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
Cultural Facilities | Jun 10, 2015
Artists turn oil tankers into architecture
Four Dutch artists propose transforming tankers into monuments with mixed-use space.
Office Buildings | Jun 9, 2015
Bjarke Ingels unveils stepped design for final WTC tower
The towering "staircase" will rise from St. Paul’s chapel to the skyline, leaning against One World Trade Center.
Office Buildings | Jun 9, 2015
Hines planning $300 million office tower for Denver skyline
Designed by Pickard Chilton, the 640,000-sf tower is geared for large-scale tenants, with features like floor-to-ceiling glass, a 5,000-sf fitness center, a tenant lounge, and a series of outdoor terraces.
Architects | Jun 3, 2015
LEGO: An introduction to design
LEGO has changed a lot over the years, but has that been a good thing for encouraging creativity?
Cultural Facilities | Jun 2, 2015
Snøhetta and Dialog to revitalize Willamette Falls area in Oregon
As part of the plan, an abandoned paper mill will be repurposed, while landscaping and running trails will be added.
Office Buildings | Jun 1, 2015
SHoP Architects unveils dual-glass-box scheme for Uber HQ
The plan involves two glass buildings connected with criss-crossing bridges.
Contractors | Jun 1, 2015
Nonresidential construction spending surges in April
Nonresidential construction is up by a solid 8.8% over the past year, consistent with ABC's forecast of high single-digit growth.
Office Buildings | Jun 1, 2015
Can you make a new building as cool as a warehouse?
Just as we looked at that boarded up warehouse and thought it could be something other, office towers can be reborn, writes CannonDesign's Robert Benson.
Fire and Life Safety | May 27, 2015
7 bold applications and innovations for fire and life safety
BD+C’s roundup features colorful sprinklers for offices, hotels, museums; a fire-rated curtain wall at a transit hub in Manhattan; a combination CO/smoke detector; and more.
BIM and Information Technology | May 27, 2015
4 projects honored with AIA TAP Innovation Awards for excellence in BIM and project delivery
Morphosis Architects' Emerson College building in Los Angeles and the University of Delaware’s ISE Lab are among the projects honored by AIA for their use of BIM/VDC tools.