Recent advancements in structural design, combined with the loosening of density and zoning requirements, has opened the door for the so-called "superslim skyscraper."
From New York to Melbourne to Vancouver, developers are planning high-rise structures on postage-stamp-sized parcels (OK, not that small, but we're talking lots as narrow as 22 feet) in dense urban locations.
Developers love the building type because they can finally take advantage of land that was previously unusable for large multifamily and mixed-use structures.
Some projects, like the Beach & Howe Tower in Vancouver (see No. 2 below), utilize a narrow form to accommodate multiple structures on a given site.
To be considered "superthin" or "slender," a tower must have a height-to-width ratio of at least 10:1. A typical skyscraper, such as the Willis Tower, falls in the 7:1 range. The new crop of skinny towers blows those ratios out of the water. For example, the 111 West 57th Street project in New York City has a height-to-width ratio of 22.5:1.
Here's a quick look at some prominent skinny skyscraper projects in the works:
1. 111 West 57th Street, New York
Building Type: multifamily (100 units)
Height: 1,350 feet, 77 fours
Width: 60 feet
Building Team
Developer: JDS Development
Architect: SHoP Architects
Structural engineer: WSP Cantor Seinuk
More on 111 West 57th Street via CTBUH's Skyscraper Center
2. Beach & Howe Tower, Vancouver
Building Type: multifamily (407 units)
Height: 493 feet, 49 floors
Width: NA
Building Team
Developer: Westbank Corp.
Architects: Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), James KM Cheng Architects
Structural engineer: Glotman Simpson Group
MEP engineer: Cobalt Engineering
More on the Beach & Howe Tower via CTBUH's Skyscraper Center
3. Phoenix Apartments, Melbourne, Australia
Building Type: multifamily (28 units)
Height: 290 feet, 29 floors
Width: 21 feet, 11 inches
Building Team
Developer: Equiset
Architect: Fender Katsalidis Architects
More on the Phoenix Apartments via Sidney Morning Herald
4. One57, New York
Building Type: mixed use, with hotel (210 rooms) and multifamily (92 units)
Height: 1,005 feet, 79 floors
Width: NA
Building Team
Developer: Extell Development Company
Design architect: Christian de Portzamparc
Executive architect: SLCE Architect LLP
Structural engineer: WSP Cantor Seinuk
MEP engineer: AKF Engineers
Exterior performance consultant: Israel Berger Associates
Interior designers: Yabu Pushelberg (hotel), Thomas Juul-Hansen, LLC (residential)
Contractor: Bovis Lend Lease
More on One57 via CTBUH's Skyscraper Center
5. 464 Collins Street, Melbourne
Building Type: mixed use, with multifamily (37 floors, 185 units) and office (13 floors)
Height: 593 feet, 50 floors
Width: 36 feet, 1 inch
Building Team
Developer: Equiset
Architect: Bates Smart
More on 464 Collins Street via Urban Melbourne
6. 432 Park Avenue, New York
Building type: multifamily (125 units)
Height: 1,397 feet, 85 floors
Width: 50 feet
Building Team
Developers: CIM Group, Macklowe Properties
Architects: Rafael Vinoly Architects, SLCE Architects
Structural engineer: WSP Cantor Seinuk
MEP engineer: WSP Flack + Kurtz
Contractor: Bovis Lend Lease
More on 432 Park Avenue via CTBUH's Skyscraper Center
7. 54 Clarke Street, Melbourne
Building Type: multifamily (256 units)
Height: 787 feet, 73 floors
Width: 39 feet, 4 inches
Building Team
Developer: Matrix & Cube
Architect: BKK Architects
Structural engineer: Macleod Consulting
Related Stories
Architects | Nov 6, 2015
Hungary’s A4 Studio Wins World Architecture Community Award using ARCHICAD
Inspired by the suspended, community-designed shading structures seen on traditional Moroccan marketplaces, the Casablanca Market in Morocco allows traffic to flow through the arcade-like marketplace.
Healthcare Facilities | Nov 4, 2015
Hospital designers get the scoop on the role of innovation in healthcare
“Innovation” was the byword as 175 healthcare designers gathered in Chicago for the American College of Healthcare Architects/AIA Academy of Architecture for Health Summer Leadership Summit.
Office Buildings | Nov 3, 2015
Emotional intelligence and design
In a world in which technology and its skills are constantly changing, good people skills are becoming more important, writes VOA's Angie Lee.
Architects | Nov 2, 2015
NCARB: Interactive tool helps architects prep for exam
The Transition Calculator for the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) will help licensure candidates transition from ARE 4.0 to ARE 5.0.
Architects | Nov 2, 2015
China Accord: Design firms sign pledge to tackle climate change
52 companies will collaborate to reduce carbon emissions.
BIM and Information Technology | Oct 29, 2015
MIT develops ‘river of 3D pixels’ to assemble objects
The Kinetic Blocks can manipulate objects into shapes without human interference.
Architects | Oct 27, 2015
Top 10 tile trends for 2016
Supersized tile and 3D walls are among the trending tile design themes seen at Cersaie, an exhibition of ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings held in Bologna, Italy in October.
Architects | Oct 27, 2015
Architecture at Zero 2015 design competition names award winners
Entrants created family-style student residential plans for the University of California, San Francisco Mission Bay campus. All projects needed to be as close to net-zero as possible.
Architects | Oct 22, 2015
AIA: Architecture firms reporting progress on achieving carbon reduction targets as part of the 2030 Commitment
The AIA 2030 2014 Progress Report highlights an increase in design projects, gross square footage, and net-zero energy projects.
Architects | Oct 21, 2015
Strong rebound for Architecture Billings Index
Business conditions continue to be weak in the Northeast, but the other regions are in good shape.