Writing / Tamer Tageldin
At One Vanderbilt and Grand Central, height is not only about density. The narrow Midtown streets compress the view, the setbacks reopen the sky, and…
At One Vanderbilt and Grand Central, height is not only about density. The narrow Midtown streets compress the view, the setbacks reopen the sky, and the contrast between terminal, tower and Chrysler Building makes the city’s scale immediately readable.
So why do we build tall?
Because height can do more than stack floor area. It concentrates people and activity, support walkability around major transport, free up ground, create landmarks, frame views, shape shade and wind, and make very different scales coexist within the same piece of city.
The real value of height is what becomes possible around it.