom

The Empire State Building's place in New York City's skyline is set to be challenged by several new residential towers, as the city experiences a height hysteria not seen since the heady days of the late 1920s.

June 10, 2013 - The New York Times

Exposing the Fallacy of Sky Forests

Have you noticed the architectural trend in spicing up bland glass skyscrapers with forests of foliage? Tim de Chant strips away this veneer of extreme greenwashing by explaining why trees won't grow on a ledge 500 feet high.

March 28, 2013 - Per Square Mile

Toronto Reaches for the Skies

With fifteen skyscrapers over 45 stories under construction, Toronto is erecting more tall buildings than any other city in the Western Hemisphere. By 2015, the city is expected to have more than triple the number of skyscrapers than in 2005.

December 18, 2012 - The Star

Plenty of Reasons Not to Raise the Roofline in D.C.

Drawing inspiration from Paris and Barcelona, Kaid Benfield offers his take on the recent controversy surrounding height limits in the nation's capital, enumerated point-by-point against arguments over capacity, density, affordability, and beyond.

November 21, 2012 - NRDC Switchboard

Toronto's Skyline Has High Ambitions Despite Housing Bubble Concerns

By a ratio of two-to-one, Toronto is far outpacing NYC in terms of high-rises and skyscrapers currently under construction. As other Canadian cities follow suit, Jim Flaherty, Canada's Finance Minister, is taking measures to cool the market.

October 24, 2012 - The Globe and Mail

Super Rich Drive Residences to New Heights

The number of super-tall residential buildings continues to grow globally, with top floor residences fetching nine-figure prices. Historically, the world's tallest buildings housed offices.

August 26, 2012 - The Wall Street Journal

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