The Vertical City

The growth of world population and its concentration in cities leads to excessive occupation of the ground by constructions.Technical and scientific progress in the last decade allows, from now onwards, to envisage in our regions very high constructions at the same global costs (including networks) as our present constructions, if they are grouped in a regular manner, connected together by networks supported by bridges, 40 or 50 m above the ground, to form small vertical cities.A new architecture for towers remains to be invented with naturally illuminated and ventilated vertical streets that offers views and are punctuated by aerial piazzas.This architecture can completely satisfy the needs of the soul and the spirit, as well as our senses and our physiological needs. Philippe Samyn, member of the Académie royale de Belgique, is an architect, urbanist, structural engineer, and Doctor of Applied Sciences. He is the author, assisted by the architects and engineers of SAMYN and PARTNERS, of numerous public and private building projects, including towers.