Title: Tall Buildings in Numbers: 50 Years of Tall Building Evolution

Authors:

Subjects: Architectural/DesignHistory, Theory & Criticism

Publication Date: 2019

Original Publication: CTBUH Journal 2019 Issue IV

Paper Type: 1. Book chapter/Part chapter2. Journal paper3. Conference proceeding4. Unpublished conference paper5. Magazine article6. Unpublished

© Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat /

ctbuh.org/papers

52 | Tall Building in Numbers CTBUH Journal | 2019 Issue IV

Tall Buildings in Numbers

The default image of the skyscraper for the past 50 years in the public imagination has likely been the extruded, rectilinear corporate “box,” derived from the postwar model of minimalist “International Style” glass-and-steel architecture championed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and imitated by countless others. In fact, the skyscraper has been as subject to, and as much of an influence on, a wide array of architectural styles through the decades, as shown in this timeline relating predominant styles to individual landmark buildings constructed during the period. From this, a far richer, more comprehensive picture emerges.

50 Years of Tall Building Evolution

Timeline of Predominant Architectural Styles and Influences: Tall Buildings, 1969–2019

The name “Brutalism” derives from the French phrase béton brut, or raw Concrete.

While 333 Wacker Drive is widely considered the fi rst example of Postmodernism in Chicago, the architect, William Pedersen of KPF, considered this project “contextualism,” due to its relationship with the Chicago River, the surrounding street grid, and the adjacent skyline.

Keystyles prominent after 1969

styles that ended before 1969

a style reacts against another style

loses prominence

gains prominence

connection of in�uence

1989 19941984 1999 20092004 201920141969 19791974

Constructivism

Neo-Modernism (Remodernism)

Deconstructivism

1965<1960

Blobism (Blobitecture)

Metaphoric Architecture (Late Expressionism)

Post-Postmodernism (Metamodern)

Functionalism

International Style (Minimalism)

Futurism

Structuralism

Parametricism

Neo-Futurism

Vernacular Architecture

NeoClassical

Modernism

Expressionism

Metabolism

Critical Regionalism (Contextualism)

Post-Modernism

Green Architecture / Sustainable Architecture / Ecological Architecture

New Classical

Brutalism

Structural Expressionism (High- Tech Architecture)

550 Madison Avenue New York City, 197 m

AMA PlazaChicago, 212 m

Prentice Women’s Hospital BuildingChicago, 75 m

875 N Michigan Ave Chicago, 344 m

formerly John Hancock Center

Keystyles prominent after 1969

styles that ended before 1969

a style reacts against another style

loses prominence

gains prominence

connection of in�uence

Notes:1. The intention of this timeline is not to provide a complete collection of all architecture styles during this time period, or to provide a comprehensive list of all influences or definite start and end dates for the respective styles. Rather, it provides a diagrammatic outline of the conventional architectural styles used at a given time over the past 50 years, and major elements that influenced or were rejected by these styles.2. While this graphic identifies current design trends, the vocabulary, analysis, and distinct classification of many emerging architectural styles are yet to undergo the same level of academic scrutiny as their historic counterparts. Thus, some contemporary styles for tall buildings may not be fully represented in this graphic.

Tall Building in Numbers | 53CTBUH Journal | 2019 Issue IV

A timeline of the number of completions over 200 and 300 meters each year, overlaid with the average height of the 20 tallest buildings of that year, compared with the average height of the 100 tallest buildings at that time.

0

25

50

75

100

125

150

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

1996

1995

1994

1993

1992

1991

1990

1989

1988

1987

1986

1985

1984

1983

1982

1981

1980

1979

1978

1977

1976

1975

1974

1973

1972

1971

1970

1969

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

num

ber o

f com

plet

ions average height (m

)

Key200 m+ completions300 m+ completionsTallest 20 buildings completed each year (avg. height)World’s Tallest 100 Buildings (avg. height)

Average Height and Number of Buildings by Year

Based on Skyscraper Center data, as of September 2019

The tenets of Futurism and Metabolism, which were largely seen as unrealistic and unsustainable for their time, have seen a resurgence in recent years, thanks to advancements in fabrication and computer-aided design.

Bowellism, a “micromovement” within High-Tech Architecture, emphasized a philosophy of placing building services on the outside of a building in order to maximize interior space, as seen in The Lloyd’s Building, London.

1989 19941984 1999 20092004 201920141969 19791974

Constructivism

Neo-Modernism (Remodernism)

Deconstructivism

1965<1960

Blobism (Blobitecture)

Metaphoric Architecture (Late Expressionism)

Post-Postmodernism (Metamodern)

Functionalism

International Style (Minimalism)

Futurism

Structuralism

Parametricism

Neo-Futurism

Vernacular Architecture

NeoClassical

Modernism

Expressionism

Metabolism

Critical Regionalism (Contextualism)

Post-Modernism

Green Architecture / Sustainable Architecture / Ecological Architecture

New Classical

Brutalism

Structural Expressionism (High- Tech Architecture)

TAIPEI 101Taipei, 508 m

CCTV HeadquartersBeijing, 234 m

HSBC HeadquartersHong Kong, 179 m

Burj Al ArabDubai, 321 m

One Central ParkSydney, 117 m

Torre ReformaMexico City, 246 m