During the Industrial Revolution, humans moved out of rural areas and into the cities, where it was easier to access factory jobs. This influx of people caused rapid and drastic changes in the way cities were designed. As ground space was eaten up, residential and commercial skyscrapers emerged as a way for builders to maximize their real estate.
What would happen if, instead of building thousands of feet up into the sky, we developed a smarter design that allowed us to retain our connection to the natural world? That’s just the question a team of French designers hoped to answer with their “Flat Tower” design, a second place winner in the 2011 eVolo skyscraper competition.
Although the construction of skyscrapers has been an architectural solution for high-density urban areas for almost a century, it has also produced some rather negative side-effects: green spaces, trees, and in some cases, sunlight have become hard to find in big cities. Skyscrapers destroy the skyline, block out the sun, and disrupt the infrastructure of a specific location.
The Flat Tower design is based on a medium-height dome structure that covers a large area while preserving its beauty and previous function. The dome is perforated with cell-like skylights that provide direct sunlight to the agricultural fields and recreational spaces located inside.
“The dome’s large surface area is perfect to harvest solar energy and rainwater collection,” write the design team. “Community recreational facilities are located at ground level while the residential and office units are in the upper cells. An automated transportation system connects all the units, which are different shapes according to their program. It is also possible to combine clusters of cells to create larger areas for different activities.” BD+C
Related Stories
| Sep 3, 2014
The coming architect/engineer brain drain, or 'Curse of the Baby Boomers'
Architecture, engineering, and (presumably) construction firms will face difficulties with management succession, as tens of thousands of Baby Boomers leave the AEC industry. Who will fill the knowledge gap?
| Sep 3, 2014
New designation launched to streamline LEED review process
The LEED Proven Provider designation is designed to minimize the need for additional work during the project review process.
| Sep 2, 2014
Ranked: Top green building sector AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
AECOM, Gensler, and Turner top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest green design and construction firms.
Sponsored | | Sep 2, 2014
A smarter way to manage projects
Understanding effective project management helps many big and small organizations to carry out large-scale projects on time, on budget and with lesser commotion.
| Sep 2, 2014
Extreme conversion: 17-story industrial silo to be converted to high-rise housing
As part of Copenhagen's effort to turn an industrial seaport into a bustling neighborhood, Danish architecture firm COBE was invited to convert a grain silo into a residential tower.
Sponsored | | Sep 2, 2014
Judson University’s Harm A. Weber Academic Center resembles copper, but its sustainability efforts are pure gold
The building’s custom-fabricated wall panels look like copper, but are actually flat metal sheets coated with Valspar’s signature Fluropon Copper Penny coating.
| Sep 2, 2014
Melbourne's tallest residential tower will have 'optically transformative façade'
Plans for Melbourne's tallest residential tower have been released by Elenberg Fraser Architects. Using an optically transformative façade and botanical aesthetic, the project seeks to change the landscape of Australia's Victoria state.
| Sep 1, 2014
Ranked: Top federal government sector AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Clark Group, Fluor, and HOK top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest federal government design and construction firms, as reported in the 2014 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 29, 2014
The new College Football Hall of Fame opens in Atlanta
Adjacent to the Georgia World Congress Center and Centennial Olympic Park, the three-story, 94,250-sf attraction is designed to celebrate the traditions of college football.
| Aug 29, 2014
Phifer and Partners to design 'transparent' Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw
The design includes a stage that opens onto the city's Parade Square, so anyone passing by will be able to see performances.