Antony Wood

CTBUH Executive Director

GACCoM Green Building Seminar
UIC, Urbana-Champaign, 13 Nov. 09
Seeking the suitable and
sustainable skyscraper
1930, Chrysler
Building, New York,
William van Alen
Tall Buildings and Place: The shortfall of Tall?
1896, Fisher
Building, Chicago,
Burnham & Co
1958, Seagram Building, New York,
Mies van der Rohe & Philip J ohnson
Shortfall 1: The Commercial
Design Approach
2003; Swiss Re Tower, City of London
Foster Associates
Shortfall 2: The Iconic-
Sculptural Design Approach
1969, Commercial Union Building, London
Gollins, Melvin Ward & Partners
Canary Wharf / Docklands Development; early 1980s to date
Typical Towers at Canary Wharf
1991; No.1 Canada Square, London
Cesar Pelli Associates
1985; World Financial Centre, New York
Cesar Pelli Associates
Tall building-scape, J akarta Tall building-scape, Seoul
1990; Thaniya Plaza, Bangkok
Plan Associates Co Ltd
1990; Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, Bangkok
Rangsan Torsuwan Architects
Literal Cultural Symbolism
1997; Menara Batavia, Indonesia
Architects Pacific Group
Literal Cultural Symbolism
2004. Taipei 101, Taiwan
CY Lee & Partners
Literal Cultural Symbolism
1998. J in Mao Tower,
Shanghai. SOM
Abstract Cultural Symbolism
2007. World Financial Centre,
Shanghai. KPF
Abstract Cultural Symbolism
1997. Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur.
Cesar Pelli Associates
Abstract Cultural Symbolism ?
1984. Menara Dayabumi, Kuala Lumpur.
BEP Architects
1932. Broadacre City, Frank Lloyd Wright
The Rise of an Environmental Consciousness in High Rise design
1956. Price Tower, Frank Lloyd Wright
1984. National Commercial Bank, J eddah.
SOM Architects
Dubai World Trade Center
Dubai, U.A.E., 1978
J R Harris & Partners,
1993. Islamic Development Bank, J eddah
Nikken Sekkei Architects
Harry Seidler in Australia
1986. Riverside Centre, Brisbane. Harry Seidler 1989. Capita Centre, Sydney. Harry Seidler
1983. Kanchanjunga Apartments, Bombay.
Charles Correa.
Charles Correa in India
1992. Menara Mesiniaga, Kuala Lumpur
Hamzah & Yeang.
Bioclimatic Skyscrapers the work of Ken Yeang..
Design features:
- Skycourts / Skygardens
- Vertical Landscaping
- External louvres for solar shading on hot facades (i.e.
east / west)
- No shading on north / south facades for daylighting
- Lift core used to reduce solar gain to internal space
(positioned on east side)
- Naturally ventilated low energy Lift Lobbies, with
view
- Naturally ventilated / lit toilets / ancillary areas.
- Structures for positioning of solar arrays etc.
1993. Mbf Tower, Penang.
Hamzah & Yeang.
1995. Tokyo-Nara Tower
Hamzah & Yeang.
1983. Trump Tower, Swanke
Hayden Connell
The rise of green as a material
1994. ACROS Fukuoka Prefectural International Hall, J apan. Emilio Ambasz and
Associates
2007. Newton Suites,
Singapore. WOHA
1999. Frankfurt Max Tower. Hamzah & Yeang. 1997. Commerzbank, Frankfurt. Foster Assoc.
Green or Grey?: The Aesthetics of Tall Building Design
The work of Norman Foster .
1997. Commerzbank, Frankfurt.
Foster Associates
2003; Swiss Re Tower, City of London
Foster Associates
1999. Conde Nast Building. New
York. Fox & Fowle Architects
2008. Bahrain World Trade
Centre. Atkins
Sustainable Technologies .
2009. Pearl River Tower. SOM
2008. The New York Times Building, New
York. Renzo Piano
Sustainable Technologies .
Challenges: Tall Buildings & Sustainability the Case Against
The age of skyscrapers is at an end. It must now be considered an
experimental building typology that has failed
Kunstler & Salingaros, in Roaf et al (2005)
Factors:
Construction & Operation
Internal Environment / People
Urban
Challenges: Tall Buildings & Sustainability the Case Against
Construction & Operation
Higher embodied energy in constructing at height structure, materials etc.
Greater wind loading at height (impact on size of primary structure, faade design
etc).
High energy consumption in operation elevators (up to 15% of bldg energy
use), services etc.
Higher energy consumption for cleaning and maintenance (e.g. replacement of
faade silicon joints).
Energy consumption is a small percentage of total costs (salaries etc) little
incentive for owners / operators / developers.
Implications of Power failure (impact on vertical circulation, safety etc).
Recycling potential / urban impact of demolition / disposal of materials after
demolition.
Challenges: Tall Buildings & Sustainability the Case Against
Internal Environment / People
Less net usable area to gross area and restrictions on internal planning; vertical
circulation core etc.
Anti-social internal environment lack of open, recreational, communal space
(esp. in residential).
Sealed environments at height thus requirement for air conditioning, artificial
lighting etc.
Safety and Security fears (especially post 9/11) including safety during
construction.
Increased travel time (wasted time?).
People suffering from vertigo building occupation / human rights legislation?
Challenges: Tall Buildings & Sustainability the Case Against
Urban Factors
Impact on urban scale; cities that dont want to be tall?
The poor ground floor interface
Wind downdrafts
Overshadowing (solar rights / right to light)
Wind rights (ventilation?)
Overpopulation in certain localities / greater demand on existing urban services
and infrastructure.
Climate Change will increase all these pressures on high rise wind, storm,
solar, power failure etc .
Challenges: Tall Buildings & Sustainability the Case For
Efficient land use in population concentration reduced suburban spread / loss of
countryside.
Denser cities = reduced transportation (and consequential impact on environment).
Reduced size of infrastructure networks (urban / suburban, power, services, waste
disposal etc).
Proximity of residence and workplace; therefore less travel time (less wasted time?).
More of the ground floor / urban level can be dedicated to public use e.g. retail.
Standardisation of floor plates and use of materials prefabrication efficiencies?
Higher wind velocities at height = greater potential for harnessing wind energy.
Potential for natural ventilation through increased stack effect etc.
High thermal mass potential for use in natural ventilation / heating / cooling strategies.
Potential for good internal daylighting (and thus reduced energy).
Increased quality of life at height view etc?
The potential for secure communal / recreational spaces at height, away from traffic,
pollution etc.
Increased legibility of the city urban signposting etc.
Life-cycle costing; re-use of building structure, services etc in refurbishments.
The U.K.
Factors:
- longer life expectancy
- smaller household size
(single person households,
divorce rate, children outside
marriage, etc)
Results:
- a government demand of
2.6million new homes by 2020
- An annual requirement of
189,000 new homes
the high energy, gas-guzzling fully glazed
office block is at the end of an era faade
design is on the frontline of a change
Ken Shuttleworth
Models for the Future?
2005. The
Spiracle, Leeds
2004. Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait
SOM Architects
2007 Project. COR tower,
Miami..Oppenheim Architects
2010. O14 Tower, Dubai,
Reiser + Umemoto Architects
2009. Torres de Hrcules, Cdiz, Spain.
Rafael de La Hoz Castanys
2009. Torres Porta Fira, LHospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.
Toyo Ito / b720 Arquitectos
2009. The Met, Bangkok,
Thailand. WOHA
London, 2002-06
Design Research; CTBUH + Illinois Institute of Technology +
University of Nottingham + others............
Chicago, 2007-08
Mumbai, 2009
1981; Natwest Tower (Tower 42)
City of London
Richard Seifert Architect
2008. Minerva Tower.
Nicholas Grimshaw Architects
Physical Responses to Site
2004. Building As Frame
2004. Building As Frame Design response.
Typical Floor Plan
Office Environmental Section
Residential Facade Section
View Looking Down
2007. Wind Farm
Environmental Responses to Site
Physical & Environmental Responses to Site
2002. SkyBox version 1
Conceptual Layer 1: Relationship between core, function & climate
North
Residential?
Office?
Conceptual Layer 2: Relationship between floor plate & context
Differing
City View at
higher level
City View
Conceptual Layer 2: Relationship between floor plate & context
Conceptual Layer 3: Structural blocks
2007. SkyBox version 2
2007. SkyBox version 2
Environmental Responses to Site
2007. Solar Thermal Tower
Solar Power Station, Seville, Spain
2007. Solar Thermal Tower
2007. Solar Thermal Tower
Environmental Responses to Site
2007. The Chicago Aquifer
2007. The Chicago Aquifer
2007. The Chicago Aquifer
2006. Sports Tower
Challenging traditional functions
Responses to Programme
Vertical Farm
2006. Vertical Farm
2007. SkyFarm
2007. SkyFarm
2007. SkyFarm
Responses to All...........
Pavements in the Sky / Skybridges
1998 - Petronas Towers, Kuala
Lumpur.
Cesar Pelli.
1908 - The Cosmopolis of the
Future. Harry Petit. From Kings
Views of New York
1927 - Metropolis. Erich Kettelhut.
Still from Fritz Langs film.
1997 - The Fifth Element. Luc Besson.
Still from film.
2009. Linked Hybrid, Beijing,
China. Steven Holl Architects
Urban Enrichment Hong Kong
Cultural Responses to Site
2009. Yatra Towers, Mumbai
2009. Annapurna Tower
2009. Gyana Tower
2009. Bhangar Tower
2009. Swadeshi Tower
2009. Swadeshi Tower
Cultural Responses to Site
2009. Yatra Towers, Mumbai
A new Vernacular for the Skyscraper?
Seven Design Principles for future Tall Buildings .
1. Should vary with height not be just vertical extrusions of an
efficient floor plan.
2. Varying Texture and Scale essential should be designed as
many small buildings harmoniously together, rather than one
piece of iconic sculpture to be viewed from afar?
3. New functions to be introduced
4. Communal, open, recreation space vital
5. More facade opacity (and variation / texture) in skin / cladding
6. Organic matter (vegetation) to become an essential part of the
material palette.
7. More physical, circulatory, social and programmatic
connections (skybridges!).
Tall Buildings have an opportunity to lead the way for the benefit of the entire
construction industry, due to the financial and professional expenditure involved
and thus the opportunity for incorporation of experimental technologies etc......
www.ctbuh.org
www.ctbuh.org/designresearch.htm
awood@ctbuh.org