Skyscrapers
The architectural design of the 20th
century skyscrapers
has been redefined due to the advancement of our modern
technology. Benny Louie
Humanity 450 Dr. Maureen Schmid 17 May 1999 The
architectural design of the 20th
century skyscrapers has been redefined due
to the advancement of our modern
technology. In our modern society, the
architectural design of skyscrapers is
changing the downtown landscape of
metropolitan areas. Due to the change of
technologies, it has changed the
architectural design of skyscraper dramatically
in terms of the its function,
design structures, heating and cooling systems and
it social status in
society. The basic function of the architecture is to
provide a roof over
peoples’ head. The main purpose of architecture is to act
as a shelter for
people to protect themselves against Mother Nature. As
civilization
development advances, we increased our knowledge and became more
creative.
People start to design buildings for means of displaying wealth and
social
status. The skyscraper fits the criteria to show the social status of
such
building with great height and elegance to the society. According
to
O’Gorman, "architecture is a form language, of communication." (P.89)
This
communication is represented in the forms of texture, shape and style
that
reflects certain period of time. In the early period, architectures
were
associated with style and culture. "The Greeks built marble temples
with
Doric, Ionic or Corinthian columns. Egyptian architecture used heavy
lotus
columns, massive battered walls and pyramidal forms. The Gothic style
used point
arch, vast areas of stained glasses, pointed rib-vault
construction." (P. 92)
Each had its unique characteristic feature to
express its message. In the 20th
century architectural design, architecture
is no longer viewed as simple shelter
to provide a roof over peoples’ head.
Architectures are designed with a more
environmental conscious issue like
cost, energy conservation and practicality of
the structure. The interior
environment is designed according to the space
function of the structures.
For example, "a dance hall, needs a large
open-space with sufficient room for
the band and a bar and maybe for tables and
chairs around the edge so that
people can sit and chat." (Conway & Rowan)
This concept always
applies to real life situations. People don’t rent more
space than what they
needed for. For example, a three person family will not
rent a 3 bedroom
apartment, unless they are financially well off. In a Victorian
house, there
are different corridors for different users. The servants don’t
use the same
passage as the owners’ family. (Conway & Rowan, P.4) This is
similar to
large hotels, employees have to use the employees entrance to access
the
building. These passages are not well maintained as the front of the
house.
"The interior environment should be safe for working, living or
housing
objects." (Conway & Rowan, P.17) This means that building should
be at a
comfortable temperature, with sufficient lighting, ability to control
the
transmission of noise, provide enough space for pipes, wires and
ventilation
ducts. Overall the architects has to take in consideration of the
climates
differences and regional variations of the building in designing a
suitable
interior environment for today’s standard. The skyscraper is defined
as a"building with exceptional height completely support by a frame-work, as
of
girders, from which the walls are suspended, as opposed to a building
supported
by load-bearing walls." (www.infoplease.com) The function of the
skyscraper is
serve as a commercial purpose. The Sears Tower is fine example
of it, not only
the being headquarter for Sears and Roebuck company but it
also has an
observation deck for the public. The skyscraper has always
associated with
wealth and power. To the general public, big is good; in
terms of building, the
taller the better. People had been fascinated with
skyscraper ever since the
birth of the first skyscraper in 1895. It was a
10-stories high steel frame
structure designed by William Le Baron Jenney in
1885, named "Home Insurance
Building." (Bennett, P.40) Over the year as
steel and concrete production
technologies reach a higher level, architects
use these new materials to reach
greater height in the design of skyscrapers.
The improvement of the skyscraper
structures starts from 10 floor stories to
high as 150 floor stories high. The
Reliance Building Chicago, USA, in
1895, 15 stories high used the semi-rigid
steel frame. The semi-rigid steel
frame was held together with steel beams and
connected by rivets. (Bennett,
P.42) The 60 stories high First Wisconsin Center,
Milwaukee, USA in 1974
employed the steel belt truss with framed shear truss.
This structure
used the horizontal trusses at the upper and lower stories to
enhance the
framed shear truss. (Bennett, P.44) The Sears Tower, Chicago, USA,
in 1974,
110 stories high used the Bundled tube. The bundled tubes were made up
of a
cluster of connected frame tubes, reinforced by steel beams at each story
to
increase the strength of the structure. Various tubes terminated at
different
level to further strengthen the bundled tubes at the center.
(Bennett, P.44) The
future structure was the Superframe, which can reaches at
least 150 stories
high. It used the concept of the Eiffel Tower with framed
tubes connected by
horizontal trusses. (Bennett, P.45) It was the innovation
of the structural
design that enables skyscrapers to reach new height. These
methods include the
use of steel belted truss, cross members to reinforce the
structure. Heating and
air conditioning played an important role in the
structure of skyscrapers. They
are the key units that control the inside
atmosphere of all skyscrapers. In the
early days, the heat sources in the
building came from fireplaces and stoves.
Later on heat in the building
supplied by the hot water boiler. The boiler heats
up the water and sends it
out to the radiators through a system of pipes. This
was later replaced by
central heating furnace with ventilation ducts that
channel heat to various
areas of the building. Air conditioning is defined as a
mechanical process
for controlling humidity, and temperature of air in room.
(www.infoplease.com)
Air condition is originated from refrigeration. The
process of refrigeration is
to draw heat away from substances to lower their
temperature. In the operation
of an air conditioning unit, air is blow across
a cooling pipe and the waste
heat is carried away by the flow of cold water
in the pipes. The cooled air is
carried out through the ventilation ducts to
various parts of the building.
Today, the skyscrapers use the central
heating system with ventilation ducts
that can be shared with the heating and
air conditioning system. Engineers are
working on new ways to make heating
and air conditioning more efficient and
environmental friendly. This would
reduce the cost of energy bill on these
skyscrapers. The cost of building a
skyscraper is in hundred million dollars in
the current market. The
skyscraper is well known for its great height and the
social status comes
with it. In general, large company or firm would host its
head office in
these skyscrapers. For example Chrysler had its head office in
the Chrysler
Building, owned by Chrysler which is one of the big three auto
makers.
(Bennett, P.71) The Sears Tower, the head office for Sears and owned
by
Sears. It was known for being the worlds’ tallest skyscraper in
Chicago.
(Bennett, P.24) Tenants expect clients to know where they are
located when they
tell them the Sears Tower as their location. These
skyscrapers are own by the
wealthy individuals whom are in the upper level of
financial social status.
There is a sense of prestige for having offices
or shops in these skyscrapers.
Modern skyscrapers are being redefined by
the use of advance technologies. Due
to the advancement in technology,
skyscrapers are able to reach new height
easily. It changes the way
architects design the structure of these buildings.
The new function of
the skyscraper is to provide great views, house antennas for
communications,
telebroadcasting and for entertainment purpose. The use of
computer climate
control system made the building a more comfortable environment
for everyone.
The great height of the skyscraper like the Sears Tower, it
associates itself
with the prestige of being the tallest of all. With the rapid
advancement of
technology and the influence of fame and wealth, sky is limit for
the next
generation of skyscrapers.
Bibliography
Bennett,
David.
Skyscrapers Form & Function New York 1995 Conway, Hazel and
Rowan,
Roenisch. Understanding Architecture: An introduction to
Architecture and
architectural History. London and New York: Routledge 1994.
O’Gorman, James.
ABC of Architecture Philadelphia: University of
Pennsylvania Press, 1998 Online
www.infoplease.com May 15, 1999