The two-day 2nd China Super Tall Building Industry International Summit is currently held in Shenzhen. Aedas’ Chairman and Global Design Principal Keith Griffiths delivered a keynote speech titled ‘Public Space and Porosity of Super Tall Buildings’ on the main stage, sharing with attending industry experts and scholars from around the world Aedas’ insights and experiences in designing super high-rise buildings and urban development.
In his presentation, Keith suggested that high-density cities require commensurately greater public space and pedestrian routes. Public space is required at multiple levels above and below ground as the ground level of dense cities is insufficient. Networks of pedestrian routes can seamlessly reconnect our cities above, below and between transportation systems whilst sky parks and raised decks provide the public spaces lost at ground level. Such networks of pedestrian routes and space will require the lower levels of buildings to be porous and the bases of high rise towers to merge seamlessly into the porous, naturally lit and ventilated multi-level public decks, parks and facilities. He concluded that the easier and more direct access provided by the new multi-level city will increase the use of cycle and pedestrian access and make the city more enjoyable and convenient. Embracing the new high-density city with an appropriate urban solution will provide a new way of city life which is less polluting, more compact, smart and energy efficient.
The two-day Summit was jointly organised by the Architectural Society of China and the Organising Committee of the China Super Tall Building Industry International Summit, with the support of several design institutes.
