by Robert Yaro, President, Regional Plan Association
Although New York is the world's first high-rise city, many of our residents have become increasingly critical of additional tall buildings in their neighborhoods. Even in Manhattan, height and its companion density are becoming "four-letter words."
A recent trip I took to Hong Kong - another dense, island city based around commerce - sparked some thoughts on this subject. Can taller be better? Can vertical actually enhance the quality of life in a city, including an animated, livable street system?
Both New York and Hong Kong are world cities, with similar economic roles in global, North American and Asian markets. Both have highly constrained land markets that have promoted high-density, high-rise development. In Hong Kong, even the suburbs consist largely of very tall buildings. Heights and densities in the Special Administrative Region's suburban New Towns rival even Manhattan's densest neighborhoods. Central Hong Kong and other urban neighborhoods, such as Kowloon, Wanchai and Causeway Bay have densities several times that of their Manhattan counterparts. These densities are supported by Hong Kong's ultra-modern MTR rapid transit system and an extensive regional rail and ferry system.
Hong Kong's density, made possible by its very tall buildings, animates the city's vibrant street life and a growing network of high-quality public spaces. Hong Kong's streets pulsate with energy and pedestrian traffic. A large part of the city's street system has been transformed into street markets, where foot traffic and retail activities pour out onto the sidewalks and create some of the world's liveliest streets - a kind of permanent street fair. And the preservation of more than half of Hong Kong's waterfronts and forested interior in protected Country Parks provides respite for the city's 7 million residents.
In this country, residents often fear very tall buildings will block out the sun or irreversibly alter skylines in unappealing ways. It's true that there are many different ways of doing density. Paris, one of the densest cities in the world, has few buildings more than seven stories tall within the city proper. Vancouver is dense thanks to its "needle-towers" - very tall condominiums that nevertheless let in light to the street because they are quite skinny.
Whatever model New York develops, it's clear that in Hong Kong the tall buildings help animate the streets. Walking the streets of Central Hong Kong or a dense residential neighborhood is an exhilarating experience even for die-hard New Yorkers already used to busy city districts. As in New York, what you focus on is the crush of pedestrian traffic all around you and the variety of retail activities that can be found on virtually every street. The sheer height and density of the city is relieved by distant views of the Peak (the mountain that is the backdrop for the urbanized portion of Hong Kong Island) and the Harbor.
These questions and others will be explored at Hong Kong-New York: Vertical Density - Sustainable Solution, a symposium this Thursday through Saturday that The Skyscraper Museum and RPA are co-sponsoring. A related exhibit is on display at The Skyscraper Museum. For registration and location information see the events listing in the calendar below.
Although New York is the world's first high-rise city, many of our residents have become increasingly critical of additional tall buildings in their neighborhoods. Even in Manhattan, height and its companion density are becoming "four-letter words."
A recent trip I took to Hong Kong - another dense, island city based around commerce - sparked some thoughts on this subject. Can taller be better? Can vertical actually enhance the quality of life in a city, including an animated, livable street system?
Both New York and Hong Kong are world cities, with similar economic roles in global, North American and Asian markets. Both have highly constrained land markets that have promoted high-density, high-rise development. In Hong Kong, even the suburbs consist largely of very tall buildings. Heights and densities in the Special Administrative Region's suburban New Towns rival even Manhattan's densest neighborhoods. Central Hong Kong and other urban neighborhoods, such as Kowloon, Wanchai and Causeway Bay have densities several times that of their Manhattan counterparts. These densities are supported by Hong Kong's ultra-modern MTR rapid transit system and an extensive regional rail and ferry system.
Hong Kong's density, made possible by its very tall buildings, animates the city's vibrant street life and a growing network of high-quality public spaces. Hong Kong's streets pulsate with energy and pedestrian traffic. A large part of the city's street system has been transformed into street markets, where foot traffic and retail activities pour out onto the sidewalks and create some of the world's liveliest streets - a kind of permanent street fair. And the preservation of more than half of Hong Kong's waterfronts and forested interior in protected Country Parks provides respite for the city's 7 million residents.
In this country, residents often fear very tall buildings will block out the sun or irreversibly alter skylines in unappealing ways. It's true that there are many different ways of doing density. Paris, one of the densest cities in the world, has few buildings more than seven stories tall within the city proper. Vancouver is dense thanks to its "needle-towers" - very tall condominiums that nevertheless let in light to the street because they are quite skinny.
Whatever model New York develops, it's clear that in Hong Kong the tall buildings help animate the streets. Walking the streets of Central Hong Kong or a dense residential neighborhood is an exhilarating experience even for die-hard New Yorkers already used to busy city districts. As in New York, what you focus on is the crush of pedestrian traffic all around you and the variety of retail activities that can be found on virtually every street. The sheer height and density of the city is relieved by distant views of the Peak (the mountain that is the backdrop for the urbanized portion of Hong Kong Island) and the Harbor.
These questions and others will be explored at Hong Kong-New York: Vertical Density - Sustainable Solution, a symposium this Thursday through Saturday that The Skyscraper Museum and RPA are co-sponsoring. A related exhibit is on display at The Skyscraper Museum. For registration and location information see the events listing in the calendar below.
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