Abstract

Skyscrapers are currently the centre of heated debate in New York City. The controversial 432 Park Avenue, set to become the city’s tallest building, is just one of many new ‘supertall’ skyscrapers planned for the city. The concerns, which primarily relate to inequality and overshadowing are nothing new. Despite New York City’s first skyscraper being completed just 150 years ago, their history can be split into three key chapters: the inception of the skyscraper in the late 1800s until the Great Depression in 1929; the end of World War II in the 1940s and the age of globalisation from the 1950s until present (Willis, 1995, p.8). Throughout these periods, the purpose, motives and meaning of skyscrapers have evolved drastically as a result of changes in culture, economic conditions and building legislation. However, one aspect that has remained unchanged throughout is New York City’s unquestionable love affair with the skyscraper- an affair which, in certain reas, has transcended rational practice. Existing research into New York City’s skyscrapers is often guilty of taking an ‘irrational’ bias as a result of a number of widspread misconceptions. Focusing on more semiotic themes writers often ignore or misinterpret underlying rationale.  Economics helps provide a counter argument in support of skyscrapers being ‘rational’ despite the common belief that they symbolise over-exuberance. Whilst it is impossible to say whether New York City’s skyscrapers are categorically ‘rational’ or ‘irrational,’ the balance between the two creates a unique tension that can be credited for the city’s enduring success. By exploring the themes of the ‘rational’ and ‘irrational’ in existing skyscraper research, this dissertation aims to illustrate how this is exemplified by the city’s skyscrapers.