The Race for the Sky: Unbuilt Skyscrapers
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ctbuh.org/papers Title: The Race for the Sky: Unbuilt Skyscrapers Author: Mohamad Kashef, PhD, East Carolina University Subject: Architectural/Design Keywords: Supertall Urbanization Publication Date: 2008 Original Publication: CTBUH Journal, 2008 Issue I Paper Type: 1. Book chapter/Part chapter 2. Journal paper 3. Conference proceeding 4. Unpublished conference paper 5. Magazine article 6. Unpublished © Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat / Mohamad Kashef The Race for the Sky: Unbuilt Skyscrapers Unbuilt skyscraper designs are noted by many architecture critics as the best in the genre of tall buildings. This paper provides an exposition of various iconic and “unbuilt” skyscraper design proposals that have inspired architects and engineers to build ever-taller buildings and continue to fuel the twenty-first century race for the sky. The study identifies two categories of unbuilt skyscrapers. The first group includes skyscraper visions that were mainly proposed as part of a comprehensive urban development theory. Skyscraper proposals of the second group were aborted due to various conflicts that ranged from popular opposition to economic crises or hurdles. The paper concludes with a discussion of the current most daring skyscraper projects and the potential for revisiting some unbuilt skyscraper dreams. The skyscraper was mainly an American buildings and continue to fuel the twenty-first invention that thrived and was propagated by century race for the sky. This study identifies the work of architects from the Chicago two categories of unbuilt skyscrapers. The first School, such as Sullivan, Burnham, Holabird, group includes skyscraper visions that were and Roche William Le Baron Jenny, regarded as mainly proposed as part of a comprehensive the father of the Chicago School, designed the urban theory. Skyscraper proposals of the Home Insurance Building of 1883, which was a second group were aborted due to various mere ten stories high, but considered the conflicts that ranged from popular opposition world’s first steel skeleton skyscraper. It was to economic crises or hurdles. Author iterated upon by the designers of the Mohamad Kashef, PhD Woolworth, Empire State, and Chrysler buildings in New York City, following the First Group: Skyscraper Urban Theories East Carolina University, A 213 Brewster Building institution of the 1916 Zoning Ordinance. The Various twentieth-century skyscraper visions Greenville, technique of building skyscrapers was incorporated solutions to urban development NC 27858 subsequently refined by SOM (Skidmore, United States problems, especially overcrowding and t: 252 367-1284 Owings, and Merrill) and transferred unhealthy living conditions. Three schemes f: 252 737-1527 worldwide. Many of SOM’s designs have were selected because of their comprehensive become icons of modern American scope and profound impact on the Mohamad Kashef practiced architecture, urban architecture, including the Lever House (1952) development of modern architecture and planning, and project management with multinational consulting firms and construction in New York City and the John Hancock Center urbanism. These include Le Corbusier’s companies in the United States, Canada, Egypt, and (1969) and the Sears Tower (1973) in Chicago. Contemporary City (Figure 1), Wright’s Saudi Arabia. Taught courses, seminars, and studios Their work has laid the ground for a revolution Broadacre City (Figure 2), and Sant’Elia’s Citta in urban design, history and theory of architecture and urbanism, and historic preservation. Assisted in building heights that have currently Nova (Figure 3). various cities and communities in the United States exceeded 1,670 feet with the Taipei 101 Tower in the preparation of downtown development in Taiwan. In excess of 2000 feet, Burj Dubai in plans and urban design guidelines. Research is focused on introducing a balanced physical the United Arab Emirates, which is scheduled planning and design agenda that integrates both for completion in 2009, will probably break all architectural and planning knowledge with an previous records. emphasis on sustainable practices. A special research interest in tall buildings and multi-use Advancements in structural systems, building structures that integrate unique architectural materials and computer-aided design configurations with innovative technologies and green solutions. Other design and research technologies are driving today’s skyscraper concerns include heritage and urban conservation design to a new horizon. Form and function within a global context. Participated in the are no longer complementary or tied together revitalization and restoration efforts of the Historic Citadel District in Cairo, Egypt. in a linear equation. From helicoidal and spiral designs to sail-shaped, cantilevered configurations, the tall structure is regaining its status as an icon and asserting itself as a symbol of culture and civilization. Unbuilt skyscraper designs are noted by many architecture critics as the best in the genre of tall buildings. This paper provides an exposition of various iconic and “unbuilt” Figure 1. Le Corbusier’s Contemporary City: Towers in Parks; the heart of the Contemporary City included 60- skyscraper design proposals that have inspired story skyscrapers and an airplane landing platform architects and engineers to build ever-taller (Boesiger et al. 2006) CTBUH Journal | 2008 Issue I The Race for the Sky: Unbuilt Skyscrapers | 9 Figure 2. Images from Wright’s Broadacre City (Wright 1958), the Mile High skyscraper and its most recent inspiration: “Burj Dubai,” The actual building height as of February 2008 has exceeded 2000 feet. Le Corbusier’s Contemporary City and few single-block buildings that he built in Broadacre City never fully materialized, but in Le Corbusier wanted to literally dismantle all Paris and Berlin (Hall 1996, 212). However, Le many ways it represented the ultimate forms of pre-modem urbanism and replace Corbusier had an immense influence on American dream of a high level of them with a scheme of towers and highways. modern architecture and planning. The idea of individualism, much open space, and high He believed that cities needed to have high a “tower in a park” that currently pervades most mobility. The physical form of Wright’s population densities to function properly. cities was mainly derived from his urban vision Broadacre City has partly become a reality in Nevertheless, Le Corbusier was appalled by the (Figure 1). the current American urban and suburban congestion of 1920s cities, which he attributed landscapes. Ironically, Wright designed a mile- high skyscraper (5,280 feet) to be the focal to the inefficient road network and building Frank Lloyd Wright’s Broadacre City configurations that did not match the spirit of point of such a very low density and rather the machine age. The key was the famous Frank Lloyd Wright wanted to fuse the city and horizontal development. The tower was paradox, “We must decongest the centers of the country so that the urban-rural distinction estimated to have 528 stories and a gross area our cities by increasing their density” (Hall would no longer exist. The individual house, of 18.46 million square feet. He envisioned the 1996, 207). He called for the demolition of built within a one-acre farm, became the tower as the visual anchor of the downtown congested urban centers and their center of the human settlement in which that would be seen from every corner of replacement with soaring towers interspersed everything from living and recreational Broadacre City. Wright conceived a slender by super highways and green spaces (Sewel patterns to means of transport was flexible skyscraper with cantilevered floors. Following 1993, 32). Le Corbusier envisioned a and configured according to personal his organic architecture credo, he likened his “Contemporary City” (1923) for millions of imperatives (Wright 1958). Wright’s Broadacre tower to a tree trunk with branches (Linn people housed in skyscrapers that would City was highly progressive in the sense that it 2004). Wright’s tower (Figure 2) was never built, cover little more than five percent of the land. afforded its inhabitants in the 1950s a kind of but the concept of a mile-high skyscraper has Buildings would be elevated on “pilotis” (stilts) technological and transportation gadgetry yet become engrained in the minds of many to allow park space to flow right underneath to be achieved today. Forward-looking architects and designers. It continues to fuel (Benevolo 1980; Boesiger et al. 2006). His helicopter flying crafts were portrayed the race for reaching higher altitudes, as planning schemes departed dramatically from throughout the design proposal as the primary evidenced in Burj Dubai, which is somewhat those of then-existing cities, and generally mode of transportation in the city. Wright reminiscent of Wright’s Mile High. When aimed to avail of the technological innovations envisioned a very low-density settlement that completed in 2009, Burj Dubai will stand at of the 20th century. Almost all of his schemes comprised every building type he previously approximately 2,000 feet. remained on paper except for Chandigarah designed (Lang 1994) (Figure 2). 10 | The Race for the Sky: Unbuilt Skyscrapers CTBUH Journal | 2008 Issue I Antonio Sant’ Elia’s Citta Nova Second Group: Commercial Skyscrapers Born in Lombardy, architect Antonio Sant’Elia Skyscrapers in this group were mainly became involved with the Futurist movement proposed for commercial