The Endless City is a new skyscraper concept from London-based SURE Architecture that proposes exactly what it says on the tin: a building that is not an enclosure within the larger space of a city, but a continuation of that city.
Two ramps extend throughout the entire building, connecting all the floors in one continuous run, Architecture Lab reports. The project received first place in the 2014 Organic Skyscraper competition, held by SuperSkyScrapers.
"Rather than superimposing one floor on top of another without real continuity, our project is thought of as two endless ramps, rising gradually with a low gradient from the ground floor to the sky," said the architects in a statement. "There is no break anywhere; neither between the street level and the skyscraper, nor between the skyscraper floors themselves."
When people enter the building, they will be greeted by continuous spatial concentrations, and the places where their eyes land will be guided by the architecture. In other words, the design is trying to change how people interact with both the architecture and each other.
The ramps that extend throughout the skyscraper are irregular and lead to many different areas, such as commercial zones, technology zones, parks, auditoriums, and quiet areas. Multiple plazas, each with their own atmosphere, are meant to create high levels of pedestrian movement throughout the tower.
The shape of the building is meant to minimize artificial lighting, ventilation, and cooling needs.
Related Stories
| Jan 9, 2014
16 recommendations on security technology to take to your K-12 clients
From facial recognition cameras to IP-based door hardware, here are key technology-related considerations you should discuss with your school district clients.
| Jan 9, 2014
Harley Ellis Devereaux, BFHL Architects announce merger
Effective January 1, 2014, Ralph Lotito and Brett Paloutzian have merged BFHL, comprising 15 healthcare architects, with Harley Ellis Devereaux. A national architecture and engineering firm in practice since 1908, Harley Ellis Devereaux has offices in Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, CA.
| Jan 9, 2014
Special report: Can design prevent another Sandy Hook?
Our experts say no, but it could save lives. In this report, they offer recommendations on security design you can bring to your K-12 clients to prevent, or at least mitigate, a Sandy Hook on their turf.
| Jan 8, 2014
Dan Noble succeeds H. Ralph Hawkins as president/CEO of HKS
H. Ralph Hawkins, FAIA, FACHA, LEED AP,current chairman, president and CEO, named Dan Noble FAIA, FACHA, LEED AP, his successor as president and CEO, effective January 1, 2014. Jeff Stouffer, AIA, will succeed Craig Beale, FAIA, FACHA, FACHE, as director of the firm's healthcare practice.
| Jan 8, 2014
Architect sentenced to a year in jail for firefighter's death
Architect Gerhard Becker was sentenced to a year in LA county jail after pleading no contest to the manslaughter of a firefighter who died while trying to contain a fire in a home the architect had designed for himself.
| Jan 7, 2014
Concrete solutions: 9 innovations for a construction essential
BD+C editors offer a roundup of new products and case studies that represent the latest breakthroughs in concrete technology.
Smart Buildings | Jan 7, 2014
9 mega redevelopments poised to transform the urban landscape
Slowed by the recession—and often by protracted negotiations—some big redevelopment plans are now moving ahead. Here’s a sampling of nine major mixed-use projects throughout the country.
| Jan 6, 2014
What is value engineering?
If you had to define value engineering in a single word, you might boil it down to "efficiency." That would be one word, but it wouldn’t be accurate.
| Jan 6, 2014
Green Building Initiative names Jerry Yudelson as new President
The Green Building Initiative announced today that it has named Jerry Yudelson as its president to accelerate growth of the non-profit and further leverage its green building assessment tools, including the highly recognized Green Globes rating system.
| Jan 6, 2014
An interview with Jerry Yudelson, President, The Green Building Initiative
Green building consultant Jerry Yudelson has been named President of the Green Building Initiative and the Green Globes rating program. BD+C's Robert Cassidy talks with Yudelson about his appointment and the future of Green Globes.
