New York’s super-slender towers and European slender high-rise buildings: differences in the urban context

Abstract

The latest construction technologies have enabled the erection of very slender skyscrapers. This phenomenon is developing significantly in New York, but very slender high-rise buildings are also being designed on other continents. The aim of this paper is to characterize existing and planned slender European skyscrapers. The study examined the location of slender high-rise buildings and their relationship with their surroundings. It sought differences and similarities in the location of slender European skyscrapers within the urban fabric compared to American skyscrapers. The presented examples of slender skyscrapers in Europe illustrate the diversity of their locations, the character of the areas in which they are designed, and the buildings themselves. The analysis of their relationship with the surroundings revealed many differences compared to New York's super-slender towers, such as the presence of open space, location at significant distances from other buildings, and even location in landscapes dominated by nature. Only some slender European high-rise buildings are designed in high-density development, which may resemble New York's super-slender towers.