CRD
In urban centers, buildings are densely stacked, and their ascent toward the sky symbolizes power beyond ground-level vision. Historically, towers have been dominant structures, creating a symbolic dialogue with the city, its citizens, and the surrounding environment. Today, the relationship between floor plan divisions and level repetition is a key factor in exploring the potential program and financial feasibility of a new tower in the urban landscape.
2024, Self-commissioned
We recommend first finding possible matching floor plan solutions for our program, in line with legal target heights. A tower is centered around its core, which leads to higher spaces and views. The central core must adapt to the building's height to ensure structural integrity, accessibility, and the proper functioning of all spatial elements. The expansion of space from the core to the façade provides the necessary area for the target activities. Floor plans, stacked on top of each other, form the massing of the tower around its core.
The parametric framework in our example allows us to vary the considered legal core height, the number of internal walls in the four cardinal directions, and the four corner directions. For each floor plan variant, we have the program data directly available, such as the matching sector and the net and gross areas. As we work with tangible data, we can quickly compare many options, analyze, select, and draw conclusions towards our program targets.
Legend explaining the data categories in the bar-chart. Blue = Totals; Red = Quantities; Dark-green = Areas
Considering a regular expansion of the façade line, such as 7.5 meters in four cardinal directions, results in square floor plans, while irregular extensions, such as adding an additional 2.5 meters, result in rectangular floor plans. The compartmentalization of floor-level functions is achieved through internal walls, which act as divisions. Spaces can be left open without divisions for greater flexibility, as is common in office or shared spaces, or they can feature more internal divisions, as seen in residential apartments.
Legend of floor plan.
Typically, divisions are linear due to cost considerations, but the best spatial results are often achieved in combination with non-linear divisions, especially at building corners. The placement and number of divisions directly impact the size (both net and gross) and qualities (such as daylight and orientation) of apartments or office spaces. Therefore, internal wall divisions define the functional program of the tower's floor plan, which is usually repeated across multiple levels. The balance often involves a combination of spatial types to meet the needs of specific target groups, such as particular residential demographics.
Legend of floor-level.