Highrise

Highrise
Y1337 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Highrise
Caption	A typology of tall vertical mixed-use structures
Location	Global
Start date	Ancient to present
Building type	Residential, commercial, mixed-use
Height	Variable
Floors	Variable
Architect	Various
Engineer	Various

Highrise Highrise structures are vertically concentrated multi-story buildings designed to accommodate aggregated population centers, commerce, and services within a limited footprint. Originating in ancient Mecca and medieval Venice tenements and evolving through the innovations of the Industrial Revolution, modern highrise typologies integrate technologies from skyscraper engineering, urban planning, and transportation infrastructure. Their proliferation has shaped skylines in cities such as New York City, Shanghai, Dubai, and Tokyo while influencing policies in jurisdictions like Singapore, London, and Paris.

Definition and purpose

A highrise is typically defined by regulatory or technical thresholds established by authorities such as the International Building Code, municipal agencies in Chicago, or planning departments in Hong Kong. Purposes include high-density residential accommodation exemplified by developments in Mumbai and Seoul, vertical office campuses seen in Manhattan and Canary Wharf, and mixed-use complexes like those in Shenzhen and Kuala Lumpur. Highrises support integration with mass transit nodes, retail anchored by chains such as Macy's or Isetan, and cultural institutions like the Guggenheim Museum when co-located in central districts.

History and development

Pre-modern vertical living occurred in cities such as Cairo and Fez, but modern highrise development accelerated after the Great Chicago Fire and the advent of steel-frame construction used by firms like Burnham and Root and architects such as Louis Sullivan. The Elevator invention and electric elevators by Elisha Otis enabled taller skyscraper projects including the Flatiron Building and later the Empire State Building. Postwar reconstruction in Berlin and rapid urbanization in São Paulo and Mexico City prompted mass highrise housing and office schemes influenced by planners like Le Corbusier and firms such as Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

Design and engineering

Highrise design synthesizes architectural practice from studios such as Foster + Partners and Zaha Hadid Architects with structural engineering pioneered by practices like Arup and Ove Arup. Wind engineering research at institutions including MIT and University of Cambridge informs aerodynamic shaping seen in towers like Burj Khalifa and Shanghai Tower. Vertical circulation systems draw on elevator technologies from Otis Worldwide and KONE, and mechanical, electrical, plumbing integration reflects standards from ASHRAE and RIBA. Façade engineering coordinates with glazing manufacturers supplying projects by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and thermal performance testing in labs such as National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Construction and materials

Construction sequencing involves piling and foundation methods used in deep urban sites such as London Bridge City and Battery Park City, with materials ranging from steel frames typical in Pittsburgh and Detroit to reinforced concrete common in Rio de Janeiro and Istanbul. Composite systems adopted by contractors like Turner Construction Company and Bechtel allow efficient highrise erection, while prefabrication and modular components have been trialed in projects in Oslo and Seoul. Curtain wall systems supplied by international manufacturers perform in climates from Dubai desert conditions to the winters of Moscow, requiring coordination with seismic detailing standards used in Los Angeles and Tokyo.

Safety and regulations

Regulatory frameworks such as the International Building Code and national codes in Germany and Japan set criteria for fire protection, egress, and structural integrity. Fire engineering employs compartmentation strategies tested after incidents like the King's Cross fire and regulatory responses following events such as the Grenfell Tower fire. Regional seismic codes in California and Chile require base isolation, moment-resisting frames, and redundancy; wind load provisions derived from research at University of Western Ontario inform lateral load design. Building certification systems including LEED and BREEAM address sustainability, while local authorities like the New York City Department of Buildings enforce permits and inspections.

Urban impact and usage

Highrises alter land-use patterns in central business districts such as Downtown Manhattan and La Défense, influencing property markets monitored by institutions like CBRE and JLL. They contribute to densification strategies promoted by agencies in Singapore and Hong Kong, while critics reference social outcomes seen in mid-20th-century tower blocks in Inner London and Glasgow. Mixed-use highrises foster 24-hour neighborhoods in precincts like Shibuya and La Rambla when combined with transit hubs such as Grand Central Terminal or Shinjuku Station. Infrastructure demands affect utilities managed by entities like National Grid and Tokyo Electric Power Company.

Notable examples and records

Prominent highrises include the Burj Khalifa (height record), Shanghai Tower (double-skin façade), One World Trade Center (symbolic redevelopment), Empire State Building (historic landmark), and Petronas Towers (twin-tower engineering). Other landmark projects are Taipei 101, Willis Tower, The Shard, International Commerce Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Jin Mao Tower, Kingdom Centre, Canton Tower, Lakhta Center, and Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower. Innovations in mixed-use programming are exemplified by Hudson Yards and Canary Wharf, while resilience-focused designs appear in The Edge and Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center. Records for tallest residential, tallest hotel, and tallest observation deck are held by towers in cities including New York City, Dubai, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.

Category:Architecture