Steeper only Gods: Images of Dynamic Architecture in High-Rise Construction
Architects of the new age have been actively investigating unconventional shapes and images for visible implementation of ideas prompted by the new century. However, creation of something principally new does not always coincide with calendar changing of centuries or even thousands of years. Formation of successful strategy for any sophisticated concept depends on many factors, and current trends set with respect to different shapes and styles often reflect the capabilities of the construction industry. At the beginning of the XXI century, several factors concurred together that promoted a keen interest to new developments in high-rise construction. The 1990s race in high-rise construction resulted in a situation when only numerical height indicators were not enough to impress the world. At the same time, there was developed sufficient range of engineering solutions that facilitated a significant leap to a new level of technological capabilities in high-rise construction. Advanced computer programs for design and construction provided architects of the 2000s with new tools, so the world became rich in striking and recognizable projects.
One of the most spectacular themes was the idea of twisted or spiral tall buildings. Twisted or spiral skyscrapers are related to the term “dynamic architecture”. This word combination within the context of high-rise buildings occurred at the turn of the 2000s and reflected a tendency of construction technology development that made it possible to create dramatic tower shapes with different floor shifts around the vertical axis.
The term “dynamic architecture” had been formed in the world practice throughout the XX century and then understood as a modification and a broader term of “kinetic architecture”. The latter is understood as the architecture of the buildings, which are changing in time.
The famous Monument for the Third International” (1919) by Vladimir Tatlin and and the building of “Leningradskaya Pravda” newspaper designed by Konstantin Melnikov were the prototypes of modern kinetic buildings. Though the both projects have never been implemented, they had a tremendous influence on the development of architectural ideas around the world. Contemplation about the comfort and advantages of such a dynamic building functioning system was ironically reflected in the national literature. Nikolay Nosov in his book “Dunno in Sun City” makes the characters imagining a vivid city-planning utopia of the future city where some living buildings turn during the day for the sake of inhabitants’ comfort and optimized space utilization.
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Text by Marianna Maevskaya
