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
| Sep 21, 2022
Demand for design services accelerates
Demand for design services from U.S. architecture firms grew at an accelerated pace in August, according to a new report today from The American Institute of Architects (AIA).
K-12 Schools | Sep 21, 2022
Architecture that invites everyone to dance
If “diversity” is being invited to the party in education facilities, “inclusivity” is being asked to dance, writes Emily Pierson-Brown, People Culture Manager with Perkins Eastman.
| Sep 20, 2022
NIBS develops implementation plan for digital transformation of built environment
The National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) says it has developed an implementation and launch plan for a sweeping digital transformation of the built environment.
| Sep 20, 2022
New Long Beach office building reflects Mid-Century Modern garden-style motif
The new Long Beach, Calif., headquarters of Laserfiche, a provider of intelligent content management and business process automation software, was built on a brownfield parcel previously considered undevelopable.
| Sep 19, 2022
New York City construction site inspections, enforcement found ‘inadequate’
A new report by the New York State Comptroller found that New York City construction site inspections and regulation enforcement need improvement.
| Sep 16, 2022
Fairfax County, Va., considers impactful code change to reduce flood risk
Fairfax County, Va., in the Washington, D.C., metro region is considering a major code change to reduce the risk from floods.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 15, 2022
Heat Pumps in Multifamily Projects
RMI's Lacey Tan gives the basics of heat pumps and how they can reduce energy costs and carbon emissions in apartment projects.
| Sep 15, 2022
Monthly construction input prices dip in August
Construction input prices decreased 1.4% in August compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data released today.
| Sep 15, 2022
First LEED Platinum, net zero and net zero water synagogue opens
Kol Emeth Center, the world’s first LEED Platinum, net zero and net zero water synagogue, opened recently in Palo Alto, Calif.
| Sep 14, 2022
Fires on Amazon warehouse roofs seemingly caused by faulty PV installations
Amazon has made installing solar panels on rooftops a key part of its ESG strategy, but a series of events last year show how challenging greening up major facilities can be.
