ABSTRACT
The high-rise typology has undergone a variety of paradigm shifts, influenced by regulatory changes, developments in technology and materials, changes in architectural style, economics and commercial drivers. Developments such as the New York Zoning Law of 1916, the post-war innovations in curtain wall façades and the energy crises of the 1970s have all impacted on the way tall buildings of the time were designed and operated. Born out of a desire to maximise the financial return of a given plot of land, is combined with developments in structural steel framing and the invention of the elevator in the mid-nineteenth century, tall buildings quickly spread across North America, becoming the symbol of economic growth and prosperity. The construction of the Equitable Building in New York marked a significant watershed in high-rise design. This massive building, covering an entire city block, would, according to its detractors, “steal” light and views from surrounding buildings.
