High-Rise, High-Density

by Jonathan Sergison, Stephen Bates

The high-rise, multistory building is a very American invention, the result of increasing land values in cities, an abundance of iron ore, and Elisha Otis’s invention—the elevator. In “The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered” from 1896, Louis Sullivan argues for an approach to high-rise buildings that combines appearance with pragmatism, architectural and architectonic qualities, and technical performance. In spring 2014, students in the High-Rise, High-Density studio designed towers for residential use in Boston, placing emphasis on the atmosphere of the building, how it is entered from the street, how a believable and comfortable set of interior spaces is created, how volumes are expressed, and facade.

88 pages, Paperback

First published November 23, 2014