Tall Buildings in Numbers: 50 Years of Tall Building Evolution
CTBUH Research Paper
ctbuh.org/papers
Title: Tall Buildings in Numbers: 50 Years of Tall Building Evolution
Authors:
Subjects: Architectural/Design Construction History, Theory & Criticism
Keyword: Construction
Publication Date: 2019
Original Publication: CTBUH Journal 2019 Issue IV
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 Unpublished conference paper 5.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 Unpublished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 / Tall Buildings in Numbers 50 Years of Tall Building Evolution The default image of the skyscraper for the past 50 years in the public imagination has likely been the extruded, rectilinear corporate “box,” derived from the postwar model of minimalist “International Style” glass-and-steel architecture championed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and imitated by countless others. In fact, the skyscraper has been as subject to, and as much of an influence on, a wide array of architectural styles through the decades, as shown in this timeline relating predominant styles to individual landmark buildings constructed during the period. From this, a far richer, more comprehensive picture emerges.
Timeline of Predominant ArchitecturalKey Styles and Notes: styles prominent after 1969 1. The intention of this timeline is not to provide a complete collection of all Influences: Tall Buildings, 1969–2019styles that ended before 1969 architecture styles during this time period, or to provide a comprehensive list of all influences or definite start and end dates for the respective styles. Rather, it provides a a style reacts against another style Key diagrammatic outline of the conventional architectural styles used at a given time over styles prominent after 1969 loses prominence the past 50 years, and major elements that influenced or were rejected by these styles. styles that ended before 1969 gains prominence 2. While this graphic identifies current design trends, the vocabulary, analysis, and distinct classification of many emerging architectural styles are yet to undergo the connection of in uence a style reacts against another style same level of academic scrutiny as their historic counterparts. Thus, some loses prominence contemporary styles for tall buildings may not be fully represented in this graphic. gains prominence connection of in uence
Blobism (Blobitecture)
Constructivism Deconstructivism
875 N Michigan Ave 550 Madison Avenue Parametricism Chicago, 344 m New York City, 197 m formerly John Hancock Center Futurism Neo-Futurism
Structural Expressionism (High- Tech Architecture)
Vernacular Architecture Post-Modernism Post-Postmodernism (Metamodern)
Brutalism Prentice Women’s International Style (Minimalism) Hospital Building Chicago, 75 m Green Architecture / Sustainable Architecture / Ecological Architecture Functionalism
Modernism Neo-Modernism (Remodernism)
Critical Regionalism (Contextualism)
NeoClassical New Classical AMA Plaza Chicago, 212 m Expressionism
Structuralism
Metabolism Metaphoric Architecture (Late Expressionism)
<1960 1965 1969 1974 1979 1984 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019
While 333 Wacker Drive is widely considered the fi rst example of Postmodernism in Chicago, the The name “Brutalism” derives architect, William Pedersen of KPF, considered this from the French phrase béton project “contextualism,” due to its relationship brut, or raw Concrete. with the Chicago River, the surrounding street grid, and the adjacent skyline.
52 | Tall Building in Numbers CTBUH Journal | 2019 Issue IV Average Height and Number of Buildings by Year A timeline of the number of completions over 200 and 300 meters each year, overlaid with the average height of the 20 tallest buildings of that year, compared with the average height of the 100 tallest buildings at that time.
150 400
Key 200 m+ completions 125 300 m+ completions 350 Tallest 20 buildings completed each year (avg. height) World’s Tallest 100 Buildings (avg. height)
100 300 average height (m)
75 250
number of completions 50 200
25 150
0 100 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Based on Skyscraper Center data, as of September 2019
Blobism (Blobitecture)
Constructivism Deconstructivism
Parametricism
Futurism Neo-Futurism
Structural Expressionism (High- Tech Architecture) CCTV Headquarters Vernacular Architecture Beijing, 234 m Post-Modernism Post-Postmodernism (Metamodern)
Brutalism HSBC Headquarters One Central Park Hong Kong, Sydney, 117 m International Style (Minimalism) 179 m Green Architecture / Sustainable Architecture / Ecological Architecture Functionalism
Modernism Neo-Modernism (Remodernism)
Critical Regionalism (Contextualism)
NeoClassical New Classical
Expressionism Burj Al Arab TAIPEI 101 Torre Reforma Dubai, 321 m Taipei, 508 m Mexico City, 246 m Structuralism
Metabolism Metaphoric Architecture (Late Expressionism)
<1960 1965 1969 1974 1979 1984 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019
Bowellism, a “micromovement” within High- The tenets of Futurism and Metabolism, which Tech Architecture, emphasized a philosophy were largely seen as unrealistic and unsustainable of placing building services on the outside of for their time, have seen a resurgence in recent a building in order to maximize interior space, years, thanks to advancements in fabrication and as seen in The Lloyd’s Building, London. computer-aided design.
CTBUH Journal | 2019 Issue IV Tall Building in Numbers | 53