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architectural trends
21st century design concepts combine aesthetics with efficiency and security.
Long before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 erased the landmark twin towers of the World Trade Center from the New York skyline, the concept of the super-tall building was passing into architectural history - at least in the United States.
Soaring, 1,000-foot plus towers are still rising in places such as Malaysia and Hong Kong as literal symbols of economic ambition, but no such projects are on the drawing boards in the U.S. Even when Silverstein Properties starts rebuilding at the World Trade Center site, it is most likely that a cluster of more modest skyscrapers will take shape.
The tragic events of Sept. 11 only confirmed what architects knew about super-tall buildings. "America's fascination with constructing a building 110 stories tall is over," says T. J. Gottesdiener, managing partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in New York.
Virtually every type of building design - from multifamily to mixed use to retail and office - is being reassessed as architects and clients focus on ways to heighten security. The challenge is to strike a balance between appealing architectural design and safety measures that avoid turning buildings into fortresses.
"We're still assessing the impact of Sept. 11 on every aspect of architecture," says Tony Belluschi, principal and director of commercial mixed-use projects for OWP/P Belluschi Architects in Chicago.
Structures that are in the early stages of construction or on the drawing board may undergo subtle readjustments to ensure the safety of tenants. Several significant projects that were conceived prior to Sept. 11 will come to fruition in the next year or two, including the New York Times Building and the AOL Time Warner Center in Manhattan. These projects represent the trends firing the architectural engine of the early 21st century.
The skyscraper continues to propagate in urban areas, where the skyline is connected to the vibrancy and the image of the city. "I don't think Sept. 11 has affected the notion of a high-rise, not at the 40- to 60-story level. It makes sense in urban areas" Gottesdiener says.
Today's newly built offices are modest in size largely because of cost control. "A super-tall building of 110 stories is much more...