Structures such as bridges, tunnels and skyscrapers are some of the marvels of engineering. However, the engineering sometimes may fail to be marvelous. Such is the case with the famous Tower of Pisa in Italy, which tilts because it was built on a soft ground (Kark Sabbagh1990 pp 360). When such a scenario occurs, engineers and architects are called upon to explain the cause of such a happening. This means, architects are expected to be perfect in their work and as such put up buildings which are able to withstand the elements, bear weighs and distribute energy without moving either too much or too little. In addition increase in competition on who is having the tallest building has led to building of skyscrapers. Skyscrapers are new breeds of buildings being put up; though marvelous they come with numerous challenges which they are posing to architects.
Skyscrapers are built several hundreds of meters and contain hundreds of storey. Movement from one storey to another is very essential. Architects are therefore required solve the puzzle of how one would include enough elevators (lifts) in order to move people up and down in an efficient manner. In such a case, it should be remembered that the taller the building, the more the number of lifts needed. The problem is that they may consume more of the core of the building. Architects are therefore required to come up with the solution to this problem (Kark Sabbagh, 1990, pp. 367).
Architects also have met a new breed of challenges. These include the threat of terrorism, high escalating energy costs and regional differences in the world that are harder to identify. An architect when designing a house has to bear in mind that a good building requires three basic things, that’s it should have firmness, commodity and delight (Mathew Wells’, 2005, p. 32).
Another basic challenge that an architect designing and building skyscrapers face and consequently should deal with is the question of the building’s firmness. An architect has to ensure that he comes up with a good firm foundation that will keep the building from falling down especially during instances like earthquakes, a typhoon or a terrorist attack. Knowing that the higher the building, the more firmness is required, the challenge is, can an architect come up with innovative ways by which buildings can be made stronger, particularly those that raise the most demanding problems of height security and even size (Mathew Wells, 2005, p. 56).
There is also an increased demand that architects should be more creative in their work to necessitate and increase the usefulness of a building. Nowadays, individuals, companies or even corporations who are putting up big structures / buildings, look not only on the height achieved but also on how the building will encourage collaboration. For instance a firm may need a building in which a factory can help horn its own assembly line. Owners of such buildings bank heavily on architects to meet their expectations and demands. Architects in this matter are left with a task of developing new methods that can improve a buildings function. This on the other hand means that, with increased competitiveness in the architectural field any architect needs to take necessary steps and precautions to ensure that he meets the demands in the market (Kark Sabbagh, 1990, p. 378).
In addition, skyscrapers have been known to have a monumental aspect and are to many, a sport. Apart from skyscrapers being a sport, they are also a landmark. It follows naturally that many people happen to be at one time or another near a big building. This raises the issue of security of the building. It is once again the responsibility of an architect to ensure that a building has adequate security that meets the expected set standards. They should ensure that the building meets the safety security standards of the occupants without compromising the buildings symbolic meaning. As they design and put a building, architects are expected to know that, a big building “by virtue of its prominence, are targets” to the many ever increasing terrorist groups around the world. And as such, should come up with creative ideas of ensuring maximum security of any skyscraper. One poses and asks, isn’t this one too many to ask from architects?
Moreover, there have been challenges posed by technology to architects. The recent immediate years have witnessed an increase in technological innovations. This technological innovations have to a great extent, affected the architectural field. For example, technology has made it possible for constructors to change from using the outside walls, to glass walls. This is an indication that an architect has to be always informed and up to date about the many technological innovations emerging day by day. In addition, he / she must also be able to incorporate this new technology with what he has already learnt so that he keeps up with standards of modern day’s buildings. This means that architects are expected to know that “Some of the mot innovative buildings are also the most technologically advanced, whether in their sophisticated composite materials or the data infrastructure that allows work to be done (Kark Sabbagh, 1990, p. 403).
Another challenge that skyscraper architects have to face is the peoples need to have a sense of place in a building. Some famous architectural writers have suggested that “buildings are more meaningful when they are connected to their surroundings, whether through their materials, the cultural traditions they accommodate, or the way they blend in…especially icons of globalization…” Here, an architect is expected to know before hand various numerous cultural aspects of the community living around the structures environment and be sure to include this in his finished work of the building. This demand requires that an architect, be creative enough to know and incorporate this cultural feature in any structure he intends to design and build (Kark Sabbagh, 1990, p. 387). This adds greatly to the sphere of work architects have to deal with.
Moreover, nature in a way poses some architectural challenges to the designers and builders of skyscrapers. An example of such a challenge is that which is caused by wind at the top of the building which leads to wind whirling. Architects are required to design skyscrapers in such a way that there should be minimal wind whirling around it. This is because; wind whirling affects a building in such a way that it causes production of powerful vortexes on the ground, which is very dangerous to the stability of the building. Bearing in mind that the stability of a skyscraper required is higher than that of say, a ten storey building, architects therefore are required to employ more skills in designing the base of such buildings to gain maximum stability.
Skyscrapers have hundreds of rooms that do not have direct access to the fresh outside air, overview scenery of the town or sunlight. This means the buildings need a sophisticated and working outflow system. As the need for people to breath fresh air when they are confined all day in a building increase, so are the challenges to architects to meet this demand. There have been some efforts channeled towards this cause for example, the Hatterman building which is an example of a green building and others which have put new architectural innovations into successive use. Moreover, other factors with the buildings contribution to air pollution are important when designing and putting up a big building (Mathew Wells, 2005, p. 158). But these are not seen as enough efforts and architects are still under pressure to bring out their best and improve the situation.
In conclusion, though there have been numerous success in building skyscrapers, they still pose numerous major challenges to architects. And as such, these challenges range widely from internal security of the building, to security matters concerning terrorist threats. Movement within the building is also another challenge all together. Sustainability, firmness, usefulness and beauty of the building also require the attention of the architects. Having witnessed some results of lack of proper attention to all requirements when putting up a skyscraper, like the leaning tower of Pisa in Italy, architects are under pressure t meet all these challenges so as to avoid the repeat of the same. This in itself is a great challenge. Architects therefore should brace themselves to deal with these challenges professionally and diligently. Let us hope that the rapidly emerging technological innovations will, to a great extent, help in reducing and cubing some of these challenges even as they arise.
References
- Mathew Wells (2005).Skyscraper: Structure and Designs. Laurence king Publishing pages 32, 56, 158 – 6.
- Kark Sabbagh (1990). Skyscraper: The making of building. Penguin Books Ltd. New York. Pages 356 – 408.