India has come far from the era when only traditionally designed houses were the available option for home seekers. With change in land price and increase in property rates, the flat system has penetrated the residential housing architecture. As more and more people flock to metropolises in search of greater opportunities and a better future, the cities are undergoing a demographic transition.
Nathani Heights at Mumbai CentralWe need to bring in the latest construction technologies of the world.
To deal with this challenging situation, we need to upgrade the design of our skyscrapers by bringing in the latest construction technologies of the world. Many high-profile international firms engaged in designing or constructing high-rise buildings, are introducing in India shuttering technologies like jump formwork, hybrid concrete construction etc. which can speed up construction by laying one slab in just 4-5 days.
Advanced construction techniques and methods are making buildings green and sustainable, new building materials like high pressure laminates, steel, zinc, metal perforated sheets etc are making building envelopes weather-responsive, long-lasting and easy to maintain by adding an additional skin to the building. This has led us to conceptualize and design more complicated forms.
Incorporating densely foliated social spaces in high-rise buildings can enhance the socio-physiological well-being of communities.
As global architecture continues to influence skyscrapers in India, the next challenge lies in how social and spatial mechanisms can be translated vertically without compromising the sense of community on the ground, and how building design can foster a greater sense of community. The ability to incorporate social spaces as a series of sky-courts and sky-gardens that are densely foliated, should be considered to enhance the socio-physiological well-being of communities.
