09 Sep 2014 Skyscrapers of the Future
Consider the world’s current population and how it is so polarised to large cities. Then consider population growth, particularly in developing countries and it does make you wonder, where will people live, and work and play, in the cities of the future.
Well, some architects are already giving this future problem some serious thought, as can be seen at superskyscrapers.com.
Imagine an entire city; its schools, shops, parks, businesses, homes and ecosystem all inside a single skyscraper. Designed by SURE Architecture, The Endless City took out first place at the international SuperSkyScrapers Awards 2014 competition.
The conceptual design has been earmarked as a skyscraper of the future and a way to house the worlds growing population.
SURE proposed the 300 metre-high conceptual skyscraper city, officially titled “The Endless Less in Height”, as a new addition to the London skyline, designed to create an “inspirational typology for a high-quality organic skyscraper concept to be used as a tech city”.
Despite its height tipped to match that of London’s tallest building, The Shard, SURE’s design is being noticed for giving its residents the ability to live their entire life, work and social, without ever having to leave their city in the sky.
The design moves away from the century old tradition of stacking floors on top of floors and instead had two large ramps that work their way upwards.
The ramps will be connected by bridges and walkways in an effort to promote movement within the building.
The Endless City will be supported by six steel tubes, these will also be used to house and hide the city’s plumbing and electrical work.
Narrowing at the base to meet zoning requirements, the building is designed to allow sunlight into the centre of the tower to optimising its use for naturally lit parks and plazas.
The endless city is able to be extended infinitely upwards, and Associate Director of SURE, Alina Valcarce said they designed The Endless City to integrate seamlessly into the surrounding streets in London.
“There is no break any more, neither between street level and the skyscraper, nor between the skyscraper floors themselves,” Ms Valcarce said.
“The goal of the design is to conceive an open building that is effective as it is inviting and powerful symbol in all directions while being permeated by generosity and openness.”
The competition’s jury summarised that although the concept behind The Endless City is not revolutionary, it is “an important approach that suggests a solution to some of the issues associated with certain skyscraper developments.”
“The unexpected approach to seeking an organic structure through the suggestion that the way in which a society works is in itself organic, is very appealing.”
“The proposal as a whole is a very clever and subtle interpretation of an organic offering with its vertical growth and horizontal sprawl with flowing and continuous connections between building and street, public and non-public.”
Although SURE has found a location for The Endless City on the outskirts of London city, the project is still in its design phase and it is unknown if it will ever move into construction.