Modern architects believe that the pandemic will be a new stage in real estate development. The use of a steel frame in the 19th century marked the beginning of the construction of skyscrapers and turned most modern cities into a “stone jungle”. So recently, the American Architectural Bureau also offered its version of the real estate of the future – the concept of the skyscraper-2030, which should combine work and living areas, parks, gardens, retail space and other infrastructure.
The first interesting element is the construction of the building. According to the plans, it will consist of a metal frame- “exoskeleton” and concrete supports in the main support part
It is planned that the huge 400-meter skyscraper will be located in the center of Seattle, and its design and structure will be developed taking into account many modern requirements and experience of the post-pandemic world. Among the main – a limited number of people, conditions for social distance, large green areas, the predominance of organic materials, the availability of different types of infrastructure under one roof and others. According to the authors of the project, such a building will be a real quarter “up”. That is, the skyscraper will contain all the elements necessary for a modern resident of the metropolis to feel good. Therefore, isolation within one house will not be a punishment, but a comfortable reality for most residents.
The first interesting element is the construction of the building. According to the plans, it will consist of a metal frame- “exoskeleton” and concrete supports in the main support part. But most partitions are made of wood – a natural organic material. In total, the skyscraper will have an area of 150,000 square meters, distributed between eight separate super-blocks. Each such block will have its own specialization: a common shopping area, hotels, offices, as well as different classes of residential blocks. Between them they plan to place various common areas – parks, concert halls, places for walking animals and more. According to the plans of the developers, such a structure will be neutral or close to this in terms of carbon emissions. This effect is planned to be achieved due to the presence of a large number of living trees, as well as the use of other environmental technologies.
Unfortunately, in Ukraine it is too early to talk about the implementation of such ambitious projects as 400-meter skyscrapers with exoskeletons
So the person in the skyscraper of the future will have access to everything that he can get now, within at least a quarter or even an entire urban area.
In addition to the issue of maintaining social distance, this concept also solves another pressing problem of modern cities – congestion. Today, the average city dweller loses at least 70-100 hours a year due to heavy traffic. But if all the necessary facilities are available under one roof, there will be no need for such long movements. And the saved about 2 weeks of pure time a year can be spent on family affairs, sports, training or other productive activities. In addition, residents of other houses will also benefit from this, because if at least some of the city’s residents do not need to go to work or shop every day, it will greatly unload the road networks.
Unfortunately, it is too early in Ukraine to talk about the implementation of such ambitious projects as 400-meter skyscrapers with exoskeletons. First of all, because such housing will definitely not be cheap. If a company even undertakes such construction, it is rather an image story. Until such technologies become widespread, the cost per square meter in such housing or office can be several times higher than the market average, if you take comparable real estate classes. In addition, such projects require cheap loans or long-term billion-dollar investments.
On the other hand, already now in Ukraine some developers are trying to move away from the projects of building only “candles”, instead they are engaged in complex construction of entire districts. This includes the development of a single concept for the complex and its territory, landscaping, arrangement of common areas – lounges, barbecues, swimming pools, rooftop recreation areas, meeting or children’s rooms and more.
Seattle’s ambitious skyscraper project of the future shows some important architectural trends that will dictate fashion
Developers also meticulously develop and select an ensemble of tenants so that residents have access to all necessary services without leaving their own yard. Premium chips can also include a concierge service, which aggregates the interaction of the occupant of the house with various services – from paying for utilities or calling a foreman, to dry cleaning or even arranging a meeting of the mother-in-law at the airport or central station.
The developer can keep part of the real estate for himself – to develop the directions of apart-hotels, apartments for rent and other related formats. Which are still rare for Ukraine, but have long been popular among developers abroad…
But Seattle’s ambitious skyscraper project of the future shows some important architectural trends that will dictate fashion. Emphasis on social distance, a combination of different types of infrastructure in the house and carbon-neutral impact on the environment – these areas may soon become more widespread.
Even in Ukraine, if you compare the prestigious houses of the late 90’s with modern luxury housing, or even business class, the dynamics of the domestic market is amazing. Therefore, although similar projects in the format of skyscrapers are unlikely to be implemented in our country for the time being, we can be sure that noteworthy innovations will definitely be noticed by domestic developers. After all, developers are already trying to follow many of the trends aimed at maximizing the comfort of residents.