ABSTRACT
Tall buildings are likely to have significant impacts on cities that will vary between places depending on a wide range of factors. This chapter will examine the potential impacts of tall buildings in relation to the unique characteristics of both the place where they are proposed and the individual design of the building. These have been summarised in Table 2.1. This table outlines eight categories of potential impacts of a tall building covering both visual and spatial impacts as well as potential for improvement to be made to both as a result of such development. The list of potential impacts is long, yet proposals for tall buildings would normally be expected to address all of them. Whilst this categorisation is useful in understanding how tall buildings can impact upon the surrounding environment, they are not mutually exclusive. Each is discussed in more detail below. Tall buildings impacts and issues https://www.niso.org/standards/z39-96/ns/oasis-exchange/table">
Category
Impact upon
Explanation
Conservation planning context
Context
Topography
Morphology
Site
Urban grain
Skyline
Streetscape
Scale
Height
Unique form of the local landscape
Unique urban form
Unique attributes
Pattern of existing urban area
Outline of land and buildings against sky
Pattern of existing street
Relative size
Number of storeys
Contextual elements give character of place which is recognised both through statutory protection and recognition of importance of everyday street
Effect on historic environment
Built heritage
Open space
Views
Panoramas
Protected elements in the townscape
Parks, gardens, rivers, waterways, etc.
Of particular buildings
View of wider area
On protected elements of townscape
Effect on local environment
Microclimate
Sunlight, daylight and shadowing
Night time appearance
Climate of the immediate area around the tower
Casting of a shadow
Form of building at night including casting of shadow, amount of light, etc.
Can impact upon the experiential element of character of place
Relationship to transport
Infrastructure
Capacity
Feasibility of improvement
Aviation
Existing transport
Existing capacity for all methods of transport affected
Potential created by tower to improve transport options and capacity
Flight paths and signal issues
How building integrates into surrounding transport systems and changes the way in which the city is used and navigated
Permeability
Site
Legibility
Wider area
Linkages
Improve access into and through site
Allows improved reading of site and wider area
Improve access into and through area
Opportunities for improved linkages of site and wider area for pedestrians
How city is navigated and experienced by the user
Architectural quality
Form
Massing
Proportion
Silhouette
Materials
Relationships
Expression of tower through shape
Form and shape of tower and its expression
Of elements of tower as a coherent whole
Outline of individual tower on skyline
Facing of tower
How tower relates to neighbouring sites and the wider city
What the tall building adds to the existing townscape and how this relates to context
Contributions
External space
Internal space
New facilities
Mix of uses
Opportunity to improve external space
Opportunity to improve internal space
Opportunity to provide new facilities
Particularly at ground floor
What are the benefits of the building; what can tall building add to existing townscape
Sustainability
Physical
Social
Economic
Environmental
Through broad physical sustainability
Through new facilities or social housing
Improving economic climate, provision of jobs, new office space, etc.
Environmental sustainability of site and surrounding area
Do tall buildings contribute to sustainability and how does this relate to the existing townscape
Note:BasedonStrelitz,2005;CABE,2003;DEGW,2002.
