The Evolution of Tall

Building Design
Kent Jackson
Design Director

SOM
New London Architecture
May 2014

SOM has designed 6 of the

Worlds 15 tallest towers

A number of Londons tallest towers

are also designed by the practice

Canary Wharf

1986

Canary Wharf

2013

Broadgate

1988

Broadgate

2008

Manhattan Loft
Gardens

New Providence
Tower

Baltimore
Tower

Stratford

Docklands

Crossharbour

Tower N8
New Covent
Garden Market

SOM London Towers

2014

261 City
Road
City Basin

236 towers planned for London

But how many will actually get built?

How do we meet
the challenges
of building
tall in London?

Creating
Londons
Skyline

Tall buildings in Londons are dictated

by the London Plans view corridors

Emerging Clusters

Appropriateness of Residential Density

Skyline

Londons Historic Skyline

Defining a skyline?

Defining a skyline

Designers
Responsibility

Is glass dead?

Driving the industry to

creative solutions

Reduction in total
incident solar
radiation:
13%

21st June
Shadow Range
12:30-18:00

Reduction in total
incident
solar radiation:
9%

21st June
Shadow Range
8:30-16:30

Reduction in total
incident

21st June
Shadow Range

solar radiation:
14%

Minergie codes have driven SOM to find

innovative solutions!

8:00-12:30

Minergie codes have driven SOM to find

innovative solutions!

In London, we are developing facades which

shade without compromising views

Complexity
vs.
Simplicity

In a strong market, efficiency and rationalism

are often sacrificed!

Typical High
Rise Floor

With increasing height,

structural solutions evolve!

Complex constraints can lead

to simple solutions!

Desirability

The NLAs study reveals that only 27%

of Londoners would be happy to live in
a tall building, while 60% would be
happy to work in a tall building!

Don't know
1%

Strongly
disagree
29%

Tend to
disagree
27%

Don't know
2%
Strongly
agree
10%
Tend to
agree
17%

Neither
agree nor
disagree
16%

I would be happy
living in a tall
building!

Tend to
disagree
11%
Neither
agree nor
disagree
16%

Stongly
disagree
11%

Strongly
agree
17%

Tend to
agree
43%

I would be happy
working in a tall
building!

London Office Towers

Post war

1970s

Today

2030

London Residential Towers

Post war

1970s

Today

2030

Popularity
Post war

1970s

Today

2030

Why arent tall residential buildings popular?!

What do people want from their home

which high rise doesnt currently
deliver?!

Outdoor Space!

Character!

Character

Volume!

A Sense of Community!

We need to start designing high rise

residential for end users!

Create opportunities for community!

Loft Apartments

Public Restaurant &

Open Space

Hotel

Single Level
Apartments

Amenity Floor

Lobby Piazza

Creating an integrated vertical community!

Maximum Zoning
Envelope

Maximum Zoning
Envelope

Sculpting an
Entrance

Maximum Zoning
Envelope

Sculpting an
Entrance

Creating a
community

Maximum Zoning
Envelope

Sculpting an
Entrance

Creating a
community

Creating a sky
garden

Maximum Zoning
Envelope

Sculpting an
Entrance

Creating a
community

Creating a sky
garden

Revealing a roof
terrace

Maximum Zoning
Envelope

Sculpting an
Entrance

Creating a
community

Creating a sky
garden

Revealing a roof
terrace

Resultant massing

Creating Londons Skyline

Designers Responsibility

Complexity vs. Simplicity

Lo$s!
30(38!

28!

Lo$s!
25(27!

10!

Desirability

The Evolution of Tall

Building Design
Kent Jackson
Design Director
New London Architecture
May 2014