Houses and skyscrapers of Manhattan – a horizontal or vertical city?

Abstract

Residential towers undeniably changed the reality that surrounds us. Vertical structures have influenced the landscape of cities by shaping new, previously unknown panoramas. Infinite peripheries were split and reassembled again in the vertical form. Is it possible to create a comfortable living space in a small area? Can residential towers fit into a fully fledged and well-functioning urban structure? Problematic aspects of this scenario are discussed on the basis of the most representative example in the world, which is Manhattan, located in New York City. Analysis of the urban structure of specific districts and examples of residential towers enables the presentation of the differences, advantages and disadvantages resulting from a specific given forms of architecture and urban planning.

Sustainable Skyscraper in the European City: The Case of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt Am Main

“…In their literature research, the authors relied on both classical and contemporary books on urban composition and perception of the city (Wejchert, 1974;Lynch, 2011;Kantarek, 2013), the theory and history of urban planning (Norberg-Schulz, 1980;Benevolo, 1995;Rogers, 1997;Le Corbusier, 2013;Gzell, 2020), as well as the integration of modern architecture with historical urban tissue (Węcławowicz- Gyurkovich, 2018b). The current results of research on high and high-rise buildings, presented mainly in a number of articles in academic journals (Czyńska, 2009;Czyńska, 2015;, Czyńska, 2021;Musiał, 2012;Appert and Montes, 2015;Dudzic-Gyurkovich, 2016;Gyurkovich, 2016a) have proved to be extremely helpful (Czyńska, Rubinowicz and Zwoliński, 2017;Twardowski, Ros Campos and Żabicka, 2019;Zawada-Pęgiel, 2020;Złowodzki, 2020;Smith, 2021). In addition, basis for the analysis was also provided by discussions on the relationship between the contemporary development of cities (including skyscraper districts) and current philosophical trends as well as scientific and civilization achievements (Rose, 2017;Zuziak, 2021).…”

“…Sometimes they were created as part of the revitalization of post-industrial areas, or the ones formerly occupied by elements of transport infrastructure, the army or other forms of land use, which have become unprofitable over time. Once peripheral, these areas, along with the growth of cities, are now more than once located in centrally located parts of the metropolis, and the highest skyscrapers more and more often began to play primarily residential functions (Dudzic-Gyurkovich, 2016;Twardowski, Ros Campos and Żabicka, 2019;Gzell, 2020).…”