The Shadowless Skyscraper
By TH!NK by IBI
Date
May 23, 2016
As land becomes increasingly valuable, more cities are looking upwards to accommodate growth. Tall buildings create their own challenges however. But one key challenge – shadows and darkness – may be resolved shortly. Architects such as Jean Nouvel and Jeanne Gang are experimenting with several approaches, including moving panels and curved windows, to reflect dispersed light into spaces that would otherwise be shrouded in darkness. Cities have long enshrined access to direct sunlight in their building codes, something that was done in direct response to the well-being of residents, but that has also limited vertical growth. These efforts to create shadowless skyscraper could support greater density while simultaneously contributing to more livable spaces in the skyscraper city.
*Image of Solar Curve, by Studio Gang Architecture
